BoM Goes Wild! Prize Pool Soars with Gargantuan Day 1B

Every year since its inception the Battle of Malta has set a new record for biggest poker tournament held on Malta. This year it’s already leaving those past records in the dust – and it’s only in the second day.

Jalulins Nikolajs
Current chip leader Jalulins Nikolajs

Kicking off yesterday for the first time in the spectacular Eden Arena in the Hotel InterContinental, the 2018 Battle of Malta drew 451 players on Day 1A – a record for the first day of play. Today the number of entrants surpassed 1,400 – 1,404 to be exact – a record for biggest ever single day at the BoM. That means a couple of things:

  • With 1,855 entries this is already the second biggest Battle of Malta ever.
  • The Main Event has almost already topped its €1m guarantee.
  • And we’ve still got two more starting flights to come. With Day 1c tomorrow set to be the biggest day of them all, it’s a given the 2018 Battle of Malta Main Event will smash all records.
  • This year’s winner should walk away with nearly €250,000 which, for a €550 buy-in is, well, astounding.

The Battle of Malta has become a truly international affair and a “must-play” for poker players the world over.

As we saw in the gargantuan field today players from dozens of nations have converged on Malta this week. Players from as far away as the United States, Canada, China and Australia were in the field alongside dozens of nationalities from across Europe.

Emerging from that giant field with the Day 1B chip lead is Nikolajs Jalulins of the Netherlands with 683,000 chips.

Here’s the rest of the top 10:

1. Nikolajs Jalulins 683,000
2. Anders Jonsson 629,000
3. Anders Hagen 574,000
4. Avihai Benshoham 564,000
5. Joseph Portelli 514,000
6. Hendrik Koops 513,000
7. Andrew Hills 510,000
8. Johan Goslings 490,000
9. Giuseppe Spitale 459,000
10. Jerome Mangum 454,000

With a field that big and a reputation so strong (Battle of Malta won Best Low Buy-in Tournament at the 2015 European Poker Awards), it’s no surprise major talent both within and outside of poker have been drawn to the island.

Boris Becker Among A-Listers for Pink October Charity Event

While past years have seen dozens of top flight poker pros hit the tables 2018 has taken things to the next level with Finnish high-stakes poker legend Patrik Antonius here to play alongside German tennis icon Boris Becker.

The tennis Hall of Famer, who became the youngest ever Wimbledon champion at 17, played the Pink October Charity tournament tonight and nearly won it, finishing runner-up to Paul Jux-Holderness. Holderness won the first seat for the 2019 BoM Main Event while €20,000 was raised for charity.

Antonius jumped into the SnG alongside Becker when the first player busted but will again hit the tables in the BoM main event tomorrow.

Things Get Even Wilder Tomorrow!

As mentioned tomorrow’s Day 1C will be as crazy as we’ve ever seen here at BoM with up to 1,500 players expected. A turbo Day 1D is also on tap to pump the prize pool up even more.

Is a 3,500-entry field out of the question? We wouldn’t count it out.

Also still to come in the 6-day festival are 7 more side tournaments (including a Ladies Event), 2 player parties, ongoing cash game tables running alongside all the action in the Casino Malta and more impromptu social gatherings and bad beat stories than you can keep count of.

To follow along with the daily live stream, hand updates from the tables and more, check out BattleofMalta.com until Tuesday, Oct 30 when the 2018 Battle of Malta champion will be crowned!

Full chip counts after day 1B

(number of entries per player in parentheses)

