• CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
• PLAYERS: 1 of 468
• CHIPS | PAYOUTS | €10K HIGH ROLLER | EPT LIVE!
7:30pm: It’s over – Aliaksei Boika is the new EPT Malta champion
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
It proved an unconventional hand to end the tournament, but it did just that, crowning Aliaksei Boika as EPT13 Malta champion.
It started with a bet of 200,000 from Karlsson with A♦ 4♦ . Boika called in the big blind with A♠ J♥ and saw the flop.
2♠ Q♥ 8♠
Boika checked to Karlsson, then called Karlsson’s bet of 550,000. Then the turn card K♦ . Both players checked here for a 7♦ on the river card. Both players were now in the pot with ace-high. Boika checked and after a few moments Karlsson announced he was all-in – with nothing, for his last 2.5 million.
Boika tanked for a long time. Folding seemed inconceivable, but his ace-jack was good. Finally, after some head scratching and more than five minutes in the tank he realised this, and called. The most hero of hero calls.
“Nice call you win,” said Karlsson.
Check out the full report here. – SB
7:15pm: The long game
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Boika winning pots uncontested right now, and slowly extending his lead. – SB
7:10pm: Another leap for Boika
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Boika wins a 3.2 million pot to move up to 9.5 million against Karlsson’s 4.4 million.
Boika opened for 300,000 with K♥ 9♠ which Karlsson called with 6♦ 4♠ .
The flop came 5♣ Q♦ 10♥ which Boika checked, then called Karlsson’s bet of 400,000. On the 9♣ turn Boika check called Karlsson’s 900,000. On the 5♥ river Boika checked, and for a few moments it looked like Karlsson would have a stab at it. But he too checked, conceding the pot to Boika. – SB
7:05pm: Latest counts
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Name | Country | Status | Chips | Big blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | PokerStars player | 8,105,000 | 101 |
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 5,880,000 | 74 |
7:00pm: Boika advances
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Boika extends his lead over Karlsson wih a pot worth 1.2 million. The board ran out 3♥ 6♣ 9♠ J♠ A♥ , which worked for Boika’s A♦ 9♥ and not for Karlsson’s K♣ 7♦ . – SB
6:45pm: Eights more than good
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Boika wins an early pot with a pair of eights. After a pre-flop bet of 160,000 from Boika, called by Karlsson, they checked there way to the river on a board of 2♥ A♠ K♣ 3♥ 2♣ .
At this point Boika, with 8♥ 8♦ , bet 200,000. Karlsson, with just Q♥ 6♣ called, easily beaten when he did. – SB
You can win your seat to events like EPT Malta with a PokerStars account. Click here to get started.
6:35pm: Steep learning curve for Karlsson
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson starts the heads up phase with an honest admission that might be familiar to many players watching (and reading) heads up play. He asked for the dealer’s help working out whether he was on the small or big blind as the button passed back and forth, and how much he needs to pay – easy to get confused about when you’re on the button (and also the small blind). The dealer seemed happy to help. – SB
6:20pm: Heads up chip counts as players take another break
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Name | Country | Status | Chips | Big blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 8,080,000 | 101 | |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | PokerStars player | 5,905,000 | 74 |
6:15pm: Karlsson finishes the job on Yurasov
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Everyone has their personal nemesis, but at least Dmitry Yurasov knows what his looks like. He looks like a 59-year-old Swedish poker player named Mats Karlsson, who has just ended Yurasov’s quest for a maiden EPT title.
Karlsson has beaten Yurasov in seemingly every pot they have played against one another today, even when the odds have been heavily stacked in Yurasov’s favour. This elimination was fitting: Yurasov moved all-in for his last 14 big blinds with A♦ K♠ and Karlsson called with a dominated hand: K♦ Q♥ .
However, the Q♦ appeared on the turn and that was the straw that broke Yurasov’s back. He went out in third, winning €192,650, and graciously shook Karlsson’s hand. But, boy, I bet he hates that guy. — HS
6:05pm: Boika takes the lead
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
A big swing for Boika, who overtakes Mats Karlsson for the first time. The pair played a hand together that, to those on the rail watching cards-up coverage, was heavily weighted in favour of Boika.
