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

05-03-2025 18:50 UTC+1

Esteve Spikes River to Double

Richard Hayes

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

At least 50,000 was in the middle on a board of 9♠8♥3♦5♥, in a hand between Magrane Esteve in the big blind and Angelo Russo in the cutoff.

Esteve checked to his opponent, who jammed with the covering stack. Esteve thought for a bit before putting his last 28,000 into the middle.

Magrane Esteve: 9♦7♠ All in
Angelo Russo: A♣9♣

Both players had top pair, but although Esteve had the worst kicker, he also had a gutshot. Sure enough, the 6♠ binked on the river to send Esteve the double-up, much to Russo's disbelief.

Player	Chips	Progress
Angelo Russo	125,000 125,000	125,000
Magrane Esteve	115,000 115,000	115,000

Tags: Angelo Russo Magrante Esteve

05-03-2025 18:46 UTC+1

Straight for Jakobsen

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Richard Hayes

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

Around 30,000 was in the middle, on a completed board of 6♦6♠5♦7♠10♦, in a hand between Thomas Jakobsen on the button and Tomas Major in the small blind.

Major check-called a bet of 10,500, and Jakobsen took the pot with 8♣4♠ for a straight.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Jakobsen	200,000 95,000	95,000
Tomas Major	80,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Thomas Jakobsen Tomas Major

Level: 10

Blinds: 1,000/2,500

Ante: 2,500

05-03-2025 18:34 UTC+1

Triple-Up for Palma

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Richard Hayes

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

Giovanni Palma jammed from the cutoff, before Anders Nielsen three-bet to 40,000 from the small blind. Alex Montgomery was in the big blind, and he three-bet jammed for 70,000.

Despite it being not much more, Nielsen folded.

Giovanni Palma: A♥Q♥ All in
Alex Montgomery: J♦J♣

It was a fair fight, and Palma hit the front after the Q♠10♠3♣ flop, the K♦ turn and 7♥ river failing to alter matters.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anders Nielsen	140,000 90,000	90,000
Alex Montgomery	70,000 70,000	70,000
Giovanni Palma	65,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: Alex Montgomery Anders Nielsen Giovanni Palma

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 18:17 UTC+1

Clarke Bamboozles Gambino

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Richard Hayes

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

Nunzio Gambino opened to 5,000 from the button, and received calls from Antonio Roberti and James Clarke in the blinds.

The Q♥5♥4♦ flop was checked through to the Q♦ turn, where Clarke led out with a bet of 4,000 when action was checked to him. Only Gambino called.

The 7♠ river completed the board, and Clarke fired out a bet of 7,500. After a bit of thought, Gambino folded, but was thoroughly disgusted when Clarke showed him 7♣4♥, for two pair queens and sevens.

"I folded two pair" said Gambino, and it seemed it might have been a better one as he spent the next 30 seconds shaking his head, looking at the heavens, and muttering in Italian.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Clarke	155,000
Antonio Roberti	75,000
Nunzio Gambino	37,000

Tags: Antonio Roberti James Clarke Nunzio Gambino

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000

05-03-2025 17:57 UTC+1

Tredici Gets Job Done on Turn

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Richard Hayes

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

A pot of 21,000 had developed on a flop of J♣6♠4♣, in a hand between Simone Maciocia and Giuseppe Tredici.

Maciocia check-called versus a bet of 4,000 from Tredici.

The 4♠ hit on the turn, and Maciocia checked once more. Tredici took a bit of time before firing out a bet of 15,000, leaving himself around 10,000 behind, and Maciocia shook his head and folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Maciocia	76,000
Giuseppe Tredici	60,000

Tags: Giuseppe Tredici Simone Maciocia

05-03-2025 17:41 UTC+1

Things Get Scary for Kruger

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Richard Hayes

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

Daniel Kruger was all-in for 22,500 on a flop of J♥9♥3♠, with around 30,000 already in the middle, in a hand against Carsten Mawick.

Daniel Kruger: A♥5♥ All in
Carsten Mawick: Q♣J♦

Kruger had the flush draw versus Mawick's top pair jacks, but the Q♠ turn improved Mawick to two pair, and the 8♦ river was a brick.

Player	Chips	Progress
Carsten Mawick	305,000 75,000	75,000
Daniel Kruger	Busted

Tags: Carsten Mawick Daniel Kruger

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