It took just eight hours of play to go from 88 players to a final table of 10 on Day 3 of the 2015 Battle of Malta.

Israeli poker player Uri Gilboa wasn’t scared of the fast structure and utterly crushed his way to the final-table chip lead of 8.5 million.

It’s a fascinating final table that includes players from the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Norway and Finland.

For the first time ever the final table will also have a female player. Anne Meri hails from Finland and is playing a short-stack of 735,000 but will absolutely give the guys a run for their money tomorrow.

The table also includes noted high-stakes pro Carlo van Ravenswoud who finished with 3.7 million.

Fatima Stalls Early, Bulgaria Returns to Final Table

Perhaps the most well-known player in the field to start the day was former Olympian and current PokerStars pro Fatima Moreira de Melo.

Fatima picked up €2,100 for troubles.

Unfortunately de Melo had a rough time in early stage of the day and ended up shoving all-in with T♣ 4♣ and getting beat by 9♥ 7♦.

Still, de Melo was all smiles as she headed out of the tournament room to collect her €2,100 payout.

You can see the rest of the players who got paid on Day 3 on the 2015 Battle of Malta payouts page.

Interestingly for the second straight year we have a player from Sofia, Bulgaria.

Last year Sofia-native Antoan Katsarov outlasted 1,447 players to win the 2014 Battle of Malta for €122,750.

This year Dimitar Alexandrov, also of Sofia, will have a chance to replicate Katsarov's performance with an even bigger first-place prize of €165,000.

Final Table Extended to Monday

Originally the final table was scheduled to play down to a winner in the wee hours tonight but tournament organizers decided to extend the tournament for a bonus day on Monday.

The 10 remaining players will return tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to play out an epic final table and decide who becomes the 2015 Battle of Malta champ.

You can follow the action live through our live updates page with news, photos and videos straight from the tournament floor.

Here’s a look at the chip counts heading into the final table:

Uri Gilboa: 8,520,000
Henrik Jacobsen: 6,640,000
Dimitar Aleksandrov: 6,410,000
Giuseppe Grimaldi: 6,350,000
Hendrik Koops: 5,370,000
Carlo van Ravenswoud: 3,700,000
Anders Gran Kvam: 3,070,000
Paolo Palmieri: 2,520,000
Nicolas Proust: 1,860,000
Anne Meri: 735,000

Watch Maria Ho Recap Battle of Malta Day 3

French poker pro Nicolas Proust outlasted a massive 1,804-entry field to win €110k and the coveted 2015 Battle of Malta trophy on Monday.

The 29 year old was actually one of three players who took home over €100k thanks to a record turnout and a three-way deal that was made at the final table.

Norwegian Henrik Jacobsen was the runner-up finisher for 102k but came painfully close to winning it outright when Proust shoved all-in on the first hand of heads-up with king-jack against Proust’s pocket fours.

Instead Proust won the coin flip and steamrolled heads-up play from that point on.

Interestingly Dutch pro Hendrik Koops was actually the biggest cash winner of the day as he was the chip leader when the deal was made. He’ll take home €125k for his efforts.

Here are the complete final-table payouts for the 2015 Battle of Malta (*reflects three-way deal):

1. Nicolas Proust - €110,000
2. Henrik Jacobsen - €102,000
3. Hendrik Koops - €125,000
4. Uri Gilboa - €54,500
5. Carlo van Ravenswoud - €41,300
6. Anders Gran Kvam - €29,500
7. Paolo Palmieri - €21,800
8. Dimitar Aleksandrov - €17,200
9. Giuseppe Grimaldi - €13,350
10. Anne Meri - €10,450

Ravenswoud Busts Fifth, Meri 10th

Finland’s Anne Meri had the unique distinction of being the first female player to make the final table but she couldn’t escape her short stack and ended up busting first.

Runner-up finisher Henrik Jacobsen

She picked up a €10,450 consolation prize for finishing 10th.

Despite the fact the chip stacks were relatively shallow the tournament seriously slowed down when it hit nine-handed and it took over an hour to find our next elimination.

In that time Koop overtook the chip lead from former leader Uri Gilboa.

Finally Giuseppe Grimaldi busted in ninth place and that brought on a rapid-fire series of eliminations that included Dimitar Aleksandrov (8th), Paolo Palmieri (7th) and Anders Gran Kvam (6th).

High-stakes poker pro Carlo van Ravenswoud was undoubtably one of the favorites at the final table but he couldn’t overcome a relatively short stack and ended up busting fifth for €41,300.

Uri Gilboa was one of the most enthusiastic players at the final table and he was happy just to jump a few pay jumps in the latter stages. He was overjoyed to take home €54,500 for finishing fourth.

Deal Reached Three-Handed

A Battle of Malta trophy

As you might expect with over €300,000 on the line the remaining three players decided to make a deal.

In the end they decided on an ICM chip with Koops and leaving €10,000 for first place. That worked out to:

Hendrik Koops: €125k
Henrik Jacobsen: €102k
Nicolas Proust: €100k

Of course Proust ended up taking the extra €10k but that didn’t dethrone former chip leader Hendrik Koops from taking home the biggest sum.

That’s it for the 2015 and PokerListings would like to thank all the players who came out and made it such a success.

See you next year!

A record number of poker players descended on the Portomaso Casino for the 2015 PokerListings Battle of Malta poker festival from Nov. 4-9.

By the time the smoke had cleared the festival set a variety of new records including the biggest tournament ever held on Malta, the biggest prize pool for the Main Event and the biggest turnout yet for the Grandmaster High Roller event.

The highlight was three players getting paid over €100k each in the Main Event thanks to a massive field of 1,804 entries.

French player Nicolas Proust locked up €110k for coming in first place in the Main Event.

Here’s a complete look at the Main Event final-table payouts:

1. Nicolas Proust - €110,000
2. Henrik Jacobsen - €102,000
3. Hendrik Koops - €125,000
4. Uri Gilboa - €54,500
5. Carlo van Ravenswoud - €41,300
6. Anders Gran Kvam - €29,500
7. Paolo Palmieri - €21,800
8. Dimitar Aleksandrov - €17,200
9. Giuseppe Grimaldi - €13,350
10. Anne Meri - €10,450

Kratovic Tops Grandmaster, Filatov 6th

A nice score for Anatoly Filatov

The year saw a massive increase in participation in the €1,200+€120 buy-in Grandmaster High Roller in part thanks to a reduced buy-in.

There were over 80 entries in the contest including famed poker pros Fabrice Soulier, Luca Moschitta, Felix Stephensen and Oanh Bui.

PokerListings Spirit of Poker award winner Anatoly Filatov made an appearance at the final table, eventually finishing sixth for €6,450.

Serbian Mladen Kratovic was crowned the Grandmaster Champion. He earned €28,900 for his troubles.

Prizes were up nearly across the board with several side events awarding over €10,000 for first.

You can view the complete payouts for the 2015 Battle of Malta Main Event and the side event final table payouts here.

William Hung was a viral sensation in North America thanks to his 2004 American Idol audition.

But in Europe? Not so much.

