Day 1c

Martin Bartos

Another busy day of poker action at Card Casino Samorin on September 10 saw the first trophy of the Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition awarded, as Martin Bartos was the last player standing in the €1,000 buy-in, €50,000 High Roller, while Maciej Blazejewski led three qualifiers from Day 1c of the €400 buy-in, €400,000 Main Event, and Silviu Nemes was at the top of 18 qualifiers in Day 1b of the €220 buy-in €40,000 Mystery Bounty.

Martin Bartos Wins Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition €1,000 High Roller (€17,200 plus €500 WSOPC ticket)

A high-quality field of 43 players gathered for the High Roller, and six players split the €50,000 prize pool. Attila Koncz of Hungary came into the final table with the chip lead, but it was Martin Bartos, tenth in the Slovakia all-time money list, who bagged the trophy and €17,200 top prize after defeating Zdenek Svoboda of Czechia heads-up.

Jessica Vierling of Germany secured a minimum cash, while Ross Whitelaw of the United Kingdom and Jaroslav Peter of Czechia also made the money, with the full results detailed below.

Maciej Blazejewski Leads Three Qualifiers in Day 1c of the €400 Main Event

Maciej Blazejewski

With the final starting flight of the Mystery Bounty and High Roller also taking place, Day 1c of the Main Event attracted a small field of 24 entries, and three players qualified, led by Maciej Blazejewski of Poland, with the full counts below.

Day 1c Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition Main Event Counts

Overall Top Ten Counts After Day 1c – Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition Main Event

As such, a total of 116 players from 924 entries have booked their spots for Day 2 thus far, with the overall top ten as follows:-

Two more starting flights take place today, September 11, at noon and 6 p.m.

Silviu Nemes Leads 18 Qualifiers in Day 1b of €220 Mystery Bounty

The final starting flight of the Mystery Bounty attracted 142 entries, with 18 players progressing to join the five qualifiers from Day 1a.

Silviu Nemes of Romania (490,000) bagged the chip lead in Day 1b, slightly ahead of Ozren Cvijanovic of Serbia (440,000), while players such as Tina Christensen of Denmark (390,000), Finn Joonas Holm (240,000) and Bulgarian Martin Todorov (135,000) also qualified.

The full counts for the Day 1b qualifiers are listed below.

The overall counts for the Day 2 players are as follows:

The final day kicks off at 3 p.m. on September 11, with players in the money and bounties up for grabs from the start of play, and payout details will be provided as soon as possible.

Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition – Schedule, Friday, September 11

Another packed schedule of events is on the menu, with two starting flights of the Main Event, the final day of the Mystery Bounty and the €150 buy-in, €10,000 Deepstack Turbo all set to be completed.

We will be on the floor from 2.30 p.m. bringing you coverage of all the action, so stay tuned for all your coverage of the Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition.

Maciej Blazejewski

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 14: 2,500/5,000 (5,000)
Entries: 5/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

The players have been sent on their third break of the day, with five players remaining, and play set to conclude when the field is reduced to three.

Maciej Blazejewski (280,000) leads the way, closely followed by Sejdefa Hodzic (273,000) and Marek Miklos (262,000).

Full details of the qualifiers and High Roller results will follow tomorrow, as we conclude our coverage for Day 1c.

€220 Mystery Bounty Day 1b
Level 16: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 18/142
Prize Pool: €40,000

Day 1b of the Mystery Bounty has just concluded, with Silviu Nemes of Romania leading 18 qualifiers, who join the five players who have already qualified from Day 1a.

The full counts are below, with Day 2 kicking off at 3 p.m. on September 11. All Day 2 players will be in the money, and bounties will be in play from the start of Day 2.

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 13: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries: 6/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

Dimitrios Anastasakis opened to 8,000 from the button, and Maciej Blazejewski defended the big blind.

On the K♥9♥4♣ flop, Blazejewski check-raised to 12,500 in the face of a bet of 5,000 from his opponent.

