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

04-30-2025 13:46 UTC+1

Shellum Double Barrels

Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Jason Shellum opened to 900 from middle position, and received calls from Michael Pivonia in the cutoff and Michael Pivonia in the small blind.

Shellum continued with a bet of 1,500 on the K♦7♠2♠ flop, which only Pivonia called.

The 6♦ hit on the turn, and Pivonia check-folded against a bet of 4,000 from Shellum.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Pivonia	73,000 2,000	2,000
Jason Shellum	70,000 20,000	20,000
Sean McDiarmid	16,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Jason Shellum Michael Pivonia Sean McDiarmid

04-30-2025 13:49 UTC+1

West Downsizes on River

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Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Metin Aslan opened to 1,200 from early position, and received a call from Patrick West in the small blind.

The Q♣10♣2♠ flop was checked through to the 8♣ turn, where West led out with a bet of 1,500, which failed to shake off Aslan.

The 7♥ river completed the board, and West continued with a downsized bet of 1,500. After some thought, Aslan elected to let it go.

Player	Chips	Progress
Patrick West	64,000 14,000	14,000
Metin Aslan	26,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Metin Aslan Patrick West

04-30-2025 13:57 UTC+1

Check-Raise Works for Stropoli

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Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

A pot of around 4,600 had developed by the turn on a board of Q♣8♦5♥3♦, in a hand between Tigran Piloyan on the button and Julien Stropoli in the big blind.

Stropoli checked to Piloyan, who fired out a bet of 2,000. Stropoli took some time to think, before he reached for chips and produced a check-raise to 8,000.

Piloyan went into the tank, seemingly reluctant to end the hand, but he did ultimately fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tigran Piloyan	70,000 2,500	2,500
Julien Stropoli	42,000 42,000	42,000

Tags: Julien Stropoli Tigran Piloyan

Level: 4

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

04-30-2025 14:16 UTC+1

Jansen Bluff Catches

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

A pot of 17,500 had developed by the river, on a board of K♦Q♦7♥4♠3♠, in a hand between Bob Jansen under the gun and Yvonne Fuge on the button.

Jansen checked and Fuge fired out a bet of 15,000. Jansen went into the tank, but after about 90 seconds made the call.

Fuge tabled 8♠6♥ for air, and Jansen took the pot with Q♣10♣ for second pair queens.

"You almost got me" said Jansen as he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bob Jansen	110,000
Yvonne Fuge	93,000

Tags: Bob Jansen Yvonne Fuge

04-30-2025 14:20 UTC+1

Stevanovic Overbets Turn

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Boban Stevanovic opened to 1,500 from the button, and Dave Harris defended in the big blind.

Harris check-called in the face of a bet of 2,500 from his opponent on the K♠10♥8♣ flop.

The 4♣ rolled off on the turn, and Harris checked once more. Stevanovic fired out an overbet of 11,500, and Harris quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Boban Stevanovic	91,000 44,000	44,000
Dave Harris	57,000

Tags: Dave Harris Boban Stevanovic

04-30-2025 14:32 UTC+1

Aslan's Kings Cracked By Soulier

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

A player opened to 1,600, and received calls from Uwe Behrendt and another player, before Corentin Soulier three-bet jammed from the small blind for 21,400. Metin Aslan was in the big blind, and he moved his stack of around 19,700 into the middle.

The opener folded, but Behrendt also moved his chips into the middle with the covering stack.

Metin Aslan: K♥K♠ All in
Corentin Soulier: A♦J♠ All in
Uwe Behrendt: 7♠6♠

Aslan looked in great shape for a triple-up, and remained ahead after the J♣7♦4♦ flop and 10♦ turn. However Soulier had the nut flush draw and the 2♦ rolled off on the river to send him the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Corentin Soulier	65,000
Uwe Behrendt	11,000 39,000	39,000
Metin Aslan	Busted

Tags: Corentin Soulier Metin Aslan Uwe Behrendt

04-30-2025 14:35 UTC+1

Ladies Good for Penney

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Zolte Ilze opened to 1,500 from early position and received a call from Charly Maitre, before Steven Penney produced a three-bet to 6,400. Action folded back to Ilze, who called, while Maitre got out of the way.

On the J♥7♦6♠ flop, Ilze check-called in the face of a bet of 6,400 from Penney.

That was the end of the action as the 6♦ turn and A♦ river were checked through.

Penney tabled Q♠Q♥ for second pair queens, and Ilze mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Penney	85,000 43,000	43,000
Charly Maitre	45,000 45,000	45,000
Ilze Zolte	36,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Charly Maitre Steven Penney Zoltan Ilze

04-30-2025 14:44 UTC+1

Break Time

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

The players have been sent on a 20-minute break.

04-30-2025 14:58 UTC+1

Top Counts at First Break

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Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Vyacheslav Churkin	150,000 100,000	100,000
Guy Cox	145,000
Yvonne Fuge	135,000 42,000	42,000
Boban Stevanovic	130,000 39,000	39,000
Tigran Piloyan	121,000 51,000	51,000
Jason Shellum	115,000 45,000	45,000
Joseph East	115,000
Bob Jansen	100,000 10,000	10,000
Giulio Gallo	93,000