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

10-11-2025 17:53 UTC+1

Brzezinski Flats Ace-King Again

Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Joao Tomas raised to 100,000 in the hijack with 9♣8♥. Tom-Aksel Bedell three-bet his K♠8♠ to 325,000 in the cutoff, which Tomasz Brzezinski cold-called on the button with A♣K♣.

Tomas also wanted to come along to a flop, and called for the dealer to fan A♥10♠6♠. Bedell continued for 225,000, being called by Brzezinski before Tomas check-folded.

The Q♣ turn was then checked by both Bedell and Brzezinski, after which the 4♣ fell on the river. Bedell gave up on the pot, check-folding to Brzezinski's bet of 750,000

Player	Chips	Progress
Mykhailo Ostash	5,315,000 125,000	125,000

Tomasz Brzezinski	4,820,000 880,000	880,000

Tom-Aksel Bedell	4,815,000 575,000	575,000

Adria Calonge	4,095,000 125,000	125,000
Ben Heath	2,240,000 100,000	100,000
Joao Tomas	1,880,000 330,000	330,000
Juan Pardo	1,370,000
Aliaksei Boika	1,300,000

Toni Kaukua	1,120,000 130,000	130,000

Tags: Joao Tomas Tom-Aksel Bedell Tomasz Brzezinski

Level: 27

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 60,000

10-11-2025 18:02 UTC+1

Boika’s Trips Best Bedell

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Sava Krink

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Tom-Aksel Bedell opened from middle position with K♠9♠ and found a caller in Aliaksei Boika, who defended his big blind with A♦Q♠.

Both players checked through the J♣Q♦Q♣ flop.

Boika then took the lead on the 4♣ turn, betting 165,000, and Bedell made the call.

The river brought the 9♣, giving Bedell a pair, but Boika fired again for 60,000. Bedell called, only to see Boika table his trip queens to scoop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom-Aksel Bedell	4,620,000 195,000	195,000

Aliaksei Boika	1,890,000 590,000	590,000

Tags: Aliaksei Boika Tom-Aksel Bedell

10-11-2025 18:11 UTC+1

Joao Tomas Eliminated in 9th Place (€70,250)

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Frank Visser

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Aliaksei Boika made it 120,000 to go in the cutoff, to which Joao Tomas responded with a three-bet to 380,000 in the small blind. Boika clicked it back to 640,000, after which Tomas five-bet jammed all in for 1,760,000.

Boika snap-called his opponent, covering him by a single big blind.

Joao Tomas: Q♠Q♥ All in
Aliaksei Boika: A♠K♠

Tomas remained ahead on the 7♣3♣8♦ flop and 10♦ turn. Boika had six outs remaining in the deck to hit on the river, and the A♣ was one of them, providing a classic case of a "Barry Greenstein."

The eliminated Tomas stood up and took his leave, being the first to depart from the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksei Boika	3,740,000 1,850,000	1,850,000

Joao Tomas	Busted

Tags: Aliaksei Boika Barry Greenstein Joao Tomas

10-11-2025 18:18 UTC+1

Trips for Ostash

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Calum Grant

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Mykhailo Ostash A♦7♥ raised to 120,000 from the hijack. Adria Calonge J♥10♥ and Tomasz Brzezinski 8♦8♠ called from the button and big blind.

The A♣A♥10♠ flop checked through 6♥ turn. Ostash bet 300,000 and only Calonge called. Ostash, with trips, fired out 650,000 and Calonge called with his pair of tens to lose the 2,350,000 pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mykhailo Ostash	6,600,000 1,285,000	1,285,000

Tomasz Brzezinski	4,640,000 180,000	180,000

Adria Calonge	3,030,000 1,065,000	1,065,000

Tags: Adria Calonge Mykhailo Ostash Tomasz Brzezinski

10-11-2025 18:22 UTC+1

Kaukua Turns Odds to Double Up

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Frank Visser

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Tom-Aksel Bedell raised his button to 125,000, seeing Toni Kaukua move all in for 1,060,000 in the big blind. Bedell quickly called to put Kaukua at risk.

Toni Kaukua: A♥J♥ All in
Tom-Aksel Bedell: A♦K♣

Kaukua hit a jack on the 9♥2♠8♦J♦ to reverse the lead in his favor. The 8♥ river did nothing to change the hand, and Kaukua doubled up to a stack of over 35 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom-Aksel Bedell	3,410,000 1,210,000	1,210,000

Toni Kaukua	2,210,000 1,090,000	1,090,000

Tags: Tom-Aksel Bedell Toni Kaukua

10-11-2025 18:28 UTC+1

Flush for Pardo

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Calum Grant

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Tomasz Brzezinski J♠8♠ raised to 150,000 from the cutoff. Toni Kaukua A♣Q♥ and Juan Pardo 10♣9♣ called from the button and big blind.

Kaukua paired up on the K♠Q♣9♦ flop, which checked through to the J♣ turn. Pardo improved to a straight, and then sealed the check mark with a flush as the 2♣ river came in after all three players checked.

It checked through to showdown and Pardo took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tomasz Brzezinski	4,460,000 180,000	180,000

Toni Kaukua	2,030,000 180,000	180,000
Juan Pardo	1,490,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Juan Pardo Tomasz Brzezinski Toni Kaukua

10-11-2025 18:36 UTC+1

Boika Sends Spicy Check-Raise

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Frank Visser

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Toni Kaukua raised to 120,000 in the hijack with 7♠7♣. Aliaksei Boika defended Q♠J♠ in the big blind before he checked the 5♠4♥9♦ flop over to Kaukua.

The Finn continued with a bet of 110,000, but Boika responded with a raise to 330,000. Undeterred, Kaukua called to the 10♣ turn. However, when Boika fired a second barrel of 500,000, Kaukua quickly mucked his pocket pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksei Boika	4,220,000 480,000	480,000

Toni Kaukua	1,580,000 450,000	450,000

Tags: Aliaksei Boika Toni Kaukua

10-11-2025 18:40 UTC+1

Kaukua's Float Pays Off

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Calum Grant

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Toni Kaukua K♥Q♥ raised to 120,000 from middle position. Adria Calonge J♦10♣ called from the big blind.

Calonge made top pair on the J♥5♣4♠ flop, and check-raised to 260,000 over a bet of 85,000. Kaukua called with his overcards. His float was rewarded with the the Q♠ turn, and Calonge checked. Kaukua used a time bank and fired out 290,000. Calonge used a time bank of his before deciding to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adria Calonge	2,590,000 440,000	440,000
Toni Kaukua	2,050,000 470,000	470,000

Tags: Adria Calonge Toni Kaukua

10-11-2025 18:45 UTC+1

Boika Battles Bedell

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Frank Visser

Level 27 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Aliaksei Boika sat on the button and raised to 135,000. Tom-Aksel Bedell called in the big blind, after which he check-called Boika's bet of 120,000 on the 2♠8♥9♣ flop.

The 6♣ turn was quickly checked through to the Q♠ river. Bedell checked for a third time, after which Boika piled in a hefty bet of 450,000.

Bedell did not need long to find a call, but his 9♥7♠ was not enough to win against the A♥Q♣ of Boika, who had rivered a better pair.