No matter how often people say poker is now "unbeatable," every year several young players emerge who literally crush the tournament scene.

Joe Hachem was clearly wrong when he said “poker is dying" and Jonathan Little very right when he said that when everyone’s getting better, you just have to stay ahead of the pack.

Amazingly there are young players all over the world who not only stay ahead but come from nowhere to bypass almost everyone.

The PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards were designed to highlight these outstanding up-and-comers and our 2015 Rising Star category is filled with eight players who captured poker's imagination on and off the felt over the last 12 months.

Now it's up to you to pick whomever you think deserves the final reward for those efforts. Read on for more on our nominees and then vote here to show your appreciation.

Dzmitry Urbanovich

Age: 19

Country: Belarus/Poland

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 23/0

The only reason why Urbanovich, who was born in Belarus but lives in Poland, didn't cash in the WSOP this year is because he’s still too young to play in it.

What an incredible year for the shooting star! He had a couple of cashes in the second half of 2014 -- even winning a side event at the PCA -- but then something happened and his results went through the roof.

He came to the first EPT Malta and straight out won the €25k High Roller event. He then finished 8th, 1st, 1st, 2nd and 1st within the next eight days, skyrocketing him to the top of both the Polish GPI and the GPI POY race.

That was the first time a player won four tournaments at one EPT. Urbanovich then went on to play the EPT Grand Final, where he came second in the €100k Super High Roller, cashed in the main event and then finished off with a third place in the €10k turbo.

If Dominik Panka put Poland on the map with his success last year Urbanovich took off running with the torch, showing just how much poker potential there is in Eastern Europe.

Adrian Mateos

Age: 21

Country: Spain

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 14/1

The short career of the young London resident from Madrid is nothing but staggering.

Second-youngest player to win the WSOP Europe Main Event. One of the youngest to win an EPT Main Event. First Spanish player to win an EPT Main Event - and it was the Grand Final at that.

Youngest Spanish player to hit the top spot of Spain's Global Poker Index rankings. Highest-ranking Spanish player in the GPI. All before he was even allowed to enter a casino in the United States.

Maybe even more impressively with such an awe-inspiring resume – the young superstar with the most humble attitude.

While an increasing number of young players seem to have lost the capability to speak in anything but poker lingo, with Mateos it’s still about fulfilling dreams and doing things he couldn’t have done without poker.

He just turned 21 on July 1 and made the money at the WSOP Main Event on his first attempt. It seems there are no more limits to what Mateos can do.

Fedor Holz

Age: 21

Country: Germany

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 19/4

The shooting star from Germany has been crushing both live and online poker rooms in the last 12 months. In August 2014 Holz was ranked no. 1849 in the GlobalPokerIndex. In July 2015, he now no. 38.

Holz had played live before but after he won a €2k side event at EPT Barcelona he went into God mode. He cashed in the main and the High Roller and then went home to play the WCOOP.

As if he’d known, he said in a only hours before the WCOOP main event that he felt like he has a great edge and that he was optimistic about reaching his goal to win a million before turning 22.

It took him only 48 hours to win the tournament and $1.3m. Back on the road Holz went on to win an MPS event in November and final tabled an EPT main, €50k High Roller and a €100k Super High Roller event.

This summer was the first time Holz was allowed to play at the WSOP. He came third in the $10k NLHE 6-max Championship and reached Day 7 of the WSOP main event, ultimately finishing 25th.

Apart from all that Holz is a frequent and passionate traveler, reader and podcaster. He’s accessible and socially active and he’s happy to share his experiences. Holz had a long way to the top but got there through hard work and studies and there’s no one questioning he deserves his success.

Charlie Carrel

Age: 21

Country: Great Britain

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 11/2

What Urbanovich is for Poland, Holz is for Germany and Mateos is for Spain, Charles Carrel is for England.

Carrel went from cashing in an EPT side event in San Remo to winning the €25k High Roller event of the EPT Grand Final for €1.1 million in 13 months.

In between Carrel won a GUKPT main event and final tabled the €10k High Roller Event in Malta. He also managed to turn a $15 deposit into half a million dollars playing online poker.

Maybe falling victim to an online hack was what made him really famous, though, when last January a railbird managed to log into his team viewer account and transferred $1,000 to himself live on Twitch while Carrel was in the bathroom.

His unrelenting spirit in the face of poker travails both good and bad  - plus his psychedelic hoodies - make Carrel a memorable addition to the poker world.

Sabina Hiatullah

Age: 28

Country: Germany/Italy

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP:12/1

German-Italian player Sabina Hiatullah is  on the verge of a serious breakthrough at the international poker tables. Having scored several final tables at open events on the EPT, IPT and Eureka Poker Tour plus cashes at the FPS and the CPT in St. Maarten, it’s only a matter of time until she takes one down.

Having said that Hiatullah did "win" the now-infamous Ladies event at the final EPT in Deauville, losing the heads-up to a male player after which she was presented with the trophy.

That tournament re-sparked the discussion of how to keep men from joining Ladies events. Not that it bothered her, really, as she couldn’t find any good players among those men.

Hiatullah has also shown her skill on TV, coming out victorious in the second season the Italian version of House of Poker.

Akira Ohyama

Age: N/A

Country: Japan

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 2/0

With more than 4 billion inhabitants it’s pretty obvious Asia is the future of online poker. It's a pretty safe bet Akira @ClutchHero Ohyama will be remembered as one of the players that spearheaded the development.

888poker realized it first and signed Ohyama as one of its team pros. He’s been out and around at many of the largest tournaments in Asia – like the APPT, APT, the Macau Poker Cup etc - but he learned the game when he studied at William and Mary in the US.

He learned quickly because his first entry in the Hendonmob database is a WSOP Circuit tournament win in Atlantic City for $29,843.

Ohyama is more of an online player, though, and he’s won almost $2m. His results keep on coming on both platforms; just the other day he came second in “The Whale," one of the majors on 888poker.

In his homeland he tops the rankings of online players; worldwide he’s already one of the top 400 players according to pocketfives.com. That’s good enough to become one of the coaches at Runitonce.com - the marquee poker coaching site online.

Pablo Gordillo

Country: Spain

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 3/0

Gordillo is a silent assassin with lethal efficiency. Of his six entries in the Hendonmob, four are final tables.

In 2014 he was close to snatching away the first Spanish EPT title from Adrian Mateos when he came 4th in Vienna.

But Gordillo really hit his stride earlier this year when he chose to play a couple of online tournaments on PokerStars on a Sunday afternoon.

As it turned out he went on to win the Sunday Kick-off, the Sunday Storm and the Bigger $55 all in one session, beating out around 45,000 players in the process.

It's an accomplishment not likely to be matched anytime soon.

Claudico

Claudico's on the left

Age: 1

Country: United States

Cashes last 12 months/at 2015 WSOP: 0/0

The most controversial candidate of the 70+ nominees we’ve had at the Spirit of Poker Awards is Claudico, the most sophisticated No-Limit Hold'em AI ever created.

In today’s poker world the question isn’t any more of "if" there are bots or not. There are, and they're improving. Quickly.

Claudico proved just how high the bar has already been set when it played heads-up superstars Doug Polk, Dong Kim, Jason Les and Bjorn Li to a virtual standstill.

Les has even said it will likely beat the best human pros in less than five years, which is both a daunting  - and inspiring - thought.

For now Claudico has the edge over all other poker software programs but the most amazing thing about it is actually what it might become beyond poker.

Its ultimate purpose - decision-making with incomplete information to be used in fields as critical as medicine and security - couldn't be more fitting of a poker award.

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Made up your mind? Head to our voting page to vote for your favorite!

They might not always stand in the lamplight of the highest-stakes games or the biggest tournaments.

Or, like in the case of Erik Seidel, they may still.

But without these players there wouldn’t be a World Poker Tour. Or a Bobby’s Room. Or even, maybe, a World Series of Poker.

If you think poker is a young man’s game consider this: There were almost 4,200 players in this year’s WSOP Seniors Championship. And with Neil Blumenfield and Pierre Neuville there are also two players over 60 in the November Nine.

if you get the chance to play in an international poker tournament, speak to the seniors; they're usually the most fun to talk to. And boy do they have stories to tell.

PokerListings created the Living Legend Award back in 2012 to recognize the contributions of players over the age of 50 who made the game of poker what it is. Who laid the foundation for what poker could and can still become.

Past winners Neuville and Thor Hansen give way to a new winner in 2015 that's among the following eight names. Whom do you think deserves it the most? Vote and let us know right now!

Konstantin Puchkov

Age: 63

Country: Russia

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 14/4

You know how people travel less when they get older? Not Konstantin Puchkov. Puchkov appears at so many poker tournaments around the world you start to wonder if he has a twin brother.

From Russia through most of the European countries across the Atlantic to Las Vegas, Puchkov’s been there. And he's cashed. Over and over again.

