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Level: 7
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
2026 Malta Poker Festival Spring
€600 MPF Grand Event
Day: 1ij
Players Left 12 / 1,451
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Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
In the 958th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to talk about a poker mystery. How did Esther Taylor's 2022 WPT Wynn trophy end up on eBay without her knowledge? Chad actually brought it to her attention, and after some investigating, there are more questions than answers. Was the trophy stolen? Hear from Etay herself as she shares what she thinks happened.
From there, they talk about WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas, which included Jared Bleznick (AKA Blez) meeting WWE superstar The Miz and discussing a $1.5 million sports card. From there, it's a look back at online poker's Black Friday on its 15th anniversary, plans for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), a big win by poker photographer Katerina Lukina, and winners from the 2026 PGT U.S. Poker Open, including Brock Wilson and Joao Simao.
Finally, Chad shares video highlights from his trip to the record-setting Irish Open in Dublin.
Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The players have been sent on their second 20-minute break of the day.
Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Sokratis Oikonomou was all-in for 15,000, and had received two customers in John Kelly and Kosmas Barakos.
The 7♦5♦4♦ flop was checked by the active players to the 3♦ turn, where Kelly jammed for 53,000.
Barkos went deep into thought, and after about two minutes made the call.
Sokratis Oikonomou: A♠5♥ 
Kosmas Barakos: 9♠9♣
John Kelly: Q♠10♠
Remarkably, no-one had a diamond, and Barakos' nines were ahead of Oikonomou's pair of fives.
The 8♥ river was a brick, and Barakos celebrated holding by standing up and pumping his fists.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
109,000
109,000
|
109,000 |
|
22,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Niccolo Cadoni opened to 3,000 from early position, and was met with a three-bet to 8,700 from Nanib Messo in the next seat.
The J♠9♣4♣ flop was checked to the 8♣ turn, where Cadoni check-called in the face of a bet of 7,600 from Messo.
The 7♣ river completed the board, and Cadoni checked once more. Messo fired out a bet of 18,400, and after a decent stint in the tank, Cadoni was forced to fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
142,000 | |
|
43,000
43,000
|
43,000 |
Level 6
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
With 17,000 in the middle on a completed board of 5♠3♠2♣4♣K♦, Vincenzo Popolo jammed for 28,100, and was looked up by Robert Oliver.
Oliver tabled A♣6♥ for the six-high straight, but Popolo had 7♥6♣ for the seven-high straight, in a brutal cooler.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
73,200
73,200
|
73,200 |
|
|
5,000 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 1,000/1,500
Ante: 1,500
Level 5
: Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Joseph Grech opened to 2,700 from early position, and called a three-bet to 6,500 from Giovanni La Rosa in the cutoff.
Grech called and checked in the dark, saying "Checked to the man who thinks he has the best hand."
On the A♥2♣2♦ flop, Grech raised to 15,000 versus a bet of 6,000 from La Rosa, who folded after a brief period of contemplation.
Grech windmilled 7♠2♠ into the middle of the table, having a good giggle as he did so. La Rosa looked mildly frustrated but quite amused, and revealed to PokerNews he had pocket kings.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
90,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
55,800
12,200
|
12,200 |
Level 5
: Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Minas Patsalos opened to 2,400, and called a three-bet jam from Niccolo Cadoni of 29,500 after a decent stint in the tank.
Niccolo Cadoni: A♦K♠
Minas Patsalos: 8♠8♣
It was a fair fight, but Cadoni was up out of his chair after being left drawing to chops on the 8♦6♥4♠ flop, the Q♦ turn and 5♦ river sealing his fate.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
88,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
|
|
Busted |
