€550 Grand Event
Day 1b Completed
2025 Malta Poker Festival Autumn
€550 Grand Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2025 Malta Poker Festival Autumn
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
€550
Prize Pool
€903,498
Total Entries
1,987
Level
32
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
93
Players Left
14
Players Left 1 / 1,987
Filter
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The second of eight starting flights came to a close in the early hours at Portomaso Casino, where the €550 Grand Event continued as part of the Malta Poker Festival. With the clock approaching 5:00 a.m. local time, the bubble burst, seeing the 14 survivors bagging chips from the 93 entrants on Day 1b. Each earned a spot on Day 2 and guaranteed themselves at least a minimum payout.
Bagging the biggest stack by a distance, French player Julien Stropoli went on a late night rampage, eliminating players left, right and centre. The well-timed heater saw him sail to the top of the leaderboard, bagging a stack of 1,006,000, which also makes him the only player across the opening flights to surpass the one million chip mark.
A fair distance behind, in Stropoli’s rearview mirror, Sacha Dadbin and Marko Cosic complete the podium places. Dadbin found a late-night double up to bag 531,000, with Cosic just behind him at 523,000.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julien Stropoli | France | 1,006,000 |
| 2 | Sacha Dadbin | United Kingdom | 531,000 |
| 3 | Marko Cosic | Croatia | 523,000 |
| 4 | Jonathan Stoeber | United States | 403,000 |
| 5 | Erik Lindqwist | Sweden | 293,000 |
| 6 | Hugo Loustau | France | 288,000 |
| 7 | Arthur Emig | France | 277,000 |
| 8 | Pablo Garcia | Spain | 249,000 |
| 9 | Johnny Andreassen | Denmark | 234,000 |
| 10 | Egon Holdhus | Norway | 200,000 |
Bubble Play
As play moved into the early hours and the bubble looming, the pace of play slowed considerably until the clock was paused and hand-for-hand play began. Knowing that just one more elimination would secure a spot in Day 2 for the remaining players, chip leader Stropoli took full advantage, raising at seemingly every opportunity.
Fittingly, it was he who went on to burst the bubble. On this occasion, Demetrius Campbell had the misfortune of becoming the ‘bubble boy,’ his ace-king failing to improve against Strapoli's pocket eights.
Day 1c will begin Wednesday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m. local time, with blinds starting at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Late registration will remain open until the end of Level 10, with players permitted unlimited re-entries during that period.
Play for all Day 1 flights will conclude once 15% of the field remains, at which point the remaining players will bag their chips and be guaranteed a minimum payout. Day 2 is then scheduled for 6:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, November 1.
Malta Poker Festival Grand Event Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
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.
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,006,000 | |
|
||
|
531,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
523,000
32,000
|
32,000 |
|
403,000
103,000
|
103,000 |
|
||
|
293,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
288,000
17,000
|
17,000 |
|
277,000
277,000
|
277,000 |
|
249,000
116,000
|
116,000 |
|
234,000
71,000
|
71,000 |
|
200,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
181,000
124,000
|
124,000 |
|
177,000
58,000
|
58,000 |
|
153,000
31,500
|
31,500 |
|
110,000
38,500
|
38,500 |
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The remaining 14 players have bagged their chips and headed into the night.
They will join the 42 players who advanced from Day 1a on Saturday, November 1, when Day 2 takes place.
Stay tuned for the full chip counts and a rundown of today's action.
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
With a raise to 24,000 ahead of him, Demetrius Campbell raised to 45,000, leaving himself very little behind. Julien Stropoli called from the small blind, and the original raiser called too.
The dealer provided a 3♦7♥7♠ flop, which saw Stropoli lead out for 30,000. The original raiser folded, and Campbell put the rest of his chips in.
Demetrius Campbell: A♦K♥ 
Julien Stropoli: 8♦8♣
The turn 9♦ and river Q♠ were no help to Campbell, seeing him bubble the flight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,006,000
301,000
|
301,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Hugo Loustau raised to 25,000 from under the gun before Sacha Dadbin three-bet from the small blind to 75,000. Action returned to Loustau, who moved all in, which Dadbin called.
Sacha Dadbin: Q♠Q♣
Hugo Loustau: J♠J♦
There was no help for Loustau on the 8♥3♣7♠5♦2♥ runout, earning Dadbin the full double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
556,000
156,000
|
156,000 |
|
|
271,000
125,500
|
125,500 |
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
As the players are now on the stone bubble, the tournament clock has been paused, and players are not playing hand for hand.
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Hugo Da Silva moved all in from the cutoff for 161,000, which only Marko Cosic called on the button.
Hugo Da Silva: A♣J♣
Marko Cosic: A♦K♣
It wasn't the situation Da Silva was hoping to see, and he received no help from the deck either. The dealer spread a 4♣9♠8♠5♠3♥ board, sending Da Silva to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
491,000
176,000
|
176,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 15
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Julien Stropoli opened from the cutoff to 20,000 before seeing Alex Montgomery respond with a three-bet all-in on the button for roughly 170,000. The action returned to Stropoli, who made the call.
Alex Montgomery: 9♠9♣
Julien Stropoli: K♠K♥
There was no miracle to be had for Montgomery, as the board ran out 2♥3♥5♣8♦4♥, to see Stropoli add to his chip lead and send Montgomery to the exit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
705,000
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 15
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
