Hassan Takes it on River

Level 14: 1,500/3,000 (3,000) Entries: 29/154 The action was picked up on the flop reading with both players Cory Desmond and Cory Desmond to the turn. They checked again to the river where Hassan fired 27,000 and forced the fold from Desmond. Ori Hassan – 126,000 Cory Desmond – 110,000    

Chance Pays Off for Ivanov

Level 14: 1,500/3,000 (3,000) Entries: 29/154 Ulf Andersson jammed for about 10 big blinds from the hijack before Brian Calleja three-bet shoved the button for around 100,000. The action paused on Marian Ivanov, who eventually also got into the mix for his final 69,000. Ulf Andersson: Marian Ivanov: Brian Calleja: Andersson looked as if he…

Said Shoves for the Win

Level 14: 1,500/3,000 (3,000) Entries: 30/154 Antonio Papa got things going with a bet to 6k from the button, and Oliver Said called from the big blind. The flop came and Said checked to Papa who bet 6,500 but then had to muck when Said shoved over the bet with a covering stack. Oliver Said…

Big Stacks at Break

Julien Stropoli held the chip lead at the break. Check out some of the biggest stacks from around the room among the final 31 Day 1a players. Player Chips Big Blinds Julien Stropoli 457,000 152 Marian Ivanov 382,500 128 Angelo Barone 213,000 71 Tayfun Rodoplu 179,000 60 Yvonne Stiedl 163,000 54 Oliver Said 152,000 51…

Get Up and Stretch

The final 31 players went on a 20-minute break. Whether or not this is the last one depends on whether eight more players will hit the rail in the two hours that follow after the break. Stacks are still deep despite the blinds will increase to 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 big blind ante. We will…

Stropoli Soars Ahead With Rockets

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000) Entries: 31/154 2018 Battle of Malta Main Event winner Julien Stropoli is hoping to become the first two-time winner and is off to a hot start to the event in Day 1a. Both Dan Sfarlea and Stropoli checked the flop before Stropoli checked again on the turn. Sfarlea bet 18,000 into a…

Stiedl Sends Massimo to Rail

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500) Entries: 33/154 Antonio Papa opened to 3,200 from the middle before Bruno Massimo shoved 12,500. Yvonne Stiedl was in the hijack next to act and she hit the tank for a bit before raising to 21,000. That pushed Papa out leaving her heads up against Massimo. It started as a classic…

Battle of the Big Stacks

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500) Entries: 37/152 Dawid Slopinski opened from the middle to 3,000 and got calls from Tomas Martinicky on the button as well as Dan Sfarlea in the big blind. They all checked the flop but when it checked to Martinicky on the turn, he fired 6,700 into the pot and got two…

Two Pair for Barone

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500) Entries: 38/154 Angelo Barone quickly checked the river with the on the board before Yvonne Stiedl bet 21,000 into a pot north of 65,000. Barone snap-called and Stiedl showed her for a pair of queens. This wasn’t nearly enough as Barone won the hand with a flopped two pair after showing…

Big Slick Good for Pechaux

Level 11: 600/1,200 (1,200) Entries: 44/154 Erwann Pechaux opened before he four-bet jammed for around 20 big blinds over the three-bet by Ulf Andersson. Andersson called and Pechaux was in great shape to double his stack after the cards were turned over. Erwann Pechaux: Ulf Andersson: Both players bricked the board for Pechaux to double…