In 2012 Puchkov had a record 11 in-the-money finishes at the WSOP. Last year he made the last three tables at the Battle of Malta, eventually finishing 21st.

Puchkov’s passion also shows in his second-favorite hobby – breeding horses. In an interview last year Puchkov told us that when he started he gave all the foals poker names like “Freeroll," “Full House” and even “Full Tilt Poker."

Nominated each year for this award count on Puchkov making it for many years to come if he doesn’t win this year. Or, likely, even if he does.

Dan Heimiller

Age: 53

Country: US

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 26/5

Dan Heimiller has seen some bad times. Especially early in his career. When he finally saw some success he decided to take the liberty of making the move to full-time poker.

That was roughly 25 years ago. He now has $5.4 million in live cashes including a victory at the WSOP Seniors event last year.

Heimiller has seen it all, played it all, and every second of his sentences will make likely make you laugh.

With 266 live cashes Heimiller has become pretty much the Bob Dylan of poker, if you consider that Dylan’s “Never Ending Tour” began in 1988, only three years before Heimiller started out.

We stopped counting his cashes for 2015 after the WSOP finished but you can count on him cashing at least twice since you started reading this article.

Barry Greenstein

Age: 60

Country: US

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 0/0

Although Greenstein hasn’t made any big appearances on the live stage in the last 12 months he’s certainly a hallmark of poker both pre- and post-Moneymaker.

Aptly named the “Robin Hood of Poker” for giving all his winnings to charity he was one of the most prominent members of Team PokerStars. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who has promoted the game more than he has.

Greenstein was a fixture on all the major poker shows, playing the highest stakes and being involved in one of the biggest pots ever played on TV when he lost a seven-figure pot to Tom Dwan.

Showing he hasn't lost his love of the game at all he's also still active at the highest stakes of play-money poker where he's perpetually interacting with fans and celebrating the game of poker.

He's also won the Sunday Billion, PokerStars' marquee play-money tournament, twice. Greenstein has three bracelets, triumphed at the WPT and amassed more than $8m in tournament winnings and is the author of the modern poker classic, Ace on the River.

James Woods

Age: 68

Country: US

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 6/2

He’s known mostly for his Hollywood career but his poker results go back to 2004 - at least officially. He's also one of the most passionate, enthusiastic players we’ve ever met.

This summer he made his first WSOP final table. Impressively it was in a No-Limit Hold'em shootout event, meaning he beat two tables of world-class professionals.

Despite his age Woods is a fan of the new generation of online poker players and he still sees himself as a student of the game.

He’s also a role model for amateur players with the way he sees the game, saying that he’s “more motivated than ever," enjoys the game while still taking it seriously and revels in the idea that everyone can win.

“I hope what I do for the game is that I make it appealing to people that the game needs,” he told us this summer. Mission accomplished.

Humberto Brenes

Age: 64

Country: Costa Rica

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 2/0

It’s no exaggeration to say that Humberto Brenes brought poker to Latin America.

When he won the only $10k event outside the WSOP in Tunica in 2002, one year before the boom, poker was so rare on Costa Rican TV that whenever the finale was shown again people thought Brenes had won yet another tournament.

Brenes is humble enough to say he’s not the best player in the world and he’s never had the ambition to be a superstar. But he’s definitely proud of his significance for the poker world, and rightly so.

For eight years he was a member of Team PokerStars Pro and his winnings surpass the $6m mark.

Brenes has already been nominated for the Poker Hall of Fame but hasn’t been inducted yet. It should be only a matter of time.

Jackie Cachia 

Age: N/A

Country: Malta

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 2/0

Jackie Cachia is living proof that it’s never too late to learn to play poker.

She started playing at a relatively late stage in her life but once she did she quickly became a regular at her local casino, the Portomaso in St. Julian’s.

Now Jackie has cashes at WPT and IPT events, the Battle of Malta and the Irish Open. Her biggest result was a third place in one of the tournaments of the Extravaganza series at The Palazzo in Las Vegas.

In Malta Jackie is a local hero and if you get yourself a ticket to this year’s BOM, chances are you’re going to meet her. You won't be disappointed.

Padraig Parkinson

Age: 54

Country: Ireland

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 2/0

One of the wittiest, most original ambassadors of European poker Parkinson is a well of stories and a genuine representative of Irish Poker.

Parkinson was there when Chip Reese, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, Amarillo Slim and Puggy Pearson first came to Europe and played in the Irish Open, the oldest poker tournament on the continent.

In return Parkinson frequently visited the WSOP and came third in the 1999 Main Event when his fellow countryman Noel Furlong won it.

For decades Parkinson has promoted poker as a grassroots movement, a game that is there for everyone and not just the superstars. He also does spectacular work as a poker commentator and engages in charity work for homeless people.

All that and a sense of humor, too? We should all be so lucky.

Erik Seidel

Age: 55

Country: US

Cashes last 12 months/2015 WSOP: 12/4

At age 55 Seidel doesn’t seem to have peaked at all. In fact it looks much more like he's he's only just reaching his stride.

239 cashes (He'll probably reach 250 before the BOM starts), total earnings of over $25 million (#3 all-time) and a #6 ranking in the GPI popularity index -- all just a fraction of what makes Seidel so great.

For eight weeks the unassuming Seidel quietly made it to the top spot of the GPI ranking. With eight bracelets, he’s also the sixth most successful WSOP player of all time.

Seidel was raised in New York and he’s a big fan of jazz music and theater. He also used to be a top-class Backgammon player.

If you're not a big poker fan and wondering where you recognize him from, he made the heads-up of his first WSOP main event in 1988 and lost to Johnny Chan. The last hand has become a legend since it was featured in Rounders.

This November the Battle of Malta is back for its fourth year and according to BOM Host Maria Ho, you definitely don't want to miss it.

BOM 2015 is absolutely stacked with action including the €550 buy-in, €500,000 guaranteed Main Event, a huge schedule of side events and tons of parties to keep you busy when you're not playing poker.

Last year Maria Ho took over the role of BOM host from Kara Scott and this year she's ready to take on the biggest Battle of Malta yet.

“I had high expectations coming into the Battle of Malta and it definitely exceeded all my expectations and then some,” said Ho.

“It was a blast from start to finish.”

In 2014 the Battle of Malta set the record for the biggest poker tournament ever held in Malta with 1,447 entries. It also won the European Poker Award for Best New Low Buy-In Tournament.

This year a third Day 1 flight has been added which means the field could be even bigger.

Battle of Malta About More than Poker

Maria said that although the poker action was a big part of the trip, a lot of her Battle of Malta highlights came away from the table.

A few of her standouts included the parties, the friendly vibe and the beautiful location.

“I think it's appealing to be playing for a substantial amount of money but also when you get a bad beat people were laughing about it instead of getting mad and that was the general vibe.”

Play poker on the Mediterranean this fall.

“For a lot of people it was their first time in Malta even though there were a lot of Europeans there and they all had amazing things to say.

“There's so much to do and see and it's all in a pretty concentrated area so you can go outside of the hotel and see the sights and walk around and go out to a nice dinner but it doesn't take that long and you don't have to go too far.

“The Battle of Malta definitely had everything you want in a poker tournament.”

Check out the new video with Maria Ho below to hear more about why the Battle of Malta is Europe's hottest low buy-in poker tournament.

Click here to buy a Battle of Malta package now.

For three straight years PokerListings has been awarding special prizes to sometimes unheralded poker players for their outstanding passion for the game as part of our Spirit of Poker Awards.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of at least one of our former winners as Pierre Neuville become the first Spirit of Poker winner to make the celebrated November Nine this summer.

The idea behind the Spirit of Poker Awards was to show that the media acknowledges and appreciates when players display an enthusiasm and passion for poker.

The awards highlight the performances and achievements of players who don’t necessarily stand in the spotlight all the time.

Kihara, Neuville, Hansen Among Past Winners

Naoya Kihara

Take Naoya Kihara for example. Kihara is still relatively unknown in Europe, but he’s the first Japanese player ever to win a WSOP bracelet –- Takahiro Nakai became the second one this summer –- and he’s a spearhead for the promotion of poker in the far East.

Since he won the PL Award for being the Most Inspiring Player of the Year, Kihara has made it to #1 on the Japanese GPI, joined team PokerStars and past the $1 million mark in winnings while traveling around the globe.

Or how about Thor Hansen, our winner of the Living Legends segment last year. The Norwegian poker icon has been living as a Las Vegas poker pro decades before something like online poker was even invented.

Hansen played with all the mobsters who used to rule in Vegas, he was staked by Hustler owner Larry Flynt, and he won his first bracelet in 1988, when Chris Moneymaker was twelve years old.

When he married Poker Hall of Fame member Eric Drache was his best man and the Norwegians proudly call Hansen their “Godfather”.

He faced the worst diagnosis you can receive from a doctor in 2012 and he was told he had but a few months left. So Thor adapted.