#1 Jalulins Nikolajs Latvia 683,000
#2 Jonsson Anders Lars Ove 629,000
#3 Hagen Anders Flem Norway 574,000
#4 Benshoham Avihai Hai Israel 564,000
#5 Portelli Joseph Malta 514,000
#6 Koops Hendrik Sierd Christiaan Netherlands 513,000
#7 Hills Andrew Christopher United Kingdom 510,000
#1 Koops Alexander Klass Mathias Netherlands 497,000
#8 Goslings Johan Netherlands 490,000
#2 D’alterio Luigi Italy 461,000
#9 Spitale Guiseppe Italy 459,000
#3 Privitera Fabrizio Italy 454,000
#10 Mangum Jerome Steven 454,000
#11 Chmura Dawid Poland 452,000
#12 Laprik Sander Estonia 452,000
#4 Zegal Stanislav Germany 434,000
#13 Forsland Raymond Sevje Norway 415,000
#14 Wozniak Mr Michal Poland 411,000
#15 Diaz Rojo Alberto Spain 401,000
#5 Amar Nir Italy 362,000
#16 Siciliano Marco 361,000
#17 Allsalu Taavi Estonia 348,000
#6 Sele Per Steinar Norway 339,000
#18 Zo Eretz Moshe Israel 333,000
#7 Terziani Stefano Italy 330,000
#19 Gunnarsson Bjorn Patrik Sweden 327,000
#20 Skolem Kristoffer 325,000
#21 Aspestrand Kenneth Norway 322,000
#22 Preter Gil Israel 314,000
#8 Ben Shlomo Yaakov Israel 313,000
#23 Pontos Panteleimon Greece 311,000
#9 Fredrik Ellingsson Karl Sweden 310,000
#10 Pierreyves Jean Francis Joubert France 306,000
#24 Arizon Din Israel 302,000
#25 Boeller Line Switzerland 299,000
#11 Cutri’ Luciano Italy 285,000
#12 Neukirch Jonas Germany 279,000
#13 Hudson Thomas James England 276,000
#26 Vist Carmen-Elina Estonia 274,000
#27 Guzman Pons Javier Spain 273,000
#28 Hoyesveen Daniel Andre Norway 270,000
#14 Stanevicius Auris Lithuania 269,000
#29 Sidoti Santo Italy 267,000
#30 Mjagkov Andrei Estonia 266,000
#15 Jukka-Pekka Peltoniemi Finland 264,000
#31 Hallay Axel Leopold Baldie France 258,000
#32 Shtayerman Noam Israel 256,000
#33 Austli Lars Erik Norway 254,000
#34 Goncalves De Brito Joao Manuel Portugal 254,000
#35 Regalbuto Sergio Vincenzo Italy 253,000
#36 Salvatore Motta Italy 251,000
#37 Perez Daniel Cervan Spain 250,000
#38 Falar Michal Czech Republic 249,000
#39 Foli Mix Michael Denmark 247,000
#16 Romano Maurizio Italy 242,000
#40 Zakod Daniel Yair Israel 242,000
#41 Glaner Przemyslaw Poland 238,000
#42 Giuliano Giovanni Italy 236,000
#43 Hurwitz Ben Israel 236,000
#44 Szabo Levente 236,000
#45 Moolhuizen Mateusz Finland 235,000
#46 Aline Sylvie Israel Jenny 230,000
#47 Gardner Anthony Derek England 230,000
#48 Gruszczynski Sebastian Adam Poland 226,000
#49 Mueller Peter Germany 225,000
#50 Dypvik Boerge Norway 220,000
#51 Sateroy Linn Katrin Norway 220,000
#17 Nicolas Yan Proust France 218,000
#52 Pizzuti Stefano Italy 218,000
#18 Lappas Charalampos Greece 217,000
#53 Mika Ramunas Lithuania 214,000
#54 Givony Tom Israel 213,000
#55 Castelluccio Sergio Italy 211,000
#56 Grochulski Grzegorz Poland 210,000
#57 Salvador Jaime Sanchez Spain 209,000
#58 Toninello Alessandro Italy 204,000
#59 Harestad Elisabeth Debora Norway 203,000
#60 Hansson Skommar Andreas Sweden 200,000
#61 Limonova Kelly Estonia 200,000
#19 Evans Lena Ngoc 198,000
#62 D’urso Salvatrice Italy 197,000
#63 Kuszczak Piotr Aleksander Poland 195,000
#64 Or-Paz Deddi Israel 194,000
#65 Shizaff Or Israel 192,000
#66 Grella Enrico Italy 191,000
#67 Bonnardot Benjamin Raymond France 191,000
#20 Richnau Alexander Robin Erik Sweden 190,000
#68 Inerud Jan Christopher Sweden 189,000
#69 Grasso Daniele Italy 187,000
#70 Censabella Angelo Gaetano Italy 183,000
#71 Giordano Alessandro Italy 183,000
#72 Glushcenko Nikolaso Israel 180,000
#73 Jean Rousset Pascal France 178,000
