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€1,650 PokerStars Open
Day 3 Completed
2025 PokerStars EPT Malta
€1,650 PokerStars Open
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 PokerStars EPT Malta
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
€1,650
Prize Pool
€2,656,800
Total Entries
1,845
Level
35
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
79
Players Left
14
Players Left 1 / 1,845
Filter
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
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.
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,425,000
325,000
|
325,000 |
|
||
|
6,875,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
6,550,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
5,225,000
290,000
|
290,000 |
|
4,900,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
4,275,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
||
|
4,025,000
380,000
|
380,000 |
|
3,375,000
915,000
|
915,000 |
|
2,925,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
2,850,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
2,675,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
2,600,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
1,050,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
625,000
715,000
|
715,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
With eight levels completed, Day 3 has ended with 14 players on the clock. They will return tomorrow for the fourth and final day of the €1,650 PokerStars Open.
Stay tuned for the chip counts and a recap of the day.
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Ioannis Oikonomidis ripped in his stack of 1,355,000 from middle position. It folded to Modar Alsoud in the big blind, who thought for a while before he decided to call.
Ioannis Oikonomidis: K♥J♥ 
Modar Alsoud: A♥6♠
Oikonomidis flopped a pair on 10♥K♦Q♦ for a sizable lead. The 9♥ turn upgraded him to a straight, and the Q♣ river paired the board to secure his double-up.
Over at the other table, Scott Margereson had raised under the gun when Pierre Azzopardi three-bet all in for 1,330,000 on the button. Margereson made a quick call when the action folded back to him.
Pierre Azzopardi: A♥A♣
Scott Margereson: Q♠Q♣
Azzopardi's aces remained safe on the K♠J♦6♥5♦7♦ runout, doubling him up with just a couple of minutes left to play for the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,450,000
1,660,000
|
1,660,000 |
|
|
4,950,000
2,180,000
|
2,180,000 |
|
|
2,910,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
2,860,000
1,780,000
|
1,780,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Merijn van Rooij opened to 200,000 from under the gun. Barny Boatman and Scott Margereson called from the button and small blind.
Van Rooij continued for 150,000 on the A♦A♠10♠ flop. Only Boatman called. The Brit called a bet of 375,000 on the 7♣ turn, and then the 8♥ river checked through to showdown.
Van Rooij's Q♠J♠ missed it's combo draw while Boatman's A♥5♥ was good for trips and the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,500,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,340,000
720,000
|
720,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Merijn van Rooij open-jammed for 955,000 in the cutoff and was quickly called by Benjamin Duval in the big blind.
Merijn van Rooij: Q♥J♣
Benjamin Duval: A♥Q♦
Van Rooij flopped an open-ended straight draw on 10♦9♠2♥. It completed on the 8♦ turn, and the 7♥ river avoided a chop pot, doubling Van Rooij up.
Duval was left with 755,000, which he got in on the button a couple of hands later. Evaldas Aniulis looked him up in the small blind, and the players showed down.
Benjamin Duval: A♦7♣
Evaldas Aniulis: A♣K♠
This time, the best hand remained best on the Q♣5♣2♠4♦8♦ runout. Duval said his goodbyes to the table and departed to pick up his 15th-place payout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,750,000
995,000
|
995,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,060,000
1,020,000
|
1,020,000 |
|
Busted | |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
On Table 1, Martin Bartos opened to 200,000 from under the gun, and called when Ivan Martinez jammed for 1,105,000 from the button.
Ivan Martinez: A♠7♠
Martin Bartos: A♣K♠
Martinez paired his seven on the J♦7♦3♥ flop and survived after the 5♠ turn and 8♠ river.
As that hand played out, Merijn van Rooij and Evaldas Aniulis got into a raising war of their own on the other table.
Aniulis raised to 200,000 from the hijack. Van Rooij three-bet to 900,000 from the big blind and snap-called when Aniulis jammed for 3,255,000.
Evaldas Aniulis: A♠K♦
Merijn van Rooij: KxKx
Van Rooij couldn't believe it when Aniulis took the lead on the A♣7♦3♠ flop, and continued to brood after the Q♦5♥ runout gave Aniulis the check mark.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,755,000
3,055,000
|
3,055,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,460,000
1,305,000
|
1,305,000 |
|
|
1,200,000
1,210,000
|
1,210,000 |
|
|
1,040,000
1,175,000
|
1,175,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Antonio Merone open-shoved as first to act, piling his stack of 1,090,000 in the middle. Gerard Carbo asked for a count in middle position, after which he quickly reshoved for 3,065,000.
The other players quickly mucked their cards, leaving the duo to show down.
Antonio Merone: 8♠8♣
Gerard Carbo: A♠A♦
The eights of Merone stood no chance on the 3♠3♣10♠K♠J♥ board, seeing Carbo's aces comfortably hold to eliminate him.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,130,000
270,000
|
270,000 |
|
|
4,935,000
315,000
|
315,000 |
|
|
4,405,000
2,005,000
|
2,005,000 |
|
|
3,225,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
|
2,410,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
|
|
1,155,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
|
|
1,080,000
1,520,000
|
1,520,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 29
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Evaldas Aniulis pushed in a raise to 250,000 under the gun. Hijack Matas Cimbolas then three-bet to 1,000,000, about two-thirds of his stack, getting the rest of the table to fold.
Aniulis tanked for a while before the clock was called on him. With about five seconds left, he called. The dealer fanned the 5♣5♥9♦ flop, on which Aniulis elected to lead for 200,000.
Cimbolas called to the 2♠ turn, where he was put all in by Aniulis. Cimbolas quickly called off his remaining 280,000, and a showdown was ordered.
Matas Cimbolas: A♦Q♠
Evaldas Aniulis: 9♥9♣
Cimbolas was drawing dead against the flopped full house of Aniulis, and a meaningless 10♦ river was dropped on the table before Cimbolas headed to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,700,000
2,765,000
|
2,765,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
