Coverage Begins as Malta Poker Festival Returns with €500,000 Guaranteed Grand Event
First held in 2018, the Malta Poker Festival has grown into one of Europe’s most anticipated poker events. As the 2025 Autumn Edition gets underway, PokerNews is thrilled to return to the Portomaso Casino in St. Julians to bring you all the action.
Headlining the festival is the €550 Grand Event, boasting a massive €500,000 guarantee. Day 1a is already in the books, seeing 42 of the 283 entrants secure their spots for Day 2 and guaranteeing themselves a minimum payout.
Setting the pace from the opening flight is Hans Bjorklund. The Swedish national bagged the chip lead with a stack of 916,000 after an impressive Day 1a. Hot on his heels, Max Gerritsen and Andrea Calabria complete the podium places, with stacks of 896,000 and 625,000, respectively.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hans Bjorklund | Sweden | 916,000 |
| 2 | Max Gerritsen | Netherlands | 896,000 |
| 3 | Andrea Calabria | Italy | 625,000 |
| 4 | Alessio Lucciarini | Italy | 614,000 |
| 5 | Maria Koutsouki | Greece | 585,000 |
| 6 | Lars Larsson | Sweden | 552,000 |
| 7 | Thibaut Thevenet | France | 527,000 |
| 8 | Danielius Jancauskas | Lithuania | 522,000 |
| 9 | Nuno Morais | Portugal | 450,000 |
| 10 | Mogens Hansen | Denmark | 423,000 |
The event will see a total of eight starting flights, including Day 1b, which begins today at 5:00 p.m. local time. Each player will begin with a 50,000 starting stack, with blind levels starting at 100/200, with a 200 big blind ante.
Each level runs for 40 minutes, and late registration stays open until the end of Level 10. Players can fire as many bullets as they like until registration closes, with action stopping once 15% of the field is left — those players will bag up for Day 2 and lock in a guaranteed payout.
The remaining flights will follow the same structure, except for Days 1g and 1h, which will follow a faster, turbo structure. These flights will see the blind levels increase every 20 minutes.
All players who progress from their respective flights will return for Day 2, which is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, November 1. The blind levels will increase to a 60-minute clock, with the plan for the day's play yet to be confirmed.
Malta Poker Festival Grand Event Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1b | October 28 | 5:00 p.m. |
| Day 1c | October 29 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Day 1d | October 30 | 2:00 p.m |
| Day 1e | October 31 | 1:00 p.m |
| Day 1f | October 31 | 6:00 p.m |
| Day 1g | October 31 | 9:00 p.m. |
| Day 1h | November 1 | 10:00 a.m. |
| Day 2 | November 1 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Day 3 | November 2 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Day 4 | November 3 | 1:00 p.m. |
If inspiration is required, or a reminder of the life-changing money that the Grand Event can see handed out to a winner, look no further than Malta Poker Festival Grand Event - 'Spring Edition' Champion, Aurelio Vallone. The Italian bested a field of 1,202 entrants to take home the trophy and a huge €94,600.
2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring Grand Event Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurelio Vallone | Italy | €94,600* |
| 2 | Carsten Mawick | Germany | €68,400* |
| 3 | Antonio Scala | Italy | €43,500 |
| 4 | Domenico Lando | Italy | €32,150 |
| 5 | Matteo Ferrara | Italy | €25,050 |
| 6 | Vincenzo Popolo | Italy | €18,450 |
| 7 | Alexander Maskell | United Kingdom | €12,950 |
| 8 | Egon Holdhus | Norway | €10,850 |
| 9 | Dragan Ignjatovski | North Macedonia | €8,550 |
*Denotes heads-up deal
Be sure to stay tuned as PokerNews brings you chip counts, updates, and all the action from the €550 Malta Poker Festival Grand Event here in Portomaso.