On a board of 3♠ 4♠ 9♣ K♣ Boika checked from the big blind with his K♥ 3♦ allowing Karlsson, holding J♦ 10♦ to bet 650,000. Boika called.
On the 4♦ river Boika checked again, letting Karlsson bet 900,000. Boika called, Karlsson mucking as he did. More than 7 million for Boika now, around 5 million for Karlsson. – SB
5:55pm: Straight over straight
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Here’s a rare mis-step from Mats Karlsson, who has just given some more chips to his principal rival, Aliaksei Boika, calling all the way with bottom pair, then rivering an inferior straight.
Boika completed from the small blind with Q♣ 10♥ and Karlsson checked with 5♠ 2♣ . All of that was fine. Boika then bet 100,000 after the 9♦ 7♦ 2♠ flop, bringing the 8♥ on the turn.
Now with a straight draw, Boika bet 250,000. Karlsson called again. And then Boika spiked it with the 6♥ on the river. Of course, so did Karlsson, but it was an inferior straight.
Boika took a little while before deciding on the size of his river value bet. He cut out 550,000. Karlsson took a lot less time to call with his bottom end, and showed the five as he mucked to Boika’s bigger holding.
Karlsson is down to 7.66 million after that and Boika up to 4.79 million. –HS
5:45pm: Aces beats Karlsson
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Aliaksei Boika has belatedly found a way to get some chips from Mats Karlsson. He had aces. That worked.
Boika raised to 220,000 from the small blind (Dmitry Yurasov folded his button) and Karlsson called with 10♥ 9♥ in the blig blind. There was some potential for Karlsson’s suited connectors on the 7♠ K♥ Q♣ flop and that meant he was happy to call Boika’s bet of 200,000.
The 8♠ turn brought even more potential, so Boika bet 575,000. Karlsson also called that. Then the A♣ came on the river and Boika went for value with his set. He bet 575,000.
Karlsson seemed to be pondering a move, but saw the better of it. He folded and Boika moved up to 3.9 million. — HS
5:40pm: Play resumes
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
We’re back in action three handed. Mats Karlsson has a big chip lead.
5:25pm: Chips at the start of level 28
Name | Country | Status | Chips | Big blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 9,565,000 | 96 | |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | PokerStars player | 2,870,000 | 29 |
Dmitry Yurasov | Russia | PokerStars qualifier | 1,550,000 | 16 |
5:20pm: A rare win for Boika vs Karlsson ends the level
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
A hand comes around that isn’t won by Mats Karlsson. Instead Aliaksei Boika made the most of K♣ Q♥ , raising on the river of a board of K♠ 4♦ 10♠ 10♣ 8♣ to force Karlsson to fold his A♦ J♥ , bringing the level to an end. – SB
You can win your seat to events like EPT Malta with a PokerStars account. Click here to get started.
5:15pm: More for Karlsson, again from Yurasov
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson cannot miss. He has just picked up another tidy pot from Dmitry Yurasov, despite having the worst of it pre-flop. Yurasov seems to be getting a little sick of this.
Karlsson raised from the small blind with J♥ 9♥ and Yurasov found A♠ Q♠ in the big blind, but elected only to call. Maybe he would have shaken Karlsson with a three-bet, but he also might have ended up losing more.
The flop came 7♠ 8♥ J♦ , which put Karlsson ahead. And they both checked it. Then the 10♣ came on the turn and Karlsson checked again. Yurasov now had a draw and bet 210,000. Karlsson called.
The 10♣ on the river changed nothing and they both checked. Yurasov was sick to the stomach when he saw Karlsson’s hand. — HS
5:10pm: More for Karlsson, again from Yurasov
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson cannot miss. He has just picked up another tidy pot from Dmitry Yurasov, despite having the worst of it pre-flop. Yurasov seems to be getting a little sick of this.
Karlsson raised from the small blind with J♥ 9♥ and Yurasov found A♠ Q♠ in the big blind, but elected only to call. Maybe he would have shaken Karlsson with a three-bet, but he also might have ended up losing more.
The flop came 7♠ 8♥ J♦ , which put Karlsson ahead. And they both checked it. Then the 10♣ came on the turn and Karlsson checked again. Yurasov now had a draw and bet 210,000. Karlsson called.