Anastasakis called to see the K♠ turn, where he folded to a double-barrel of 28,500 from Blazejewski.

Maciej Blazejewski – 265,000
Dimitrios Anastasakis – 107,500

Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition High Roller Final Table

€1,000 High Roller
Level 14: 6,000/12,000 (12,000)
Entries: 9/43
Prize Pool: €50,000

The High Roller is now down to its final nine players, with six places set to be paid, and €17,200 reserved for the champion.

Attila Koncz leads the way, with the seating draw and chip counts as follows:

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 12: 1,500/3,000 (3,000)
Entries: 6/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

Dimitrios Anastasakis limped from under the gun, and called a raise to 12,000 from Christoph Hillinger on the button.

Anastasakis check-called a bet of 15,000 from his opponent on the T♥3♦2♥ flop, but check-folded to a further bet of 25,000 from Hillinger on the Q♣ turn.

Christoph Hillinger – 132,000
Dimitrios Anastasakis – 65,000

Sejdefa Hodzic

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 11: 1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries: 7/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

Sejdefa Hodzic opened to 6,500 from the cutoff, and was faced with a three-bet to 23,000 from Dimitrios Anastasakis in the small blind. Daniel Simon was in the big blind, and he moved all in for 23,500.

Hodzic promptly four-bet jammed for 210,000, and Anastasakis, with 85,000 behind, folded after some time in the tank.

Daniel Simon: A♠7♠
Sejdefa Hodzic: Q♥Q♦

Simon was in trouble, and although Hodzic flopped a set, Simon still had outs on the K♠Q♠4♥ flop.

However the 9♦ turn was a brick, and the 4♣ river improved Hodzic to a full house.

Sejdefa Hodzic – 262,500
Dimitrios Anastasakis – 85,000
Daniel Simon – 0

Marek Miklos

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 11: 1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries: 10/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marek Miklos limped from the small blind, and called a raise to 7,500 from Sejdefa Hodzic from the big blind.

On the A♣K♠9♣ flop, Miklos check-called a bet of 6,000 from Hodzic.

The same pattern followed on the 2♦ turn, again in respect of a bet of 6,000 from Hodzic.

The 5♠ river completed the board, and Miklos led out with a bet of 7,000.

Hodzic called, and saw her K♦T♣ was pipped by Miklos’ K♥J♦.

Marek Miklos – 330,000
Sejdefa Hodzic – 84,000

Marek Miklos

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 11: 1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries: 11/24
Prize Pool: €400,000

Late registration is now closed in Day 1c of the Main Event, which attracted a total of 24 entries. With 12.5% of the field due to qualify, play will conclude when the field is reduced to three players, with 11 currently seated.

The top stacks are as follows:

Marek Miklos – 225,000
Maciej Blazejewski – 150,000
Dimitrios Anastasakis – 130,000

Andrej Desset

€220 Mystery Bounty Day 1b
Level 13: 1,000/3,000 (3,000)
Entries: 35/142
Prize Pool: €40,000

Late registration has now closed in Day 1b of the Mystery Bounty, which attracted a total of 142 entries.

With 12.5% of the field set to qualify for Day 2, play will conclude when the field is reduced to 18 players, with 35 currently seated, including Andrej Desset, Dan-Ionut Hila, Alexandru Popa and Martin Todorov.

The Day 1b qualifiers will join the five players who progressed from Day 1a, who were led by Junyu Liu.

The final day takes place at 3 p.m. local time on September 11, and all Day 2 players will be in the money, with bounties in play from the start of Day 2.

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 10: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 11/22
Prize Pool: €400,000

Dimitrios Anastasakis and Sandor Korodi limped, before Marian Stangel moved all in for 7,000. Anastasakis folded, but Korodi called.

Marian Stangel: K♥[T♣
Sandor Korodi: 3♥3♣

It was off to the races, and the king was in the window on the K♦7♥6♥6♣5♠ runout, sending Stangel the double-up.

