€400 Main Event Day 1b | 2025 SiGMA Poker Tour Malta

09-04-2025 18:21 UTC+1

Farrugia Forces Hunter River Fold

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Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Marc Hunter opened to 1,200 from the button, and Justin Farrugia defended the big blind.

On the 9♠8♦3♣ flop, Farrugia check-called in the face of a bet of 1,300 from Hunter.

The 6♣ turn was quickly checked to the 2♦ river, where Farrugia led out with a pot-sized bet of 5,000. Hunter quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Farrugia	68,000
Marc Hunter	30,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Justin Farrugia Marc Hunter

09-04-2025 18:17 UTC+1

Set no Good for Karlsen in Ambassador Violence

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Richard Hayes

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

John Arne Riise was raking in a pot, having got 6,000 out of fellow SiGMA ambassador Drea Karlsen on the river on J♦9♥6♥10♠4♠.

Riise had tabled K♦Q♣ for the turned straight, and Karlsen shook her head when seeing her flopped set with 9♣9♦ was beaten.

"Sorry" said Riise, and the pair had a good chat in Norwegian, presumably regarding the cooler that had just been served.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Arne Riise	52,000 4,000	4,000
Drea Karlsen	36,800 13,200	13,200

Tags: Drea Karlsen John Arne Riise

Level: 3

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

09-04-2025 17:58 UTC+1

Always a Sweat for Houssais

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Richard Hayes

Level 2 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Nuno Morais was all-in for 22,500 and at risk versus Emmanuel Houssais.

Nuno Morais: K♥Q♥ All in
Emmanuel Houssais: A♥A♠

Morais had run into the goods, but some hope arrived in the form of the K♠8♣7♥ flop.

The 2♥ turn brought further outs to the flush, and a wry smile from Houssais, but the 3♦ river was a brick, sending Morais to the reentry desk.

"Aces again?!" remarked table mate Kenny Burke, "It's too early for you, you'll be bust soon.", giving Houssais a good laugh.

Houssais, sporting what is surely a top-five international football top, that of Colombia, allowed himself a mini celebration as he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Emmanuel Houssais	82,000 82,000	82,000
Nuno Morais	Busted

Tags: Emmanuel Houssais Kenny Burke Nuno Morais

09-04-2025 17:45 UTC+1

Nuno Morais: "Do I respect the Old Guy Raise?"

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Richard Hayes

Level 2 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

There was 2,200 in the middle on a board of Q♠9♣5♣5♠. Nuno Morais had 1,100 in front of him, and was faced with a raise to 3,000 from Kenny Burke.

Morais was pondering the position and quipped "Do I respect the old guy raise?"

Burke laughed, "The old guy?!", and after a bit more thought, Morais said "Ok, you've got it" and open-folded the 9♠.

"Come on now", laughed Burke, "not even a decision. You've got to think you're behind there...you're not! But you have to think so", both players having a good chuckle as the pot was passed to Burke.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kenny Burke	59,000 9,000	9,000
Nuno Morais	45,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Kenny Burke Nuno Morais

Level: 2

Blinds: 100/300

Ante: 300

09-04-2025 17:32 UTC+1

Rekawiecki Busts Calleja in Early Cooler

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Brian Calleja beckoned PokerNews over to show photographic evidence of his Level 1 cooler bustout, Calleja holding Q♦7♣ versus Piotr Rekawiecki's A♣7♠ on A♦Q♦7♥K♣7♦, the stacks going in on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Piotr Rekawiecki	110,000 110,000	110,000
Brian Calleja	Busted

Tags: Brian Calleja Piotr Rekawiecki

09-04-2025 17:21 UTC+1

Dinov Double-Barrels

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Around 3,000 was in the middle on a flop of K♠7♦4♦, and Nuno Morais check-called a bet of 1,500 from Sonny Dinov.

The 5♠ rolled off on the turn, and Morais checked once more. Dinov double-barreled with a bet of 3,500, and after a bit of thought, Morais decided that was too much to continue.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sonny Dinov	53,000 53,000	53,000
Nuno Morais	47,000 3,000	3,000

Tags: Nuno Morais Sonny Dinov

09-04-2025 17:17 UTC+1

Gaitanos Forces Riise River Fold

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

SiGMA ambassador John Arne Riise opened to 500 under the gun, and received calls from Karol Guzla on the button and Christos Gaitanos in the small blind.

The K♣8♥8♦ flop was checked to Riise, who continued with a bet of 500. Only Gaitanos called.

The 6♣ turn was quickly checked to the K♥ river, where Gaitanos led out with a bet of 500, and Riise quickly folded.