Earlier this month Hung was our special guest on the Mediterranean island of Malta to play the PokerListings Battle of Malta and it was his first trip to Europe.

The night before Day 1 of the tournament Hung joined Maria Ho, a bunch of poker players and the PokerListings crew to sing karaoke.

Hung showed everyone that he's still got the chops that made his one of the most memorable American Idol auditions in the show's history.

The fact that few people recognized William when he sung Achy Breaky Heart at a rowdy karaoke club in Paceville, Malta's party epicenter, made it even more awesome.

Luckily for you, the cameras were rolling.

Hung Shows True Spirit of Battle of Malta

Hung was a welcome addition to this year's Battle of Malta for precisely the same reason we so enjoyed watching him sing karaoke: his attitude.

Hung plays poker because he loves the game and he sings because he loves expressing himself through music.

Hung doesn't care if he's the best singer and he doesn't care what other people think.

He's not trying to be ironic. He's not trying to make a joke. He's just having fun because he loves it and that's what the Battle of Malta is all about.

At the end of the day we'd all be happier if we were a little more like William Hung.

Jesus couldn't defeat her. Batman couldn't defeat her.

A card-playing Basset Hound couldn't defeat her. Not even a dour Angela Merkel could.

In the end only one winner could emerge from our 20 finalists in the BOM 2014 photo competition and that is Lilly DeFeu, a pyrotechnician and poker fan from Berlin.

DeFeu was the ony entrant to produce an animated GIF and, incorporating her pyrotechnic background and a little help from a photographer, she won over the voters with her winning entry below:

"When I heard first about the Battle of Malta tournament," DeFeu says, "I was super excited and was looking for ways to be part of it.

"Malta combines a few things I am really passionate about: Great climate and history, poker and pyrotechnics! Malta has a rich firework tradition and I always wanted to visit.

"I am a pyro technician and fire performer myself, and I do love playing poker. A friend told me about the picture competition and I was immediately sold"

BOM Batman was the runner-up in the votes. See the full list of finalists here.

Idea Came Together Considering Women in Poker

Understanding the context of being a woman in poker, DeFeu says she took that into consideration for her idea:

DeFeu: Playing for more than just herself.

"It took me a while to come up with a concept. One of the first suggestions I got from friends I consulted was: Get the logo body painted on you!

"After some thought I decided not to follow through with that. I am well aware about the picture of women in modern poker so I wanted to portray myself in a less sexualised position.

"So, fire it was. I phoned up my friend, Jascha Eidam, who is a vivid cosplay photographer if he would like to help to get me to Malta. I explained something about pirates, special effects and fire and he was sold on the spot"

"We met a couple of days later and had a great shoot together, much to the amazement of a couple of Berlin tourists, who witnessed the whole thing."

DeFeu won't just be playing for herself in the BOM Main Event either. Her photographer also stands to make a nice bit of cash if she goes deep.

"So, unfortunately I am not the richest person, so instead of money I promised my photographer 10% if I should win the picture competition and cash in the tournament.

"So here I am now, very happy to get the opportunity to visit Malta and play the Battle of Malta!"

DeFeu's winning package for the Battle of Malta includes:

Read more about the packages for the Battle of Malta here.

Check out our latest video to hear directly from this year's Spirit of Poker Award winners Humberto Brenes, Anatoly Filatov and Charlie Carrel.

In its third year, the Spirit of Poker Awards recognizes poker players who are not only successful, but also demonstrate a true love for the game of poker.

Awards were given in three categories: Living Legend, Most Inspiring Player and Rising Star.

This year's winners overcame a tough roster of nominees that included some of the most popular poker players in the world to take top honors.

Each of our winners received more online votes than any of their opponents to win the final round of this year's Spirit of Poker Awards.

Costa Rican poker star Humberto Brenes won the Living Legend award, Russia's Anatoly Filatov won Most Inspiring Player and British poker player Charlie Carrel took the Rising Star award.

Watch 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards

Winners Beat Out Huge List of Nominees

Winning a Spirit of Poker Award is no easy feat. A huge base of fans and supporters is essential.

This year's winners were up against some truly tough competition which makes their victories all the more meaningful.

Brenes, for example, overcame huge poker names including Barry Greenstein, Erik Seidel, Padraig Parkinson and legendary actor and poker player James Woods.

Filatov came out on top against a group that included other poker inspirations Martin Jacobson, Jason Somerville and Dominik Nitsche, among others.

Finally, Charlie Carrel got more votes than other poker young guns including Spain's Adrian Mateos, Germany's Fedor Holz and Japan's Akira Ohyama.

Congratulations to all three 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards winners!

Jesus couldn't defeat her. Batman couldn't defeat her.

A card-playing Basset Hound couldn't defeat her. Not even a dour Angela Merkel could.

In the end only one winner could emerge from our 20 finalists in the BOM 2014 photo competition and that is Lilly DeFeu, a pyrotechnician and poker fan from Berlin.

DeFeu was the ony entrant to produce an animated GIF and, incorporating her pyrotechnic background and a little help from a photographer, she won over the voters with her winning entry below:

"When I heard first about the Battle of Malta tournament," DeFeu says, "I was super excited and was looking for ways to be part of it.

"Malta combines a few things I am really passionate about: Great climate and history, poker and pyrotechnics! Malta has a rich firework tradition and I always wanted to visit.

"I am a pyro technician and fire performer myself, and I do love playing poker. A friend told me about the picture competition and I was immediately sold"

BOM Batman was the runner-up in the votes. See the full list of finalists here.

Idea Came Together Considering Women in Poker

Understanding the context of being a woman in poker, DeFeu says she took that into consideration for her idea:

DeFeu: Playing for more than just herself.

"It took me a while to come up with a concept. One of the first suggestions I got from friends I consulted was: Get the logo body painted on you!

"After some thought I decided not to follow through with that. I am well aware about the picture of women in modern poker so I wanted to portray myself in a less sexualised position.

"So, fire it was. I phoned up my friend, Jascha Eidam, who is a vivid cosplay photographer if he would like to help to get me to Malta. I explained something about pirates, special effects and fire and he was sold on the spot"

"We met a couple of days later and had a great shoot together, much to the amazement of a couple of Berlin tourists, who witnessed the whole thing."

DeFeu won't just be playing for herself in the BOM Main Event either. Her photographer also stands to make a nice bit of cash if she goes deep.

"So, unfortunately I am not the richest person, so instead of money I promised my photographer 10% if I should win the picture competition and cash in the tournament.

"So here I am now, very happy to get the opportunity to visit Malta and play the Battle of Malta!"

DeFeu's winning package for the Battle of Malta includes:

Read more about the packages for the Battle of Malta here.

When France's Nicolas Proust raised the signature trophy that marked his win in the 2015 Battle of Malta Main Event, it was already Monday evening.

A day later than expected, thanks to the prodigious turnout from days prior, host Maria Ho handed Proust the statue in the corner of the Portomaso Casino instead of the Grand Master ballroom where the rest of the tournament had played out.

