€5,300 Main Event Day 1a | 2025 PokerStars EPT Malta

10-06-2025 17:09 UTC+2

Bull Continues to Build

Stewart Morrison

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Alessandro Checcin kicked the action off with a raise to 1,100 from under the gun. Robbie Bull, on the button, and the player in the big blind both made the call.

Checcin continued for another 1,100 on the K♣9♠3♠ flop, which Bull called before the big blind got out of the way.

The turn brought the 7♣, and Checcin opted to bet again, this time for 3,000. Again, Bull called.

The dealer burned and turned the flush-completing J♠ river card, which saw Checcin hit the brakes, checking over to his opponent. After careful consideration, Bull fired out a bet of 9,000, which was enough to take it down as Checcin returned his cards to the dealer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robbie Bull	72,500 19,000	19,000
Alessandro Checcin	46,000

Tags: Alessandro Checcin Robbie Bull

10-06-2025 17:07 UTC+2

"Matas is the Biggest Luckbox"

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Calum Grant

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Matas Cimbolas raised from the cutoff before Xiaohu Liu made it 3,500 from the button. Cimobolas four-bet to 8,800 and was called.

Liu called a bet of 3,800 on the 6♠4♥2♦ flop, which left him with 15,000. Cimbolas then bet that amount on the 10♥ turn, and after some thinking time, Liu called.

Xiaohu Liu: 5♠5♣ All in
Matas Cimbolas: A♣K♦

Liu had made a good call with his small pocket pair, but the deck rewarded Cimbolas as he spiked the A♥ river to seal the check mark.

"Matas is the biggest luckbox," chimed Jon Kyte, as Cimbolas took in the pot with a big grin on his face.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matas Cimbolas	75,000 75,000	75,000
Jon Kyte	31,500 6,500	6,500
Xiaohu Liu	Busted

Tags: Jon Kyte Matas Cimbolas Xiaohu Liu

10-06-2025 16:56 UTC+2

Schulze Shoves in Consecutive Hands

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Stewart Morrison

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Seeing a raise from the button to 1,000 and a call from the small blind ahead of him, Sebastian Schulze moved all in for 8,500 from the big blind. Both his opponents folded, allowing him to pull in the pot uncontested.

The very next deal, a player in middle position raised to 1,100, and again, one player called before the action was on Schulze. After taking a moment to consider his options, Schulze took the aggressive action once again, moving all in, this time for 11,000. Once again, both his opponents folded, making it back-to-back pots for Schulze.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastian Schulze	13,200 13,200	13,200

Tags: Sebastian Schulze

10-06-2025 16:44 UTC+2

Chip Leaders Returning from the Break

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Stewart Morrison

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Kasjusz Zycinski	135,000 54,000	54,000
Mykhailo Ostash	97,000 40,500	40,500

Toni Kaukua	93,700 16,700	16,700
Mehdi Rebai	92,500 30,500	30,500
Erik Eisan	90,300
Miguel Chaves	86,000 21,000	21,000
Antoine Saout	84,600 4,600	4,600
Rui Bouquet	83,000
Adi Rajkovic	83,000 40,000	40,000
Thomas Haverstad	80,000 5,000	5,000

Level: 5

Blinds: 200/500

Ante: 500

10-06-2025 16:34 UTC+2

Do Poker Cheaters Deserve a Second Chance? | PokerNews Podcast #918

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Elijah Farrow

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

In the 918th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, the 100th of the revamped in-studio show, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion about GGPoker’s Olive Branch Initiative. Do banned players and poker cheaters deserve a second chance?

The trio then discusses Monarch's recent seven-figure heads-up matches that saw $11 million and $12.7 million pots, recent tournament winners from the latest Triton Poker stop, including Isaac Haxton and Christoph Vogelsang, and Kristen Foxen taking over the top spot from Vanessa Selbst on the Women's All-Time Money List on The Hendon Mob.

Plus, Chadd Beatty wins RGPS Grand Prix Pennsylvania Main Event, and it's your last chance to qualify for a FREE seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS).

Finally, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

10-06-2025 16:20 UTC+2

20-Minute Break

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Maxime Taldir

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

The 229 players of Day 1a are now on a 20-minute break.

10-06-2025 16:15 UTC+2

Marrone Eliminated; Ivacson Reenters

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Calum Grant

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Action was caught in a three-handed pot between Jovan Kenjic, Giuseppe Marrone, and David Kaufmann.

There was 3,300 in the pot on the 7♥2♠10♦K♥ board. Kenjic checked from early position, prompting Marrone to fire out 3,200 from middle position. Kaufmann called from the cutoff, and then Kenjic raised to 7,800. Marrone jammed for 19,500, and after some thought, Kaufmann reshoved for 20,700. Kenjic quickly folded.

Giuseppe Marrone: 7♦7♠ All in
David Kaufmann: 10♠10♣

It was a set-over-set encounter, and Kaufmann scooped in the pot after the 3♦ river.

One table over, Attila Ivacson was facing a decision for his tournament life against Jon Vallinas.

There was around 20,000 in the middle on the 7♥6♦K♦4♣4♦ completed board. Ivacson bet 10,400 from under the gun, which left him with 15,000 behind. Vallinas jammed as the bigger stack, sending Ivacson into the blender. He decided on a call.

Attila Ivacson: AxKx All in
Jon Vallinas: 7♠7♣

Vallinas had a full house and sent Ivacson to the reentry desk; when he returned, he was seated on Kaufmann's table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jon Vallinas	80,000 80,000	80,000
David Kaufmann	51,000 33,000	33,000
Attila Ivacson	30,000 19,000	19,000
Jovan Kenjic	26,000 26,000	26,000
Giuseppe Marrone	Busted

Tags: Atilla Ivacson David Kaufmann Giuseppe Marrone Jon Vallinas Jovan Kenjic

10-06-2025 16:13 UTC+2

Danchev Doubles Up

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Maxime Taldir

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Dimitar Danchev opened to 800 from the hijack. Vikentios Fisentzou in the cutoff three-bet to 2,500, but Danchev four-bet to 5,800. Fisentzou raised all in, and Danchev called off his last 20,400.

Dimitar Danchev: J♠J♦ All in
Vikentios Fisentzou: 10♥10♠

Danchev kept the lead all the way through a board of 5♣Q♣4♦7♥Q♥ and doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vikentios Fisentzou	59,000 59,000	59,000
Dimitar Danchev	22,800 22,800	22,800

Tags: Dimitar Danchev Vikentios Fisentzou

10-06-2025 16:11 UTC+2

Aces for Costa

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Calum Grant

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Gianluca Fichera limped in from early position before Timo Kamphues made it 900 from the button. Isabella Costa bumped it to 4,000 from the small blind, and only Fichera called.

Costa snap-jammed as the bigger stack on the J♠8♦3♥ flop. Fichera had 17,500 behind and decided to let go of his hand.

Costa flashed A♠A♣; Fichera said he had AxKx.