Level 4
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring
€550 Grand Event
Day: 1c
Event Info
2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1c
Buy-in
€550
Prize Pool
€555,940
Entries
1,202
Level
32
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
206
Players Left
31
Players Left 1 / 1,202
Filter
(1)
Level 4
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Martin Svoboda was getting up out of his chair after busting to Jan Jensen.
All the money went in on the K♥5♦3♣ flop, with Jensen's 5♥3♥ from the big blind ahead of Svoboda's A♠K♦.
The J♣ turn was a brick and Jensen improved to a full house on the 3♠ river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
90,000
35,100
|
35,100 |
|
Busted |
Level 3
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Matthias Kribben opened to 1,000 from middle position, and Hannes Praks defended the big blind.
On the A♥8♥8♦ flop, Praks check-called versus a bet of 1,000 from Kribben.
The 2♣ hit on the turn, and Praks checked once more. Kribben fired out a bet of 3,000, leaving himself 13,000 behind.
Praks responded with a check-jam with the covering stack, and Kribben quickly called.
Matthias Kribben: A♦5♦ 
Hannes Praks: 8♣5♥
Kribben was drawing to an ace, and it did not arrive on the Q♣ river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
64,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 2
: Blinds 100/300, 300 ante
In round two between Stanislav Smeljov and Owen Sammut, a big pot of around 18,000 had developed on a completed board of 9♦6♥4♦7♦6♣.
Sammut fired out a bet of 8,600 from the small blind, and was faced with a raise to 22,000 from Smeljov in middle position.
Sammut went into the tank, but ultimately sighed, tapped the table, and folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
75,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
35,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Action folded to Ed Oakes in the small blind, who raised to 500. Mikael Johansson was in the big blind, and he responded with a three-bet to 2,200, with Oakes making the call.
The 8♠3♦2♦ flop seemed innocuous enough, but fireworks were about to ensue. Oakes responded to a continuation bet of 2,200 from Johansson with a check-raise to 6,000.
Johansson thought it through for a moment, before three-betting to 19,200. Oakes took a bit of time, but it wasn't that long before he announced all-in for 50,000.
Johansson grimaced, sighed and sat back in his chair - apparently regretting getting involved in a potential 500 big blind pot in Level 1.
He may have been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, as with half his stack already in the middle, he sighed again and folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
71,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
26,500
26,500
|
26,500 |
The sun is continuing to shine in St Julian's, with the Malta Poker Festival now in full swing, hosted at the stunning Portomaso Casino.
Day 1c of the €300,000 guaranteed €550 Grand Event is due to kick off today, Thursday, May 1, at 1 p.m. local time. The tournament has already obtained a total of 240 entries over the first two flights, with 36 players securing a seat for Day 2 and a minimum cash at worst.
Players in Day 1c will have to put on a stellar performance to come close to catching current chip leader Ludovic Uzan of France, who bagged an astonishing 1,412,000 in Day 1b - almost 30 starting stacks.
Uzan holds a huge lead over Day 1a chip leader Andrew Cutajar of Malta (873,000) in second, while Serbian Boban Stevanovic (674,000) completes the podium places.
Overall Top Ten Counts After Day 1b
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ludovic Uzan | France | 1,412,000 |
| 2 | Andrew Cutajar | Malta | 873,000 |
| 3 | Boban Stevanovic | Serbia | 674,000 |
| 4 | Charles Eichner | France | 568,000 |
| 5 | Sergei Cutajar | Malta | 518,000 |
| 6 | Egon Holdhus | Norway | 486,000 |
| 7 | Erik Lindqwist | Sweden | 482,000 |
| 8 | Alexander Maskell | United Kingdom | 477,000 |
| 9 | Cahit Basbug | Turkey | 428,000 |
| 10 | Jorgji Kotorri | Albania | 398,000 |
Day 1c will feature 40-minute levels, with late registration open until the start of Level 11. Players will start with 50,000 chips at blind level 100/200, with a 200 big blind ante.
Players are permitted two reentries per flight, with play concluding when 15% of the field remains, all of whom will be in the money. A 45-minute dinner break will take place after Level 10.
Players who are unable to play today should not fret, with four more starting flights to come on May 2-3 - two of which are turbo flights featuring 20-minute levels.
PokerNews will be on the floor from cards in the air until Day 1c concludes, so stay with us for your coverage of all the action.