Much like the Battle of Malta's history, though, the unexpected location and up-and-down journey to the title ended up as just the right ending to a tournament that's now the benchmark for low buy-in poker in Europe.

It wasn't exactly how it was planned, but everybody had a great time getting there.

The atmosphere was electric, the spirit of poker alive and well and, after a three-way deal ensured each of the final 3 players over €100,000, the conclusion left all involved more than satisfied.

With 1,804 entries the 2015 Battle of Malta main event smashed its own record for the largest tournament on the island, ever. But that's just one measure of how big the BOM has become.

A Final Table from All Walks

Thanks to the astronomical turnout the prize pool of this year’s Battle of Malta was almost €900,000 with €165,000 earmarked for the winner.

After former chip leader Uri Gilboa busted in fourth place, though, the remaining players -- Proust, Henrik Jacobsen and Hendrik Koops -- struck a deal that left all three with six-figure payouts.

A first for the Battle of Malta, the three €100k payouts are a phenomenal number for a tournament with just a €550 buy-in.

In fact big stack Koops, who was the first of these three to bust out, ended up with the biggest prize money at €125,000.

He left with a smile and said “I’m really happy I made a deal.”

Champion Proust, who entered the final table ninth in chips, completed his journey from small stack to winner and cashed out €110,000 and Jacobsen left with €102,000 - exactly what second place was scheduled to pay.

Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Bulgaria and Israel all had seats at the final table to make it another multinational affair and for the first time a female player made the final table in Anne Meri from Finland.

There were three players who play poker professionally but also an architect, a football coach, a former tennis coach, a pub owner, a lawyer, a student and an affiliate of Betsafe in the final, showing that the Battle of Malta is still a battle of the people and recreational players from all walks of life.

“It’s incredible," said Proust after the win. “I never went so deep in a large tournament.”

Full-Fledged Poker Festival

The Battle of Malta has evolved from a weekend event into a fully grown six-day poker festival. More side events have been added every year and attendance for all have skyrocketed.

In 2015 the Second Chance Siege of Malta was back, as was the PLO Knight’s Crusade and the Grandmaster High Roller. Joining the schedule were a NLHE Turbo Deepstack and the brand new Win the Button tournament.

The High Roller Event turned out to be the biggest success if you compare numbers from last year with an 80-player tournament that lasted deep into the morning hours of its final day.

You can find all the winners, prize pools and payouts here on our Battle of Malta results page.

Celebs Out In Force

Apart from Maria Ho, who returned to BOM for the second time as host, there were several professional players and international celebrities who also wanted to be part of the best low buy-in tournament in Europe.

Fatima de Melo couldn’t make it to the first edition of the Battle but made up for that this year when she actually reached the penultimate day and finally busted in 49th place. Her boyfriend, former professional tennis pro Raemon Sluiter, also played and cashed in 180th spot.

Former PokerStars team pro Humberto Brenes got so excited after his visit that he suggested a “Battle of Costa Rica” in his home country.

Sofia Lövgren, now with 888poker, has become a regular at the BOM, as has Luca Moschitta and the Norwegians with Andreas Hoivold, Thor “The Godfather” Hansen and WSOP runner-up Felix Stephensen, who went on to win the Norwegian Championship two weeks later.

We even had American Idol legend William Hung, who battled at the felt and with Maria on Karaoke night. The opinions on who won the sing-off were divided, to say the least.

Everest poker pro Fabrice Soulier, Norwegian TV star Tone Damli, Italian reality star Sabina Hiatullah and Finnish singer.model Kim Herold were just a few more of the stars to join us.

Charity Partner MOAS Joins Ranks, Spreads Awareness

Another important step the Battle of Malta made this year was beginning a partnership with local Maltese charity organization MOAS, or Migrant Offshore Aid Station.

Started by a local family just over two years ago the organization refurbished an old ship to become a mobile refugee rescue vessel to provide emergency assistance to those making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean in search of a safer home.

Already assisting over 12,000 at-risk refugees at sea via their dedicated crews, specialized search-and-rescue equipment and coordination with official maritime rescue centers MOAS has proven itself to be an essential service on the tiny island.

Host Maria Ho and several poker players pledged a portion of their winnings to MOAS and PokerLitings topped up all donations received on site with its own donation.

More importantly awareness was raised among thousands of poker players to this tremendous cause and we expect even more generosity next year. PokerListings spoke with fundraising coordinator Christina Lejman about MOAS' heroic efforts:

Brenes, Filatov and Carrel Claim Spirit of Poker Awards

For the third time PokerListings also presented awards to three players who have proven themselves to be extraordinary assets to the poker community.

Charlie Carrel, the English wonder kid with a weakness for psychedelic clothing and high buy-ins, won the Rising Star Award by a small margin over Fedor Holz and Dzmitry Urbanovich.

In what many see as the main category, Most Inspiring Player, it was Russian Anatoly Filatov who collected by far the most votes.

And in the category where players probably deserve the most respect – the Living Legends – Humberto “The Chark” Brenes was named the player who really lives up to this category’s title.

More on the winners and nominees of the 2015 Spirit of Poker Voting here.

The Parties

Play hard but party harder must have been the motto of some of the players at the BOM this year, and that’s no surprise as there was a party every night of the event.

From the stylish cocktail reception to the crazy Karaoke contest to the stunning views at Club Level 22 to the wild night at the Sky Club with thousands of people – every night offered something special to everyone who was there.

Can BOM 2016 Top BOM 2015?

With 1804 entries the Battle of Malta once again bested its record-setting total from the year before.

What's next for BOM? You'll soon find out!

BOM attendance figures now read read 349 – 888 – 1,447 – 1,804 with 2,000 entrants obviously the next benchmark to surpass.

At 1,804 entrants the BOM easily became the biggest standalone tournament in Europe for the year before the Norwegian Championships beat it with 1,974 players earlier this month.

But it sure was the greatest Battle yet with more money to win, more players, more parties and more side events than ever before.

The cash-game tables buzzed 24/7. There was a high-roller black jack event. A plane was chartered to fly in 150 players from Israel. You could play FIFA for free all night long.

There was even a stand where you could buy underwear.

Can the 2016 Battle of Malta top that? We're excited to try on behalf of the recreational poker player and our extraordinary sponsors in 888poker, Betsson, Betsafe, RedBet, NordicBet, Betting Connections and more.

. Stay tuned for info on the 2016 Battle of Malta coming soon!

In the span of just two years the PokerListings Battle of Malta has become one of the largest poker tournaments in Europe.

Last year, with almost 900 entries, it even set the record for biggest poker tournament ever held on the island of Malta.

How and why did it get so popular so fast?

We sat down with the co-creator of the Battle of Malta, Ivonne Montealegre, to explain how the idea came to be and the driving forces that brought it to the level it’s reached today.

A New Challenge in Malta

Born and raised in Costa Rica Montealegre got her start in the poker industry more or less by accident in 1996.

BOM Tournament Director Ivonne Montealegre.

As the Marketing Manager of an online gaming company, one of the duties that fell on her plate included organizing a major poker tournament.

