Day 1A – MPF Spring 2024

First Break

Players are on their first 15-minute break of the day. We will post some of the top chip counts from around the room shortly after the action resumes with blinds at 400/800 along with an 800 big blind ante.

More and more players keep filing in with already 121 entries with 112 players still in their seats. Nicol Eisenbaltter-Todtmann, Samuel Coltman, Rayond Phelen, Idan Levy, Patrick Galvin, and Janet Kosloff were among the players to hit the rail before the first break with plenty of time to re-enter if they haven’t already done so.

Massage Doesn’t Help Spampinato Push Jacks Ahead of Kings

Level 3: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 106/113

Guilio Spampinato was busy enjoying a massage when he faced off against Tayfun Rodoplu in a hand.

Rodoplu check-raised the 3♣4♠5♠ flop from 3,000 to 6,000 and Spampinato called to see the 7♣ turn. Rodoplu fired out for 6,000. Spampinato raised to 17,000. Rodoplu went into the tank before he jammed for more than the 32,000 his opponent had in his stack. Spampinato wasted no time in making the call which appeared to make Rodoplu a little bit nervous that he was in trouble.

“Aces?” asked Rodoplu before the cards were turned over.

To Rodoplu’s relief, Spampinato tabled the J♠J♥. Rodoplu was far ahead with the K♠K♦ and eliminated Spampinato, at least for now, after the 7♦ river paired the board.

Spampinato opted to continue his massage on one of the empty tables after busting his first bullet but perhaps we will witness him back in the Day 1a field later in the day with each player entitled to two re-entries if they so choose during each opening flight.

Tayfun Rodoplu – 120,000
Giulio Spampinato – 0

Chapon Wins British Heads-Up in the €200 Texas Classic

The €200 Texas Classic attracted 133 entries on Tuesday evening to create a €22,982 prize pool. After Israel’s Uri Hartuv and The Chip Race cohost David Lappin hit the rail in third and fourth places respectively after nearly 7 1/2 hours of play, the British duo in Kleber Chapon and Teresa Newton were left with €4,440 locked up and much more on the line.

It didn’t take long for Chapon to defeat Newton to claim the €6,150 top prize and earn the second side event trophy of the 2024 Malta Poker Festival Spring Edition. Congrats to Kleber and all of the 15 players who cashed in this event.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Kleber Chapon	United Kingdom	€6,150
2	Teresa Newton	United Kingdom	€4,440
3	Uri Hartuv	Israel	€3,082
4	David Lappin	Ireland	€2,130
5	Cristian Mole	Italy	€1,530
6	Kelly Kellner	Canada	€1,030
7	Andrzej Marczykowski	Poland	€770
8	Karl Gialanze	Malta	€620
9	Andrew Leathem	United Kingdom	€530
10	Alfredo Cuti	Italy	€470
11	Mary Kerr	United Kingdom	€470
12	Erik Kjell	Sweden	€470
13	Matthias Kribben	Germany	€430
14	Sebastian Rebhan	Germany	€430
15	Ackan Bircan	United States	€430

Century Mark Achieved

Level 2: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 99/101

The Day 1a field is already north of 100 entries, meaning that the €300,000 guarantee will likely be merely a placeholder thanks to the enthusiasm from the players for this well-structured event and amazing atmosphere.

Kelly Kellner, Torsten Ridel, Sergio Gandolfo, Oliver Said, and Billy Silvertsson were among the recent players to join the action.

Ablott Sends Kribben First to the Rail

Level 2: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 96/98

James Ablott maybe didn’t get the best table draw with both Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin at his table but he is off to a hot start after ousting Matthias Kribben.

Ablott shared that his opponent committed his stack with six-five on the river with the eight-nine-ten-five-nine on the board and Kribben was out of chips as Ablott held pocket jacks to win a big pot.

Meanwhile, John Forsman hit the rail not too much later but immediately re-entered whereas Kribben has yet to resurface at least for now in the Grand Event.

James Ablott – 90,000
John Forsman – 50,000
Matthias Kribben – 0

Full House for Aebi

Level 2: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 94/94

Michal Kulesza checked before Paolo Rando bet 3,400 into a pot of near 10,000 on the turn with the 4♦J♠8♣10♣ on the board. Dieter Aebi jacked it up to 11,000.

Kulesza quickly folded before Rando called after tanking for a minute. Rando checked after the 4♥ river completed the board. Aebi fired out for 20,000. Rando tanked for a short time before he called.

Aebi turned over the 10♥10♦ for the full house to win a big early pot.

Dieter Aebi – 90,000
Michal Kulesza – 50,000
Paolo Rando – 30,000