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

05-03-2025 20:16 UTC+1

Mawick Busts Two

Richard Hayes

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

The cards were just being swept away, but Carsten Mawick had just eliminated Oleg Drews and Tommaso Marangi, holding queens and ace-king respectively, with pocket eights - flopping a set on a board that also featured an ace, with the money presumably going in preflop.

Mawick moves to 750,000 - might he be the player to catch Ludovic Uzan at the top of the Day 2 standings? He'll have to double his stack from here to do so.

Player	Chips	Progress
Carsten Mawick	750,000 210,000	210,000
Oleg Drews	Busted
Tommaso Marangi	Busted

Tags: Carsten Mawick Ludovic Uzan Oleg Drews Tommaso Marangi

05-03-2025 19:00 UTC+1

Robinson Continuing to Build

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Richard Hayes

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

Rolf Karlsson led out from the big blind with a bet of 30,000 into a pot of 75,400, on a board of Q♣8♠4♥3♣. PokerNews ambassador Lukas Robinson called from the cutoff.

The 7♠ river was checked through.

Robinson tabled Q♦10♦ for top pair queens, and Karlsson flashed the 3♠ as he mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lukas Robinson	220,000 100,000	100,000

Rolf Karlsson	80,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Lukas Robinson Rolf Karlsson

05-03-2025 18:30 UTC+1

Flatt Falls Flat

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Richard Hayes

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

Both of Simon Brocklehurst and Jan-Thore Flatt had put in 15,000 preflop from under the gun and the button respectively.

The A♥J♥7♠ flop was checked through to the 8♦ turn, where Brocklehurst fired out a bet of 20,000, receiving a snap-call from Flatt.

The J♣ river paired the board, and Brocklehurst checked to his opponent. Flatt moved all-in, and after some thought, Brocklehurst made the call.

"Show me the ace" said Flatt. "I don't have one", Brocklehurst responded as he turned over Q♣Q♠. Queens and jacks was good enough versus Flatt's 7♥5♥ for two pair, jacks and fives.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jan-Thore Flatt	150,000 150,000	150,000
Simon Brocklehurst	140,000

Tags: Jan-Thore Flatt Simon Brocklehurst

05-03-2025 17:38 UTC+1

Hewston Pips Bamford

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Richard Hayes

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Johnny "Johnny Texas" Hewston opened to 3,000 from middle position, and was met with a three-bet to 8,000 by Jordan Bamford in the cutoff.

Action back to Hewston, who bumped it up to 20,000. Bamford got it in with the covering stack, and Hewston called off for his 60,000 total.

Jonathan Hewston: 8♥8♠ All in
Jordan Bamford: 7♠7♦

Hewston had Bamford dominated, and Bamford could not find a two-outer on the Q♥3♥2♥4♥9♦ runout, being dead on the turn after Hewston hit a flush.

Bamford was left with 4,000, and busted shortly later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Hewston	127,500 127,500	127,500
Jordan Bamford	Busted

Tags: Jonathan Hewston Jordan Bamford

05-03-2025 16:58 UTC+1

Triple-Up for Defending Champ Lando

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Richard Hayes

Level 7 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Defending champion Domenico Lando jammed for 37,000 from the hijack, and Sameh Elamawy rejammed for around 105,000 from the cutoff.

Max Eberle was in the small blind, and he agonized over his decision before the clock was called, and he stuck his stack of around 49,000 into the middle, creating a three-way all-in scenario.

Domenico Lando: K♠Q♠ All in
Max Eberle: 7♣7♦ All in
Sameh Elamawy: 10♥7♥

Eberle was ahead, and flopped a set on the J♦7♠5♠ flop. However Lando had the flush draw, and he binked the A♠ turn.

The 8♣ river was a brick, and Lando secured a triple-up, while Eberle won a small side pot against Elamawy.

Player	Chips	Progress
Domenico Lando	115,000 115,000	115,000

Sameh Elamawy	58,000 36,000	36,000
Max Eberle	11,000 11,000	11,000

Tags: Domenico Lando Max Eberle Sameh Elamawy

05-03-2025 16:40 UTC+1

Blender Positions Reversed as Gentile Jams on Eketrapp

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Richard Hayes

Level 7 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

A pot of 16,000 had developed on a completed board of Q♥10♣9♣A♠8♣.