It wasn’t until much later, though, that Montealegre took her past experience (and new certification) in tournament direction and organized the 2011 Punta Cana Poker Classic in the Dominican Republic.

It was a great success, leaving Montealegre driven and motivated to find even more opportunity in the poker world. She was drawn to sunny Malta:

"I was looking for a new challenge," she says.

When Montealegre arrived on the island she had a vision of a poker tournament that connected poker, a vacation in the sun and a lot of shared fun with the other participants. The concept for ​​the Battle of Malta was born.

To realize that vision she needed a strong partner, which she found in PokerListings.

"I had the idea to organize a large low-buy-in tournament in Malta and knew and appreciated the work of PokerListings. So I went and presented my idea.

“They were very impressed and have made it possible to realize this project through their strong brand and great relationships."

"I Wanted to Offer Players as Much as Possible"

The name for the tournament, the "Battle of Malta," was picked based on the history of the island and the real-life battle which defines a large part of it.

The perfect location for it was the world-class Portomaso Casino, located in the 5-Star luxury Hilton Malta in the picturesque St. Julian's district.

An agreement was reached quickly and so, for the debut tournament in 2012, nothing stood in the way. For the first edition of the event, held in late November, the buy-in was set at €500  - a number picked very deliberately.

"I wanted to create a tournament where fun is in the foreground,” Montealegre says, “and create a tournament that everyone could afford.

"The first year is always something very special.”

"I also wanted to offer players as much as possible for their money."

At the time a prize pool of €150,000 was guaranteed, which was exceeded when 349 players came to Portomaso to play.

"The first year is always something very special,” Montealegre reminisces. “We had no expectations, and that has also made ​​the whole thing so enjoyable.

"If I had to describe the first Battle of Malta in one sentence I would say it was ‘small but nice.’"

The “small” in that sentence refers primarily to the fact that the Battle of Malta at that time consisted only of two tournaments – the main event and a second-chance event. Still, it was actually already one of the largest tournaments ever held in Malta and had more runners than the WPTs held there.

The heads-up was an all Italian affair between Giulio Astarita and Nicodemo Piccolo. The latter won out in the end and took €35,000 in prize money back to Italy. How it looked back then:

Big Money, Unexpected Challenges

After such a promising start a second Battle of Malta was quickly planned and the guarantee increased to €200,000.

The dates were moved up slightly in the year to Sept. 26-29 to take advantage of the European summer and organizers were confident going in that the guarantee would be passed.

Louis Cartarius enjoyed the spoils.

What happened next exceeded even the wildest of expectations.

"We had expected a slightly larger field of participants than in the first year,” Montealegre says, “but then almost 900 players poured into the casino."

Since no one had expected that kind of turnout the casino itself had reached its logistical limits and there were delays in player registration.

"The second Battle of Malta was blood, sweat and tears,” she adds. “We apologize to all the players who had to wait and rest assured it won’t happen this year."

German Louis Cartarius and all of the players who cashes were the beneficiaries of the massive attendance, however. Cartarius took home €80,000 for first place while the rest of the cashers divvied up over €430,000.

Battle of Malta 2013: A True Eye-Opener

On the other hand, despite the logistical struggles, organizers recognized the huge potential for more casual, mid-buy-in poker events.

"It has opened our eyes to what is possible,” Montealegre says. “After BOM 2013 the CEO of PokerListings made ​​the decision to more than double the guarantee but keep the same buy-in.

“Doing the simple math that means that you need at least 1,000 players just to reach the guarantee! We also moved the dates to early November, which caused some doubts as to whether you can bring that many players to Malta at that time.

2014 BOM should be filled to capacity.

"The fact that we need at least 1,000 players to meet the guarantee makes me sleep restlessly sometimes,” Montealegre admitted, “but this decision was taken jointly with analysts and according to the forecast we will exceed the guaranteed amount."

Sirp de Wit, Managing Director of PokerListings, is also confident.

“We at PokerListings are very proud to offer a unique tournament series with small buy-ins and great value. It gives an extra offline dimension to the PokerListings brand and complements our mission to be an “All-In” poker guide.”

“The third edition of the Battle of Malta is coming up fast and we want it to be a very memorable experience for all participants. In Malta the anticipation has already started to build and BOM 2014 will be bigger and better than ever."

Biggest Poker Tournament in All of Europe?

No longer just a main and second-chance event the Battle of Malta has grown into a full-fledged tournament series. Five events are on the schedule this year along with the ongoing cash games and satellites

2014 will see the first-ever €4,180 High Roller event along with a brand new €165 Pot-Limit Omaha event. A €300 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Turbo has also been added and the Second Chance Siege of Malta returns with a €200 buy-in.

With new host Maria Ho on board, sky's the limit for 2014 and beyond.

Variety is guaranteed and that makes the young tournament series even more interesting. Visiting players should also note that the beginning of November, when the cold season has already started in Central Europe, is still quite warm in Malta.

Working behind the scenes there’s an entire company committed to making the Battle of Malta a success.

“We work very hard to provide participants with a great experience,” Montealegre says, “and support in the community for the Battle of Malta has been terrific.

"There are numerous volunteers who work for free in their spare time and on weekends to cope with the huge rush and to allow guests to have as beautiful a time as possible.

“For us this is not just a job like any other, but something that we love."

When asked what participants can expect for the Battle of Malta 2015 and beyond, Montealegre says the sky’s the limit.

"I think the Battle of Malta will become the biggest poker tournament not only in Malta but throughout Europe.

“Our goal is to make the BOM the tournament with the smallest buy-in and biggest guaranteed prize pool and we’ll do everything possible to make it happen."

A taste of what awaits at the 2014 Battle of Malta:

For all the information on dates, times, structures and side events - and to secure your seat in this year's Main Event - visit our Battle of Malta page.

When you think of creative, young, dedicated and talented poker players, you don't think very long before you arrive at the name Sofia Lövgren.

One of the brightest young stars in poker, Lövgren learned to play poker at just 16 years old. Four years later she was the first female ever to join Team PKR.

After four successful years flying the PKR flag - with results including a 30th-place finish at the EPT Main Event in San Remo, a 16th at the EPT High Roller in London and five impressive WSOP cashes - Lövgren made the jump to the elite Team 888poker this year.

One of the three finalists for the PokerListings Rising Star Award in 2013 Lövgren came to the Battle of Malta with her boyfriend, Luca Moschitta, and did nothing but solidify our impression of her as one of the great young ambassadors in poker.

While Moschitta walked away with the award last year it's Lövgren who is nominated again this year along with seven other great young players from across the world.

Now at the 2014 WSOP, PokerListings Sweden's Denni Balic took the chance to discuss her nomination, her move to Malta, her future in poker and more.

First-ever female PKR pro makes the leap to 888.

PokerListings: You’ve done many things lately. Left PKR, jumped over to 888poker and now moved to Malta. What’s the next thing?

Sofia Lövgren: It’s all in with 888poker! I’d like to dedicate more time to play poker and to travel around the world to play at some live events. Actually I just arrived in Vegas to play at the WSOP.

