Level: 9
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
The players have been sent on a further 20-minute break.
Joris Ruijs opened to 6,000 from early position, and Tommaso Maione defended the big blind.
On the Q♠10♠2♣ flop, Maione check-called in the face of a bet of 5,000 from Ruijs.
The same pattern followed on the A♥ turn, this time in respect of a bet of 20,000 from the Dutchman.
The 10♥ river paired the board and was checked through, and Ruijs took the pot with A♦9♥ versus Maione's Q♣J♣.
With around 30,000 in the middle on a board of J♣10♥2♣8♠, Fausto Gravagna had led out with a bet of 23,000, and was faced with an all-in from Fabio Di Cosimo for 116,500.
Gravagna was in the tank, but made the call with the covering stack.
Fabio Di Cosimo: J♠10♦
Fausto Gravagna: 8♣8♦
It was top two pair versus a set of snowmen, and Di Cosimo looked in trouble, but the J♦ appeared on the river to give him a full house and send him the double-up, much to the dismay of Gravagna.
Nils Knofler has had a storming start to the day and is now above 500,000.
With 34,000 in the middle on a board of J♦8♣7♥A♠, Knofler check-raised to 55,000 versus a bet of 22,000 from Giovanni Nava.
Nava called to see the 2♥ turn, where he quickly folded to a further bet of 78,000 from Knofler.
Thomas Kruiper opened to 6,000 from middle position, and Tommaso Maione defended the big blind.
On the K♥8♠6♦ flop, Maione check-called in the face of a bet of 4,000 from Kruiper.
The J♠ hit on the turn, and Maione check-folded in reasonably prompt fashion after Kruiper jammed for 30,000.
Joris Ruijs, who won the Autumn Edition of the Malta Poker Festival Grand Event last year, has taken his seat at this table.
Level: 8
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
Matas Sketerskas was all in for 24,000 and at risk against Naith Hanchard.
Matas Sketerskas: K♥Q♣
Naith Hanchard: K♣J♣
Sketerskas was in a dominating position, and king-queen was good enough across the 9♥9♦6♣A♥2♠ runout.
Asif Warris recounted the story of his remarkable bust out hand.
Warris ended up all-in preflop for 80,000 with K♣K♦ against Patrick Strieme's Q♥Q♦ and Edmond Tontini's A♠A♦, Tontini covering both players.
Any hope of an underdog victory was immediately dashed by the A♥9♠4♣ flop, the 5♦ turn and 5♣ river giving Tontini a full house.