Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 182/234
David Civai, Michael Jesse, Walter Lustenberger, Eros Natasi, Richard Nugent, Franck Pelourson, Marcin Puczylowski, Martin Johansson, one-time Ladies First! champion Christina Read, and Salvatore La Verdara were among the recent players to hit the rail.
Several of this group, including Read already got back into the mix.
Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 189/234
Iceland is in the house with Jonas Nordquist battling it out on Table 10 against the likes of Marc Sanz Clausing, Antonios Onoufriou, Bjarke Matthiesen, Samuel Burton, Giuseppe Partinico, Karl Gialanze, and Lawerence Bonnici.
Nordquist recently bet 7,200 into a pot of approximately 15,000 on the K♠5♦J♣ flop. Onoufriou called before both players checked down the 10♠ turn and the K♦ river.
“Straight,” said Nordquist before he turned over the A♦Q♦.
Onoufriou quickly mucked his hand and the dealer awarded Nordquist the pot.
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 190/227
Kjetil Hanstvedt, Daniel Sahlin, Chris Da Silva, Nikolas Metaxas, Bui Lanh, Garry Spinks, Michal Janczarski, Tobias Haude, Jerome Nagy, Stephane Blasques, and Vytautas Rubeziu all hit the rail recently. A few of these players, including Da Silva, already got back into the mix.
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 192/226
Kevin Berkhout and Albert Sapiano both already significantly increased their stacks before getting involved in a hand.
Berkhout check-called a bet of 5,000 into a pot of a little more with the 10♦5♠K♠6♠ on the board after the turn. Another check came by Berkhout on the 8♣ river. Sapiano fired out for 10,000. Berkhout paused for a few moments before he called.
Sapaino turned over the Q♠10♠ for the flush and won the hand after Berkhout mucked his cards.
Albert Sapiano – 130,000
Kevin Berkhout – 90,000
The €230 Bounty Hunter Days has kicked off with €100 bounty on every player’s head. The field is already at 164 entries from the start promising a massive field with unlimited re-entries permitted during the first 10 blind levels.
Canada is represented in this field with poker media veteran Lyle Bateman and The Hendon Mob’s Anthony Charter among the players in the mix. A few Americans also made their way into the field including The Hendon Mob wizard and WSOP social media guru Kevin Mathers, otherwise known as “Kevmath” on social media and within the poker community.
Best of luck to all of the players in collecting bounty after bounty! But most importantly, have fun as there are lots of friendly souls in the field in what promises to be a thrilling event at the Malta Poker Festival at Portomaso Casino.
Level 4: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 187/211
Jan Erick Iversen jammed for 25,500 into a pot of around the same with the 5♠5♣9♦3♣ on the board after the turn.
Jonathan Butters put his hands on his head before counting his chips. A few times it appeared he could be ready for a call. A couple of minutes later, he folded his hand to award Iversen the pot to get back to starting stack.
Meanwhile, Tibor Hegedus, Kamil Skawinski, Daniel Hopkins, Mattia Baccassino, Tony Vandenbulcke, Andrea Giovanneti, Jan Jensen, Rune Epsedal, Melke Ilgun, Koen Mulewijk, Tomas Luthi, Markus Kenzler, and Darren Nolan all hit the rail for the first time, while Maciej Toma busted for a second time.
Toma was among the players to re-enter, but for him, it was his third and final bullet. If this one goes as the others have, he will need to wait until Day 1d or later to re-enter the Grand Event.
Jan Erick Iversen – 50,000
Jonathan Butters – 35,000
Level 4: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 185/200
Tomas Flanagan already had more than double a starting stack when he had fun with the table that included local hero Mark Vella, Germany’s Annamaria Hemmert, Emanuele Napolitano, Mattia Baccassino, Edward Thompson, Congliang Lyu and the always-smiling Samuel Debege.
Flanagan fired out for 10,000 into a pot of around the same with the [invalid notations] on the board after the turn and was snap-called by Lyu.
The Q♥ paired the board on the river and Flanagan attempted to win all of Lyu’s stack with an effective jam. Lyu, who had 45,000 back, went into the tank for about a minute before he tossed his hand into the muck.
Flanagan showed the Q♣J♦ for some flair and laughs with multiple people seemingly enjoying his hot start.
Tomas Flanagan – 140,000
Congliang Lyu – 45,000
Players are on their first break of Day 1c. The action will resume in 15 minutes with blinds at 200/400 along with a 400 big blind ante.
Level 3: 200/300 (300)
Entries: 170/179
Stig Eketrapp opened for 700 from the cutoff before Seamus Doherty three-bet to 1,900 from the button. Christian Saltalamacchia and Arnasalon Chengalanee called from the blinds before Eketrapp called to complete the preflop action.
All four players checked the 3♣9♠10♠ flop. Saltalamacchia and Chengalanee both checked the 5♣ turn before Eketrapp fired out for 4,500. Doherty quickly folded before the other two players called to see the 6♥ river.
Saltalamacchia fired out for 8,000. Chengalanee went into the tank for about 30 seconds before he let go of his hand as well for Saltamacchia to win a decent-sized pot.
Meanwhile, Paolo Rando and Kelly Gall were the latest players to head to the rail before the first break.
Christian Saltalamacchia – 65,000
Seamus Doherty – 50,000
Stig Eketrapp – 45,000
Arnasalon Chengalanee – 40,000
Kelly Gall – 0
Paolo Rando – 0
Level 3: 200/300 (300)
Entries: 168/175
The Day 1c has grown to 175 entries and counting. This means it is all but a lock it will surpass the 188 entries on Day 1b to become the largest opening flight thus far at the 2023 Malta Poker Festival Autumn Edition €550 Grand Event.
Despite the deep stacks, several more players hit the rail before the first break including Brian Taylor, Tom Leleu, Ashley Walkey, and Jan Jensen.