So far I've only had time to play one event and I actually won something! But my plan is to play at least seven events, including the Main Event. One of my goals is actually to reach the final table!

Then I really look forward to the European Poker Tour in Barcelona and the WSOP in Melbourne. It will so fun to play in Australia. That will be my first time ever!

PL: Last year you were nominated for a PokerListings Spirit of Poker Award in the same category as your boyfriend Luca Moschitta. Was there any dischord between you two after the award ceremony?

SL: No, I was actually very happy for Luca. 2013 was a good year for him so I think that they picked the right winner.

Keep in mind that he is Italian and they really hate to lose. So yeah, it was probably the best choice for our “domestic peace."

Just take a look at the things that happened when Italy lost against Uruguay in the World Cup.

PL: This year you're nominated again. How does it feel and what do you think about the other players in your category?

SL: You always have to be innovative, show passion and work hard to promote poker to others.

My goal is to spread the positive things about poker. So for me it’s a great honor to be nominated.

However, there are many other interesting players. (Jack) Salter is one of them. He is doing really well but I’m the only girl.

PL: So what is the next step in your career? You mentioned something about university studies before.

SL: When I finished secondary school I wanted to take a break. Just to travel and play poker full time.

"My goal is to spread the positive things about poker."

My idea was to do this before continuing my studies, but it went very well with poker and I got recruited to Team PKR.

For the moment I have the best opportunity to combine poker with my favorite hobby – to make money, travel around and meet new people.

The advantage is that I get the chance to learn more about international PR.

PL: And if you decided to study something, what would it be?

SL: I would say economy and business. It’s very interesting and also a family tradition.

If I would do something else instead of playing poker I would most probably start my own business.

PL: How long are you going to play poker for?

SL: Well, at least the coming years I think, as long as I continue to win.

Poker is something I really love even if I would decide to spend time on something else in the future.

Count on me! I will still play poker in the coming years.

PL: Last year you came to play the Battle of Malta. How do you think it will go for you this year?

SL: It was really fun to play at the 2013 Battle of Malta. I did well on Day 1 but on the second day I busted quite early.

This year there will be more players joining the tournament and the GTD is bigger, which makes the Battle of Malta even more attractive!

And did I mention that I’m living next to the casino? That should bring me some extra luck, right?

2014 Battle of Malta will be bigger than ever.

PL: How come you moved to Malta?

SL: We’ve been in Malta several times before we finally decided to move. I love Malta and the climate is fantastic. It’s so different from my hometown Gothenburg.

As a poker player you don’t have to stick to a specific place. As long as you have an internet connection, everything is fine.

You can work from wherever you want. It could be on a sailboat somewhere in Sweden or in a hotel room in Barcelona.

We fly to Gothenburg and Catania in Sicily quite often. After all I have to say that the connection between those destinations and Malta is good. This is very important for us.

There are many poker tournaments taking place in Malta too but the Battle of Malta feels like home.

PL: If you had the chance to choose a tablemate, who would it be?

SL: I would go for Richard Nixon, the old American president.

PL: How come?

SL: When he tries to bluff, he really sucks! I would so knock him out.

PL: Okay, let’s put it this way. Who would you rather avoid to sit with?

SL: I don’t really want to sit next to Suárez. Well, at least if I’m bare-shouldered.

PL: Both you and Luca are seen as part of the new "thinking generation” of poker players. How do you think other poker players perceive your success?

SL: No idea what they think about me, but I know that many people like Luca.

PL: What do you think the poker industry will look like in 10 years?

SL: For now it’s very hard to say. Everything depends on the market legislations around the world.

"You always have to be innovative, show passion and work hard to promote poker to others."

However, if they legalize online poker in more US states, then I think that poker would become more popular like it was in 2006.

PL: Back to the PokerListings awards. Why should people vote for you?

SL: I don’t like to brag about myself so it’s better if you ask the guys who nominated me.

PL: Okay, but what's the difference between you and the other nominees?

SL: It could be my love towards poker. I really love poker and I love the PR part around it.

Apart from that I always share my experiences with others. I think it’s good for the industry to see a normal girl from Sweden who is doing well, even internationally.

PL: If you manage to get to the final table or if you win the Battle of Malta 2014, how would you celebrate your victory?

SL: I would invite all the players to my place before we go out for a nice dinner at Portomaso.

Then I think there would be time for some crazy partying too. Who knows, maybe some journalists could join us.

PL: How do you celebrate your success in poker in general?

SL: Well, mostly with my closest ones. We always have a good meal together and obviously some wine too.

How good do you think you run in flips?

If you've got luck on your side you could win a €1,600 package to play the 2014 PokerListings Battle of Malta.

If you're more confident in your poker skill, satellites for the 2014 BOM also begin on Betsafe Poker next week with entry as low as €3.30.

Sign up for an account at Betsafe Poker via our review page to be eligible.

Top 50 in Every Freeroll Score

Every Thursday evening from July 24 until August 28 exclusive Flip Freerolls for PokerListings players will run on Betsafe Poker.

Each Flip Freeroll has €2,700 in added Battle of Malta prizes starting with a full €1,600 package to the winner. Over €1,000 in Daily and Weekly Final tickets will also be distributed to the next 49 players.

To be eligible to play the Flip Freerolls players simply need to play 50 raked hands seven days prior to the Freeroll start time. As an added bonus for those with limited time - you don't even have to log in to play, just be registered!

2014 Battle of Malta trophy could be yours.

Freeroll Prizes:

€1,600 Battle of Malta Packages include:

A full slate of daily and weekly Battle of Malta satellites start on Betsafe July 14 for as low as €3.30.

If you haven't created an account at Betsafe Poker yet, sign up for one via our review page to be eligible.

The 2014 Battle of Malta is still a few months away but the first look at the expanded tourney schedule is now available.

After hosting the largest poker tournament ever held on Malta last year the PokerListings Battle of Malta bumped the prize-pool guarantee up to €500,000 for 2014.

With the same low €550 buy-in the value is higher then ever and a new, expanded schedule of events takes it one step further.

With celebrity host Maria Ho, pro guests like Andreas Hoivold, Luca Pagano and Paul Jackson and the true feel of a big-tour poker event, the 2014 BOM will be the biggest yet.

2013 BOM champ Louis Cartarius will be back looking for even more value.

Second Chance, High Roller, Deepstack Turbo and More

While the €550 main event is still the centerpiece at the 2014 Battle of Malta players have even more chances at big ROI this time around.

New to the agenda  - by popular demand - are a €3,800+€380 Grandmaster High Roller event and a €300+€30 Deepstack Turbo.

Returning again is the extremely popular €200+€20 Siege of Malta Second Chance tourney.

Satellites for both the Main Event and the High Roller will also be running starting on the Wednesday before Day 1a (Thrusday) of the Main Event.

All events will be hosted at the world-class Portomaso casino in St Julian's with the main event in the spectactular Grand Master Ballroom. A full sellout of 1,400 players is expected.

Check the image below for the full timetable of events. Qualify for the 2014 BOM online here or buy your package directly here!