He went back to Norway to get treatment, and he refused to give up. He started playing online and won a SCOOP event. He went back to Vegas this year and cashed five times.

If that’s not an inspirational story in poker than what is?

All Ages Represented in the Spirit of Poker Awards

Dominik Panka

On the other end of the scale, nobody had ever heard of Dominik Panka before January 2014. Then he won the PCA main event and the high roller event in Deauville before the month ended.

Panka represents a new generation of young players who combine great poker skills with a humble attitude and a desire to achieve more in life than just tournament results.

After being named the Rising Star of the Year at the Battle of Malta, 2014, Panka confirmed his skills when he returned to Malta a few months later and came third at the EPT main event.

Luca Moschitta, who was our first Rising Star, has had 17 international cashes since late 2013, and he’s established himself as a team pro for PlanetWin365.

Shannon Shorr has been inspiring poker players for many years. A professional in the truest sense of the word Shorr is on his own regarding finances and organization with no safety net in form of a sponsoring contract.

In his blog, he talks about his journey through life and the world and gives insights into his personal thoughts that everybody can relate to.

Neuville Still Burning Bright

Pierre Neuville at the WSOP

Finally Pierre Neuville was the first player to win the Living Legend Award in 2013 thanks to his extreme passion for poker and the fact he qualified for 21 EPT Main Events in a row and finished runner-up twice.

Since then, Pierre has made the money in 35 tournaments, and 2015 is without a doubt going to be the biggest year of his life, because he has a seat at the biggest table of all: The 2015 WSOP November Nine.

He’s also guaranteed a little over one million in prize money already in the WSOP main event, so this year is also the one where he’s going to have his largest score ever.

Do you agree with our nominations for the most promising Rising Star, the Most Inspiring player of the year, and best player over 50 this year?

Go to our PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards 2015 page and place your own vote. The Awards Ceremony is going to take place during the Battle of Malta in November.

Past Winners

Rising Stars – Luca Moschitta (2013), Dominik Panka (2014)
Most Inspiring Player of the Year – Naoya Kihara (2013), Shannon Shorr (2014)
Living Legends – Pierre Neuville (2013), Thor Hansen (2014)

Poker and Karaoke.

That may be the first time those two words have been used in a sentence (OK, maybe not) but that’s what’s about to go down at the 2015 Battle of Malta.

This year one lucky winner will travel to Malta with a VIP player package for the 2015 BOM AND get a free night out on the town with Maria Ho and the PokerListings gang to sing karaoke.

And yes ... that means we’ll listen to you belt out every last word of Living on a Prayer if you so choose.

Post Your Best Karaoke Clip

Entering the contest is as simple as posting your best video/photo/GIF over social media with the hashtag: #battleofmalta.

Mic is yours.

Full contest rules:

1) Please like our Battle of Malta Facebook page.

2) Share a GIF/Video/Photo in our timeline with the hashtag #battleofmalta.

3) Contest results will be published after contest closes (Oct. 25) and you'll be notified if you win.

As for your submission, the possibilities are endless. Do any song you want.

Make your video at home, at your favorite pub or in a stadium.

It can be ANY kind of karaoke situation with you and/or your friends (although only one person wins a ticket to BOM).

Once-in-a-Lifetime Package!

A PokerListings panel will pick the eventual winner and he or she will get a comprehensive package that includes:

Maria can jam.

Contest is open from Sept. 1-Oct. 25. The 2015 Battle of Malta takes place Nov. 4-9, 2015. Karaoke night is Tuesday, November 3.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!

We’ll also let you in on one secret: You better bring your A-game because Maria Ho is almost as good at karaoke as she is at poker. And the PokerListings staff is training at their favorite local pub every Friday after work.

Note: Terms and Conditions apply. Package can be transferred but it is not exchangeable at PokerListings for currency.

For the third consecutive year three inspiring poker players will be crowned Spirit of Poker Award winners at the PokerListings Battle of Malta.

Voting for the awards has been open for several weeks now and participation has been bigger than ever before.

Thousands of readers from across Europe, North America and the world have cast their votes in three categories - Most Inspiring Player, Rising Star and Living Legend -  and a few favorites have emerged.

Just three weeks remain for you to help select which players will make the final shortlists of three to be voted on by the PokerListing panel.

Here are the categories, nominees and current standings as we head towards the voting deadline:

Filatov, Agarwal, Somerville Inspiring Voters

In our marquee category, Most Inspiring Player, Russian young gun Anatoly Filatov has jumped to the lead at the moment with a large outpouring of local votes.

Everybody loves Jay.

Close behind Filatov in second and third are Aditya Agarwal from India and PokerStars/Twitch star Jason Somerville.

Reigning WSOP champ Martin Jacobson is still in good shape in fourth place but Davidi Kitai, Max Pescatori, Leo Margets and Dominik Nitsche will need a late rush of votes to catch the top three.

Have any of our nominees inspired you to pick up the game or kept your spirits high over the past 12 months?

Help recognize their efforts and vote on our Most Inspiring Player page.

Shark Fans Stay True

Vote totals are extremely close in our Living Legends category where we honor players who’ve been at the tables for decades but still more than hold their ground against today's rising stars.

Still first in fans' hearts.

The eight nominees in this category are Humberto Brenes, Jackie Cachia, James Woods, Barry Greenstein, Dan Heimiller, Padraig Parkinson, Konstantin Puchkov and Erik Seidel.

As you might expect high-stakes legend Seidel is ensconced in the top three but the two nominees with the most votes right now are Costa Rican groundbreaker Humberto “The Chark” Brenes and local hero Jackie “Pokermama” Cachia from Malta.

At the moment it’s a dead heat between the two so every vote counts. Seidel isn’t far behind so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he overcame the gap quickly.

Who do you think is the most impressive player over 50 over the past 12 months? Click through to the Living Legend voting page to have your say.

Carrel, Urbanovich and Holz Fans Rise to Occasion

The category that draws the most attention from our readers is our Rising Star award for emerging young players who very effectively dispute the idea that poker can’t be beat anymore.

Charlie Carrel: Can't-miss kid.

This year it’s an all European group if you disregard the odd one out in this category, Claudico – a poker-playing program devised at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

At this stage, though, it doesn't look like Claudico is going to win. Usually we wouldn’t disclose who’s last but it’s become apparent that nobody wants a poker program to be awarded a prize.

Instead the race is on between Charlie Carrel, Dzmitry Urbanovich and Fedor Holz although all the other players – Pablo Gordillo, Sabina Hiatullah, Adrian Mateos and Akira Ohyama (in alphabetical order) - are within striking distance.

Read more about the impressive candidates and vote on our Rising Stars page here.

Get Your Votes in Before September 13!

This year’s voting for the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards will close on September 13 at 12 PM CET. When time is up the PokerListings jury will then deliberate and select the winners from the top three votegetters in each category.

Best low buy-in tourney, bar none.

The winners are invited to the official Spirit of Poker Awards ceremony at the 2015 Battle of Malta where, if you're in the field, you’ll have the chance to play against them.

The 2015 Battle of Malta runs Nov. 4-9 with the €550 NLHE main event guaranteeing a €500,000 prize pool. Last year the tournament smashed the guarantee with 1,447 entries and an over €700,000 prize pool.

That made the Battle of Malta the largest standalone tournament in Europe for 2014 which contributed to it being named “Europe’s best low buy-in tournament” at the European Poker Awards.

Join us this year by qualifying online, buying a VIP package or winning a free VIP package in our Karaoke clip contest!

If you’re looking to win a 2015 Battle of Malta package on Betsafe, NordicBet or Betsson Poker this weekend, your odds just got a bit better.

The number of guaranteed satellite tickets is going up across the board in the daily BOM satellites starting tomorrow, Sept. 3, and running straight through until Sunday. 

Satellites will run on all three sites and will be boosted by Daily Flip Finals that feed directly into a 20-seat guaranteed BOM Daily Final.

At least 220 players will reap the benefits of the beefed-up BOM satellites this weekend via tickets into the next level qualifier.

Five Premium €1,550 BOM Packages at End of Rainbow

Action starts with the 100-seat Guaranteed BOM freeroll tomorrow at 22:30 CET (4:30 pm ET).

Don't miss out on low buy-in event of the year.

Schedule below:

September 3 22:30 CET – 100 SEATS GTD BOM Freeroll – 100 players will win a seat to the 100 SEAT GTD BOM Level 1 tournament on September 4 at 21:30 CET

September 4 21:30 CET – 100 SEATS GTD BOM Level 1 €3.30 Buy-In – 100 Seats GTD to the BOM Daily final on September 5 at 20:00 CET

September 5 20:00 CET – 20 SEATS GTD BOM Daily Final €27 Buy-In  - 20 Seats GTD to the BOM Weekly final on September 6 at 20:00 CET

September 6 20:00 CET – 5 PACKAGES GTD BOM WEEKLY FINAL €165 Buy-In – 5 x €1,550 Packages GTD to BOM

BOM Daily Final Flips - Between 18:45 CET – 19:45 CET on September 5 there will be €3.30 Flip Tournaments feeding directly into the 20 SEAT GTD BOM Daily Final.