The 10♣ on the river changed nothing and they both checked. Yurasov was sick to the stomach when he saw Karlsson’s hand. — HS
5:05pm: Yurasov and the one time
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Dmitry Yurasov just pulled out his One Time Chip, tossed it into the middle of the table*, and managed to get himself a dpuble up through Aliaksei Boika. He needed that chip too because it was a come-from-behind three-outer special to keep Yurasov alive.
Boika, who is a good friend of Yurasov’s, found pocket tens again and opened his button. He made it 150,000 to play. Yurasov found K♠ 10♥ and shoved for 1.035 million with his broadway cards.
Boika called, Yurasov saw the bad news but muttered “One time!”.
The dealer responded with a flop of K♥ 4♥ 8♣ and the 6♦ turn and 6♣ river kept him ahead and doubled him. — HS
*All actions metaphorical
5pm: Saad rivered by Boika, hits the rail in fourth
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
The dam has burst here at EPT Malta, with Elie Saad following quickly on the heels of Peter Ockenden to the payouts cage. Again, they needed two goes at it, and they also needed a pretty cruel river to dislodge Saad, but they got exactly that.
Bite one: Saad shoved his small blind with K♠ 5♠ for 860,000 and Aliaksei Boika found Q♦ 10♦ in the big blind. Boika thought a long while about making this the moment, but he tank-folded to give Saad another hand.
That proved to be smart. On the very next hand, Saad shipped again with K♥ J♦ and this time Boika called with 10♠ 10♥ . It was a race that Saad appeared to be winning when the flop came K♦ 6♦ A♥ . The 3♣ turn was no danger, but the 10♦ river was a bullet to the heart.
Saad span away in dismay, but will shortly find €141,780 with which to console himself. He laddered up artfully to fourth, but his ship has now sailed.
Boika now has slightly more than 4 million. — HS
4:50pm: Advantage Karlsson
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Dmitry Yurasov just fell victim to Mats Karlsson once more in a pot that made its way to being worth 2.4 million.
There was betting and calling along eh way to the board being dealt 6♠ 8♠ 2♦ 9♥ Q♦ .
On the river Karlsson bet several hundred thousand with his Q♥ 8♣ and enticed a call from Yursov, who regretted it immediately, showing 6♣ 4♥ .
Karlsson is now up another 2.4 million. – SB
4:40pm: Current chip counts
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Name | Country | Status | Chips | Big blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 7,870,000 | 131 | |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | PokerStars player | 2,985,000 | 50 |
Dmitry Yurasov | Russia | PokerStars qualifier | 2,180,000 | 36 |
Elie Saad | Lebanon | 950,000 | 16 |
4:35pm: Ockenden outdone by Karlsson, turns €27 into €104,340
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden is out, having tried his best to build his chip stack with some creative play, but eventually simply running into a better hand–or a better draw that became a better hand–and not finding any escape route.
Before he went, Ockenden defended his big blind with K♠ 5♦ after Elie Saad’s raise with 8♣ 8♠ . They both checked the flop of A♦ 2♦ Q♠ but then Ockenden bet 220,000 at the J♦ turn. That persuaded Saad to fold.
However, the next hand that Ockenden played was his last. Mats Karlsson opened the cutoff with J♦ 10♥ , making it 130,000 to play. Ockenden, with A♥ 9♦ called on the button and the other two players left them to it.
It all got heated on the 8♦ 9♥ 3♠ flop. Karlsson bet 200,000, Ockenden raised to 550,000, and Karlsson jammed. With only 1.34 million total and nearly half of it in the middle, Ockenden had to call.
Karlsson had 16 outs and the 10♦ on the turn hit Karlsson. The K♦ on the river wasn’t one of Ockenden’s re-draw outs and that sent him home.
Karlsson gets €104,340 which is great in any language. When you remember that Ockenden qualified for €27, it gets even better. — HS
4:30pm: Pot to Yurasov
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Dmitry Yurasov wins a pot worth 780,000 against Aliaksei Boika. Boika opened from 150,000 form the cut off with Q♣ J♥ which Yurasov called form the big blind with A♣ 10♦ .
On the 6♠ 4♥ 2♠ flop both players checked for the K♣ turn. Yurasov checked and Boika bet 200,000, which was called for the 6♦ river card. No more chips went in. Yurasov showed his ace to win the hand. – SB
4:20pm: Yurasov’s garbage better than Ockenden’s trash
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Despite having only 3♠ 2♦ in the small blind, Peter Ockenden completed Dmitry Yurasov’s big blind. Yurasov had only 6♦ 4♠ in the big blind, so checked.