One more great way to get to the 2014 Battle of Malta is now on the tables at Betsson Poker.

All summer long PokerListings playerscan either freroll or flip their way into a €1,600 Battle of Malta package with no more than 50 raked hands needed to qualify.

Twice-daily freerolls are also running meaning you could end up at the highest-value low buy-in tournament in Europe for $0!

Sign up for a Betsson Poker account via our review page here (in Swedish) to be eligible.

One €1,600 Battle of Malta Package Every Week!

Betsson's Steps tournaments are an unbelievably cheap way to get the 2014 BoM.

With twice daily freerolls "cheap" could even mean for nothing. Win your way up the steps or buy-in three times daily starting at €3.30.

Every Sunday a weekly final will award one €1,600 Battle of Malta package guaranteed. Steps schedule:

Betsson's €1,600 Battle of Malta Package includes:

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Flip 'Em

Every Thursday from July 24- Aug. 28 you can also flip your way to the Battle of Malta in Betsson's Flip Freerolls. Each Flip Freeroll has €2,700 in 201 BoM prizes including a €1,600 package to the winner. Payouts:

To qualify play just 50 Raked Hands 7 days before Freeroll start time. (Note: earn Raked Hands quicker on Betsson's Blaze Poker tables).

More information on the Flip freeroll promotion here. Sign up for a Betsson Poker account via our review page here (in Swedish) to be eligible!

It's hard to burst onto the live poker scene in a bigger way than Spain's Adrián Mateos did last year.

Winning a €1k Estrellas Poker Tour event in Madrid in January for €103,053 would have been an impressive enough debut for any teenager.

But that wasn't enough for Mateos, who went on to bag the biggest title in Europe - the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event - in the Fall for €1,000,000.

Not ony did he win it against some of the toughest competition in the world - Fabrice Soulier, Dominik Nitsche, Ravi Raghavan, Benny Spindler and fellow Spirit of Poker nominee Shannon Shorr were all all that final table - but he did so in impressive fashion, looking calm, confident and aggressive the whole way through.

What could possibly be more inspiring than that kind of win at just 19 years old? The way Mateos handled it and kept on grinding, spreading the game and its joys to more and more people everywhere he went.

PokerListings Spain's Esther Amores caught up with Mateos to find out more about his whirlwind debut season, his optimistic outlook on life and poker and more.

Already won one of the biggest prizes in poker. What next?

PokerListings: What did you think when you found out you were one of the nominees for the PokerListings Rising Star Award?

Adrián Mateos: The first thing was to share the nomination with my parents and we were reading the article.

PL: What do you think about the awards, which not only focus on big scores but on inspiring people to play poker?

AM: Those awards give you recognition, they are very good because is something completely different from the first goal that you have in a tournament: make the most money as possible.

PL: Who do you thinks is the strongest nominee in your category?

AM: I think the strongest is Dominik Panka. He has some amazing performances this year and also he is a very friendly player. I have a good relationship with him.

PL: In your short poker career, you've achieved one of the biggest prizes with the WSOPE Main Event bracelet. Were you confident at the beginning of the tournament that you were going to win or did you have some doubts?

AM: I'm a very optimistic person. Obviously, one of my best thoughts was to win the tournament but I knew that it was something very difficult.

When I was able to cash and I was chip leader I started to think that I could win the bracelet and I could not miss this opportunity.

Next stop: EPT title.

PL: Could your next goal be to become the first Spanish player with an EPT title?

AM: Yes, this is my goal number one although I know it doesn’t depend only on me but I will be more than happy to carry out a “deep run” in an EPT.

I am planning to play all the stops of the EPT in this new season and I am sure that I will have my chance in one of them.

PL: Although you couldn't play the WSOP this year we imagine that you will go to Vegas next year. Are you anxious to play?

AM: Yes, I will celebrate my 21st birthday (July 1) there to play. I really look forward to playing the Main Event because it is annoyance not to be able to play.

I have the talent level and enough bankroll to make something good there but laws are the laws.

PL: At the WSOPE 888poker was your sponsor. Do you have a sponsor now, because it would make sense that more than one room would like to support you?

AM: Actually, I don’t have a sponsor right now. The second question is not for me but for rooms that are interested ;)

PL: Are you the kind of player that invests his winnings on outside projects or keeps them for playing poker?

AM: If I find good business opportunities I don’t think too much and I invest my money, but to play the levels I'm playing I need a lot of this money to play without problems.

Like everything in life, the balance needs to be correct.

PL: With your age we don’t think you could get bored of poker in the short term. Do you see yourself playing at a high level for 10, 20, 30 years? Do you have other plans in case poker changes for you?

2015 WSOP Main Event, watch out.

AM: I see myself playing poker in the short term, at least a few years more, but in the future I don't know. Business always calls my attention. I may focus on the business world if I get bored of playing poker.

PL: While most young people in Spain are studying or trying to work, you've already built a successful career. What are your friends and family telling you?

AM: I've played poker for more than a year but they still remain amazed. It is a world where money is a tool and moves very quickly, and this surprises some people very much.

They are very surprised but they are happy. I was lucky and I found the good side of poker and it is much easier to understand it.  

PL: Our PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards try to find players that inspire new people to play. Do you think you are a good example for future generations?

AM: Yes, I can represent the positives values of poker. I have gotten to be where I am with my work and study and much remains to be done.

PL: In your case, who has inspired you to play poker?

AM: I never have another player as a reference; I don’t like to focus exclusively on someone.

I try to copy and learn from the best players. At the beginning I read everything from all the pros that write in Spanish and, little by little, I built my own style.

The 2014 PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards will be handed out during a live ceremony at the €500,000 Guaranteed Battle of Malta Nov. 6-9. Vote for Mateos and your favorite nominees right here before August 26!

One of poker’s most promising players, Norway's Yngve Steen more than earned his nomination for the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Rising Star Award over the past year.

Steen crushed the Norwegian Championships in Dublin and was named "Player of the Championship" for winning one event and final-tabling two others.

He was so strong, even, that Elisabeth Hille said she hoped to never sit at the same poker table with him again after being destroyed in the final of the heads-up championship.

Not impressive enough? Try a near miss for his first WSOP bracelet last summer (he finished 4th in a $1,500 event) and claiming the overall leaderboard title in the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).

While his accomplishments may have been overlooked by the general poker-playing public, PokerListings Editors noticed his talents repeatedly and he was among the first on our 2014 Rising Star nominee list.

PokerListings Norway's Thomas Hviid reached Steen by email during the WSOP Main Event - where he unsurprisingly also ended up in the money - to find out more about his fantastic year.

PokerListings: You've been nominated for a 2014 PokerListings Spirit of Poker Award. How does it feel?

"I have always just been very fascinated by the game."

Yngve Steen: It is very nice that somebody has noticed my results so it feels very nice!

PL: How do you feel about your experience playing poker over the past year?

YS: 2013 was a very good year for me, live as well as online. 2014 also started really well with a deep run in the PCA Main Event, a title and two final tables at the Norwegian Championships and a couple of final tables at side events at the EPT.

PL: Can you tell us how you started with poker?