Marian Stangel – 21,000
Sandor Korodi – 31,000
Dimitrios Anastasakis – 75,000

Battle of Malta Slovakia Trophies

€1,000 High Roller
Level 11: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries: 18/43
Prize Pool: €50,000

The payouts for the High Roller have now been confirmed. The event attracted a total of 43 entries, and the €50,000 prize pool will be split between the top six finishers as follows:

A total of 18 players remain in the hunt for the title, including Martin Bartos, Ondrej Lon, Vitalii Shcherba, Jessica Vierling and Ross Whitelaw.

Marek Miklos

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 9: 800/1,600 (1,600)
Entries: 12/21
Prize Pool: €400,000

With 18,000 in the middle on a completed board of Q♠T♥2♠8♣K♦, Marek Miklos led out with a bet of 11,800 from the big blind, and Sejdefa Hodzic called from under the gun.

Miklos tabled K♣8♦ for two pair, and Hodzic nodded and mucked.

Marek Miklos – 220,000
Sejdefa Hodzic – 96,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 9: 800/1,600 (1,600)
Entries: 11/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

Petko Stamatov opened to 3,500 under the gun, and was met with a three-bet to 8,500 from Jonathan Meshumar in the cutoff.

Marian Stangel was in the small blind, and he moved all in for 13,200. Stamatov folded, but Meshumar called.

Marian Stangel: K♦J♦
Jonathan Meshumar: K♥Q♦

Stangel was crushed, and looked to be heading for the exits after the 8♣7♠5♦ flop and A♥ turn, but the J♠ rolled off on the river to send Stangel the double.

Marian Stangel – 33,900
Jonathan Meshmuar – 96,000
Petko Stamatov – 41,000

Card Casino Samorin

€1,000 High Roller
Level 10: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries: 20/42
Prize Pool: €50,000

The players in the one-day High Roller have been sent on a 15-minute break, with late registration closing before the start of the next level.

Sejdefa Hodzic

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 11/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marek Miklos opened to 2,400 from the cutoff, and received calls from Sejdefa Hodzic on the button and Petr Vynhal in the big blind.

Action was checked to Hodzic on the T♠8♦7♥ flop, who fired out a bet of 3,500.

Only Miklos called to see the Q♠ turn, where he check-folded to a bet of 7,500 from Hodzic.

Sejdefa Hodzic – 132,000
Marek Miklos – 90,000

Marcus Heindrich

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 12/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marek Miklos opened to 2,400 from early position, and received calls from Marcus Heindrich on the button and Petr Vynhal in the big blind.

Action was checked to Heindrich on the J♠5♠2♦ flop, who fired out a bet of 7,500. Vynhal folded but Miklos called.

The same pattern followed on the T♠ turn, this time in respect of a bet of 25,000 from Heindrich.

The A♠ river completed the board, and was checked through. “Nuts” said Miklos as he tabled K♠J♥ for the nut flush, and Heindrich was dismayed to see his A♦J♣ for two pair had been rivered.

“This tournament man, I’ve folded sets twice, an overpair, and now this, crazy” lamented Heindrich, as Miklos raked in the pot.

Marek Miklos – 80,000
Marcus Heindrich – 20,500

Daniel Simon

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 12/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

With 14,000 in the middle on a flop of 9♥5♣3♠, Daniel Simon checked from the small blind to Jonathan Meshumar in the hijack, who slid out a bet of 6,000. Sandor Korodi called in the cutoff, before Simon check-raised to 16,000.

Only Meshumar called to see the 5♦ turn, where Simon moved all in for 23,100. Meshumar asked for a count, but ultimately folded after some time in the tank.

Daniel Simon – 59,100
Jonathan Meshumar – 105,000
Sandor Korodi – 30,500

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 7: 500/1,000 (1,000)
Entries: 12/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

With 8,000 in the middle on a board of T♣8♠4♠J♦, Maciej Dymnicki slid out a bet of 4,000 from the big blind, and Dusan Vasiljevic called on the button.

