Big Slick Hands Aniulis the Chip Lead for PSO Main Event Finale
Poker can turn on a dime. One moment you’re all in and praying for a three-outer, the next you’re staring at a mountain of chips with a shot at a major title.
That’s exactly what happened to Evaldas Aniulis late on Day 3 of the €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event at the 2025 PokerStars EPT Malta. In one of the final hands of the night, the Lithuanian cracked pocket kings with big slick to vault himself into the chip lead, a pot that sent Merijn van Rooij tumbling to the bottom of the counts.
Now Aniulis holds pole position heading into the final 14, eyeing the PokerStars trophy and the €423,700 top prize from the €2,656,800 prize pool inside Casino Malta.
Among those still in contention is Siarhei Sochneu, who sits a few big blinds behind Aniulis after bagging 6,875,000.
Scott Margereson quietly built one of the biggest stacks of the day to sit third overall. The WPT champion is joined by 2024 Paris EPT Main Event winner, Barny Boatman, who continues to roll back the years with another deep run at an EPT.
Spain’s Ana Marquez also remains in the mix, looking to become the first woman to lift the PokerStars Open Main Event title. The Spaniard has her work cut out for her as she returns for the finale 12th in chips.
End of Day 3 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 |
Everyone still in the hunt has locked up a minimum of €20,700 for reaching Day 4, with the payout jumping to €24,850 after the first elimination of the day. Six-figure scores come into play for the final 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 |
Day 3 Recap
Several big names were unable to make a deep run, including PokerStars Ambassadors Benjamin Bruneteaux and Julien Brecard, who were among the early casualties. Their teammate Kenny Haellart lasted longer, but ultimately bowed out just short of the final three tables.
High-stakes regulars Rainer Kempe and Thomas Muehloecker also fell during the middle stages of the day, alongside 2024 EPT Cyprus Eureka Main Event champion Leo Worthington-Leese.
Alessandro La Cava was next to depart in 24th place, followed by Mateusz Moolhuizen (23rd) and Tom Fuchs (20th). The elimination of Matas Cimbolas in 17th place set up the final two tables, where Antonio Merone and Benjamin Duval were the last players to fall before play wrapped up.
The day could have ended with a final table, but several timely double-ups kept things alive. Ioannis Oikonomidis, Pierre Azzopardi, and Ivan Martinez all found crucial late survivals to keep their title hopes intact heading into Day 4.
Plan for Day 4
Day 4 will kick off at 12 p.m. on Monday, October 6, with blinds at 50,000/125,000 with a 125,000 big blind ante. All levels will remain 60 minutes long, and the tournament will crown it's champion.
As always, stick with PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action from the PSO Main Event at EPT Malta.