€600 MPF Grand Event Day 1ij | 2026 Malta Poker Festival Spring

Apr 25, 2026

Kruiper Cracks Pitti

Richard Hayes

Level 8 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

In the next hand, Salvatore Pitti jammed from under the gun for 18,000, and Thomas Kruiper made a bit of a reluctant call in the big blind.

Salvatore Pitti: Q♥8♠ All in
Thomas Kruiper: 6♦4♣

Kruiper was live, but Pitti found top pair on the Q♦J♠5♦ flop.

The A♦ turn gave outs to the flush to Kruiper, and the 7♦ river completed the board, sending Kruiper the pot.

Kruiper initially didn't realize he'd got there, and started to count out his believed payment to Pitti. A table mate pointed out he'd won the hand, and Kruiper looked surprised, studied the board, took back his chips, and apologized to Pitti, who looked a bit stunned.

As Pitti was leaving, Kruiper laughed, more out of nerves than taking any pleasure in the situation, and went to share a joke with Rosario Saddemi beside him, but Saddemi didn't seem particularly pleased with what had happened and brushed him off.

Tags: Rosario Saddemi Salvatore Pitti Thomas Kruiper

Apr 25, 2026

Saddemi Doubles via Pitti

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Richard Hayes

Level 8 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Salvatore Pitti opened to 7,000 from early position, and, after quite a bit of time in the tank, called a three-bet jam to 72,000 from Rosario Saddemi in the big blind.

Rosario Saddemi: 10♥10♠ All in
Salvatore Pitti: A♣Q♠

It was a fair fight, but Pitti bricked the 9♥8♦6♦4♠K♥ runout.

Tags: Rosario Saddemi Salvatore Pitti

Apr 25, 2026

Cowboys Turn to Flush for Mihajlovski

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Richard Hayes

Level 8 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

A big pot of at least 100,000 had brewed between Alessandro Giacobbe and Oliver Mihajlovski on a board of 9♦5♦4♦J♣2♦, and Giacobbe check-called a bet of 41,000 from his opponent.

Mihajlovski tabled K♦K♥ for the king-high flush, and Giacobbe was annoyed to see his A♥Q♦ for the queen-high flush was pipped.

Tags: Alessandro Giacobbe Oliver Mihajlovski

Apr 25, 2026

Double for Norouzian

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Richard Hayes

Level 8 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Vincenzo Buscemi opened to 6,000, and called a three-bet jam of 27,500 from Shahin Norouzian.

Shahin Norouzian: 7♦7♣ All in
Vincenzo Buscemi: A♥10♠

It was a flip, and Buscemi missed the J♣4♥2♥J♠Q♦ runout.

Tags: Shahin Norouzian Vincenzo Buscemi

Level: 8

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

Apr 25, 2026

Pecelj Has Aces Cracked

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Richard Hayes

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

In the very next hand, Pavle Pecelj opened to 4,000, and received a call from Mark Cornwell, before Francesco Romanello three-bet jammed for 48,000.

Pecelj rejammed, just covering his opponent, and Cornwell quickly got out of the way.

Francesco Romanello: K♦Q♣ All in
Pavle Pecelj: A♣A♦

Romanello was due a bit of good luck after the previous hand, and he flopped the straight on J♣10♣9♦ flop, to murmurs from the table.

The 10♦ turn gave Pecelj some hope, but the 8♣ river was brick.

Pecelj was left with 2,000, and busted shortly after.

Tags: Francesco Romanello Mark Cornwell Pavle Pecelj

Apr 25, 2026

Oikonomou Spikes Two-Outer to Triple

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Richard Hayes

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

There was an open, before Tomasso Maione three-bet to 11,000 from the cutoff. That was only the start of the action, as Sokratis Oikonomou cold four-bet jammed for 52,000 from the small blind.

Francesco Romanello was in the big blind, and he took a brief period for thought before cold five-bet ripping his 108,000 stack into the middle.

The opener took quite a bit of time before folding, and Maione, with about 80,000 behind, was absolutely pained by the situation he found himself in. Eventually he made the call, to create a huge three-way all-in scenario.

Sokratis Oikonomou: J♠J♣ All in
Tomasso Maione: A♣K♠ All in
Francesco Romanello: Q♠Q♦

It was a crazy cooler, and Maione, after asking the opener if he folded an ace, and receiving a nod, said "I knew it, that's why I was tanking".

Maione stood up and muttered about how gross the spot was, and the dealer fanned the J♥9♠4♦ flop, putting Oikonomou in front with top set.

Maione continued to lament the scenario as the 7♣ hit on the turn, but his mood was brightened slightly when the A♠ appeared on the river, to give him a 32,000 side-pot against Romanello.

Tags: Francesco Romanello Sokratis Oikonomou Tomasso Maione

Apr 25, 2026

Nieuwenhuis Continues to Stack Chips

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Richard Hayes

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Pel Nieuwenhuis opened to 4,000 from middle position, and Simone Pascucci defended in the big blind.

On the J♣7♦2♦ flop, Pascucci check-called versus a continuation bet of 4,000 from Nieuwenhuis.

The 8♥ turn was checked to the 5♦ river, where Pascucci check-called a bet of 10,000 from his opponent, and mucked when Nieuwenhuis tabled J♠10♠ for top pair.