D'Amore Leads Pack of 44 Survivors in €170 PokerNews Championship
After an action-packed Day 1 of the €170 PokerNews Championship at the Malta Poker Festival, just 44 players remain in contention from a field of 291 entries. With €8,100 and the coveted trophy reserved for the eventual winner, all eyes are now on Italy’s Alessandro D'Amore, who leads the way heading into Day 2.
D’Amore bagged an impressive 580,000 chips—good for 73 big blinds—and will return as the favorite when play resumes at 6 p.m. local time.
Trailing close behind are Martin Pedersen of Denmark (472,000) and Germany’s Meike Nielsen (392,000), both poised to challenge for a deep run.
Also navigating their way to big stacks were British grinder Gary Taylor (390,000), Marion Mizzi (370,000), and Jascha Berger (365,000). Meanwhile, players like Craig Marcuss Smith (358,000) and Alexandre Henry (265,000) also made the top ten stacks.
PokerNews Championship Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alessandro D'Amore | Italy | 580,000 | 73 |
| 2 | Martin Pedersen | Denmark | 472,000 | 59 |
| 3 | Meike Nielsen | Germany | 392,000 | 49 |
| 4 | Gary Taylor | UK | 390,000 | 49 |
| 5 | Marion Mizzi | Malta | 370,000 | 47 |
| 6 | Jascha Berger | Switzerland | 365,000 | 46 |
| 7 | Per Backstrom | Sweden | 364,000 | 46 |
| 8 | Craig Marcuss Smith | UK | 358,000 | 45 |
| 9 | Graham Keith | UK | 287,000 | 36 |
| 10 | Alexandre Henry | France | 265,000 | 34 |
Blinds will restart on Level 14: 4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 big blind ante as players set their sights on a slice of the €41,467 prize pool.
What They're Playing For
Every returnee is guaranteed at least €300. A final table appearance will lock up four-figure payouts, while reaching the podium secures at least €3,450.
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €8,100 | 10–11 | €860 |
| 2 | €5,350 | 12–13 | €750 |
| 3 | €3,450 | 14–15 | €650 |
| 4 | €2,560 | 16–17 | €560 |
| 5 | €2,087 | 18–20 | €470 |
| 6 | €1,640 | 21–23 | €400 |
| 7 | €1,350 | 24–27 | €350 |
| 8 | €1,120 | 28–31 | €320 |
| 9 | €980 | 32–44 | €300 |
What to Expect from the PokerNews Takeover
Whether you're grinding at the tables or soaking in the atmosphere, PokerNews will be right in the heart of the action during the MPF.
By taking part in our interactive scavenger hunt and you could win a Grand Event ticket. Make sure to stop by the PN booth for merch drops, giveaways, and a spin of the prize wheel.
You never know what you’ll walk away with!
Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack
Planning on playing this event? PokerNews activates MyStack for every event, regardless of that tournament's buy-in, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting
MyStack is a free poker tool that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!