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

05-02-2025 13:55 UTC+1

Caramazza Bluff Catches

Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Francesco Caramazza opened to 1,000 from the hijack, and received calls from Theodor Kramarics on the button, and the players in the blinds.

The A♣10♦9♦ flop was checked through to the 3♦ turn. Action was checked to Caramazza, who slid out a bet of 2,000, which only only Kramarics called.

The 5♣ river completed the board, and Caramazza checked. Kramarics fired out a po-sized bet of 7,000, and Caramazza called after a bit of thought

Kramarics tabled K♣Q♦ for the missed straight and flush draws, and Caramazza was good with second pair tens with Q♣10♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Francesco Caramazza	60,000
Theodor Kramarics	23,000 27,000	27,000

Tags: Francesco Caramazza Theodor Kramarics

Level: 4

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

05-02-2025 14:15 UTC+1

Da Ponte Check-Jams

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Avarino Peligra opened to 1,200 from early position, and received calls from James Paris and Christoforos Chyrsochidis, along with Alessandro Da Ponte in the big blind.

On the K♠K♦7♠ flop, action was checked to Chrysochoidis, who fired out a bet of 2,200.

Da Ponte responded with a check-jam to 12,200, and Chrysochoidis open-folded 7♦ after a bit of thought.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christoforos Chrysochoidis	80,000
Alessandro Da Ponte	25,000

Tags: Alessandro Da Ponte Christoforos Chyrsochidis James Paris

05-02-2025 14:18 UTC+1

Barnett Gets Job Done on River

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Nicholas Galtos opened to 1,400 from the button, and received a call from Matthew Barnett in the big blind.

Barnett check-called versus a bet of 1,700 from Galtos on the K♣Q♦7♠ flop.

The 2♥ turn was checked through to the 3♣ river, where Barnett led out with a bet of 6,000 - forcing a fold from Galtos.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew Barnett	60,000 15,300	15,300
Nicholas Galtos	44,000 6,000	6,000

Tags: Matthew Barnett Nicholas Galtos

05-02-2025 14:32 UTC+1

Controversy at Table 8 Diffuzed by Generous Gesture

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

A bit of controversy has unfolded here.

Hannes Praks had lost a big pot to Anders Nielsen a couple of hands previously, but had just realized he was missing between 10,000-15,000 in change.

The floor was called. The table opinion was pretty much unanimous that at least 10,000 had not been returned to Praks due to dealer error, Paul High in particular seeming fairly certain that is what had happened. Praks promptly acknowledged that he had failed to spot the issue immediately and that significant action had taken place since.

Nielsen for his part recognized that was the most likely scenario, but said he genuinely could not be certain if the chips had been mistakenly provided to him.

The floor, who was in a difficult spot, ultimately ruled that, unless Nielsen volunteered to return the chips, too much time had passed since the error for the matter to be properly rectified. No-one appeared entirely certain what had taken place, and Praks was also clearly at fault in not realizing the position immediately.

The floor appealed to Nielsen's sense of fairness, and Nielsen didn't need too much persuasion to part with 10,000 - a compromise everyone seemed happy with.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anders Nielsen	65,000 15,000	15,000
Hannes Praks	17,500 17,500	17,500

Tags: Anders Nielsen Hannes Praks

05-02-2025 14:38 UTC+1

Straight for Micallef

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

A pot of 38,000 had developed on a board of K♣5♦4♥A♠2♠, in a hand between Julian Micallef in the big blind and Antoine Talvard in middle position.

Micallef put out a bet of 35,000, and after a fair bit of deliberation, Talvard folded.

"Show the three" requested Talvard, and Micallef tabled A♦3♣ for the one-card straight.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julian Micallef	150,000
Antoine Talvard	32,200

Tags: Antoine Talvard Julian Micallef

05-02-2025 14:42 UTC+1

Break Time

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

The players have been sent on their first 20-minute break of the day.

Level: 5

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

05-02-2025 15:07 UTC+1

Top Counts at First Break

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Richard Hayes

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Corrado Vizzini	165,000
Jonathan Hewston	160,000 58,000	58,000
Julian Micallef	150,000
Aleksandar Zuberovski	145,000 145,000	145,000
Gerard Lemee	130,000 80,000	80,000
Francesco Caramazza	120,000 60,000	60,000
Sami Barghouthi	118,000 68,000	68,000
Samuel Costante	110,000 60,000	60,000
Fidan Zahiti	92,000 92,000	92,000
Ioannis Aslanidis	92,000 42,000	42,000