#74 Nseir George Israel 177,000
#21 Meller Guy Germany 176,000
#75 Gdaniec Konrad 176,000
#76 Gokcek Ant Turkey 176,000
#77 Kyriazi Grigoris Cyprus 176,000
#78 Flosvik Arild Norway 172,000
#79 Vikhtiuk Oleksandr Ukraine 172,000
#80 Haverkamp Ronald Ireland 171,000
#81 Banchi Massimo Italy 170,000
#82 Johansen Jan Einar Norway 170,000
#83 Fixmer Alexandros Greece 168,000
#84 Talon Alberto Italy 168,000
#85 Lieber Moshe Israel 165,000
#22 Kambov Viktor Vasilev Bulgaria 164,000
#86 Ghareeb Asjor Sweden 162,000
#87 Mcgeorge James Arthur England 162,000
#88 Fernando Pons Garcia 161,000
#23 Adam Milewski Poland 157,000
#89 Varanavicius Marius Lithuania 157,000
#24 Benta Sebastian 155,000
#90 Moyal Eliyahu Israel 155,000
#25 Samuele Lo Presti Italy 154,000
#91 Rafal Maciej Nikiel Poland 153,000
#26 Rafal Skrzypnik Poland 152,000
#92 Clinkscales Rex David United States 152,000
#93 Wartanian Vatche Pierre Sweden 151,000
#94 Dovzhenko Gali Galia Israel 150,000
#95 Falk Patrik Sweden 150,000
#96 Hernandez Christian Sargues Spain 146,000
#97 Aleo Giovanni Italy 145,000
#98 Christou Polys . Cyprus 142,000
#27 Even Soensterudbraaten Norway 141,000
#28 Fenech Philip 141,000
#29 Sammut Clint Malta 140,000
#30 Valter Proia Italy 140,000
#99 Geruzzi Vito Italy 140,000
#31 Geci Endrit England 138,000
#100 Gilbda Uri Israel 138,000
#101 Oncins Lluis Valis Spain 136,000
#102 Grujic Marko Serbia 134,000
#32 Lovelock Colin Eric United Kingdom 133,000
#103 Malinski Elad Israel 133,000
#104 Radgen Marc Martin Germany 133,000
#105 Ben Avi Yaron Israel 132,000
#106 Shehadeh Fares Italy 131,000
#33 Ghosh Kingshuk United Kingdom 130,000
#107 Hugo Marlon Charles Vasilda Netherlands 130,000
#108 La Grutta Marco Italy 130,000
#34 Filatov Mikhail Czech Republic 129,000
#35 Castillo Antonio Maria Iniesta Spain 129,000
#36 Sahlstroem Robert Marcus Martin Malta 129,000
#109 Caradonna Consuelo Giuseppe Italy 129,000
#37 Mazet Florence Yvette Suzanne France 128,000
#110 Ahuja Ankit India 126,000
#111 Piton Maciej Poland 126,000
#38 Netzer Shai 125,000
#39 Guarnuto Dario Italy 124,000
#40 Verrina Carmine Italy 124,000
#112 Almog Haviv Israel 124,000
#41 Puchol Vina Alvaro Fernando Spain 123,000
#113 Hentunen Mr Risto Finland 123,000
#114 Johansson Erik Martin Sweden 123,000
#115 Weiss Shahar Israel Israel 122,000
#116 Padfield Matthew Terrance England 121,000
#42 Kitsios Georgios Greece 119,000
#117 Canevet Maxime Thien-Duc 118,000
#43 Mr Cezar Iustinian Laurentiu Romania 117,000
#118 Godelis Egidijus Lithuania 117,000
#119 Racinskas Martynas Lithuania 117,000
#120 Onorato Angelo Italy 115,000
#44 Baccassino Mattia Italy 113,000
#121 Luciano Capossela Italy 113,000
#45 Bahar Yitshak Zah 112,000
#122 Loane Stephen England 112,000
#123 Jimenez Vela Luis Rafael Jose Spain 111,000
#124 Ariel Bitton Cfir Israel 110,000
#125 Johnson Paul Stephen United Kingdom 109,000
#126 Nocerino Alessandro Italy 108,000
#127 Dempsey Shane 106,000
#128 Dosa Laszlo Hungary 105,000
#129 Andrzejewski Marcin Poland 105,000
#130 Travaglia Vincenzo Italy 105,000
#131 De Jong Dehlia Diana 104,000
#132 Hay Yizhaq Israel 103,000
#133 Nietrzebka Daniel Seweryn Poland 103,000
#134 Ricciardi Gaetano Italy 103,000
#46 Guimond Florin Nico France 102,000
#135 Ross Shane Jan United Kingdom 101,000
#136 Samoon Yakov Israel 101,000
#47 Caplau Joanny France 100,000
#137 Naylor Thomas Daniel British Virgin Islands 99,000
#138 Isaksen Lars Erik 97,000
#139 Hochstrasser Karl Heinz Rene Switzerland 97,000