YS: I was invited for a 100 NOK poker game by some friends and although I was really bad at it I instantly became fascinated by the game.

Then I started reading poker books and watch poker on TV and then I began to play a lot online.

PL: Is there anything/anyone that's had a lot of influence on your development as a poker player?

YS: No, nobody in particular. I have always just been very fascinated by the game, which has led to reading and watching a lot about poker and thinking about new strategies.

PL: You've had great results both online and live. Which of the two is closest to your heart?

Thor Hansen the definition of Living Legend.

YS: It is very hard to answer, they have each their pros and cons. Online poker is nice because you can play when you want and you don’t have to leave friends and family, but the level is often tougher than playing live.

In live poker you travel around to many places in the world, meet new people and experience some interesting things which you would not have done by just playing online.

But it is very expensive to travel around to the big tournaments so you are under a lot of pressure to deliver results over the short term, which is not so much fun.

PL: Who would you vote for in the other categories of the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards?

YS: In the Living Legend category, without blinking I voted for Thor Hansen. A more Living Legend you won’t get!

For Most Inspiring Player I voted for Shannon Shorr. He is a very nice guy who has delivered stable and good results for about 10 years live and online.

PL: Give us a good reason why people should vote for you.

YS: I have delivered stable and good results both online and live and I am motivated to continue doing it :-)

The 2014 PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards will be handed out during a live ceremony at the €500,000 Guaranteed Battle of Malta Nov. 6-9. Vote for Steen and your favorite nominees right here before August 26!

If there's one player who fits the title of "Most Inspiring Player" in all of its facets, it's French Winamax pro Manuel Bevand.

Endlessly sociable at the tables, renowned for his integrity and fair play and always looking to improve his game, the only thing missing from Bevand's resume is the big win he needs to get the real international recognition he deserves. 

Not that he minds, of course. ManuB just continues along his merry way, sharing his love of poker and maintaining the values that are dear to him.

An early favorite in the voting for our 2014 Most Inspiring Player Award, PokerListings France's Fred Guillemot caught up with Bevand by email for his thoughts on inspiration, dedication and how poker can change the way you think in life.

PokerListings: Manu, you’ve been nominated in the Most Inspiring Player category at the 2014 PokerListings Awards. Is being a role model, through your game and behavior, one of your goals both as an individual player and a member of Team Winamax?

Manuel Bevand: I don’t think “being a role model” can really be a goal per se. It’s not something you decide, you just become one when you’re honest and genuine.

Grateful to the poker community for the chance to live his dream.

PL: What do you think makes you such a well-liked player and one of the most popular French players?

MB: I think that’s a question maybe for the people who like me, but I think it’s mostly because I’m still very approachable and I always try to be available for poker fans.

I just feel that I owe it to the poker community as a whole, and more particularly to the Club Poker community, because they’ve always supported me and thanks to them I was able to fulfill my dream and play live tournaments.

I am so grateful for that and I’ll never forget it.

PL: During the episode of the Winamax series “Dans la tête d’un pro” (Inside a pro’s mind) in which you were featured, we could see that discussion and self-analysis were very important to you. However, don’t you sometimes find it exhausting to always strive for perfection?

MB: Striving for perfection is hard, and endless, because perfection doesn’t exist. But as we always say, it’s the journey that matters, not the destination.

PL: In poker, one never stops learning. Do you think that this is one of the best parts of the game and is that the reason so many people are passionate about it?

MB: I think that the worst mistake you can make in poker - and in life in general - is thinking that you understand it all.

You have to find the right balance and be confident without becoming over-confident. It’s a big difference from some sportsmen who don’t hesitate to claim that they’re the best in the world (and regularly prove it).

The worst mistake you can make in poker is thinking you understand it all.

Also, there’s a significant difference between saying “I’m the best” and “My game is perfect." In poker, saying you’re the best just means you play slightly less badly than everyone else.

PL: Like a lot of other talented poker players, you’re a former - very successful - Magic: the Gathering player. Do you play Hearthstone or other card games? Do you think that these games are more or less fulfilling than poker in the long term?

MB: Magic is an exceptionally complex and tactically rich game. It also requires a lot of creativity.

I enjoy playing Magic much more than poker, but it’s almost impossible to make a living playing Magic.

I do not play Hearthstone. I gave it a try but it felt like a simplified version of Magic. I have to say I have neither the time nor the energy to dig deeper and see if I’m wrong.

PL: You started playing poker in 2005. What’s the most precious thing poker has brought you, on a personal level?

MB: Poker has changed the way I think in life. I’m less naive than I used to be and I’ve become more logical and pragmatic when I have to make a decision.

In some ways, it has revealed my true personality, both in its noble and weaker aspects. I also understand people better than before. And of course I’ve met a lot of incredible people! 

PL: I know that personal and spiritual development are very important to you. What are the books that have changed your outlook on life?

MB: What Makes You Not a Buddhist, by Dzongsar Jamyang. This is a great introduction to Buddhism for Westerners.

The Fabric of Reality, by David Deutsch. This is a very difficult but fascinating book about the nature of the universe and the epistemic reflection.

Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand. This character represents the moral ideal I’m striving for.

"Poker has changed the way I think in life."

PL: What do you think poker’s biggest stars still lack to really fulfill their role in the poker community?

MB: I think that poker players - especially those who benefited from the poker boom in the 2000s - owe it to their fans to spend some time with them.

Other than that, I’m a big admirer of the charity work that players like Igor Kurganov and Philipp Gruissem accomplish.

PL: Recently, Daniel Colman caused quite a stir when he refused to give the winner’s interview after his win in the Big One for One Drop. He was also very critical of poker in general. What do you make of that?

MB: I do understand his point of view, but the way he expressed it was wrong. He had the perfect opportunity to express his opinion.

PL: Do you personally feel that it is sometimes difficult to reconcile your personal beliefs and the promotion of poker?

MB: Yes, especially when you’re face to face with people who are losing but won’t do what it takes to win. Personally, I think we should tell the truth about poker and not promote it blindly.

Inspiration for Bevand comes from players like Davidi Kitai and Phil Gruissem.

PL: Who are the players that inspire you the most?

MB: Davidi Kitai is my role model as a competitor. He is a great person and a champion.

I also really like Daniel Negreanu, who’s a perfect ambassador for poker and one of the only “old school” players who’s always questioning himself.

As far as French players are concerned, I admire people like Nicolas Levi and Pedro Canali who manage to remain humane while playing poker.

PL: Who would you vote for in each of the categories of the 2014 PokerListings Awards?

MB: Philipp Gruissem (for his charity work), Adrian Mateos (I played with him for an hour and I was VERY impressed) and Roger Hairabedian (one hell of a character!).

PL: It’s hard to give short advice, but if you had one thing to say to the players who are reading this, what would it be?

MB: I think I’ll let Bobby McFerrin do the talking:

"In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy... "

Voting is open in the 2014 PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards until August 26. Vote for Manuel and see our full list of nominees right here!

The 2014 Spirit of Poker Awards will be handed out during a live ceremony at the 2014 Battle of Malta Nov 6-9. Join us there!