The K♥ river was checked through, and Vasiljevic was surprised to see Dmynicki table 9♦7♠ for the jack-high straight, and promptly mucked.

Maciej Dymnicki – 88,000
Dusan Vasiljevic – 95,000

Vitalii Shcherba

€1,000 High Roller
Level 9: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries: 20/38
Prize Pool: €50,000

Vitalii Shcherba (485,000) and Zdenek Svoboda (430,000) top the standings at present in the High Roller, with late registration closing before the start of Level 11.

Marcus Heindrich

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 7: 500/1,000 (1,000)
Entries: 13/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marcus Heindrich opened to 2,200 under the gun, and received calls from Dimitrios Anastasakis in the hijack, Sandor Korodi in the cutoff, and Marian Stangel and Daniel Simon in the blinds.

Action was checked to Heindrich on the J♦5♠3♣ flop, who fired out a bet of 8,000. Anastasakis, Korodi and Stangel folded, but Simon responded with an all-in of 18,300.

Heindrich immediately threw his hands up in the air in frustration, and spent the next two minutes muttering to himself, looking at Simon, and generally lamenting the spot he found himself in.

Eventually the clock was called, and Heindrich let his hand go dead to concede the pot to Simon, before claiming he folded an overpair.

Daniel Simon – 48,800
Marcus Heindrich – 18,300

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 15/20
Prize Pool: €400,000

Dusan Vasiljevic opened to 2,200 from the hijack, and received calls from Maciej Dymnicki in the cutoff, and Vincent Botlo in the big blind.

Action was checked to Vasiljevic on the Q♠9♥8♦ flop, who sent a bet of 4,500 into the middle. Dymnicki raised to 11,000, and after Botlo folded, Vasiljevic jammed with the covering stack.

Dymnicki quickly called off for his 43,500 total stack.

Maciej Dymnicki: J♣T♣
Dusan Vasiljevic: K♥Q♣

It was a flopped straight versus top pair, and although the 8♠ turn gave Vasiljevic hope of an unlikely comeback, the A♦ river was a brick.

Maciej Dymnicki – 95,600
Dusan Vasiljevic – 98,000
Vincent Botlo – 8,000

Marcus Heindrich

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 15/19
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marcus Heindrich opened to 1,600 under the gun, and received calls from Jonathan Meshumar in middle position, and Marian Stangel and Daniel Simon in the blinds.

Stangel led out with a bet of 2,600 on the 8♦5♠3♦ flop. Simon folded, before Heindrich raised to 7,500. Meshumar got out of the way, and Stangel called.

The 4♠ hit on the turn, and Stangel check-folded to a bet of 13,000 from Heindrich.

Marcus Heindrich – 68,000
Marian Stangel – 25,700

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 15/19
Prize Pool: €400,000

Short-stack Vincent Botlo moved all in from under the gun for 2,900, and received calls from Dusan Vasiljevic in middle position and Marek Miklos in the small blind.

On the 8♣7♠3♦ flop, Mikos led out with a bet of 2,800, and Vasiljevic called.

The same pattern followed on the 3♠ turn, this time in respect of a bet of 5,000 from Miklos.

The K♦ river completed the board, and Miklos fired out another bet of 5,000, leading to a fold from Vasiljevic.

Miklos tabled 5♣4♣ for the missed gutshot, and took the side pot, while Botlo was good with A♣2♦, leading to Vasiljevic to sigh and shake his head with frustration.

Vincent Botlo – 10,700
Marek Miklos – 65,800
Dusan Vasiljevic – 125,000

Dusan Vasiljevic

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 13/17
Prize Pool: €400,000

The players have been sent on a 30-minute dinner break, with the top counts as follows:

Dusan Vasiljevic – 138,000
Sandor Korodi – 117,000
Petko Stamatov – 74,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 14/15
Prize Pool: €400,000

Around 15,000 had made its way into the middle on a board of A♠5♥3♦A♦, and Sandor Korodi and Petko Stamatov checked to Sejdefa Hodzic on the button.