The 8♣ J♦ 2♣ flop sort of hit Ockenden, but he checked. Yurasov took it as an invitation to bet, making it 70,000. Ockenden called.
The 5♠ came on the turn and Ockenden checked again. Yurasov now had a gutshot but was still essentially bluffing when he bet 175,000. And it got Ockenden off his bottom pair. — HS
4:15pm: Ockenden pushes 20 bigs
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden has dwindled to 20 big blinds, but he just found a fine spot to get them in. Aliaksei Boika opened his button, making it 130,000 with 5♥ 5♦ , and Ockenden found 9♣ 9♦ in the big blind and shipped. It was for 1,285,000 and after a long dwell, Boika folded. — HS
4:10pm: Saad shoves again
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden raised from the cutoff with pocket threes, but then folded after Elie Saad shipped for 980,000 with A♣ 3♣ . Saad only really has that move in his armoury at the moment, but it has served him well. — HS
You can win your seat to events like EPT Malta with a PokerStars account. Click here to get started.
4:05pm: Yurasov gets some back
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden raised from the small blind, with only Dmitry Yurasov to get through. Ockenden had only 8♠ 5♥ to Ockenden’s K♥ 4♥ but called nonetheless.
The flop was interesting. It came 6♦ 10♣ 4♣ , which meant bottom pair versus a gutshot, which both players checked. The 7♣ on the turn was great for Yurasov and after Ockenden checked again, Yurasov bet 175,000. Ockenden called.
The 3♥ came on the river and Ockenden checked again. Yurasov bet again, this time 425,000 and Ockenden folded this time. That put Yurasov back above Elie Saad. — HS
4:00pm: Yurasov the short stack after Saad shove
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Dmitry Yurasov has picked his spots brilliantly this week–all until he landed at the final table. But he’s had a bit of a nightmare today. Yurasov is now the tournament short stack after raise-folding to Elie Saad’s shove.
Yurasov made it 130,000 to play under the gun, with Q♣ J♦ . Saad, who hasn’t got involved very often today, found A♣ K♦ and shoved for 890,000. Action folded back to Yurasov, and he had no choice bot to fold. That left him with about 900,000. — HS
3:56pm: Karlsson at it again
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson has played pretty much any two cards from the start of play today, so there was no surprise to see him raising it up with A♥ 2♥ . Aliaksei Boika called in the big blind with A♦ 3♦ and so it was ace-rag versus ace-rag.
The flop brought the 8♥ 10♣ 5♠ and both players checked, and although the 3♥ hit Boika, he couldn’t call when Karlsson bet 200,000 at it. That’s another small one for the mighty stack. — HS
3:55pm: Away they go again
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Still five left as we glide into Level 27.
3:30pm: Break time
The level ends with a small three-way pot going to Aliaksei Boika. Players are now on a 20 minute break before the start of level 27 with blinds at 30,000-60,000 with a 10,000 ante. Here’s how they stack up.
Name | Country | Status | Chips | Big blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 5,830,000 | 97 | |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | PokerStars player | 3,940,000 | 66 |
Peter Ockenden | UK | PokerStars qualifier | 1,850,000 | 31 |
Dmitry Yurasov | Russia | PokerStars qualifier | 1,160,000 | 19 |
Elie Saad | Lebanon | 1,020,000 | 17 |
3:25pm: Big three-bet from Karlsson
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson shows some oomph against Aliaksei Boika, who opened from the small blind with A♠ 8♦ for 150,000. Karlsson was in the big blind and looked down at 8♠ 5♠ . He paused, then moved a tower of green chips forward, three betting to 500,000. Boika folded. – SB
3:20pm: The Scandi trumps the old man in Karlsson
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Mats Karlsson and Elie Saad are the oldest players left in this tournament, but don’t think they’re nits. Karlsson, with a huge stack, just raised to 110,000 under the gun with 10♠ 8♠ and Saad called from the small blind with K♦ 3♦ . So, yes, not just premium hands.
Anyway, Karlsson flopped two pair when the first three cards that appeared were 10♥ Q♣ 8♥ . Saad checked, Karlsson bet 175,000, and that was the end of it.
