€550 Grand Event
Day 1efg Completed
2025 Malta Poker Festival Autumn
€550 Grand Event
Day: 1efg
Event Info
2025 Malta Poker Festival Autumn
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1efg
Buy-in
€550
Prize Pool
€903,498
Total Entries
1,987
Level
32
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
839
Players Left
126
Players Left 1 / 1,987
Filter
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The landmark event at the Malta Poker Festival saw another day of packed tables as poker hopefuls descended on the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s, ready to take on the €550 Grand Event as the prize pool soared past the €500,000 guarantee.
As expected, Day 1e saw players swarm into the card room from the moment the doors opened, soaking up the festival atmosphere as the music boomed all around.
When the final numbers were confirmed, Day 1e totalled 517 entries, with 78 of those progressing to Day 2. This means that with five starting flights now in the books, 214 players have secured their seats to the next stage, all having already locked up at least the minimum cash.
The day saw four more players join the million-chip club, but it was Gordon Paterson who topped the leaderboard when all was said and done. A mainstay at the top of the chip counts throughout the day, he amassed a stack of 1,098,000 to take through with him to Day 2.
Henry Broens finished the flight hot on the heels of the chip leader, bagging just two big blinds less; he advanced with 1,060,000. The final place on the podium went to Marc Schembri, who put 1,003,000 chips into his bag, pipping fourth-placed Richard Gray, who will advance with 1,000,000.
Day 1e Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gordon Paterson | South Africa | 1,098,000 |
| 2 | Henry Broens | Netherlands | 1,060,000 |
| 3 | Marc Schembri | Malta | 1,003,000 |
| 4 | Richard Gray | United Kingdom | 1,000,000 |
| 5 | Jon Kyte | Norway | 971,000 |
| 6 | Euan McNicholas | United Kingdom | 832,000 |
| 7 | Gareth Howard | United Kingdom | 813,000 |
| 8 | Lorenzo Pannunzi | Italy | 711,000 |
| 9 | Benjamin Nicault | France | 705,000 |
| 10 | Samuel Biland | Switzerland | 697,000 |
The flight saw plenty of pokers heavy hitters join the field, with a number of them staying the course and advancing to the next stage. Players such as Jon Kyte, Euan McNicholas and Ferdinand Janssen each punched their ticket to Day 2.
Not everyone could progress, though, and unfortunately for Sabrina Gerda, she was the final player of the day to face that fate. With the tournament on the stone bubble, she saw her pocket kings run down by the jack-ten of her opponent. This gave her the unfortunate title of the bubble player.
Players do have one final chance to join the action with the final starting flight, Day 1h, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. local time on Saturday, November 1.
As with the earlier starting flights, blinds will begin at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. However, the turbo format features 20-minute levels, ensuring a fast-paced race to the finish as players battle one last time for a seat on Day 2.
Malta Poker Festival Grand Event - Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 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 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
751,000
751,000
|
751,000 |
|
||
|
512,000
512,000
|
512,000 |
|
510,000
510,000
|
510,000 |
|
384,000
384,000
|
384,000 |
|
|
322,000
322,000
|
322,000 |
|
321,000
321,000
|
321,000 |
|
317,000
317,000
|
317,000 |
|
313,000
313,000
|
313,000 |
|
295,000
295,000
|
295,000 |
|
280,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
|
273,000
273,000
|
273,000 |
|
|
156,000
156,000
|
156,000 |
|
44,000
44,000
|
44,000 |
|
||
|
34,400
34,400
|
34,400 |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,047,000
1,047,000
|
1,047,000 |
|
||
|
783,000
783,000
|
783,000 |
|
770,000
770,000
|
770,000 |
|
743,000
743,000
|
743,000 |
|
|
737,000
737,000
|
737,000 |
|
729,000
729,000
|
729,000 |
|
570,000
570,000
|
570,000 |
|
475,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
442,000
442,000
|
442,000 |
|
|
438,000
438,000
|
438,000 |
|
|
378,000
378,000
|
378,000 |
|
300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
271,000
271,000
|
271,000 |
|
259,000
259,000
|
259,000 |
|
|
258,000
258,000
|
258,000 |
|
258,000
258,000
|
258,000 |
|
225,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
221,000
221,000
|
221,000 |
|
220,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
211,000
211,000
|
211,000 |
|
195,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
|
|
179,000
179,000
|
179,000 |
|
175,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
|
170,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
167,000
167,000
|
167,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,098,000
732,000
|
732,000 |
|
||
|
1,060,000
584,000
|
584,000 |
|
|
1,047,000
1,047,000
|
1,047,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,003,000
258,000
|
258,000 |
|
1,000,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
971,000
971,000
|
971,000 |
|
832,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
||
|
813,000
630,500
|
630,500 |
|
|
783,000
783,000
|
783,000 |
|
|
770,000
770,000
|
770,000 |
|
|
751,000
751,000
|
751,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
743,000
743,000
|
743,000 |
|
|
737,000
737,000
|
737,000 |
|
|
729,000
729,000
|
729,000 |
|
711,000
711,000
|
711,000 |
|
705,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
||
|
|
697,000
697,000
|
697,000 |
|
621,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
|
|
570,000
502,500
|
502,500 |
|
555,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
550,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
531,000
161,000
|
161,000 |
|
|
512,000
512,000
|
512,000 |
|
|
510,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
510,000
510,000
|
510,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The remaining 78 players have bagged their chips and headed into the night.
They will join the 136 players who advanced from the previous flights on Saturday, November 1, when Day 2 takes place.
Stay tuned for the full chip counts and a rundown of today's action.
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The action folded to Marc Schembri in the small blind, who flexed his big stack by moving all in. Sabrina Gerda didn't hesitate to call, putting her tournament life at risk.
Sabrina Gerda: K♠K♦ 
Marc Schembri: J♦10♠
An already nervy situation became even more so for Gerda, as Schembri flopped a straight draw on the 7♦3♠9♠ flop.
It was heartbreak on the 8♠ turn, seeing Schembri hit his straight, and when the river 9♥ offered no reprieve, Gerda had the misfortune of bubbling the flight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
745,000
719,000
|
719,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Table big stack, Benjamin Nicault, moved all, daring anyone to risk their tournament life by calling. Kieran Collins had no hesitations, as he moved all in too.
Kieran Collins: A♦A♣
Benjamin Nicault: Q♦8♦
The board ran out safely for Collins, as the dealer spread out J♥2♠K♣4♠J♦.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
685,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
480,000
480,000
|
480,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Alan McBride found himself all-in preflop versus table chip leader Euan McNicholas, for his tournament life.
Alan McBride: K♠10♣
Euan McNicholas: 5♠5♥
The flop saw McNicholas shoot further into the lead, coming out J♠5♣6♦.
The turn 9♣ and river 2♠ couldn't save McBride, who departed just short of the money.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
830,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
Level 16
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
With the pace of play having slowed significantly, the tournament clock has been paused, and hand-for-hand play has begun.
The flight is two eliminations away from bagging up for Day 2.
