€550 Grand Event
Day 1b Started
€550 Grand Event
Day 1b Started
If the first-ever day of the brand new Malta Poker Festival was setting the standard for the rest of the festival, then the players will have a lot more to look out for today during Day 1B of the €550 Grand Event. The first starting flight of the Grand Event attracted 302 entries of which 64 managed to bag for Day 2. The second starting flight which is called Day 1B is scheduled to start at 2 PM local time but will most likely be delayed as there is another stunning opening ceremony planned.
Currently in the chip lead is the Czech Republic’s Ondrej Jakubcik with 462,000 in chips, trailed by Alessandro Pichierri (257,000), Borge Dypvik (241,500), John Forsman (229,000), and Giovanni Salvatore (216,000).
Players expected to jump into today or tomorrow include Jesper Hougaard, Espen Uhlen Jorstad, Ivo Donev, Leo Worthington-Leese, Andreas Klatt, David Lappin, Jon Kyte, and many other familiar faces internationally and on the island.
The players entering today will start with 25,000 in chips and play 14 levels of 45 minutes each are on the schedule. A 15-minute break will take place after Level 3, 9, and 12 with a 75-minute dinner break after Level 6. Just like yesterday, there is a cap of a maximum of 700 players for the day.
Grand Event Day 1 Structure
Level | Duration | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 45 | 50 | 100 | - |
2 | 45 | 75 | 150 | - |
3 | 45 | 100 | 200 | 25 |
Break | 15 | |||
4 | 45 | 150 | 300 | 25 |
5 | 45 | 200 | 400 | 50 |
6 | 45 | 250 | 500 | 50 |
Break | 75 | |||
7 | 45 | 300 | 600 | 100 |
8 | 45 | 400 | 800 | 100 |
9 | 45 | 500 | 1,000 | 100 |
Break | 15 | |||
10 | 45 | 600 | 1,200 | 200 |
11 | 45 | 800 | 1,600 | 200 |
12 | 45 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 300 |
Break | 15 | |||
13 | 45 | 1,200 | 2,400 | 300 |
14 | 45 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 400 |
As is usual during the festivals in the pretty Portomaso Casino, there is enough choice to spoil you for the side events or the extracurricular activities. From 3 PM onwards, there are the Comino FLASH Satellites running for only €6 in which you can win a ticket for the MPF Grand Event Satellite which starts at 7 PM. There’s also a €150 Grandmaster High-Roller Super Sattelite at 9 PM. And if you don’t want or can’t play poker anymore, from 11 PM onwards, there’s the ALL-IN Friday party at Tiffany’s Champagne Bar in the Portomaso Marina which is free to attend for all package holders!s
Grand Event Schedule
Day | Date | Starting Time | Late Reg | Entries | Survivors | Further Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1A | Thursday, November 1 | 14:00 | ~21:30 | 302 | 64 | 75 minute-dinner break after Level 6 |
1B | Friday, November 2 | 14:00 | ~21:30 | - | - | 75 minute-dinner break after Level 6 |
1C | Saturday, November 3 | 14:00 | ~21:30 | - | - | 75 minute-dinner break after Level 6 |
2 | Sunday, November 4 | 13:00 | N/A | - | - | 20-minute breaks and 75-minute dinner break after Level 23 |
3 | Monday, November 5 | 14:00 | N/A | - | - | 20-minute breaks and 75-minute dinner break after Level 35 |
4 | Tuesday, November 6 | 14:00 | N/A | tba | - | Play down to a champion |
Make sure to come back at 2 PM local time to keep up with all the action from the rocky island called Malta as the PokerNews live reporting team will be here to bring you all the action!
The players are streaming into the poker room and taking their seats at the tables. Another opening ceremony is planned so the start of the tournament has been moved back a bit.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Like yesterday, the opening ceremony and introductory speech delivered by the official hostess Cat Winch-Johnson and Danilo de Berardinis, the tournament director, delayed the start of the tournament a bit but now the dealers have been instructed to shuffle up and deal.
With 305 entries showing on the clock, yesterday's attendance record has already been broken!
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ann-Roos Callens
|
25,000 | |
Andy Hills | 25,000 | 25,000 |
Cat Winch-Johnson
|
25,000 | |
Patrick Van Den Dries | 25,000 | |
Donna Morton
|
25,000 | |
Daiva Byrne | 25,000 | |
Jon Kyte | 25,000 | |
Steven Penny
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
Ronni Borg | 25,000 | |
Kework Besiktasliyan | 25,000 | 25,000 |
Steven Iglesias | 25,000 | 25,000 |
Graham Pound raised to 325 from under the gun and was called by Timmy Passenier in the cutoff and Akseli Hosia on the button. Christian Gamsjager three-bet to 1,800 in the small blind and was called by both Passenier and Hosia,
The flop brought them the , Gamsjager continued with a bet of 2,500 which only Hosia called.
The turn came with the , Gamsjager barreled another bet over the line, now for 5,000. Hosia considered his options for a while but then opted to fold.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Christian Gamsjager | 31,425 | 31,425 |
Graham Pound
|
24,675 | 24,675 |
Timmy Passenier | 23,200 | 23,200 |
Akseli Hosia
|
20,700 | 20,700 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 0
There are currently 339 entries showing on the tournament clock with 336 players left.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Hanna Chaaya
|
Busted | |
Andrew Camilleri
|
Busted | |
Marc Schembri
|
Busted |