Premium Battle of Malta Packages Include:

Up to 2,000 players are expected at the 2015 Battle of Malta with last year's prize pool of over 700,000 again a very real possibility. More on info on satellite qualifiers, packages and live satellites on our Battle of Malta page.

When talking about poker in Malta, there’s no way you won’t eventually hear the name Jackie Cachia - better known on the island as “Poker Mama.”

Cachia won the Ladies Event at EPT London 2014 and has the most career live cashes of any Maltese poker player.

She’s also one of the few people on the island who can make a living from it.

Jackie loves the game of poker. She plays every big tournament on the island and has earned her respect at the tables over more than a decade.

She is a true inspiration for all Maltese poker players, male or female. That’s why she's nominated for the 2015 Spirit of Poker Living Legend Award.

We visited her at home to introduce the First Lady of Maltese poker to a broader audience.

-- by Lars Liedtke

In the past few years Malta has become a poker hot spot in Europe thanks to several big tournaments like the EPT and the Battle of Malta.

When you come to the island to play poker one thing you can be absolutely sure of is to come across the name Jackie Cachia.

Jackie is an institution in the Maltese poker scene and a few years ago became universally known as the “Poker Mama.”

“At that time,” Cachia says, “the Casino Portomaso had an Italian tournament director named Raffaele.

“He called me Poker Mama and it stuck. Out of fun I then made a t-shirt with the saying Poker Mama. After that everybody used it.”

Far from being just a self-appointed label Cachia has held her own at the tables for many years. With the most cashes of any Maltese poker player under her belt, she also doesn’t have to be anything less than straightforward. And she doesn’t mince words.

“I’ve been playing Five Card Draw with friends for many years and that’s where I really learned poker. Nine years ago I started to play Hold’em for play money online.

“At that time the local casino used to run freerolls every Monday. I played and won it and then I played another one and I won it. Afterwards I started to play the regular tournaments as well and slowly started to build a bankroll.”

Unconditional Love for the Game

Nowadays the Casino Portomaso has become her second home as she lives only a couple of meters away in St. Julian’s. Almost every evening she goes there to play tournaments or cash games.

Grinding live games requires stamina, patience and a lot of discipline. Cachia reaches that through her unconditional love for the game.

Making her mark on the EPT (Photo: Neil Stoddart)

In fact I don’t know many people who love poker more than me but Jackie is definitely one of them. She lives, breathes and loves poker, which makes her a true inspiration for all players.

It pays off as Cachia is one of the very few Maltese who plays poker professionally and makes a living from it. She has an impressive 26 cashes and almost $80,000 in live tournament earnings.

Her biggest success was winning the Ladies Event at the EPT London 2014. She also had a deep run at the Irish Open 2013 where she was among the chipleaders for three days before falling to online legend Calvin “cal42688” Anderson.

First Maltese Nominee for SOPA

Cachia does a lot for poker in Malta and works diligently to improve the local situation for younger poker players. Despite being one of the most attractive destinations for poker players, Maltese legislation is still very conservative.

Malta is the only country where you have to be 25 years old to be able to enter a casino.

Included in same breath as legends like Barry G.

“I think it is a big discrimination,” Cachia says. “I wish somebody from the young players will challenge this and I am sure if they would go to the European Court of Justice they would win."

The Spirit of Poker Awards value passion and enthusiasm over results and, together with all the points mentioned above, is why Cachia is nominated in the Living Legend category this year among poker icons like Erik Seidel and Barry Greenstein.

The intention of the award is to honor players who do something special and help promote poker in their countries. Jackie Cachia is the first Maltese poker player ever to be nominated.

“My first reaction was that of embarrassment. You’re talking about Barry Greenstein, Erik Seidel and in the same breath me.

"At the same time I’m very honored and thankful as I get a lot of support from the local players and my family. When my mother heard about the nomination, she came and said ‘We are very proud of you!," Jackie says with shining eyes.

Dreams of the Main Event

She does indeed get a lot of local support as the Maltese poker community is very strong and proud. On their Facebook page, “Malta Poker Fish,” they even started an initiative to collect votes.

So far it’s working as Cachia is in the top three of the voting. But if there’s something in her life and poker she’s still to accomplish and has always wanted to do, it’s easy for her to decide.

Main Event waits.

“Definitely play the WSOP Main Event. I would love to play this tournament one day, but to be able to do that I have to win a package or build my bankroll.

“Vegas is always fun. The second one would be to go really deep in an EPT or win a big tournament.”

Jackie shares her dream to play the greatest tournament in the world with many poker players. She knows how important bankroll management is and that she has to grind hard to reach it.

She's one of us and that, together with her unconditional love for the game, is what makes “Poker Mama” so authentic and likable. She’s earned her nomination along with poker legends like Greenstein, Humberto Brenes and Seidel.

Visit the PokerListings Living Legends page to cast your vote. Voting ends September 13.

Watch the full interview with Jackie Cachia here:

It’s time to vote for your favorite 2015 PokerListings Spirit of Poker nominees or forever hold your peace.

Voters have until Sept. 13 (this Sunday) to make their picks from the 24 players nominated for awards this year.

The winners will be announced during the 2015 Battle of Malta in St. Julian’s, Malta, which is set to take place Nov. 4-9, 2015. You can vote on the 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards page.

Here’s a look at every player nominated this year:

2015 Most Inspiring Player Award

Leo Margets nominated for most inspiring.

Martin Jacobson
Davidi Kitai
Leo Margets
Aditya Agarwal
Dominik Nitsche
Anatoly Filatov
Jason Somerville
Max Pescatori

Rising Star Award

Adrian Mateos
Dzmitry Urbanovich
Fedor Holz
Charlie Carrel
Sabina Hiatullah
Akira Ohyama
Pablo Gordillo
Claudico

Living Legend Award

Konstantin Puchkov
Dan Heimiller
Barry Greenstein
James Woods
Humberto Brenes
Jackie Cachia
Padraig Parkinson
Erik Seidel

SOPA Winners Represent Pure Passion for Poker

The PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards aren’t just about who won the most tournaments or made the most money but instead represent the players that brought the most passion, imagination or inspiration to the game.

Last year Dominik Panka, Thor Hansen and Shannon Shorr all earned Spirit of Poker Awards and the year before that it was Luca Moschitta, Naoya Kihara and Pierre Neuville taking top honors.

Once public voting narrows the list of nominees down to three in each category a PokerListings panel of experts will ultimately determine this year’s winners.

The voting period for the 2015 PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards has officially closed and we have our three finalists in each of our three categories.

An eclectic mix of poker players from around the world, the nine finalists exemplify exactly what we envisioned when we created the awards in 2013.

There are "big" names and lesser-knowns, high-stakes pros and everyday grinders and eight different nationalities represented.

The third annual Spirit of Poker Awards will be handed out during the 2015 Battle of Malta and our readers have picked an impressive group on nominees to now pick a winner from.

Here are the finalists selected via fan voting.

Living Legend: Brenes, Cachia, Seidel

In our Living Legends category we’re honoring players who disprove the popular notion that poker is now a young person’s game.

These players consistently distinguish themselves with both extraordinary spirit and a level of skill that passes the test of time. They are true role models for players around the world.

Poker mama inspires.

Poker personalities in this pool for 2015 included characters like Dan Heimiller (US), long-time high roller and charity legend Barry Greenstein (US), eternal tournament regular Konstantin Puchkov (RUS), one-liner specialist and spearhead of Irish poker Padraig Parkinson (IRL), and Hollywood icon/poker player James Woods (US).

In the end the three players who captured your imagination the most were Humberto “The Chark” Brenes, Jackie “Pokermama” Cachia, and Erik “Seiborg” Seidel. Without a doubt there are good reasons for each of the three to be there.

Humberto Brenes is the man who single-handedly put Costa Rica on the poker map. A long-time PokerStars pro team member Brenes moved on from the team last year but not before he nailed 10 cashes at the WSOP.

An endless source of enthusiasm and poker stories Brenes has brought innumerable amounts of new players into the poker fold in Central America and beyond.

Jackie Cachia is our "surprise" candidate here but her nomination and number of votes show that a local hero with a bottomless passion for the game can inspire people as much as any WSOP bracelet.

And then there is Erik Seidel. Some call him “Sly;" some call him “Gentle Giant;" some call him “Seiborg." We just call him unstoppable.

Former winners of this category are Norwegian poker icon Thor Hansen and 2015 WSOP November Niner Pierre Neuville. Hansen and Neuville are also players that have stood the test of time in multiple ways. Read here how they literally fought death to find life in poker.