I guess the Scandinavian in Karlsson has trumped his age. Once a Scandi always a Scandi. – HS
3:15pm: Saad forced to fold queens
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Elie Saad found Q♠ Q♦ under the gun and raised to 110,000. However when Mats Karlsson called with J♠ 10♥ on the button, both Peter Ockenden, with K♠ 10♦ in the small blind, and Dmitry Yurasov, with 8♥ 7♦ in the big blind, came along.
The flop came 8♣ K♦ 5♥ and, after three checks, the only player without any piece of the flop, Karlsson, bet 225,000. After Ockenden called, Yurasov painlessly folded his second pair, but Saad was a little more reluctant to let his queens go. But did so; a shrewd fold.
The two remaining players checked the A♦ turn. And then Ockenden moved all in for about 825,000 on the 9♥ river. Karlsson folded. — HS
3:10pm: Small pot for kings
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Aliaksei Boika has picked up a small a pot against Dmitry Yurasov, holding kings against eights. Yurasov opened under the gun for 110,000 which Boika three-bet on the button to 310,000. But that was the extent of the betting.
The flop came A♦ 10♣ 5♠ , which was checked, as was the J♦ turn and the 4♥ river. Pot to Boika. – SB
You can win your seat to events like EPT Malta with a PokerStars account. Click here to get started.
3pm: Karlsson takes huge one from Yurasov
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Aliaksei Boika has assumed second place on the chip-counts, but it still feels as though Mats Karlsson and Dmitry Yurasov are the dominant players. And they just got involved in a pot that had the makings of something monstrous. So it proved…
Yurasov opened from the cutoff and Karlsson called from the big blind. It took them to a flop of 4♠ 9♦ 7♠ and Karlsson’s J♦ 7♣ was ahead of Yurasov’s Q♦ 10♥ .
Karlsson checked and Yurasov bet 150,000. Karlsson called, but the J♥ river was a huge card for both. Karlsson checked again and Yurasov bet again, this time 360,000. Karlsson, now sitting with two pair, made a chunky raise. He pushed out 800,000.
Yurasov, who was up-and-down, called. But then he missed his straight on the Q♣ river, instead picking up top pair.
Karlsson maybe knew he was ahead, but maybe he didn’t. He pushed out a bet of 550,000, which was tiny compared with a pot of 2.2 million. However, Yurasov couldn’t fold and paid him off with the queen.
That took Karlsson up 5.9 million chips, which is about as much as all the others put together. Yurasov is now tiny again. — HS
2:55pm: The Yurasov menace
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden is the short stack, but he’s still happy to mix it up. However, the problem is that Dmitry Yurasov is sitting to his left, and that’s making things hard.
Ockenden opened to 115,000 with J♦ 9♦ , but Yurasov immediately three bet from the button with A♠ 5♥ and Ockenden had no choice but to fold.
Ockenden has fewer than 20 big blinds now, and it’s a grind between him and Elie Saad for who goes out/doubles next. — HS
2:40pm: Boika bounces into second
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
A huge hand for Aliaksei Boika has taken him into second place, having started the day with only 20 big blinds.
Peter Ockenden opened from the cutoff with K♣ Q♠ , making it 130,000 to play. Boika called from the big blind with K♦ 8♦ and saw a flop of 3♣ Q♣ 9♦ .
Boika checked to Ockenden, who bet 240,000, which Boika then called for the 10♥ turn. Again he check-called Ockenden’s bet of 385,000 for the river card 10♦ which made Boika his flush.
Boika paused, then bet 450,000 into a pot now worth 2 million chips. Ockenden took his time, eventually persuading himself to call. He didn’t like what he saw. – SB
2:35pm: Macnamara heads home in sixth earning €76,790
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
On the two hands after the cooler against Aliaksei Boika, Tomas Macnamara shoved his 650,000-ish stack in pre-flop and got folds all the way around the table. However when he found A♠ 8♣ and did it for a third time in succession, Peter Ockenden called with 6♠ 6♥ and therefore went to the races with Macnamara’s tournament life on the line.
There was nothing for Macnamara on the J♦ Q♥ 7♥ flop. The Q♣ on the turn gave him a few counterfeit outs, but the Q♦ on the river was not one of them.