Feliciano Gentile led out with a bet of 9,000, and was faced with a raise to 42,500 by Stig Eketrapp. Gentile went deep into the tank, taking at least two minutes counting out his remaining stack, asking to see his opponent's, and considering his next move.

It looked like a fold was the most likely outcome, but suddenly he gathered the rest of his 110,000 total stack together, and confidently moved it into the middle.

Eketrapp was surprised, and suddenly the pressure positions were reversed. Eketrapp then took four minutes deciding what to do, completely bamboozled by the jam.

A table mate decided to put him out of his misery by calling the clock and forcing a decision, and with about 20 seconds left, Eketrapp flicked his hand into the muck, sending a big pot to Gentile.

Player	Chips	Progress
Feliciano Gentile	161,000 161,000	161,000
Stig Eketrapp	90,000 90,000	90,000

Tags: Feliciano Gentile Stig Eketrapp

05-03-2025 16:10 UTC+1

Mihajlovski Takes From Janas

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Richard Hayes

Level 6 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Around 20,000 was in the middle on a flop of A♣5♥3♣, in a hand between Oliver Mihajlovski under the gun and Manuel Janas in the big blind.

Janas led out with a bet of 9,500, and Mihajlovski called.

The 9♦ hit on the turn, and Janas, sporting a fetching 1970s retro Werder Bremen top, took at least 90 seconds to think before checking.

Mihajlovski quickly fired out a bet of 23,000. Janas went into the tank, but ultimately let it go.

"Queens?" enquired Janas, and Mihajlovski smiled and nodded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Oliver Mihajlovski	165,000 165,000	165,000
Manuel Janas	88,000 88,000	88,000

Tags: Manuel Janas Oliver Mihajlovski

05-03-2025 15:31 UTC+1

Robinson Bags Big Pot

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Richard Hayes

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

We join the action on a flop of 7♣4♦4♠, with three players all-in, including PokerNews ambassador Lukas Robinson, and the pot standing at around 120,000.

Salvatore Incardona: K♥K♦ All in
Lukas Robinson: 7♥7♦ All in
Joni Ryhanen: Q♦Q♥

In a dream spot for Robinson, he had flopped a house against two overpairs. The 5♦8♣ turn and river were bricks, and Robinson scooped a huge pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lukas Robinson	120,000 120,000	120,000

Joni Ryhanen	13,000 13,000	13,000
Salvatore Incardona	Busted

Tags: Joni Ryhanen Lukas Robinson Salvatore Incardona

05-03-2025 15:12 UTC+1

Briscoe-White Recounts Brutal Cooler

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Richard Hayes

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Jonathan Briscoe-White recounted to PokerNews how he amassed his stack.

In the last hand before the break, Briscoe-White opened to 1,500 under the gun, and was met with a three-bet to 4,700 from Dominik Holzmuller. Briscoe-White pumped it up to 19,000 and Holzmuller called.

On the A♠4♣3♦ flop, Briscoe-White continued with a bet of 15,000, and Holzmuller jammed for around 45,000, with Briscoe-White making the call.

Dominik Holzmuller: A♥K♥ All in
Jonathan Briscoe-White: A♦K♦

It looked to be a chop, but the poker gods were shining on Briscoe-White as he went runner-runner for the flush with the 10♦5♦ runout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Briscoe-White	165,000
Dominik Holzmuller	Busted

Tags: Dominik Holzmuller Jonathan Briscoe-White

05-03-2025 14:03 UTC+1

Koutsouki Binks River to Chop After Drews Two-Outer

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Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Maria Koutsouki opened to 1,000 under the gun, and was faced with a three-bet to 2,600 from Giuseppe Lorenzano. Oleg Drews cold-called in the next seat, and action folded back to Koutsouki.

She reached for chips and produced a four-bet to 8,000. Lorenzano folded but Drews called.

On the 9♣8♦7♣ flop, Koutsouki came out firing with a bet of 14,000, making it clear she was playing for stacks. Drews took some time before jamming for 36,000, and Koutsouki made the quick call.

Oleg Drews: 7♠7♥ All in
Maria Koutsouki: Q♠Q♣

Drews was ahead with a set, and Koutsouki looked absolutely disgusted.

The 10♠ hit on the turn, and Koutsouki started calling for the jack for the chop. She got what she desired, but via the 6♠ river.

Koutsouki celebrated enthusiastically - "I've never been so pleased with a fucking chop", and Drews looked suitably sickened.