Hodzic slid out a bet of 7,500, which only Stamatov called.

The 6♠ hit on the river, and Stamatov checked. Hodzic put her opponent all-in, and Stamatov quickly called off for his 13,500 stack.

Stamatov tabled 7♥4♥ for the rivered straight, and Hodzic struggled to believe she was beat as she flashed the A♥ for trip aces, before she mucked.

Petko Stamatov – 54,500
Sejdefa Hodzic – 9,700
Sandor Korodi – 83,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 13/14
Prize Pool: €400,000

Maciej Dymnicki opened to 1,200 from early position, and received calls from Vincent Botlo and Konstantinos Ziaskas in the blinds.

On the Q♦9♥6♠ flop action was checked to Dymnicki, who slid out a bet of 1,000.

Only Botlo called to see the J♠ turn, which was checked to the 5♦ river, where Botlo led out with a bet of 4,400, forcing a fold from Dynmicki.

Vincent Botlo – 12,000
Maciej Dymnicki – 36,700
Konstantinos Ziaskas – 30,600

Dusan Vasiljevic

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 13/14
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marek Miklos opened to 1,200 under the gun, and received calls from Konstantinos Ziaskas on the button and Dusan Vasiljevic in the small blind.

On the K♦6♥2♠ flop, action was checked to Miklos, who slid out a bet of 2,000, which failed to shake off either of his opponents.

The same pattern followed on the 2♥ turn, this time in respect of a bet of 2,500 from Miklos.

The 9♠ river was checked through, and Vasiljevic threw his hands up in frustration when Ziaskas checked, before he tabled 8♦2♦ for trip deuces, leading to both of his opponents mucking.

Dusan Vasiljevic – 135,000
Marek Miklos – 52,000
Konstantinos Ziakos – 27,500

Jessica Vierling

€1,000 High Roller
Level 5: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 21/31
Prize Pool: €50,000

The players in the one-day €1,000 High Roller have been sent on their first break, with 21 players still seated from 31 entries.

Players still in the mix include Daniel Koloszar, Jessica Vierling, David Urban and Vitalii Shcherba, while Ondrej Lon, Yasen Dichev and Robert Latis have all dusted off one bullet.

Late registration remains open until the start of Level 11, with 30-minute levels in play.

Andrei Pocol

€220 Mystery Bounty Day 1b
Level 6: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 50/85
Prize Pool: €40,000

The players in Day 1b of the Mystery Bounty have been sent on a 30-minute dinner break, with 50 players still seated from 85 entries.

Late registration remains open until the start of Level 13, with 12.5% of the field set to qualify for Day 2, which takes place at 3 p.m. on September 11. All Day 2 players will be in the money, and bounties will be in play from the start of Day 2.

Players still seated include Andrei Pocol, Ross Whitelaw and Tina Christensen.

Junyu Liu of China led five qualifiers from Day 1a.

Card Casino Samorin

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 4: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 12/13
Prize Pool: €400,000

With 10,400 in the middle on a board of 7♣4s]3♦2♣, Petko Stamatov checked to Tomas Erneker, who slid out a bet of 3,000.

Marcus Heindrich raised to 8,500 from the button, and Stamatov quickly folded. Erneker took some time to think, before he jammed for around 30,000, leading to a snap-fold from Heindrich, who claimed he had bottom set.

Tomas Erneker – 48,900
Marcus Heindrich – 43,000
Petko Stamatov – 39,000

Daniel Simon

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 3: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 12/12
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marcus Heindrich opened to 800 under the gun, and received a call from Petr Lepka in the cutoff, before Sandor Korodi produced a three-bet to 2,600 from the button.

