€550 Grand Event | 2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring

05-05-2025 15:38 UTC+1

Vallone Prevails Over Mawick Again

Richard Hayes

Level 31 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Carsten Mawick opened to 1,200,000 from under the gun, and Aurelio Vallone produced a three-bet to 3,800,000 from the small blind. Action back to Mawick, who called.

The 10♦6♦4♦ flop and 2♦ turn were checked through to the 10♣ river, where Vallone led out with a bet of 4,600,000, leading to a fold from Mawick.

Vallone now has a huge lead over the rest of the field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aurelio Vallone	41,000,000 5,200,000	5,200,000
Carsten Mawick	9,200,000 6,400,000	6,400,000

Tags: Aurelio Vallone Carsten Mawick

05-05-2025 15:33 UTC+1

Triple-Up for Scala

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 31 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Aurelio Vallone opened to 1,100,000 and Antonio Scala moved all in for 1,500,000. Carsten Mawick cold-called in the small blind, and Vallone called.

The active players checked down the 9♦4♣4♦5♦J♣ flop, and Scala took the pot with 5♣5♥ for a set of fives - way ahead of Mawick's K♦Q♣ and Vallone's A♦8♥.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aurelio Vallone	35,800,000 1,450,000	1,450,000
Carsten Mawick	15,600,000 600,000	600,000
Antonio Scala	6,000,000 4,950,000	4,950,000

Tags: Antonio Scala Aurelio Vallone Carsten Mawick

Level: 31

Blinds: 300,000/600,000

Ante: 600,000

05-05-2025 15:22 UTC+1

Break Time

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 30 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

The players have been sent on a break.

05-05-2025 15:22 UTC+1

Rockets for Lando

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 30 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Domenico Lando jammed from the button for 2,100,000 and Aurelio Vallone rejammed from the small blind, isolating his opponent.

Domenico Lando: A♣A♠ All in
Aurelio Vallone: 8♠8♣

Lando had the goods, and the 6♠3♠2♣9♥Q♣ runout confirmed his double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aurelio Vallone	37,250,000
Carsten Mawick	15,000,000
Domenico Lando	5,025,000 875,000	875,000

Antonio Scala	1,050,000 3,050,000	3,050,000

Tags: Aurelio Vallone Domenico Lando

05-05-2025 15:20 UTC+1

Vallone Pressures Mawick as Big Stacks Collide

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 30 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Aurelio Vallone and Carsten Mawick had both put in 2,500,000 preflop, Vallone on the button and Mawick in the big blind.

On the 8♣5♥2♣ flop, Mawick led out with a bet of 1,500,000, and was met with a raise to 3,300,000 from Vallone.

Mawick thought it through, and said "This might be ICM suicide", before raising to 9,000,000.

It might well have been, as Vallone stuck it right back in his face with an all-in jam, covering Mawick. "Shit", said Mawick.

These players were miles ahead of Scala and Lando, and Mawick eventually elected to fold, to send Vallone a huge pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aurelio Vallone	37,250,000 13,250,000	13,250,000
Carsten Mawick	15,000,000 10,000,000	10,000,000

Tags: Aurelio Vallone Carsten Mawick

05-05-2025 15:00 UTC+1

Matteo Ferrara Eliminated in 5th Place (€25,050)

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 30 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Matteo Ferrara and Aurelio Vallone had got in a pre-flop raising war, culminating in Ferrara five-bet jamming for 10,100,000 and being snapped by Vallone, who just covered him.

Matteo Ferrara: A♥J♠ All in
Aurelio Vallone: A♦K♠

Ferrara was dominated, and Vallone couldn't watch the runout - he went over and stood with his rail with his back to the table.

He needn't have worried as the Q♠2♠6♣9♦Q♣ runout sent him a huge pot, and he celebrated wildly with his supporters, and the pair embraced when Vallone finished. Vallone and Mawick now hold a huge lead over Scala and Lando.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aurelio Vallone	24,000,000 9,000,000	9,000,000
Matteo Ferrara	Busted

Tags: Aurelio Vallone Matteo Ferrara

05-05-2025 14:50 UTC+1

Denise Pratt Confronts Poker Debtor Maurice Hawkins at Payout Desk | PokerNews Podcast #889

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 30 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

In the 889th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England talk about the recent drama involving, you guessed it, Maurice Hawkins and Denise Pratt. The latter claims to be owed $11,200 after backing the former, and things boiled over when she confronted him at the payout desk at the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Tunica stop.

What's more, the crew reacts to an interview Hawkins gave on his own podcast, him agreeing to come on the PokerNews Podcast before not responding, and then goes one-on-one with Denise Pratt to hear her side of the story.

Mike then shares his experience as the last guest on the final episode of the Only Friends Podcast (they were kind enough to gift a piece of their set to the PokerNews Podcast set), Kyna joins Team Hotdog at the LIPS Spring Festival, and Chad headed up to the NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Oh, and Connor was busy at PokerGO Studio interviewing Jennifer Tilly, Mike Matusow, and comedian Ray Romano during the One Step Closer Foundation's "All in for CP" charity event.

Other stories include Pennsylvania online poker joining the MSIGA merged player pool, Mori Eskandani interviewing PA Governor Josh Shapiro, and Robbie Strazynski & others voicing concern over YouTube's algorithm crackdown on poker content. Check out all those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

05-05-2025 14:39 UTC+1