button in Safari€600 MPF Grand Event
Day 1ij Completed
2026 Malta Poker Festival Spring
€600 MPF Grand Event
Day: 1ij
Players Left 14 / 1,451
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
8
715,000
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Portomaso Casino was absolutely rammed today, as a huge field of 256 entries was logged for Day 1i of the €500,000 guaranteed €600 Malta Poker Festival Spring Grand Event.
The guarantee was breached early, and with the final starting flight still to come, the prize pool currently stands at an impressive €607,963, and is sure to swell further.
Those figures meant 38 players qualified from Day 1i, and they are led by Italian Rosario Saddemi, who bagged 1,083,000. Saddemi scooped a huge pot at the end of the day when he dodged numerous outs with pocket tens.
Saddemi is closely followed by Johann Berger of Belgium (1,060,000), who was on the right end of an aces versus kings cooler on the soft-bubble, and Dutchman Pel Nieuwenhuis (769,000), who steadily built his stack throughout proceedings.
All of Saddemi's recorded scores totaling $35,673 are Maltese flags, while Berger's biggest cash among scores of $45,332 is for €12,000. Nieuwenhuis is the most experienced of the trio, having racked up results totaling almost $270,000 over the course of his career. (All figures courtesy of The Hendon Mob).
End of Day 1i Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosario Saddemi | Italy | 1,083,000 | 72 |
| 2 | Johann Berger | Belgium | 1,060,000 | 71 |
| 3 | Pel Nieuwenhuis | Netherlands | 769,000 | 51 |
| 4 | Per Hansen | Denmark | 733,000 | 49 |
| 5 | Vito Romei | Italy | 715,000 | 48 |
| 6 | Dario Barone | Italy | 695,000 | 46 |
| 7 | Riccardo Saraniero | Italy | 682,000 | 45 |
| 8 | Tomas Kolarik | Czechia | 632,000 | 42 |
| 9 | Michael Altena | Belgium | 593,000 | 40 |
| 10 | Ismail Ozsezgin | Turkey | 558,000 | 37 |
Other notables to qualify include Michael Altena (593,000), who was at the top of the standings for most of the day, 2025 Autumn Grand Event champion Joris Ruijs (388,000) and WSOP bracelet winner Vangelis Kaimakamis (256,000).
All players have guaranteed themselves a minimum cash of €900, with payouts to be confirmed once the prize pool is finalized.
A total of 100 entrants were logged in Day 1j, and Tadej Zalokar of Slovenia led 15 qualifiers on 1,369,000.
The final opportunity for players to qualify for Day 2 is the turbo flight Day 1k, taking place at 10 a.m. on April 26. Day 1k will feature 15-minute levels, with late registration open until the start of Level 11.
Day 2 kicks off at 4 p.m. on April 26, with the full remaining schedule below.
2026 Malta Poker Festival Spring Grand Event Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time | Buy-In | Stack | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1k | April 26 | 10 a.m. | €600 | 60,000 | 15 minutes |
| 2 | April 26 | 4 p.m. | 50 minutes | ||
| 3 | April 27 | 1 p.m. | 75 minutes |
PokerNews will be on the floor from the start of Day 2 until a champion is crowned, so stick with us for your coverage of all the action at the Malta Poker Festival Spring Grand Event.
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,369,000 | |
|
||
|
|
1,083,000 | |
|
||
|
1,060,000 | |
|
1,003,000
200
|
200 |
|
769,000 | |
|
733,000 | |
|
|
719,000 | |
|
|
715,000 | |
|
|
695,000 | |
|
682,000 | |
|
632,000 | |
|
593,000 | |
|
570,000 | |
|
558,000 | |
|
550,000 | |
|
547,000 | |
|
475,000 | |
|
433,000 | |
|
|
400,000 | |
|
390,000 | |
|
390,000 | |
|
388,000 | |
|
382,000 | |
|
|
377,000 | |
|
371,000 | |
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
A total of 15 players qualified from 100 entrants in Day 1j, with Tadej Zalokar leading the way on 1,369,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,369,000
969,000
|
969,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
719,000
719,000
|
719,000 |
|
|
570,000
570,000
|
570,000 |
|
|
547,000
547,000
|
547,000 |
|
|
390,000
390,000
|
390,000 |
|
|
390,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
382,000
382,000
|
382,000 |
|
294,000
294,000
|
294,000 |
|
|
285,000
285,000
|
285,000 |
|
|
267,000
225,200
|
225,200 |
|
|
173,000
173,000
|
173,000 |
|
163,000
163,000
|
163,000 |
|
160,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
157,000
157,000
|
157,000 |
|
|
138,000
138,000
|
138,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Day 1j has obtained 95 entrants thus far as the players head into Level 7, with late registration open until the start of Level 11, and 20-minute levels in play.
End of day chip counts will be provided as soon as possible after conclusion of the flight.
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,083,000
103,000
|
103,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,060,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
1,003,200
943,200
|
943,200 |
|
|
769,000
359,000
|
359,000 |
|
|
733,000
328,000
|
328,000 |
|
|
715,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
695,000
695,000
|
695,000 |
|
|
682,000
682,000
|
682,000 |
|
|
632,000
82,000
|
82,000 |
|
|
593,000
23,000
|
23,000 |
|
|
558,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
|
|
550,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
|
|
475,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
|
433,000
433,000
|
433,000 |
|
|
400,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
388,000
388,000
|
388,000 |
|
|
377,000
88,000
|
88,000 |
|
|
371,000
29,000
|
29,000 |
|
|
341,000
341,000
|
341,000 |
|
332,000
33,000
|
33,000 |
|
|
330,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
290,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
287,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
256,000
256,000
|
256,000 |
|
||
|
255,000
255,000
|
255,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Play has now concluded in Day 1i, with 38 players finding a bag for Day 2, guaranteeing a €900 minimum cash.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for updated chip counts.
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Giuseppe Spitale was forced all-in in the big blind for 2,000.
Three players, including Nicolaj D'Antoni limped. On the K♥10♠6♥ flop, D'Antoni bet 25,000 and the other players folded.
Giuseppe Spitale: A♠9♦ 
Nicolaj D'Antoni: K♣5♣
D'Antoni had top pair, but Spitale still had outs. The 5♦ turn changed that, and the K♠ river completed the board.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
278,000 | |
|
Busted |
Level 14
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Giuseppe Spitale was in the small blind with 2,000 behind when the bubble started, but folded, and play is understandably now cagey, while opportunities to pressure opponents abound.
Here, Tomas Kolarik jammed from the small blind with the covering stack, and knew he was in deep trouble when he was snapped by Ofer Sisso for his roughly 180,000 stack in the big blind.
Tomas Kolarik: A♦9♠
Ofer Sisso: A♠A♣
Sisso had the goods, and despite a minor sweat, he held on the Q♦9♥4♣5♦Q♣ runout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
550,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
|
400,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 10,000/15,000
Ante: 15,000