#140 Piskunovas Vasilijus Lithuania 96,000
#141 Foskolos Evangelos Greece 94,000
#48 Aki Paveli Vartinen Finland 93,000
#49 Stropoli Julien France 93,000
#142 Sieber Stepha Germany 93,000
#143 Strengen Erling Wiig Norway 93,000
#144 Obrero Barbarroja Juan Jose Spain 92,000
#145 Rochberger Yotam Israel 92,000
#146 Tamsot Toram Israel 92,000
#50 Formica Salvatore Italy 91,000
#147 Forster Marco Switzerland 90,000
#148 Vasileva Pavlova Tsvetelina 89,000
#149 Ehman Meelis Estonia 87,000
#150 Di Mise Michele 85,000
#151 Gia Gunilla Ann-Sophie Carnestroem Sweden 85,000
#152 Nakash Shmuel Israel 85,000
#153 Nizar Abu Daoud Israel 84,000
#51 Riskevicius Vytautas Lithuania 82,000
#154 Celmins Matiss Latvia 81,000
#155 Hendler Eran Israel 81,000
#156 Ondrus Ondrus Slovakia 81,000
#157 Barclay Christopher Donald H United Kingdom 80,000
#158 Leotta Antonino Italy 80,000
#159 Yosifov Borislav Bulgaria 80,000
#160 Hanna Catherine France 79,000
#161 Cosic Marco Serbia 79,000
#52 Toledo Rafael Malta 78,000
#162 Difelice Andre Canada 78,000
#163 Canali Roberto Italy 77,000
#164 Capostagno Luca Giuseppe Sante Italy 77,000
#165 Di Toro Fabrice Jean Michel France 76,000
#166 Olali Martin Paul Ireland 73,000
#167 Dursel Igor Thomas Belgium 72,000
#168 Gatti Cristiano Italy 72,000
#53 Stachyra Artur Piotr 71,000
#169 Napolitano Emanuele Italy 71,000
#170 Elias Sergio Olof Sjoestroem Sweden 70,000
#54 Appleyard James England 69,000
#171 Duarte De Miranda Marques Maria Margarida Portugal 69,000
#172 Dahan Moshe Israel 68,000
#173 Fresher Omri Israel 68,000
#174 Pecheux Erwann Michel France 68,000
#175 Lerbrekk Ove Norway 67,000
#176 Maar Reigo Estonia 67,000
#55 Comesana Pedro Vidal Spain 66,000
#177 Guilbert Johan Francois 66,000
#178 Wakuluk Pawel Krzysztof Poland 66,000
#179 Donev Ivo Austria 64,000
#56 Gabriele Re Italy 63,000
#180 Ivanou Aliaksei Belarus 63,000
#57 Scalia Marco Paolo Italy 60,000
#58 Zapf Manuel Germany 59,000
#59 Ioannou Ioannis Cyprus 58,000
#181 Ciompi Alessandro Italy 58,000
#182 Lind Thomas Erik Sweden 58,000
#183 Kerkeni Mohamed France 57,000
#184 O’carrol Julia Annette Ireland 57,000
#60 Hosia Akseli Veli Johannes 55,000
#185 Brunet Manquat Clement Malta 54,000
#186 Sakhno Oleksandr Italy 54,000
#187 Gianluca Bernardini Benvenuto Italy 53,000
#188 Peters Erik Gerardus Netherlands 50,000
#61 Jorstad Espen Uhlen Malta 49,000
#189 Aleo Massimo Italy 49,000
#190 John Thornton Stephen England 48,000
#191 Carmi Eran Dov Israel 47,000
#192 Cerny Jan Czech Republic 47,000
#193 Naranjo Adrian Almagro Spain 47,000
#62 Broden Jonas Gunnar Sweden 46,000
#194 Mezei Antal Hungary 46,000
#195 Savio Damir Italy 45,000
#196 Soffrin Uri Israel 45,000
#63 Ho Ting United States 44,000
#64 Della Ventura Sergio Domenico Italy 40,000
#197 Lindholm Samuel 40,000
#65 Kasten Per Thorben 39,000
#198 Smith Vincent Patrick United Kingdom 38,000
#199 Dudek Waclaw Tomasz Poland 37,000
#200 Korhonen Niko Johannes Finland 37,000
#66 Cormack Francis Harold Ireland 34,000
#201 Emmanouil-Iason Tsourunaskis-Andrnikakis Greece 34,000
#202 Iacopetta Enrico Romania 34,000
#203 Ofer Herzel Makov Israel 34,000
#204 Destino Emanuele Italy 33,000
#205 Voisnis Aleksandras Lithuania 32,000
#206 Yantsevich Valery Belarus 31,000
#207 Di Salvo Giulio Italy 28,000
#67 Vadenbring Nils Gustav Malta 27,000
#208 Fierli Pietro Italy 27,000
#209 Montone Michele Italy 26,000
#68 Penney Steven John England 25,000
#210 Maiorana Rocco Italy 25,000
#211 Aanestad Trond Norway 16,000