€550 Grand Event Day 1b | 2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring

04-30-2025 18:29 UTC+1

Assennato Doubles Through Rengifo

Richard Hayes

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

A pot of 20,000 had developed by the 9♠5♠2♣ flop, in a hand between Andres Rengifo under the gun, and Andrew Fleming and Fabio Assennato in the blinds.

Action was checked to Rengifo, who slid out a bet of 6,500. Fleming called, before Assennato jammed for around 21,500. Rengifo called and Fleming folded.

Fabio Assennato: 5♦3♥ All in
Andres Rengifo: A♥Q♣

Assennato was ahead with second pair fives against Rengifo's ace-high, and nothing altered on the 10♠6♦ turn and river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andres Rengifo	210,000 30,000	30,000
Fabio Assennato	75,000
Andrew Fleming	37,000 3,000	3,000

Tags: Andres Rengifo Andrew Fleming Fabio Assennato

04-30-2025 19:20 UTC+1

Churkin Annihilates Assennato

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Richard Hayes

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Fabio Assennato jammed for 52,500 from the small blind, and received action from Andres Rengifo in the small blind. To Rengifo's surprise, Vyacheslav Churkin also made the call in the big blind.

On the 10♠9♥5♦ flop, Rengifo checked to Churkin, who jammed for around 100,000. Rengifo open-folded 7♠7♣.

Fabio Assennato: K♦Q♣ All in
Vyacheslav Churkin: Q♦Q♥

Assennato was in trouble, with a gutshot and an overcard versus Churkin's ladies. The 9♣ turn and 6♣ river were bricks to send Assennato to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vyacheslav Churkin	240,000
Andres Rengifo	230,000
Fabio Assennato	Busted

Tags: Andres Rengifo Fabio Assennato Vyacheslav Churkin

04-30-2025 20:48 UTC+1

Fuge Busts to Uzan's Quads

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Richard Hayes

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Yvonne Fuge opened to 10,000 from early position, and was met with a three-bet to 28,000 from Ludovic Uzan in the next seat. Action folded back to Fuge, who four-bet jammed for 55,000. Uzan asked for a count and made the call.

Yvonne Fuge: Q♣Q♦ All in
Ludovic Uzan: 10♦10♣

Fuge had Uzan crushed, and the 4♦4♣3♣ flop was clear.

However it was followed by the 10♥ turn to put Uzan in front with a full house, and the 10♠ river rubbed salt in Fuge's wounds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ludovic Uzan	700,000 396,000	396,000
Yvonne Fuge	Busted

Tags: Ludovic Uzan Yvonne Fuge

04-30-2025 20:59 UTC+1

Janssen Pulverizes Piloyan

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Richard Hayes

Level 12 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Ferry Janssen opened to 9,000 from early position, and was met with a three-bet to 20,000 from Tigran Piloyan in the next seat. Action folded back to Janssen, who took some time before producing a four-bet to 46,500.

Piloyan, who about 100,000 behind, went into the tank pondering his next move. After around two minutes, he announced all-in, and looked pained when Janssen snapped.

Tigran Piloyan: A♠Q♥ All in
Ferry Janssen: K♦K♥

Piloyan was in trouble versus Janssen's cowboys, and the 9♥7♠5♣4♠4♦ runout did not provide him with any solace.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ferry Janssen	410,000 120,000	120,000
Tigran Piloyan	Busted

Tags: Ferry Janssen Tigran Piloyan

04-30-2025 21:17 UTC+1

Maskell Doubles with Cowboys

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Richard Hayes

Level 12 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Leo Walker opened to 8,000 from hijack, and was faced with a three-bet to 22,000 from Alexander Maskell on the button. Action folded back to Walker, who pondered the spot for about 30 seconds before four-bet jamming with the covering stack.

Maskell quickly got his 183,000 total stack into the middle, causing Walker to query "Same hand?"

Alexander Maskell: K♣K♥ All in
Leo Walker: A♥K♦

"Ahh, not quite" said Walker when he saw his opponent's cards.

