Gumz Takes Massive Chip Lead into the Final Table of the Malta Poker Festival Grand Event
After less than 6 hours of play, the official final table of the €550 Grand Event has been determined here at the Malta Poker Festival. Eight players are left and guaranteed a payday of at least €14,710 but the winner will walk away with the trophy, the title, and an amazing cash of €150,000. Fabian Gumz from Germany will be starting in the best position as he grabbed the chip lead in the final hand of the night and bagged 9,845,000 in chips.
Gumz is trailed by Emanuele Onnis with 6,330,000 which equals 40 big blinds. Closing the podium is another Italian player Nicolay D’Antoni with 4,685,000. Also on the final table are Borge Dypvik (3,645,000), Giovanni Salvatore (3,630,000), Espen Uhlen Jorstad (3,245,000), Andre Henning (1,765,000), and Steven Iglesias with 975,000.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Fabian Gumz | Germany | 9,845,000 | 62 |
| 1 | 2 | Andre Henning | Sweden | 1,765,000 | 11 |
| 1 | 3 | Nicolaj D'Antoni | Italy | 4,685,000 | 29 |
| 1 | 4 | Steven Iglesias | Norway | 975,000 | 6 |
| 1 | 5 | Giovanni Salvatore | Italy | 3,630,000 | 23 |
| 1 | 6 | Espen Uhlen Jorstad | Norway | 3,245,000 | 20 |
| 1 | 8 | Emanuele Onnis | Italy | 6,330,000 | 40 |
| 1 | 9 | Borge Dypvik | Norway | 3,645,000 | 23 |
Today’s action
The day started with 24 players and in the first ten minutes of the day there were already two double-ups to be noted. Yoav Scheiman doubled through Jorstad first and then Giovanna Dimartino doubled up through Scheiman. Scheiman was then eliminated by Dimartino once the new level started. Idan Raz then busted Harvey Norris, Onnis then took out Gary Banks in a three-way all-in pot where his pocket kings held on and Henning got short.
Eivind Dahle was then downed by D’Antoni, Elio Caferro fell to Francesco Cortorillo, Emanuele Napolitano failed to win his all-in against Marko Cosic. Raz then busted to Jorstad and Colin Lovelock was eliminated in 17th place to take the players down to the last two tables.
Piero Compagnoni ran his ace-eight into the ace-king of Cortorillo, Dimartino was the last woman standing and busted with ace-ten against the pocket nines of Gumz. The day 1B chip leader, Domenico Gala held pocket sixes when he was all-in against the pocket aces of Onnis and got no help from the board. Cortillo then busted to Eyal Bensimhon with ace-jack, Bensimhon had king-queen and hit the river to have the upper hand.
Bensimhon was next to go when he shoved after Onnis had raised and his queen-jack couldn’t win against the ace-king of Onnis. Jona Wilmsmann was eliminated in 11th place when he held ace-queen and D’Antoni held ace-nine and hit a nine on the river. Federico Petruzzelli first doubled up Gumz and then lost the rest of his chips to Salvatore with ace-king and Salvatore held pocket aces.
The nine remaining players then combined onto one table for the unofficial final table. One full level was played in which Gumz hit the nut-flush and got paid but nothing else exciting really happened. The players then left for a 15-minute break and in the first hand after the break, Cosic shoved from under the gun, Dypvik called, Gumz overshoved for Dypvik to then fold. Gumz held ace-king against the pocket jacks of Cosic and hit a king on the flop to eliminate Cosic as the final table bubble.
The final table players will return at 2 PM local time to the final table in the casino and it will be live streamed on Twitch. The stream will have a 30-minute security delay as the hole cards will be shown. Make sure to come back then to see who will be crowned as the first ever winner of the Malta Poker Festival Grand Event as the PokerNews live reporting team will be there until the final card has been dealt.
with the king in the window to give Gumz the higher two pair immediately.
which didn't change the situation as only another jack could keep Cosic alive. 
for Gumz to show a little fist pump and Cosic was eliminated as the final table bubble in ninth place for €10,500.
and they both checked through to the 
on the turn. They both checked again to see the 
on the river complete the board. Gumz took some time and then decided to bet 1,150,000. Jorstad looked up to the tournament clock, took a few seconds and then made the call but mucked when Gumz tabled 
for the nut-flush.
for the pocket aces of Salvatore to hold and eliminate Petruzzelli in 10th place for €7,000.
for D'Antoni to hit the nine on the river to eliminate Wilmsmann from the tournament in 11th place for €7,000.
for them both to hit a pair of aces but no further help came for Compagnoni as he was eliminated in 16th place.