Most Inspiring Player: Filatov, Agarwal, Somerville

No game in the world is as multi-faceted and global as poker. This is why it can be equally well represented by Russian eccentric Anatoly Filatov, Indian phenomenon Aditya Agarwal, and US Twitch star Jason Somerville.

Bright light for Indian poker.

These are your most inspiring players of the last twelve months, edging out (still reigning) WSOP champion Martin Jacobson, highest ranking European in the GPI Davidi Kitai from Belgium, first European with four bracelets Max Pescatori from Italy, WSOP Last Woman Standing and social media activist Leo Margets and poker nomad Dominik Nitsche.

Seen by many as the most important category of the PokerListings Awards, a look at the past winners says a lot about the quality and qualities that players need to have to become the favorites of PokerListings readers.

The first winner was Japan’s first-ever bracelet winner Naora Kihara and last year Shannon Shorr earned the award.

Rising Star: Carrel, Urbanovich, Holz

The closest race in all of the PL awards categories. The top three all finished very close and results confirm these three have shown impressive performances over the last 12 months.

Psychedelic Charlie Carrel.

Charlie Carrel from England, known to some as the guy with the psychedelic attire, to others as Epiphany77, went from online player to €25k EPT Grand Final high roller winner within a year of his first live cash.

Dzmitry Urbanovich, a Belarussian player based in Poland, has been crushing one high roller event after the other, final tabling 18 events within one year and finishing in the top three 12 times.

Fedor Holz, another weapon in the German poker arsenal, has cashed big everywhere he's been since joining the live scene, from Barcelona to Vegas.

And that’s not even including his success as CrownUpGuy online, not the least of which is a WCOOP Main Event title. Even more impressively he continues to share his poker profits with noble causes via the REG Charity.

To the Panel

The PokerListings Awards Panel will now sit down this week to determine the winners in each category.

The final results will be published on Monday next week. Good luck to all of our deserving candidates!

It’s not a stretch to say at one point in 2004, at least for a while, William Hung was the most famous person in America.

Or one of them at least.

To millions of Americans Hung is still instantly recognizable as "the 'She Bangs' guy" from the third season of American Idol. The endearing, off-key performer and unintentional star of one of the United States' first truly 'viral' videos.

What followed Hung's mocking at the hands of the judges (and onslaught of negative stereotyping in the media to follow), however, is a story that continues to inspire people around the world to "live a life without regrets."

A student of the game for over 10 years Hung has taken poker a bit more seriously over the past couple of years and has some results to show for it.

He has over $30k in cashes since 2014 including a win in a Nightly Aria $100 tournament this summer and a third in a Rio Deepstacks event for over $17k.

He'll be one of our special VIP guests at the 2015 Battle of Malta and graciously answered a few questions for us about his past, present and poker future.

PokerListings: It’s pretty fair to say at one moment in time you were the most famous person in America. American Idol was still a relatively new thing, as was “going viral.” How do you explain/put into context just what happened to someone who might not have seen it?

She Bangs forever.

William Hung: I was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time. This goes to show you can’t always predict what comes next in your life.

PL: Over a decade later what’s the one thing that stands out about the experience for you? The greatest opportunity it’s given? Your favorite moment?

WH: The one thing that stands out is how most people still recognize me as a celebrity 11 years later, since people saw my audition back in 2004. I thought the entire experience was the greatest opportunity, being able to travel and make new friends around the world.

PL: When you went out for that first audition what were your expectations? Did you have any idea people would be so drawn to it, both positively and negatively?

WH: I did not expect very much from my audition at all. I thought just the experience of going through the audition was already good. I know for many people who auditioned for American Idol, they hope to win and make a name for themselves. I did not expect to win at all. I was just trying to have fun.

PL: After your appearance you eventually got to record three albums. That’s more than most people who make it to the late stages of American Idol  - even some winners – get. Has that satisfied all of your musical aspirations? Do you still hope to sing/make more music?

Wouldn't trade experience at all.

WH: I still enjoy singing as a hobby, but I don’t see that as my focus moving forward. I am definitely satisfied with my musical aspirations. I tried something different and got a lot out of it. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else.

PL: One of the things we love most about poker is the range of people who are drawn to the game. How did you get into it? Did you play online, around Los Angeles, etc?

WH: I started playing poker about 10 years ago. I still remember the first time I played poker, it was $2/$4 Limit Hold’em at the Reno Hilton. I won a few hundred dollars and I got hooked into the game afterwards.

I also played quite a bit online when it was still legal in the U.S. Unfortunately, after Black Friday, I couldn’t play as much in live games and I only played when I have time.

PL: Since 2014 it looks like you’ve taken the game a bit more seriously. You’ve even taken down a couple of $100 buy-in events and scored $17k in a Rio Deepstack this summer. Do you consider yourself a semi-pro of sorts or still just a hobbyist? Cash games or tournaments?

Hung at the felt. (Photo: Bicycle Casino)

WH: I play both cash games and tournaments. I still treat poker as a hobby. I realize how people have improved so much the last 4-5 years from studying poker online, so I am doing the same thing.

PL: What’s your favorite poker moment so far? And your poker aspirations?

WH: My favorite poker moment was when my KK held up against my opponent’s TT at the final table at the Rio Deepstack tournament. It just felt like a huge relief. As for my poker aspirations, I am planning to play at the World Series of Poker Main Event next year. That is my goal.

PL: Your background is a bit varied from engineering to statistical analysis to now pursuing an MBA. How does it help/hurt you in poker?

WH: I feel it helps me in poker, as I can learn the basics very quickly.

PL: You’ve spoken a lot about not giving up in the face of negativity/living a life of no regrets since your American Idol experience. Has that attitude helped you in poker?

WH: In poker, being able to handle adversity is very important. Especially when playing tournaments, because it is easy to get short-stacked and it is natural to just feel like giving up.

But that is not a good attitude to have, because anything can happen in poker. If you play bad when your luck is bad, then you may not have a chance to turn things around when your luck is good.

Naturally, a Maria Ho fan.

PL: You must get recognized at the poker tables. Does your image from American Idol help your game? Do people expect you to be a bit of an amateur/easy mark? What can people expect if they draw the same table as you?

WH: It’s a mixed bag. Sometimes people want to play more straightforward against me because they think I am an amateur. Other times, people are trying harder than usual to bluff me off a hand, because they think I am easy to push over.

With this in mind, I don’t have any default strategy I stick to very long. It all depends on how they decide to play against me.

PL: Any poker players in particular you admire? Have you made many friends in poker or do you have a professional group of players you talk hands with, etc?

WH: My favorite poker players are Jonathan Little, Bart Hanson, David Tuchman and Maria Ho. I typically post my hands online for discussion after my sessions using an online nickname.

PL: Do you know much about Malta? Have you been there before?

WH: No, I’ve never been there before. I found out that it’s a nice beautiful island south of Italy.

PL: We’re running a Karaoke contest this year for one of our readers to win a Battle of Malta package. Any suggestions for what to do/how to make it memorable? Do you have a go-to Karaoke number of your own?

WH: For singing, the hardest thing to do is to sing from your heart. This means making the words you sing match the emotions you are trying to portray. As for my favorite Karaoke song, I don’t have a particular favorite. I just pick songs that I enjoy singing.

PL: Last question: Is there anything you wish you had said to Randy or Simon during your audition? Especially when it became clear they were not taking you seriously?

WH: Well, I said 'I already gave my best, I have no regrets at all.' I don’t think I would have said something different.

Very often in life, things don’t work out the way you want it to and that’s okay. As long as you gave your best, you can move on and try again next time.

After three months of fan voting and a long, heated debate by the PokerListings panel the winners of the 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards have been determined.

Costa Rican poker legend Humberto Brenes, Russian spark plug Anatoly Filatov and psychedelic young Brit Charlie Carrel will receive PokerListings’ own Spirit of Poker Awards during the 2015 Battle of Malta.

Brenes will collect the Living Legend Award, Filatov Most Inspiring Player and Carrel the Rising Star Award.

Brenes a True Legend

In our Living Legend category there was no denying that fan favorite Humberto Brenes, the spearhead of Latin-American poker, deserved more than just an honorable mention as a nominee.

Game changer for Latin American poker.

“The Chark” was nominated for the Poker Hall of Fame last year and didn’t make the shortlist this year, but Brenes took up tournament poker the year (1974!) before Daniel Negreanu was born.

He’s an old school, all-round player who feels just as comfortable in NLHE as in Omaha Hi-Lo or Ace-Five Triple Draw.

Brenes came fourth in the WSOP main event before any of the GPI top 20 were even born and was one of the early members of Team PokerStars, joining in 2006 and staying on for nine years.

Still, despite all his success, Brenes never considered himself a professional player. He was always involved in a business on the side to keep poker more fun than work.

