Wikemar Pulls Off Impressive Call

Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000) Entries: 271/923 My good friend Robin Wikemar told me he played what probably is the craziest hand of his live poker tournament career. He explained what went down, and one has to admit, it is quite astonishing. His unknown opponent – let’s say “Mr. X” – opened to 10,000 (keep in…

Leo’s Worth a Ton of Cheese

Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000) Entries: 271/923 I noticed a familiar name walking through the tournament tables, Leo Worthington-Leese. The Englishman might be mostly known for his third-place finish in the 2023 EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event. I had a small chat with the lad, who told me he arrived in Malta today. Time will…

Some Numbers

Level 14: 2,000/4,000 (4,000) Entries: 271/923 The players have been back for a 20-minute break for roughly half an hour, and this live reporter just got back after rehydrating. It’s been confirmed that 138 players will make it to Day 2; that means roughly half the field has to be eliminated before play concludes for…

Needless to say, I was Surprised

Level 12: 1,000/2,500 (2,500) Entries: 307/923 Seated UTG, Giovanni Mangiaracina opened to 7,000. Feliciano Rosano then raised to 17,000 from the Cut-off, and Guido Giandon smooth-called from the Small Blind. Things would get even more spicy, though, as Mangiaracina four-bet all in for 99,500. Rosano considered his options for a minute before folding, but Giandon…

Aces as Registration Closes

Level 12: 1,000/2,500 (2,500) Entries: 332/923 Rosario Saddemi min-raised to 5,000 UTG. Anargyros Loizos – whom I met earlier this year in Thessaloniki during the 2025 Greek Poker Odyssea – made the call from UTG+1, before Kostantinos Grigoriadis bumped it up to 23,000 from the Button. Moritz Nedden then moved all in for what had…

A Jolly Good Fellow

Level 11: 1,000/2,000 (2,000) Entries: 379/923 Walking through the arena, I heard voices from Table 14. I went over there and saw that the chatty Kristian Pervisic had opened to 7,500 UTG. He got one caller in the form of Karlo Finka from the Small Blind. Finka check-called a 7,000 bet from Pervisic on the…

Current State of Play

Current State of Play Its 10pm, not the usual witching hour, but when your other half works night shifts that start at 11pm adn there’s an eleven-year old kid at home, you become a pumpkin long before midnight, if you’re still not home. Luckily, she’s off work for the rest of the event, so this…

Yeehaw, Cowboy

Level 10: 1,000/1,500 (1,500) Entries: 401/923 Giuseppe Gridella made it 5,500 to go UTG, and he got two callers in the form of Petros Zatphe (Button) and Angel Popov (Small Blind). Action was checked to pre-flop aggressor Gridella on , who continued for 15,000. Zatphe made the call, while Popov decided to get out of…

The Element of Surprise

Level 10: 1,000/1,500 (1,500) Entries: 426/906 Feliciano Rosano opened to 6,000 UTG on the nine-handed table, and Francesco Cortorillo decided to call from the Small Blind. Both players opted to check the flop. Cortorillo then check-called a bet from Rosano on the turn. Cortorillo completed the check trifecta on the river, prior to Rosano firing…