In February 2024, British poker veteran Barny Boatman, whose first recorded tournament victory was in 1998 as per The Hendon Mob, wrote history by winning the EPT Paris Main Event, becoming the oldest person to win an EPT Main Event at 68 years of age.
Boatman has shown no signs of slowing down, winning two more PokerStars trophies since his iconic victory, and he has traveled to Casino Malta for the 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour Malta, aiming to add some more to his collection. With only 14 contenders out of the 1,845-strong field returning today at noon local time for the final day of the €1,650 PokerStars Open, Boatman has a real shot at becoming the first person to win both an EPT Main Event and a PokerStars Open. He will be rewarded with the €423,700 first-place prize if he manages to do so, the biggest slice of the massive €2,656,800 prize pool.
Sitting sixth in chips, Boatman is among the middle of the pack. His stack of 4,275,000 is worth 34 big blinds and is slightly above the average, but an early double-up will elevate him to chipleader, as Evaldas Aniulis returns with the most chips with 7,425,000. Meanwhile, accomplished grinder Scott Margereson sits in third place with 6,550,000, chasing his first live PokerStars major title, although he has won plenty of them online under the nickname "Aggro Santos".
Start of Day 4 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evaldas Aniulis | Lithuania | 7,425,000 | 59 |
| 2 | Siarhei Sochneu | Belarus | 6,875,000 | 55 |
| 3 | Scott Margereson | United Kingdom | 6,550,000 | 52 |
| 4 | Vasyl Palandiuk | Italy | 5,225,000 | 42 |
| 5 | Modar Alsoud | Germany | 4,900,000 | 39 |
| 6 | Barny Boatman | United Kingdom | 4,275,000 | 34 |
| 7 | Gerard Carbo | Spain | 4,025,000 | 32 |
| 8 | Ivan Martinez | Spain | 3,375,000 | 27 |
| 9 | Pierre Azzopardi | Malta | 2,925,000 | 23 |
| 10 | Ioannis Oikonomidis | Greece | 2,850,000 | 23 |
| 11 | Donato De Bonis | Italy | 2,675,000 | 21 |
| 12 | Ana Marquez | Spain | 2,600,000 | 21 |
| 13 | Martin Bartos | Slovakia | 1,050,000 | 8 |
| 14 | Merijn van Rooij | Netherlands | 625,000 | 5 |
Near the bottom of the counts is Ana Marquez, the last lady standing. The Spanish pro has been a force to be reckoned with for over a decade, although a live PokerStars victory eludes her still. Her stack of 2,600,000 equals a very manageable 21 big blinds, over double that of absolute short stacks Martin Bartos and Merijn van Rooij.
The 14 remaining players have guaranteed a minimum of €20,700 for reaching the final day, with the next pay jump set to happen after the first elimination of the day. Reaching the final table will provide players with a guaranteed payout of €39,050, while six-figure prizes await those who reach the top five.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €423,700 | 7 | €65,950 |
| 2 | €264,650 | 8 | €50,700 |
| 3 | €188,900 | 9 | €39,050 |
| 4 | €145,350 | 10-11 | €29,800 |
| 5 | €111,850 | 12-13 | €24,850 |
| 6 | €86,500 | 14 | €20,700 |
The blinds on Day 4 will resume at 50,000/125,000 with a 125,000 big blind ante, with levels remaining 60 minutes long until the final table has been reached. From that point on, a certain number of hands will be played per level instead.
The €1,650 PokerStars Open at EPT Malta will crown its winner today, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on PokerNews for continuous updates throughout the day.
