2017 Cash Game Festival Malta

Last year at this time, Finland's Petteri Vanhapelto was commentating for the 2016 Cash Game Festival Malta. He returned again this year to appear on the other side of the coin as a player at the feature table.

The decision to play today was a good one for Vanhapelto. He not only won but won big taking down over €1,200 in profit.

Day 1 of the 2017 Cash Game Festival Malta at Casino Malta by Olympic Casino has been a huge success.

The day began with welcome drinks. At the same time, the poker began with a €1/€2 no-limit hold'em side table. A short time later, the first feature table, a €1/€2 no-limit hold'em game, of the day began which included many players well-known in the industry including Nordicbet Head of Poker Jostein Grødum, Guts.com Head of Poker Eirik Thorvaldsen and Guts.com Poker Coordinator Lars Erik Isaksen. Cash Game Festival Commentator Brandon Allen and Betsafe Ambassador Monika Zukowicz teamed up to announce the action.

Thorvaldsen was the big winner on the first table, banking a profit of around €400, after taking down a huge pot against Isaksen who works with him day in and day out. The duo then went out to dinner before teaming up together splitting a stack at the roulette wheel.

The game changed to €1/€2 pot-limit Omaha at the second feature table. Finland's Petteri Vanhapelto was the biggest winner at this table after booking a profit of around €1,200. Last year at this time, instead of playing, Vanhapelto was the commentator for the 2016 Cash Game Festival Malta.

Other players from previous Cash Game Festivals got into the action on the first day and plan on playing through the evening including Sin Menis Melin, Jack Fenton, Niklas Blomqvist, Niklas Blomqvist, Sami Pulliainen, Dusan Hajek and Jostein Grødum, who is the Nordicbet Head of Poker. Another regular calling in at midnight from the airport to let us know he was here is United Kingdom's Michael Fletcher.

As the clock ticked to midnight, the action was still running strong with five tables in action. This is one short of the day's high of six tables. Many players shared they plan to play through the evening.

Tomorrow's activities off the felt begin very early with a catamaran trip. Players have been buzzing with excitement about the site seeing, while others plan to see some sites on the land on their own time before heading to the poker tables.

Stay tuned at PokerNews as the action unfolds through the 2017 Cash Game Festival Malta.