Short-stack Daniel Simon was in the big blind, and he moved all in for 3,600.

Heindrich folded, but Lepka and Korodi called, and proceeded to check down the Q♦T♦5♠7♠6♦ runout.

Simon tabled Q♣9♥, and top pair was good versus Lepka’s A♥K♦ and Korodi’s 7♥3♠.

Daniel Simon – 8,200
Sandor Korodi – 75,000
Petr Lepka – 38,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 3: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 12/12
Prize Pool: €400,000

A chunky pot of 12,000 had brewed by the turn on a board of Q♠J♥9♠9♥, in a hand between Petko Stamatov and Petr Lepka.

Stamatov slid out a bet of 2,500, and that was sufficient to force a quick fold from Lepka.

Petr Lepka – 44,000
Petko Stamatov – 42,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 2: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 11/11
Prize Pool: €400,000

Vincent Botlo opened to 1,100 from the cutoff, and received a call from Angelica Llacuna in the small blind.

The T♥9♠6♣ flop and J♥ turn were checked to the 8♠ river, where Llacuna check-folded versus a bet of 2,000 from Botlo.

In the next hand, Botlo opened to 1,100 from the hijack, and received calls from Llacuna on the button and Marek Miklos in the big blind.

On the 9♣6♦4♠ flop, action was checked to Botlo, who slid out a bet of 1,700.

Only Miklos called to see the 5♣ turn, where he led out with a bet of 2,200.

Botlo called to see the 2♣ river, which was checked through. Miklos tabled T♥9♠ for top pair, and was surprised when Botlo tabled 5♠5♥ for a set of fives.

Vincent Botlo – 42,000
Marek Miklos – 36,000
Angelica Llacuna – 17,500

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 2: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 11/11
Prize Pool: €400,000

Marek Miklos opened to 600 under the gun, and received calls from Konstantinos Ziaskas on the button and Maciej Dymnicki in the big blind.

Action was checked to Miklos on the K♣T♠5♦ flop, who slid out a bet of 1,000, which only Ziaskas called.

The 2♠ rolled off on the turn, and Miklos double-barreled with a bet of 1,300. Ziaskas raised to 2,600, and Miklos called.

The 8♠ river was checked through, and Ziaskas’ T♣7♣ was good versus the T♦6♦ of Miklos.

Konstantinos Ziaskas – 49,000
Marek Miklos – 42,300

Marcus Heindrich

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 10/10
Prize Pool: €400,000

A pot of 1,400 had developed on a flop of J♣7♣2♦, in a hand between Tomas Erneker and Marcus Heindrich in the blinds.

Erneker slid out a bet of 500, and was met with a raise to 1,200 from Heindrich.

Erneker called to see the 6♠ turn, where he check-folded versus a bet of 1,900 from Heindrich, who flashed the J♠ as he raked in the pot.

Marcus Heindrich – 42,000
Tomas Erneker – 37,000

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 10/10
Prize Pool: €400,000

With 1,000 in the middle on a flop of T♦9♣5♣, Vincent Botlo and Maciej Dymnicki checked their options to see the 8♥ turn, where Botlo check-called a bet of 1,100 from Dymnicki.

On the 8♠ river, Botlo check-folded versus a bet of 2,100 from Dymnicki.

Maciej Dymnicki – 42,000
Vincent Botlo – 27,500

Battle of Malta Slovakia Trophies

€400 Main Event Day 1c
Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 10/10
Prize Pool: €400,000

Cards are now in the air in Day 1c of the Main Event, with 10 players seated for the start of play.

Players will sit down to a 40,000 starting stack, with the clock set to 30-minute levels. Late registration remains open until the start of Level 11, and 12.5% of the field will qualify for Day 2, joining the 113 qualifiers from Days 1a-1b.

Day 2 will take place at 4 p.m. on 13 September, while the final day is on September 14 at 4 p.m.