It showed in his joy at the tables and that clearly still resonates with fans as Brenes easily collected the most votes overall to top fellow nominees like Erik Seidel and Barry Greenstein.

Congratulations to Humberto Brenes from everyone at PokerListings! We look forward to greeting him at the Battle of Malta in early November and seeing Maria Ho hand over our Living Legends Award to “the epitome of competitive spirit and class” (Nolan Dalla).

Filatov in a Landslide for Most Inspiring Player

Our search for the Most Inspiring Player over the last 12 months found such a clear winner this year there wasn't much to discuss.

Russian Anatoly Filatov received over 70% of the total votes to make him the runaway choice and obvious driving force in one of the most important markets in the poker economy.

Anatoly Filatov or JCVD?

Known online and on Twitter as nl_profit Filatov has amassed $1.8 million in earnings and transitioned to being a regular at the biggest live tournaments around the world.

Filatov represents the fastest growing poker room in Russia – Pokerdom – and is known for being a meticulous worker who spends a lot of time coaching other players.

Long before Twitch Filatov was also one of the first players who streamed his games live using a website now known as gosupoker.

For the European Poker Awards held last March in Malta he was elected to be on the panel of judges who picked the winners.

With his outspoken nature and his memorable style Filatov won the PokerListings readers over to defeat Indian superstar Aditya Agarwal and Twitch phenomenon Jason Somerville, both of whom have recently joined the PokerStars pro team.

Last not least his famous “Filatov splits” show that he’s one of the modern players who values physical fitness just as highly as mental vigor. Kudos from PokerListings to Anatoly Filatov, who on his next trip to Malta will be on the receiving side of an awards ceremony.

Carrel Claims Rising Star

It's always difficult to predict if a young gun who’s had some early success will make it to the top of the international elite and stay there.

Talented and fashionable.

This year there's no doubt in our minds that each of the top three players in the Rising Star category will have long careers in the game if they choose to.

We'll hear from Charlie Carrel, Dzmitry Urbanovich and Fedor Holz for many years but it was British player Carrel who has collected and inspired the most fans among the readers of PokerListings so far.

Carrel has risen to the highest levels of the game in a dazzlingly short timeframe, going from ranking around 20,000 in the GPI to the top 200 within the last 12 months; from depositing $15 to playing NL5k; from being a relatively anonymous online player as 'epiphany77' to EPT Grand Final high roller champion.

This was the closest race of the three categories of the Spirit of Poker Awards and in the final vote Carrel rose to the top over German wunderkind Holz, who just may have grown right past the level of 'rising' and into the legend category.

Kudos to Mr Carrel; we look forward to presenting your award at the Battle of Malta.

Ceremony at Battle of Malta in November

Our three winners follow in the footsteps of popular poker personalities Shannon Shorr, Pierre Neuville, Dominik Panka, Thor Hansen, Naoya Kihara and Luca Moschitta.

Maria presents Dominik Panka with Rising Star award.

This is the third year PokerListings has presented the Spirit of Poker Awards and the list of nine winners already covers some of the most fascinating and inspiring players around the globe.

Representing nine different nationalities they also show just how far-reaching the game of poker has become and hint at how much further it can go.

Host Maria Ho will present our latest group of awards at the Battle of Malta 2015, held November 4-9 at the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s.

There are still lots of seats for the “Best Low Buy-in Tournament of the Year" winner at last year's European Poker Awards. Buy your complete package here or qualify online at one of our partnering online poker rooms.

What is it about Finnish models and poker?

Highstakes legend Patrik Antonius is, of course, a former model.

Miss Finland Sara Chafak took the poker world by storm with her daring bluff in Season 1 of PokerStars' Shark Cage.

Now model and singer Kim Herold  - solo artist and lead singer of the band Humane - is making his mark at the felt.

Last year Herold won the Finnish championships in Pot-Limit Omaha, a pretty prestigious title in a country that has brought forward Omaha masters such as Ilari Sahamies.

That was quite a story back in his home country as Herold at the same time is a well-known singer and songwriter.

Now Herold has his eyes on a new title. In November he'll take a week out of his busy schedule to travel to Malta to play the Battle of Malta for the first time

On the Trail of Jukka Dudeson

“I've never been to Malta so I’m happy to see a place for the first time. I always come to win and have a good time.

Jukka Dudeson went deep.

"I really enjoy sitting down and playing cards for a week.”

Besides playing the €500.000 guaranteed Main Event Herold is also looking forward to the €250 PLO Knights Crusade - won last year, of course, by a Finn, Aarno Kiveliö.

The multi-talented Herold isn't the first Finnish celebrity to play the Battle of Malta. In 2013 MTV stunt group The Dudesons brought their mayhem to the Mediterranean island and even enjoyed a deep run.

Jukka ‘The Rockstar’ Hilden made it to the final two tables where he tried to distract his opponents by ordering 20 beers for his table.

Eventually Hilden busted in 17th place and had to drink most of the beers himself. Herold is unlikely to make a similar display of consumption but he is ready to have a good time in Malta.

“Ha-ha, that sounds like Jukka. But I really don’t have a game plan for most things I do in life. I just go with the flow."

Special Edition Shirts from Royal Marine

The 2015 Battle of Malta will play out at the Portomaso Casino November 4-9 in St. Julian’s. Even if you're not a Finnish model can you still look like one at the tournament.

Looks good with or without shirt, really.

Underwear brand Royal Marine will be at BOM with an exclusive line of boxer shorts and Battle of Malta shirts.

Both promise to be great memorabilia items as the stylish brand is working hard on the special edition.  

"We're very excited to launch this one of a kind product," says Kris Jes Petersen, Managing Director of Royal Marine.

"We have a designer working on the shirts and he has found great inspiration in the BOM poker tournament.

"Looking great is also a big part of feeling great and, eventually, playing great."

Every day from Nov. 5-8 Royal Marine will also host a exhibition of its new collection with an open bar right outside the tournament floor at the Grandmaster Suite at the Hilton. More details here.

Need a vacation but can’t afford it?

The 2015 Battle of Malta is looming with a trip to a picturesque island and €100,000+ first-place prize up for grabs.

Fortunately online qualifiers for the contest have swung into high gear over the last week so you have a ton of options to qualify on the cheap.

RedBet, Betsson Running Satellites

The Battle of Malta

Some of the biggest online poker sites in the world including 888poker, Ladbrokes and Betssafe are running satellites for the 2015 Battle of Malta.

It’s possibly to qualify for these events for free but you can always buy in directly if you want your best shot at qualifying for the award-winning Battle of Malta.

This year’s Battle of Malta Main EVent is set to take place Nov. 4-9 with a €500,000 guaranteed prize pool. Once again the competition will take place entirely at the five-star Hilton Hotel in beautiful St. Julian’s.

For more information just head over to our Battle of Malta homepage.

Here’s a complete look at the numerous potential ways to qualify over the coming weeks:

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015

Site: Ladbrokes
Event: BOM Main Event Qualifier
Buy-in: €50
Time: 21:00 GMT
Prize: €1,690 package

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

Site: 888poker
Event: Weekly 888poker BOM Qualifier
Buy-in: $160
Time: 7:05 p.m. GMT
Prize: €2,000 package including BOM buy-in, accommodations and travel expenses

Friday, Oct. 9, 2015

Site: RedBet
Event: RedBet Road to Malta Final Freeroll
Buy-in: Freeroll (Qualify through Road to Malta or play 1,000 raked hands)
Time: 20:30 CET
Prize: €1,550 package

Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015

Site: NetBet
Event: NetBet BOM 2015
Buy-in: €75
Time: 21:00 CET
Prize: 2 X €1,310 packages

Site: Play Against Friends Poker
Event: Play Against Friends Poker BOM Final Freezeout
Buy-in: $320
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,800 package

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015

Site: Ladbrokes
Event: Ladbrokes BOM Main Event Qualifier
Buy-in: €50
Time: 21:00 GMT
Prize: €1,690 package

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015

Site: 888poker
Event: 888poker Weekly Qualifier
Buy-in: $160
Time: 7:05 p.m. GMT
Prize: €2,000 package including BOM buy-in, accommodations and travel expenses

Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015

Site: Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet
Event: Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet Bom Weekly Final
Buy-in: €175
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,550 package

Event: Play Against Friends Poker BOM Final Freezeout
Buy-in: $320
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,800 package

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

Site: Ladbrokes
Event: Ladbrokes BOM Main Event Qualifier
Buy-in: €50
Time: 21:00 GMT
Prize: €1,690 package

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

Site: 888poker
Event: 888poker Weekly Qualifier
Buy-in: $160
Time: 7:05 p.m. GMT
Prize: €2,000 package including BOM buy-in, accommodations and travel expenses

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015

Site: Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet
Event: Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet Bom Weekly Final
Buy-in: €175
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,550 package

Site: Play Against Friends Poker
Event: Play Against Friends Poker BOM Final Freezeout
Buy-in: $320
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,800 package

The 2015 Battle of Malta begins in three weeks and it will be the biggest, most high-value edition ever.

