The PokerStars European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo, the €10,000 + €600 signature finale of every EPT season, began this weekend with the first of two day ones attracting 351 players.  Today’s second Day 1 attracted another 497 players, creating a total field for this year’s Grand Final of 848.

With over 840 entrants, organizers for the EPT Grand Final will be able to payout 128 places and award a top prize of €1,700,000 to the one worthy opponent able to somehow end up with all the chips.

Players who are still in the hunt for that substantial top prize after one full day of play each include Liv Boeree, Humberto Brenes, Chris Moneymaker, Isabelle Mercier, Shaun Deeb, Johnny Lodden, Mike “Timex” McDonald, Isaac Baron, Marcel Luske, Vanessa Rousso, Greg Raymer, Jeff Sarwer, Erica Schoenberg, Ross Boatman and 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Joe Cada.

Around 427 players in total survived the first two day ones of the EPT’s last big dance of Season 6, but there are still 4 days to go and only one of them can earn all the glory this event has to offer.  Last year’s winner of the Grand Final, Pieter De-Korver, earned over $3 million US when he took this event down, and though we now know what this year’s winner will earn in comparison, it’s still way to soon to even guess who is likely to earn it.

For updates, chip counts and photos from the PokerStars European Poker Tour Grand Final, as it progresses throughout the week, visit the official PokerStars blog.