Card Casino Samorin

€1,000 High Roller
Level 1: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 12/12
Prize Pool: €50,000

The one day €1,000 buy-in, €50,000 High Roller is now underway, with 12 players seated at the start of play.

Players sit down to a 100,000 starting stack, with the the clock set to 30-minute levels, and late registration remains open until the start of Level 11.

Players in the mix include Ondrej Lon, Ivan Chegusov, Jessica Vierling and Tomas Svoboda.

Card Casino, Samorin

€220 Mystery Bounty Day 1b
Level 2: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 31/33
Prize Pool: €40,000

Day 1b of the Mystery Bounty is underway, with 33 entries currently logged. Players sit down to a 30,000 starting stack, and late registration remains open until the start of Level 13, with 30-minute levels in play.

A total of 12.5% of the field will qualify for Day 2, joining the five qualifiers from Day 1, led by Junyu Liu.

Day 2 kicks off at 3 p.m. on September 11. All Day 2 qualifiers will be in the money, with bounties in play at the start of Day 2.

Card Casino Samorin was not quite as packed in Day 2 of the Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition compared to the huge numbers seen on the first day, but a healthy field of 116 players gathered for Day 1b of the €400 buy-in, €400,000 Main Event, chasing the chip-leader cash bonus available for the top three stacks at the end of play.

When all was said and done, one of Slovakia’s finest rose to the top of the standings to claim the €3,000 chip-leader bonus in the form of Andrej Desset (690,000), while Christian Sykora of Austria (579,000) and Tibor Varga (507,000) completed the podium places, banking €1,500 and €1,000 respectively. In addition, the trio received a €600 ticket for the Battle of Malta in October.

Desset sits in fourth on the Slovakia all-time money list, with over $1.5 million in cashes, and triumphed in the Royal Main Event at Card Casino in July last year, while Sykora also holds a Card Casino trophy, having taken the title in the Grand Prix in November 2025. Meanwhile, Varga finished as runner-up in July in the Royal Main Event for his only recorded cash to date.

End of Day 1b Chip Counts – Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition Main Event

The full counts of the Day 1b qualifiers are as follows:-

All of the above players are in the money, and will receive an early payout of €500.

Overall Top Ten Counts After Day 1b – Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition Main Event

A total of 113 players qualified across Days 1a-1b, with the overall Main Event top ten counts at present as follows:

Junyu Liu Leads Five Qualifiers in Day 1a of €40,000 Mystery Bounty

A total of 36 entries were gathered for Day 1a of the Mystery Bounty, and with 12.5% of the field qualifying for Day 2, five players progressed, led by Junyu Liu of China (440,000).

The second flight of the €220 buy-in event is at 5 p.m. local time on September 10, while Day 2 kicks off at 3 p.m. on September 11.

The full counts of the qualifiers are below.

The Day 2 qualifiers are in the money, and bounties will be in play from the start of play in Day 2.

Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition – Schedule, Thursday, September 10

An absolutely packed schedule of events awaits on the third day of the festival, with Day 1c of the Main Event at 6 p.m. and Day 1b of the Mystery Bounty at 5 p.m., while the one-day €1,000 buy-in, €50,000 High Roller will see the first trophy of the festival being awarded.

The Main Event and Mystery Bounty flights follow the same structure as previous flights, with the clock set to 30-minute levels, and 12.5% of the field set to qualify.

In the High Roller, players sit down to a 100,000 starting stack, with the clock set to 30-minute levels. Late registration remains open until the start of Level 11, with unlimited reentries available. The champion will also receive a €500 WSOP Bratislava Circuit Main Event ticket for February 2027.

Casino Malta hosts the next WSOP Circuit stop, with the festival running from September 25 – October 2006, and the marquee event being the €1,500 WSOPC Main Event. See the link for details regarding accommodation and the event.

We will be on the floor from 6 p.m. bringing you all the big moments of the day, so stay tuned for all your coverage of the Battle of Malta Slovakia Edition.