What can players expect? More events, more parties, more players, more money – and more battle.

Last year the Battle of Malta broke the record for largest standalone tournament in Europe. But that was last year.

Just how epic will the 2015 edition be? Let's count down the ways.

10. Buy-In Still Just €550

Last year the Battle of Malta aimed to be the best-value tournament in Europe. According to the European Poker Awards, it was.

Big field, tiny buy-in.

The 1,447 entries, €700,000 prize pool, 4,934 pints of Maltese Cisk poured and 4 am heads-up battle were all record-breaking numbers as one new BOM Wikipedia page can attest.

Still, despite the massive success, the one thing that won't grow this year is the buy-in.

The guarantee is again a massive €500,000 but the buy-in is still a very affordable €550.

9. Still Satellites Running at 1 Cent

If you're wondering how to get a ticket to the BOM cheap there are still plenty of options.

Check our “How to Qualify” page to find out which online poker sites are still offering satellites.

888poker, RedBet, NetBet, betsson, betsafe, NordicBet, paf.com and Ladbrokes are all sending players to the BOM main event with VIP packages.

If you’re running out of time or patience for online satellites you can always purchase your ticket or BOM package online.

8. Easy Online Purchase of Economy + VIP Packages

If you can't be bothered to go the online qualifier route you can hit our BOM payment page right now and secure a ticket to the main event.

Hilton Malta

The big-value economy package includes your main event ticket (Day 1b), four nights in the Rokna Hotel right around the corner, Cocktail Party, All-in Friday, VIP Player Party and daily Casino buffet.

If you treat yourself to the full VIP package you'll stay in the 5-Star Intercontinental Hotel, choose which starting day you want to play and get free entrance to all three parties on top of everything the economy package offers.

Note: The Hilton Hotel is already fully booked so hurry up! We strongly suggest you reserve yourself a ticket upfront to make sure you’ll get a seat. You can also get single-entry tickets to any of the parties and special events. There are many ways/levels to join and many options to have fun.

7. Play the Pros

The Battle of Malta is a tournament for poker players who aren't professionals. Hobby players are the vast majority of all BOM players and, as many can attest, the level of fun/play reflects that.

Gaelle is back.

But that doesn’t mean that international pros aren't interested in it.

In past years pros and celebrities in the field have included Dan “jungleman” Cates, Dominik Panka, Thor Hansen, Naoya Kihara, Pierre Neuville, Luca Moschitta, Sofia Lövgren, Lauri Pesonen, Fabrice Soulier, Leo Margets, Luca Pagano, Dominik Nitsche, Johnny Lodden, Dermot Blain, Rupert Elder and Andreas Hoivold.

This year Humberto Brenes, Anatoly Filatov, Gaelle Garcia Diaz and Sabina Hiatullah are just a few of the big names who have confirmed they'll play.

6. More Parties

If you remember this party song or this one, you've likely been sitting at poker tables legally for over 20 years. And you like to party.

Today there's no poker event with a higher party frequency than the Battle of Malta. That’s a fact.

We will treat you to an Opening Cocktail Party on Thursday, the All-in Friday special event at Club Level 22 and the official VIP Players Party on Saturday.

Want to see what a BOM party looks like? Check the video.

5. Maria Ho

Maria gets mobbed.

Our fabulous Battle of Malta host Maria Ho took over from Kara Scott last year and she’ll be back in 2015.

Maria will play the main event, get the party started again and be around the players area for the entire tournament.

If last year is an indication she’ll also be the most photographed person at the whole BOM.

4. Flippers in November

Yes, even in early November the weather in Malta is so nice and warm that you can go swimming.

Temperatures usually rise well above the 20° mark. Although there can be rain, too, it’s rather an exception.

If you wonder how to spend the time when you’re not playing we suggest you go outside and start walking. There are many things to do and we have collected some suggestions for you.

3. Inside Poker Jokes!

When you walk around the Casino and tournament areas, pay attention to our new PokerListings roll-ups.

They're a special edition with less political correctness and more fun.

Also, you’ll need a bit of poker knowledge to understand them. Poker jokes are funny, right?

2 - Side Events

The Battle of Malta main event will break records again and we expect the same for the side events. Last year all but the high roller tournament completely sold out, so we’ve added more.

We’ll give you the chance to play the now famous Siege of Malta Second Chance, the Grandmaster High Roller, the PLO Knight Crusade as well as a Deepstack turbo and a Win the Button event.

Are you asking yourself what all this means? Check it out here.

1. And the Main Reasons Are ...

This, this, this, and this. Oh, and these, of course. There's now even this, if you really want to embrace (and permanently capture) the whole experience.

And if you click on this, you’ll definitely want to be there. Let the Battle begin!

The clock is ticking and the 2015 Battle of Malta is getting dangerously close.

So if you’re looking to qualify for the award-winning €500,000-GTD live tournament in sunny Malta you better get moving.

Ladbrokes, 888poker, RedBet and Betsson are running online qualifiers for the tournament.

PokerStars is even running a live qualifier for the Battle of Malta tomorrow in the midst of EPT Malta.

If you want to play the live PokerStars qualifier for Battle of Malta, which is scheduled to take place at 18:00, you can actually register through your PokerStars Live account.

BOM Expected to be Bigger Than Ever

The 2015 Battle of Malta is set to run Nov. 4-9, 2015, with over 1,800+ players expected to play thanks to an expanded schedule.

The Battle of Malta

The tournament will once again take place at the five-star Hilton and Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s, Malta.

Poker pro Maria Ho is returning as host and will attempt to make back-to-back cashes in the tournament. She’ll be joined by a number of poker pros/celebs like Gaëlle Garcia Diaz, Humberto Brenes, Sabina Hiatullah and American Idol contestant William Hung.

Last year Antoan Katsarov outlasted 1,447 players to win the first-place prize of €122,750.

Since then BOM received a nod at the European Poker Event of the Year in the under-$2000 buy-in category at the European Poker Awards.

Below is a look at the various qualifiers for Battle of Malta packages that are still running with buy-ins ranging from free to $320.

To learn more head to our Battle of Malta online qualifier page or our BOM Live Satellite Schedule page.

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

Event: PokerStars EPT/IPT Malta Live BOM Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €70+€10
Time: 18:00 GMT
Prizes: €550 Battle of Malta seats

Event: Ladbrokes BOM Main Event Qualifier
Buy-in: €50
Time: 21:00 GMT
Prize: €1,690 package

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

Event: 888poker Weekly Qualifier
Buy-in: $160
Time: 7:05 p.m. GMT
Prize: €2,000 package including BOM buy-in, accommodations and travel expenses

Friday, Oct. 23, 2015

Event: RedBet Leaderboard Freeroll
Buy-in: Qualify by placing top 10 in RedBet BOM Road to Malta
Time: TBA
Prize: One €1,550 package to Battle of Malta

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015

Event: PokerStars EPT Malta Live BOM Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €70+€10
Time: 18:00 GMT
Prizes: €550 Battle of Malta seats

Event: Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet Bom Weekly Final
Buy-in: €175
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,550 package

Event: Play Against Friends Poker BOM Final Freezeout
Buy-in: $320
Time: 20:00 CET
Prize: €1,800 package

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015

Event: Ladbrokes BOM Main Event Qualifier
Buy-in: €50
Time: 21:00 GMT
Prize: €1,690 package

Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015

Event: BOM 2015 Spooky Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €55+€5
Time: 20:00 GMT
Prize: €550 Battle of Malta seat

Monday, Nov. 2, 2015

Event: BOM 2015 Supervalue Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €55+€5
Time: 20:00 GMT
Prize: At least five €550 Battle of Malta seats guaranteed

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015

Event: BOM 2015 Supervalue Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €55+€5
Time: 20:00 GMT
Prize: At least five €550 Battle of Malta seats guaranteed

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015

Event: BOM 2015 Supervalue Satellite
Location: Portomaso Casino, Malta
Buy-in: €55+€5
Time: 20:00 GMT
Prize: At least five €550 Battle of Malta seats guaranteed

What started out as just a "crazy idea" has turned into one of the biggest standalone poker tournaments in Europe.

Now going into its fourth year the PokerListings Battle of Malta has also established itself as a valuable asset to Malta’s economy.

Last Friday BOM organizers, Maltese Tourism representatives and a cross-section of poker industry workers gathered in the conference center in the Hilton Hotel in St. Julian’s for a press conference.

It was hosted by Ivonne Montealegre, BOM Tournament Director, Martin Carlesund, CEO of Highlight Media Group Ltd, Paul Bugeja, COO of the Malta Tourism Authority and Eros Ganzina, General Manager of the Portomaso Casino.

Introducing some of the new additions for BOM 2015 they also recounted the astonishing development of the Battle of Malta from just another poker tournament to an event so big it has an effect on Malta’s national economic growth.