PokerListings’ premier €500k-GTD Battle of Malta only costs €550 to buy into but how much better would it be to pay nothing at all?

That’s what Betsafe and Betsson are potentially offering in their exclusive “Flip” freerolls this Thursday (and every Thursday until Aug. 28).

To enter you simply have to play 50 raked hands seven days prior to the freeroll start time.

Once you’re in the Flip freeroll you just kick back and watch as every player is all-in on every hand. You don’t even have to be logged in to play, just registered.

If the cards go the right way you’ll walk away with a €1,600 package to sunny Malta this November.

The package includes four nights accommodation at the 5-Star Hilton Malta, €550 Main Event buy-in, €300 in spending cash, daily breakfast/buffet and tickets to two VIP parties.

Full details on our 2014 Battle of Malta qualifiers page right here.

$2,200 Package Every Sunday on 888poker

The Kipster is coming!

The Battle of Malta, which takes place Nov. 6-9 this year, is the top small buy-in, big prizepool guarantee VIP-style event in Europe.

Maria Ho, Andreas Hoivold, Paul Jackson and Luca Pagano are among the pros confirmed to play the tournament this year.

Danish pro Jesper 'Kipster' Hougaard is the latest pro to announce his intentions to play. Hougaard is best-known for his WSOPE bracelet he won in PLO in London in 2008.

While there will be some pros in attendance there will also be plenty of amateurs looking to bask in the Maltese sun while getting in a little poker action.

Nearly 1,400 players are expected to play this year’s event, hosted at the world-class Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s.

888poker also runs daily steps qualifiers for the Sunday BOM qualifier running all summer. The 888poker BOM steps program starts at just 1c for Step 1.

Each weekly winner of the 888 BOM qualifier receives a $2,200 package that includes a $300 flight credit.

For more information go to our Battle of Malta qualifiers page. If you fail to win a package you can also just buy-in directly for €550 on the Battle of Malta homepage at any time.

For the next three weeks, one photo could win you a package to the 2014 PokerListings Battle of Malta including main event buy-in and five-star hotel accommodations.

To enter the Battle of Malta Photo Competition just print out the flyer below and take a photo with the flyer visible. Then share the photo on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #BattleofMalta and #poker.

You must also email the photo directly to bomcomp@pokerlistings.com.

Whoever comes up with the most creative, popular photo will win a 2014 Battle of Malta package valued at €1,395.

“There's not too many chances to win a €1,395 package just by snapping one photo so we're excited to see what kind of creative ideas our readers come up with to win it,” said PokerListings editor in chief Matt Showell.

Submissions will be accepted until the end of the day August 21, 2014. PokerListings will then select the 20 best photos and post them for open online voting to determine the winner.

Whether the photo's taken at your home game, local casino or the top of the nearest mountain, points will be given for style, originality, location and concept.

Strong technical execution will certainly count in your favor but a really clever or funny idea won't be discounted just because it was shot on a mobile phone.

Download and Print the Battle of Malta Flyer

Click the images below or use the links to download the 2014 Battle of Malta flyer and then print them out so you can include them in your photo submission.

Battle of Malta Flyer #1

Battle of Malta Flyer #2

Seats are filling up fast for the 2014 PokerListings Battle of Malta and one of those seats now belongs to Spanish Team PokerStars Pro Leo Margets.

The 2009 WSOP Main Event “last woman standing” confirmed that she will be competing at the third-annual Battle of Malta and taking a shot at part of the guaranteed €500,000 prize pool.

“I'm looking forward to playing the Battle of Malta! I have considered it since the first edition and finally this year I could fit it into my schedule!” said Margets.

“I don't know Malta yet but I don't have plans to be a tourist,” she added. “The Battle of Malta is a great tournament and I hope to be very busy at the tables!”

Margets joins big-name players like new host Maria Ho, EPT champ Andreas Høivold, Paul Jackson, Sofia Lövgren, Jesper Hougaard and more.

This year's Battle of Malta features a massive main event that promises to be the biggest poker tournament in Malta's history, bigger and better parties and brand-new €4,180 High Roller and €300 Deepstack Turbo events.

Buy a full package incluidng hotel and buy-in right here and see the full calendar of events here.

Scott Absent but Høivold, Lövgren Return

2014 will be the first year since the Battle of Malta's inception in 2012 PartyPoker pro Kara Scott won't be playing/hosting.

This year the Battle of Malta coincides with the WSOP November Nine final table in Las Vegas, an event Scott has hosted since 2011.

“I love Malta for one and it's such a cool tournament with a great buy-in level and tons of interesting pros, so I'm really going to be sad to miss it,” Scott told PokerListings.

Andreas Høivold finished 30th last year and will be back in 2014 to go even deeper.

“One of the things I loved about the Battle of Malta is that people can get a real destination tournament experience and it's not going to take a huge hit out of their pocketbook,” she added.

Although Scott won't be at the event this year lots of big names who have played in the past will be returning for another shot at the BOM trophy.

“For me the Battle of Malta was really fun,” said former EPT champ Andreas Høivold, who finished 30th in the BOM main event last year.

“The poker was good but the times away from the table were a lot, a lot of fun. There were a ridiculous amount of parties."

Sofia Lövgren is another Scandinavian poker pro who will be playing the Battle of Malta again this November.

Lövgren is nominated for a PokerListings Spirit of Poker Award again this year in the Rising Star category. She was also nominated last year but lost out to boyfriend Luca Moschitta.

Head to the 2014 PokerListings Battle of Malta page for more information on how to qualify. Watch the video below:

2014 Battle of Malta: Europe's Hottest Low Buy-In Poker Event

This month PokerListings.com is running an epic contest where the winner will walk away with a €1,395 package to the €500k-GTD Battle of Malta.

All you have to do to enter is answer one simple question: Who won the Battle of Malta in 2013?

If you answer correctly you’ll be entered into a draw for a BOM package that’s valued at €1.3k and includes accommodations, meals, €550 buy-in and entrance to two VIP parties.

If that sounds easy enough to you just head over to our Competition of the Month page to enter.

Qualifiers Continue on Betsson, 888poker

Who will win the Battle of Malta this year?

If you miss out on our Competition of the Month draw than make sure you play a few qualifiers on 888poker, Betsson or Betsafe.

888poker is running a popular steps program that starts at just 1c but eventually leads to a weekly BOM qualifier that runs every Sunday.

Each weekly winner receives a BOM package that’s worth $2.2k and includes a flight credit worth $300.

Meanwhile Betsson and Betsafe are both running Flip freerolls where a player can win a seat to the 2014 Battle of Malta without even playing.

You simply have to play 50 raked hands in the week prior to the Thursday flip freeroll to qualify.

Betsson is also running steps satellites that start at $0 and work their way up to €175 where the winner wins a BOM package.

The Battle of Malta is the premier low buy-in, high-value poker event in Europe. Taking place from Nov. 6-9 this year's edition offers a €500,000 guaranteed prizepool.

To learn more head over to the Battle of Malta homepage.