Walker's Big Slick was in bad shape, and he was drawing dead by the turn on the K♠8♠2♣Q♥5♣ runout, Maskell flopping top set.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexander Maskell	376,000 201,000	201,000
Leo Walker	70,000 97,500	97,500

Tags: Alexander Maskell Leo Walker

04-30-2025 21:39 UTC+1

Fleming Pips Norocel to Double

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Richard Hayes

Level 13 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Andrew Fleming was all-in for 84,000 and at risk versus Mihai Norocel.

Andrew Fleming: 8♣8♦ All in
Mihai Norocel: 7♣7♠

Fleming had Norocel crushed, and Norocel could not find an unlikely escape on the K♣J♣4♣A♥9♥ runout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Fleming	183,000 146,000	146,000
Mihai Norocel	70,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Andrew Fleming Mihai Norocel

04-30-2025 22:48 UTC+1

Deuces Never Loses for Uzan

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Richard Hayes

Level 14 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Andres Rengifo opened to 16,000 from the cutoff, and was met with a three-bet jam by Ludovic Uzan from the big blind.

Rengifo thought it through, saying "What are you jamming with here", before eventually making the call for his roughly 120,000 stack.

Andres Rengifo: A♦Q♠ All in
Ludovic Uzan: 2♠2♥

"It's a flip" said Uzan, smiling.

The flop came 7♦4♦2♦, giving Uzan bottom set and Rengifo the nut flush draw.

However the 7♠ turn improved Uzan to a full house and left Rengifo drawing dead, the Q♣ river completing the board.

Uzan continues to tear through the field, and approaches the seven-figure mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ludovic Uzan	950,000 99,000	99,000
Andres Rengifo	Busted

Tags: Andres Rengifo Ludovic Uzan

04-30-2025 23:00 UTC+1

Behrendt Finds Hero Call as Bubble Begins

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Richard Hayes

Level 14 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Harry Sandford opened to 16,000 under the gun, and Uwe Behrendt defended the big blind.

Behrendt led out three streets with a minimum bet of 8,000 on the J♥9♥7♣4♣10♦ runout. On the river, Sandord raised to 85,000. After around two minutes of deliberation, Behrendt called.

Sandford said "You're good" as he showed A♥Q♣ for ace-high, while Behrendt took the pot with K♥9♠ for a pair of nines.

“Wow, I thought you had it, king-queen” said table mate Jason Shellum. “I gave every indication of having it, nice call”, replied Sandford.

Sandford was left with crumbs and forced all-in from the big blind on the next hand. Mihai Norocel moved all in from under the gun for around 150,000, and everyone else folded.

Harry Sandford: K♥10♠ All in
Uwe Behrendt: 10♣10♥

Sandford was crushed, but although the ten was in the window on the 10♦8♠2♠ flop, after the 7♠ turn, Sandford still had outs to the flush.

However the 7♣ river improved Norocel to a full house and brings about the bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Uwe Behrendt	520,000 166,000	166,000
Mihai Norocel	193,000 148,000	148,000
Harry Sandford	Busted

Tags: Harry Sandford Mihai Norocel Uwe Behrendt

04-30-2025 23:35 UTC+1

Penney Spikes River to Double

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Richard Hayes

Level 15 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Steven Penney was all-in for 94,000 and at risk versus Ferry Janssen.

Steven Penney: 9♣9♠ All in
Ferry Janssen: Q♥Q♣

Penney was dominated and looked to be heading to the exit on the bubble after the 10♠8♠3♣ flop.

However the A♠ turn gave him outs to the flush, and the 3♠ rolled off on the river to send Penney the double-up.

“I can tell you all enjoyed that” smiled Penney, as the river was met with deathly silence from his opponents, and the players craning for a view from the other table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Penney	213,000 43,000	43,000
Ferry Janssen	150,000 95,000	95,000

Tags: Ferry Janssen Steven Penney

04-30-2025 23:52 UTC+1

Rivered Set for Leger

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Richard Hayes

Level 16 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

A pot of 68,000 had developed, with the completed board reading A♦5♣5♦2♥J♥, in a hand between David Leger in early position and Bob Jansen in the big blind.

Jansen check-called a bet of 75,000 from Leger, and was shown the bad news when Leger tabled J♦J♠ for the rivered set.