With 349 players BOM 1 showed promise.

A "Crazy Idea"

In 2012, when Montealegre approached PokerListings with the idea to create a new poker event, it was, in her words, "just a crazy idea.

"But within three years it has turned into one of the largest poker tournaments in Europe and beyond.”

“We were very happy to see 349 players that year but in 2014 that number had grown to an amazing 1,447. People are coming to Malta to play from all over Europe, from the Americas, and even as far as Australia.”

The initial (and still) ultimate goal of the BOM, added Carlesund, “was to bring back something that was lost from poker – fun.”

“We are now looking at 2,000 players for 2015, so it seems like we succeeded in doing so. It’s a fantastic development, and we are proud to be in the industry.”

Put Malta on the Map

An emerging poker and gaming industry in Malta has started to have a significant effect on the economy of Malta.

On the map as poker destination.

Paul Bugeja, COO of the Malta Tourism Authority, said it accounts “for 12% of the GDP and growing. It is second only to tourism.”

The MTA is running an initiative to extend the tourism season in Malta beyond the summer months and with the BOM taking place in November “it has really put Malta on the map," he says.

“More than 30 international journalists have covered the Battle of Malta and it has become a fixed component of the initiative above.”

Today you can find information about the Battle of Malta not only on poker websites but also on plenty of other media venues from promotional sites like visitmalta.com to public review websites like tripadvisor.com.

Now Playing in the Champions League

Ganzina, the General Manager of the Portomaso Casino, was one of the many people who initially doubted the chances of success.

Growing force every year.

“When I was first contacted by Mrs. Montealegre," he said, “I wasn’t convinced of the project. But when I heard the next day they had booked 300 nights at the Hilton Hotel I knew they were serious.”

“This past year the Battle of Malta won the European Poker Award for Best Tournament Under $2,000 buy-in, which really put us in the spotlight. We’re now playing in the Champions League.”

The success of the Battle of Malta is extraordinary. From the first to the second edition the main event field grew by 154% from 349 to 888 players. The next year saw growth of 64% to 1,447 players. This year the target number is 2,000 entries.

“To reach another 30% more players is not a joke," said Gazina in his last statement. “But I’m optimistic that we’re going to have a bigger festival every year.”

The next Battle of Malta will place from November 4-9 at the Portomaso Casino. The Hilton Hotel is already fully booked for the event but packages and single buy-ins are still widely available on our Battle of Malta page.

Find out more about online qualifiers, satellites and side events there as well.

Battle of Malta Quick Stats

Watch the video from the press conference below:

Ever wonder what it's like to earn a living competing in the biggest poker tournaments in the world?

How about appearing on the adventure-themed reality-TV show The Amazing Race?

Well, this Thursday is your lucky day.

Poker pro and PokerListings Battle of Malta host Maria Ho is scheduled for an AMA on Reddit, giving poker fans and curious laymen alike the chance to pepper her with questions, no holds barred.

The AMA will take place Thursday, November 29 at 5pm EDT.

Find it on Reddit here.

Poker Pro, TV Personality, BOM Host

Ho has been a fixture on the live poker circuit for close to a decade.

She's had great success including two deep runs in the WSOP Main Event and also held the honor of the biggest WSOP cash by a woman for her second-place finish in 2011 that earned her more than $540,000.

Join Maria at the Battle of Malta Nov. 4-9.

Ho co-hosted the TV show Poker Night in America: The Tour and is a celebrity spokesperson for WinStar World Casino.

In 2009 she competed in the Emmy Award winning TV show The Amazing Race with friend and fellow poker player Tiffany Michelle and she's also sung on American Idol and appeared as a panelist on Anderson Cooper 360.

Since 2014 Maria has been the host of the PokerListings Battle of Malta, a role she'll be reprising next week when the award-winning event returns to the Portomaso Casino in St Juliens.

Watch Maria Ho's Best Poker Moment

Check out this video to hear Maria explain one of the defining moments of her poker career.

The clips have been watched, the views tallied and the decision made.

The winner of the 2015 Battle of Malta Karaoke Contest is Kati Garske from Düsseldorf, Germany!

Kati took karaoke to the next level when she recorded a clip of her and a friend singing along (or trying to) to Pharrell Williams' smash hit "Happy."

It definitely pushes the boundaries of karaoke, and that's exactly what the judges were looking for in picking a winner.

As Garske put it in her FB post where you can watch the clip:

Try singing karaoke in a rollercoaster... it's as exciting as starting with pocket aces at Battle of Malta by PokerListings!!
‪#‎BATTLEOFMALTA‬
‪#‎karaokeinarollercoaster‬
‪#‎rollercoaster‬
‪#‎happy‬
‪#‎karaoke‬

See you on stage Maria Ho!

Joining William Hung and Maria Ho Onstage in Paceville!

With over 400 views plenty of people agreed the challenge to "clap along" rocketing around on a rollercoaster was not your usual pub fare.

Maria: Cold killer with a mic.

And just as she envisioned she will join Maria Ho onstage for a night to remember at the Footloose Bar in Paceville, Malta, on November 4th.

Even better the two will be joined by American Idol icon and master of joyful sing-alongs, William Hung - another VIP guest at the 2015 Battle of Malta.

Along with the prized night of karaoke with Ho, Hung and the PL staff Garske also of course will enjoy a full 2015 Battle of Malta VIP package that includes:

Seats and VIP packages are still available for the Best Low Buy-in Poker Tournament in Europe if you're interested in joining the party. Find out more and buy your ticket right here.

It's finally here.

After a torturous 360-day wait and a sun-drenched city tour of Valletta yesterday for media and guests, the 2015 Battle of Malta is on the brink of the shuffle up and deal.

Kicking off today at 2 pm from the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian's we've got a sold-out five-star hotel, a massive and growing list of registrants and a buzz in the Malta air we haven't seen since, well, last year at this time.

Plenty of poker action is in store for the next five days but along the way a ton of fun, booze and light-hearted international poker banter will be spread liberally across the poker tables and beyond.

New additions are also in store alongside everything that helped make the 2014 BOM the toast of low buy-in tournaments at the European Poker Awards. Here's a quick look at what's to come

Massive Prize Pool, Low Buy-in, Side Action

First up: the poker.

Poker and more poker

The 2015 Main Event features the same affordable €550 and massive €500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

With 1,447 entries last year that ballooned to €701,795 and registration so far suggests this year will top that.

With one re-entry available players will get two stabs at taking home a share of it. If that doesn't work out the side action is also amped up from last year.

The €250+€25 Siege of Malta Second Chance is back along with the €300+€30 Deepstack Turbo.

A €1,200+€120 Grandmaster High Roller and €250+€25 PLO Knight's Crusade are new as is a €150+€15 (Re-buys) Win the Button event.

If you're still looking to get in the Main Event on the cheap €55+€5 re-entry satellites will run tonight and tomorrow night at the Portomaso Casino

Cash games will also be readily at hand. Check the full schedule of events here.

Parties

If the poker doesn't go as swimmingly as planned the parties will certainly bring your mood back up.

Beverages plentiful

Things get started tonight at 10:00 pm with a special Karaoke night for our karaoke contest winner with Maria Ho, American Idol icon William Hung and the PokerListings Team at Footloose Bar in Paceville.

The comparatively mellow Opening Cocktail Party for Package Holders and Staff kicks off tomorrow night at 9:30 at the Hilton.

The pace picks up with the new All-In Friday spectacular at Club 22 and peaks on Saturday with the blowout BOM Official VIP Player Party.

Sunday's BOM After Battle Prosecco Breakfast winds things down for the bustees while the Main Event grinds down to the final table and the big paydays.

In between the schedules parties there's still plenty of consolation cocktails on hand in the Betting Connections Lounge overlooking the tournament floor.

Live Coverage Begins Today at 2 PM

If you want to follow the action as it happens it all begins at 2 pm from the Grandmaster Suite at the Hilton with live coverage available in eight languages.

Fatima in the field.

Among our celebrity and pro guests expected to hit the field over the first two days include PokerStars pro Fatima Moreira de Melo, 2015 Spirit of Poker Award winners Humberto Brenes and Anatoly Filatov, American Idol William Hung, BOM regular Andreas Hoivold and of course our host Maria Ho.

Locals and past guests we wouldn't be surprised to see pop by include Sofia Lovgren and Jorryt Van Hoof.

2014 champ Antoan Katsarov will also be back to defend his title alongside a big contingent of local Maltese talent headed by 2014 runner-up Alan Brincat and the Poker Mama Jackie Cachia.

If you're looking for specific updates on friends and family in the field just hit us up in the comments here or on the live coverage page or drop us a note on Twitter or our Battle of Malta Facebook page. Use the #BattleofMalta or #BOM hashtags and will track it down for you.

Watch it all shake down for the next five days right here!