Macnamara played two hands, both big flips, and he lost them both. That’s how come he is our sixth-placed finisher and goes how with €76,790. — HS
2:30pm: Big double for Boika
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
It was only a small bounce for Aliaksei Boika on the previous hand, but this one will go down as a major boost. He has just doubled up through Tomas Macnamara, and did it the hard way.
Macnamara opened his button with A♠ K♠ , making it 110,000. Boika found J♠ J♦ in the small blind and this was always going to get ugly. Boika three-bet to 260,000 and after Mats Karlsson folded his big blind, Macnamara shoved for 1.62 million. That covered Boika’s 1.1 million total.
Boika called, but must have felt he was heading home after the 9♥ K♣ 6♦ flop. But then he went runner-runner to win: the Q♥ was on the turn and the 10♦ was gin on the river.
That now leaves Macnamara the short stack. Here are the latest counts:
Player | Country | Chip count |
---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 3860000 |
Dmitry Yurasov | Russia | 3220000 |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | 2390000 |
Peter Ockenden | UK | 1915000 |
Elie Saad | Lebanon | 1845000 |
Tomas Macnamara | UK | 570000 |
— HS
2:25pm: Checked to the river
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Aliaksei Boika won a small pot against Elie Saad. Saad opened from the button for 110,000 with Q♦ J♣ which Boika called from the big blind with Q♥ 6♠ .
Boika came out best on the flop of 9♠ 6♣ K♣ which was checked both ways, just like the A♠ turn and 3♥ river. Boika enjoyed a small bounce with that. – SB
2:20pm: Ace-King again for Ockenden
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden found Ace-King again on the next hand, but this time managed to pick up some chips. Mats Karlsson opened to 110,000 with 10♠ 6♠ from the cutoff and Ockenden three-bet with A♥ K♥ on the button, making it 280,000.
Karlsson was no longer interested, so Ockenden wasn’t outdrawn that time. — HS
2:15pm: A million chip pot
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Peter Ockenden and Dmitry Yurasov played out a pot that was worth a million chips. Ockenden opened for 130,000 from the small blind with A♠ K♣ . Yurasov was in the big blind and called to see the flop with A♥ 8♥ .
The flop came 6♠ 9♣ 8♦ which Ockenden checked. Yurasov bet 125,000 which was called for the 9♦ turn. Again Ockenden checked, then called Yurasov’s bet of 260,000 this time. On the 10♦ river though both players checked, Yurasov showing the winner. – SB
You can win your seat to events like EPT Malta with a PokerStars account. Click here to get started.
2:10pm: Karlsson wins the opener
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Aliaksei Boika completes with 10♠ [4a] and Mats Karlsson checked his 8♥ 5♦ . On a Q♥ Q♦ 8♦ flop Boika checked to Karlsson who won the pot with a bet. – SB
2pm: Introductions done, let’s play
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)
Players are now in their seats and action is under way. Let’s play. –HS
1:40pm: Your final six
Everyone is present and correct at the final table in Malta. We’re reporting alongside the EPT Live broadcast, so although they’re playing in real life already, you won’t get any spoilers from us. Here are your final table players:
1:35pm: Final table progress
Here’s how the six players progressed to the final table this week:
12pm: A final six
Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Malta for the final day of the EPT13 Malta festival. We have two cracking final tables for you today. There’s the €10K High Roller event, which will be playing down from eight to a winner from noon, and there’s the Main Event right here, where the last six will be slugging it out.
Here’s how they stand going into the final:
Name | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
---|---|---|---|
Mats Karlsson | Sweden | 3,795,000 | 76 |
Dmitry Yurasov | Russia | 2,845,000 | 57 |
Peter Ockenden | UK | 2,300,000 | 46 |
Elie Saad | Lebanon | 2,065,000 | 41 |
Tomas Macnamara | UK | 1,835,000 | 37 |
Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | 960,000 | 19 |
Not many of those folk are especially familiar, so learn a bit more about them on our profiles page. Then check back here from 2pm local time to see how this one plays out.
Ready to embark on your own poker adventure? Sign up for PokerStars and begin your journey. Click here to get an account.
Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for EPT13 Malta and the rest of the season. Only Prague left after this!
Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.
PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT13 Malta Main Event: Stephen Bartley and Howard Swains. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog