Like a relentless fleet of warships heading for an extended siege, the 2016 Battle of Malta is coming.

This Nov. 2-7 the Portomaso Casino will once again be jam-packed with players looking to snag a chunk of the €500k-guaranteed prize pool and a piece of poker glory.

Of course the contest is renowned for its ultra low €550 buy-in but you can also qualify for the event on 888poker, PartyPoker and Betsson and potentially freeroll into the tournament.

Qualifiers Running Weekly

There are a number of ways to get into the 2016 Battle of Malta and 888poker actually runs feeder qualifiers every 30 minutes.

Here’s a complete look at the site’s steps program for BOM (each step awards a ticket to the next one):

888Live Step 1 – runs every 30 mins with 1c buyin
888Live Step 2 – runs every 60 mins with 10c buyin
888Live Step 3 – runs every 60 mins with $1 buyin
888Live Step 4 – runs every 2 hours with $5 buyin
888Live Step 5 – runs every 2 hours with $30 buyin - gives Tournament Ticket worth $160

The weekly $160 runs every Thursday with at least one deluxe $1.8k BOM package being awarded every week October, 2016.

The $1.8k BOM package includes accommodations, travel expenses, BOM Main Event seat and access to BOM VIP party.

PartyPoker Points Race Heats Up

Meanwhile PartyPoker is running a BOM points race from June 1-Oct. 2, 2016.

One of the many Battle of Malta parties.

The race will culminate with a final qualifier tournament on Oct. 9. Each 10 points a player accumulates will give them an extra chip in the tournament.

The tournament will only have a total of 4,000 chips so every point matters. The winner will walk away with an impressive BOM package that includes accommodation, seat in the BOM Main Event and more.

Finally if you play a lot on Betsson the Swedish-based site has a collection of BOM qualifiers that are running in conjunction with the 2016 Euro Cup.

If you navigate your way through each of the rounds you’ll get a seat in the Big Final on July 10 where the winner walks away with a all-include BOM package.

Fortunately there are plenty of consolidation prizes like headphones and PS4s for players who don’t make it all the way through.

For more information be sure to head over to our 2016 Battle of Malta home page for news and more information on how to qualify.

In the wee hours of Nov. 1, the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event will play down to a champion just as the Battle of Malta gets underway in the Mediterranean.

While the WSOP champ will be figuring out what do to with a $7m+ windfall, the 3 winners of the 2016 Spirit of Poker Awards will be poised to collect their own small piece of recognition for a year (or career) in poker well spent.

The Spirit of Poker awards were created to recognize players who’ve made outstanding contributions to the poker community and while monetary results are never the main factors for nominations, they certainly don't hurt either.

As we head down the later stretches of the WSOP here's a look at some of the performances of our 2016 SOPA nominees.

Puchkov Cash Train Keeps Chugging

Konstantin Puchkov has been a nominee for our Living Legends award every year of its existence and, as we said in his bio this year, will likely be a nominee every year until he wins it.

Cash machine.

One of the primary reasons? His unmatched consistency in events large and small.

In 2012 Puckkov set a record for WSOP cashes in a year with 11 and he may be on track to break that this year.

With 41 events in the books Puchkov already has seven more cashes under his belt and will more than likely have a stack in whichever he plays next.

Canadian Mike Leah, meanwhile, has five cashes of his own with a stack in the final 12 of the $10k Stud Hi-Lo Championship resuming today.

His cashes have all been small so far but given Leah's dogged determination and ability to excel in all games, it would be shocking if he doesn't add at least a few more cashes and another deep run.

Vamos Ramos

Fellow Most Inspiring Player nominee Felipe Ramos has been all over the chip counts as well with deep runs in four events and cashes of over $65k.

Aria has been good to Nitsche.

With a 9th, 14th, 15th and 24th so far Ramos' game seems on form and on the brink of a big final table.

As always, though, his positive attitude and relentless joy has brought a ton of added value to the tables.

Dominik Nitsche, Rainer Kempe and John Gale are all on three cashes, but if we include Vegas events outside of the Rio Nitsche has also had a pretty successful summer with a 2nd and a 6th in Aria $25k events for almost $700k.

Rising Star nominee Ivan Luca has a 3rd and a 4th in those $25k events as well to give him $150k in cashes so far this summer.

Nominees Dan “jungleman12” Cates, Fatima de Melo, Luca Pagano and Vladimir Troyanovskiy have yet to cash at the 2016 WSOP but that's due to one particular reason - they're not actually in Las Vegas yet.

Troyanovskiy doesn’t have a visa for the US while de Melo was recently seen at the UKIPT Marbella. Italian multi-tasker Luca Pagano has other business to take care of and Cates is currently on a 1,000-hour online poker binge. He might consider LV when he’s done.

Everybody loves Kitty.

Early Voting Has Kuo in Front

Voting for the PokerListings Awards has been open for a couple of weeks now and a quick look at the votes shows a few early favorites emerging.

While she has just one cash at the WSOP so far Kitty Kuo has certainly been a favorite at the tables among her peers and her spectacular Twitter feed has been filled with gems.

She's made plenty of friends, too, and taken the early lead in the Most Inspiring Player voting. Leah and Ramos are also off to strong starts but there's plenty of time left for other nominees to gain ground.

In the Rising Star department Argentinian Ivan Luca has left a lasting impression and received a lot of early attention.

The most balanced category so far is the Living Legends as Barny Boatman, Donnacha O’Dea, Jan Bendik, John Gale and Puchkov all have plenty of support.

Have your say in who should win the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards by voting right here. Find out more about all of our nominees on our Awards page.

The 2016 Battle of Malta is set to once again break all records for live poker tournaments held on the island of Malta.

Biggest field, biggest prize pool, most VIP parties for a €550 buy-in tournament ... each record has been broken every year of the BOM's existence and nothing will change for 2016.

An expanded side event lineup, more parties and an expected €1 million prize pool are all on the table for this year and you could be a part of it c/o a VIP package.

Premium sponsors Betsson, Betsafe and Nordic Bet have begun summer qualifying events with spectacular, all-inclusive packages up for grabs.

Daily Flips, Daily & Weekly Finals

2016 Battle of Malta qualifiers are basically running non-stop until the end of the summer on all threes sites with a few options for participating.

This can be you!

For the gamblers at heart you can get right into it with daily €2 flips on any or all of the sites. Players are all in every hand with winners earning a €20 ticket for one of three daily finals.

Win one of the Daily Finals and that will earn you a seat in the Weekly €200 final (played Sunday) with at least one €1,650 Battle of Malta package guaranteed.

If you'd rather play it up than gamble it up you can also play a daily €2 BOM Level 1 satellite that will also award the winner a €20 Daily Final ticket.

You can, of course, also buy-in directly to either the €20 Daily or €200 Weekly finals. And if all else fails you can also try the €20 Weekly Last Chance Flip event for a seat in the Weekly Final.

Check a tidy diagram explaining all of your options right here. Sign up for an account at Betsafe via our review page to play.

VIP Parties to Snapchat Home About

If you've yet to attend the Battle of Malta, rest assured if low buy-in destination poker tournaments are on your radar, this won't disappoint.

It's a blast.

The vibe is super fun and casual but with our in-house coverage team, host Maria Ho and a small group of poker pros in the mix it has the feel of a major tour event - just without the huge price tag.

Four VIP parties, plenty of swag and lots of chances to get paid in side events it's the perfect event for a group of poker hobbyists to really get their money's worth. 

For reference, last year's Main Event drew 1,804 entries, an €875,000 prize pool and a €165,000 first-place prize. The top 3 players chopped the event and all took home over €100k!

If you're lucky enough to scoop at package at one of the sponsors above, here's what your package will include:

For more info about the tournament, which will run Nov 2-7 this year, check our Battle of Malta main page here. For more information on online qualifiers at other sites, check our page here. Watch the video below for a sample of what's in store!

82 days. 21 hours. 10 minutes (give or take when you read this).

It's hard to believe it's come around already but the countdown to the 2016 PokerListings Battle of Malta is on.

With less than 3 months to go we’re in the heat of preparations and about to enter a new phase: our live qualifiers at the Portomaso Casino in Malta.

With 11 satellites already on the schedule and 2 special editions to be added, chances to get in on the cheap are plentiful and frequent with seats not only to the BOM main event but the Siege of Malta and Grandmaster High Roller, too.

3 Main Event Tickets GTD Saturday

This year the Battle of Malta will run from November 2-7 with a full slate of side events to go along with the signature main event.

Apart from the €550 buy-in, €500,000 Guaranteed ME there's also the Siege of Malta Second Chance, Grandmaster High Roller, PLO Knight's Crusade, NLHE Win the Button and the Deepstack Turbo.

Online qualifiers for full packages are currently running but there are also plenty of clubs/casinos across Europe offering live tournaments where you can win tickets for Europe’s best low buy-in poker event.

In Malta the Casino Portomaso will be the host of all the live satellites with the first one running this Saturday, Aug 13. It's a €55 + €5 freezeout with 1 re-entry and 3 main event seats guaranteed.

Following up all the way until the end of October is a series of satellites with plenty of twists, including qualifiers for the Siege and the High Roller event and team, bounty and guaranteed prize pool events.

Big Value, Plenty of Options

All live satellites at Portomaso will have a €55+5 buy-in and start at 8 PM with a few different variations. Satellites will run on Saturdays or Tuesdays where you can earn tickets for the BOM.

The Kick-off on Saturday, Aug 13, as mentioned, has three main event tickets guaranteed.

The Super Value Satellites will have two tickets for the “Siege of Malta” added for the top two players.

The Tag Team tournament will be a unique event on September 3. Two players will form a team and change every level. They will have the right to take two time-outs, but there won’t be any breaks.

The Extravaganza events will have five representatives of the BOM participating with a bounty on their heads. Eliminate one of them and you’ll get a raffle ticket for a main event seat.

There will also be one single satellite where the winner gets a High Roller ticket instead of the main event. The Road to the Battle of Malta events will have further bounties and even five seats guaranteed in the October satellites.

Also, like last year, a BOM satellite Leaderboard competition will run with big prizes for the Top 10 finishers. Here's the Portomaso satellite schedule for the next four weeks:

Date

Theme

Feature

Aug 13

Kick-off

3 ME seats guaranteed

Aug 20

Super value

2 Siege tickets added

Sept 3

Tag Team event

2 players per team

Sept 10

Extravaganza

Bounties carry raffle tickets

Find the complete schedule/formats for the BOM satellites and the Leaderboard competition here.

Want to keep summer going?

There’s a little tournament called the Battle of Malta that might interest you.

The €550 buy-in event takes place every November in sunny Malta with beaches just blocks away.

What’s more there are plenty of ways to qualify for the event with minimal investment. The majority of online satellites not only include the buy-in but also a complete vacation package that includes accommodation at the 5-Star Hilton.

Steps, BOM Leaderboards and More

888poker, PartyPoker, Betsson, Betsafe and Nordic Bet are all offering satellites to the 2016 BOM but each one is a little different.

First up, 888poker runs a $160 BOM qualifier every Thursday from now until October. Each qualifier awards at least one $1,800 Deluxe Package to the 2016 BOM.

BOM host Maria Ho

Of course you can take part in the steps program, which starts at just $.01 to qualify for the weekly BOM satellite on Thursday.

Meanwhile PartyPoker is running a points race from now until Oct. 2. For every 10 points a player accumulates until Oct. 2 they will earn extra chip for the big Oct. 9 Battle of Malta qualifier.

Basically the more points you generate during the race will give you a bigger stack in the qualifier. First place in the Oct. 9 qualifier awards a complete BOM package with buy-in, accommodation and more.

Finally Betsson, Betsafe and Nordic Bet are running a weekly €200 BOM qualifier every Sunday with a €1,650 package up for grabs. You can qualify through the steps program starting at just €2.

The 2016 PokerListings Battle of Malta is scheduled to take place at the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s from Nov. 2-7 with a massive €500,000 guaranteed prize pool. For more information check out our Battle of Malta landing page.

For the fourth year in a row, PokerListings will present the Spirit of Poker Awards at the Battle of Malta this November.

These awards were created and designed for one reason - to recognize players who’ve left and continue to leave a special, lasting impression in the poker world beyond huge tournament wins.

A love of the game, a joy shared at the tables and a commitment to expanding the understanding of the game into the mainstream – these are just a few ways our nominees convey the real “Spirit of Poker."

The nominees for this year's awards were announced earlier this summer and fan voting is in its final stages.

Who is your Most Inspiring Player, the most promising young gun and a true poker living legend? Vote on our SOPA page for your personal favorite!

Bendik, Gale, O’Dea Lead Legends

In our Living Legends categories we honor players who’ve held their ground in poker for decades and show no signs of slowing down.

John Gale.

Like past winners Pierre Neuville, Thor Hansen and Humberto Brenes these are players who’ve battled with the best and don’t flinch when things get rough - either in poker or in life.

Currently leading the voting:

Head to the Living Legends page and vote for the player you think should carry the torch for the legends this year. Also still in contention are Konstantin Puchkov and Barny Boatman.

Luca, Nilsen, Treccarichi Rise

Silje Nilsen

A “Rising Star” isn’t just a player who won a million dollars when he or she was barely old enough to walk into a casino.

Rising Stars are emerging players who’ve scored a series of impressive results but also show they can keep up their heads in a tough environment and/or share their experiences with the poker community.

Leading votegetters in the Rising Stars category:

Ivan Luca -- the Argentinian has become sort of a spearhead of South American poker. Steadily climbing in winnings and rankings since 2011, he’s a case in point for how to build long-term success in poker.

Silje Nilsen -- One of the latest additions of the bottomless pool of skilled Scandinavians to the poker world, Silje has not only had major tournament success but is also one of the most fun and most authentic players to have at the table.

Walter Treccarichi -- A surprise draft choice for the Rome Emperors of the Global Poker League, he's shown since he’s not a fluke. Constantly running deep in tournaments all over the world, he’s living the dream that still has players take up poker every day.

Also still in the running are Rainer Kempe and Samantha Abernathy; head to the Rising Stars page to place your vote.

Kuo, Ramos, de Melo Inspire Equally

The Most Inspiring Player has always been considered the main category of the Spirit of Poker awards and our 2016 nominees have all done outstanding things in the last 12 months that have caught everyone’s attention.

Indefatigable de Melo.

This year the voting is so close it’s impossible to tell who’s going to win; it’ll likely come down to the very last votes to come in.

Kitty Kuo -- Any way you look at it, Hui Chen “Kitty” Kuo is a rock star. Check her results, check the Taiwanese all-time money list, check her Twitter or, if you're lucky enough to have the chance, go talk to her in person. You’ll understand why so many people have been inspired by her at and away from the tables.

Felipe Ramos -- An essential face of the poker boom in Brazil, one of the top players in the GPL, friend of superstars like Neymar and still a down-to-earth guy with an open, friendly personality. That’s Felipe Ramos for you in a nutshell. The joy of playing poker radiates off him.

Fatima de Melo -- Former Olympic gold medallist, singer and always entertaining at and away from the tables. As a frequent and popular guest in the EPT commentator booth, she’s shown more all-around skills than any nominee in this category.

Head to the Most Inspiring Player page to vote for who you think inspires most in the poker world. All the nominees still a chance to win and that includes fellow nominees Daniel Cates, Mike Leah, Dominik Nitsche, Luca Pagano and Vladimir Troyanovsky.

Voting Closes August 31

It’s now up to you to determine who will be on the shortlist for the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards 2016. Once the top three candidates in each category have been decided our PokerListings editorial panel will determine the winner.

Head to the PokerListings Awards page for a quick overview of all the 2016 nominees. Public voting ends August 31 so have your say now!

PokerListings will publish the winners in September. The awards ceremony will take place during the Battle of Malta in November with the presentation of the medals by host Maria Ho.

The ballots have closed and the voters have spoken.

With two very closely contested races and one runaway winner, the 2016 Spirit of Poker Award winners have now been decided and all that's left is the celebratory high fives and the ceremony to award the victors at the 2016 Battle of Malta.

This year's winners:

Felipe Ramos (Brazil), Silje Nilsen (Norway) and Konstantin Puchkov (Russia), who all won over the voters with their talent, enthusiasm and commitment to promote, represent and support the game of poker in their home countries.

Most Inspiring Player: Felipe Ramos

There was one nominee who rose head and shoulders above the crowd in the voting this year and that was Brazil's Felipe "Mojave" Ramos.

Lives and breathes poker.

With his outgoing, friendly character and a never-ending enthusiasm for the game Ramos stood out among his competition and collected the most votes in the Most Inspiring category by a wide margin.

If you've watched poker in the past 12 months - especially the Global Poker League, where he plays for the Sao Paulo Mets - you know that Ramos wears his love for poker on his sleeve and you can always see how deeply it fascinates him.

Ramos has been in the commentary booth for poker tournaments, perpetually updated his 30,000 followers on Twitter, streams live on his own Twitch channel and, importantly, plays all the games.

He cashed deep in four different variants at the 2016 WSOP and likes them so much he even streams HORSE! He writes strategy, runs his own training site and shares his love of the game with friends and admirers like Andre Akkari and football superstar Neymar Jr.

His home country might be his favorite subject to talk about – did you know that Brazil has the best pizza in the world? (according to Ramos) – and Ramos' contributions over the past 6 or 7 years have clearly helped make Brazil the fastest-growing poker market in the world.

With two formidable finalists in Kitty Kuo and Fatima de Melo alongside him in the Most Inspiring Player category, Ramos is a very worthy winner. Also nominated this year were Dan “jungleman12” Cates, Mike Leah, Dominik Nitsche, Luca Pagano and Vladimir Troyanovsky.

Rising Star: Silje Nilsen

In the most closely contested category of the year Norwegian Silje Nilsen proved it's not the biggest results or the highest stakes that inspires fans to get behind you.

Nilsen has been impressive on the felt in her own right since her deep run in the BOM main event last year, where she finished 75th.

Shortly after that she went to the Norwegian Championships and finished 2nd to WSOP runner-up Felix Stephensen. In those two events alone she outlasted almost 4,000 players.

But most importantly, with Norway legalizing poker last year and holding its National Championship on home soil for the first time (broadcast live on National TV no less), Nilsen inspired a new generation of women in her home country to take up the game.

She appeared in a short documentary about her life and poker pursuits, earned a sponsorship from Guts Poker and carried on an esteemed tradition of inspiring female players (see Annette Obrestad and Elisabeth Hille) from the poker-mad nation of Norway.

Nilsen made her first trip to the World Series of Poker this year and, while the results weren't what she'd hoped, left with the attitude that shows she's got what it takes to stick around in the game:

Did not go as well as I hoped, but there's only 1 year to the next one

With a virtual dead heat between Nilsen, Argentinian superstar Ivan Luca and Italian Walter Treccarichi in the voting it was Silje's growing social media presence that carried the day and won the votes to put her over the top.

If you follow her on Twitter, you'll see why.

Living Legend: Konstantin Puchkov

There are players whose merits in poker are often underrated or go by relatively unnoticed, like Barny Boatman and Donnacha O’Dea, who literally helped build the very foundation the game is on today.

Man of a thousand cashes.

There are players who’ve conquered hardship or achieved to become a WSOP or EPT champion, like John Gale and Jan Bendik.

And then there are players who seem to have always been there, who poker seems to have been built around.

Konstantin Puchkov is one of these players and he’s shown a consistency over the past 5 or 6 years that most of us would kill for, regardless of our age.

Puchkov plays all the games and never gets out of line with his bankroll, skipping the high roller scene entirely. You’ll see him in the main events - much like the latest EPT Barcelona when he finished 13th.

But he’ll also still be there when, for example, that same EPT wraps up with a €100 Hyper Turbo event (in which he finished 3rd).

Puchkov has 45 WSOP cashes, which doesn’t seem much compared to Phil Hellmuth’s 118, but Puchkov’s first entry is from 2010 -- more than 20 years after Hellmuth’s first WSOP win.

On the list of most WSOP cashes in one summer Puchkov is second and third with 11 and 10 cashes. He also holds the records for most EPT cashes – by a mile – with 82!

Puckkov’s enthusiasm goes as far as naming the horses he breeds with poker terms like “Freeroll” and “Full House," and maybe it’s this extraordinary spirit that won him the award of “Living Legend” from the poker community.

PokerListings would like to congratulate all three 2016 winners of the Spirit of Poker Awards and we hope to see you all at the Battle of Malta in November!

Have you put it in your calendar yet?

November 2-7 are the official dates for the 2016 Battle of Malta and, apart from our signature €550 main event, PokerListings has a lot more in store.

Side events, cocktails by the pool, blow-out parties, breakfasts, blackjack tournaments, world-class DJs, Karaoke, the inimitable Maria Ho ... the Battle is now so big it’s much more than just a poker tournament.

It's the ultimate poker destination holiday. Here's a quick overview of everything that awaits you at the best-value poker tournament in Europe.

The Poker

Where else to start but with the primary purpose (for most, anyway) of the whole thing? Not including the Main Event the 2016 BoM will feature eight (!) side events – more than ever before.

Poker. Then, more poker.

And that’s not even including the satellites.

The Main Event will have three starting days - Nov 2, 3 and 4. The final table will play on Monday, Nov 7.

As always the buy-in is €550 and the prize pool is €500,000 guaranteed. With 1,804 runners last year, however, that guarantee was easily smashed and reached a staggering €875,000.

Expect a similar number for 2016.

The Siege of Malta Second Chance Tourney has already established itself as the second-largest tournament of the festival. Last year 393 players put up the €250+€20 and the final six players split up over €66,000!

There will also be the Grandmaster High Roller, the PLO Knight Crusader, the 888poker Win the Button, a Deepstack Turbo and a Crazy Pineapple tournament.

On Monday we’ve added an IPC Turbo event and there will also be the special Blackjack Casino Crusaders tournament sponsored by Betsafe.

In addition to these there will be low buy-in satellites for both the main and the high roller event from Monday through to Friday night.

Register Early!

Queue for trophy, not to register.

Registration for the main event opens Monday, October 31 at 4 PM.

From November 2-7 the registration desk will open at 12 PM. We strongly recommend you register early as there will be queues later in the day.

There will also be cash games at different levels all through the week at the Portomaso Casino.

Get Social

No day is complete at the Battle of Malta without some form of celebration.

There will be a Karaoke night, a cocktail reception, a pool party, a VIP party and the All-in Friday at Club 22, from where you have the most amazing views of the island.

Maria Ho will be present at all the events and we can attest she is one of the most kind-hearted, considerate people on Earth when it comes to chatting with fans and taking pictures.

Everyone loves Maria.

That might be part of the reason why, according to our recent poll, she’s the second-most important reason players are looking forward to this year's Battle of Malta.

Make sure to secure yourself a complete package to get free access to all the events!

Get Oriented

All 2016 BoM events will take place at the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s. All package players will stay at the beautifully refurbished 5-Star Hilton or another of the luxury hotels in the area.

Because of the size of the BOM one hotel isn’t enough to accommodate all the players anymore.

The district of St Julian’s and in particular the district of Paceville is the epicentre of Maltese nightlife. The area is brimming with clubs, bars and restaurants, so boredom won't be an issue for you should you bust from events early.

Check back later this week in the Battle of Malta news section where we'll reveal the list of pros and celebs joining the events.

As a teaser: Dutch DJ duo Deepend will drive the action at the VIP Players Party on Saturday night. As a frame of reference, their hit track dropped just last month already has 1.8m views on YouTube.

Check the Battle of Malta schedule page right here for all the fine details for the events including buy-ins, starting times and days.

If you haven't locked up your 2016 Battle of Malta seat yet, now's the time to do it.

Live satellites at the BOM venue, the Casino Portomaso, have been running for four weeks now and they just keep on coming.

Over 20 main event seats are still sitting out there for the taking and three more special satellites are running over the next few weeks.

This week will see a special bounty event where five BOM representatives take part and each bounty you win gives you a raffle ticket with the BOM main event on the line.

Play the BOM for a Fraction of the Price

All the satellites take place in the Casino Portomaso and start at 8 PM. They run every Tuesday and, starting in October, also on Saturdays. The buy-in for any satellite is €55+5.

Tomorrow's (Tuesday, September 20) satellite will start at 8 PM with the above-mentioned bounties up for grabs and an extra 2k chips added to your starting stack for registering via Facebook.

One week later there’ll be another satellite and this one will have two tickets for the Siege of Malta Second Chance Tourney added.

On October 1 things turn up a notch. The winner won't get a ticket for the main but for the Grandmaster High Roller event.

This satellite is followed by 4 tournaments at the Portomaso Casino which will all guarantee 5 tickets to the main event.

Don't Wait for Day 1A!

There will be 14 satellites overall so there’s plenty of opportunity to your way into the massive value Main Event.

And if you can, don’t wait for the last satellites held on Day 1A of the Main. Last year there were 389 players in it and it almost busted the capacity of our secondary poker floor.

Those who’re lucky enough to live in Malta can also win their ticket through the leaderboard.

We have 10 tickets for pretty much all the events there’ll be, from the high roller to the PLO Knight’s Crusade, amounting to around €4,000!

Time is running fast and if you don’t have your Battle of Malta main event ticket yet, win it for a fraction on location.

BOM Live Satellite Schedule

Date          

Special feature

Bonus

Sept 20

5 bounties to be won

2k chips extra for FB reg

Sept 27

2 tickets to the “Siege”

2k chips extra for FB reg

Oct 1

Winner play the HR event

2k chips extra for FB reg

Oct 4

5 ME tickets guaranteed

2k chips for punctuality

Oct 8

5 ME tickets guaranteed

2k chips for punctuality

Oct 11

5 ME tickets guaranteed

2k chips for punctuality

Oct 15

5 ME tickets guaranteed

2k chips for punctuality

You can find the complete schedule including level times and starting stacks on our BOM satellite schedule page.

The 2016 Battle of Malta will be the biggest in its 4-year history with multiple side events, 4 VIP parties and an expected €1m in combined prize pools.

partypoker has a valuable VIP package to give away for it and you can play your way to a better shot at it all summer.

Running June 1-October 2, the partypoker points race will award extra chips for the final BOM qualifier on October 9.

For every 10 points accumulated between the above dates, players will receive an extra chip for the Oct. 9 qualifier.

Collect 10,000 points and you'll get 1,000 extra chips - a 33% boost to your starting stack. First place in the qualifier wins a €1,800 BOM VIP package and the rest of the field will share $1k cash.

Sign up for a brand new account via our PartyPoker review to be eligible to play and for our exclusive $500 sign-up bonus.

Partypoker offers $15m in guaranteed tournament prize pools every month and is open to US players in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.

BOM awaits.

Epic Poker, Parties Await

If you've yet to experience the friendliest, high-value, low buy-in tournament in Europe, 2016 is a great time to start.

Returning to the refurbished Hilton Hotel and Portomaso Casino for its 4th year, the BOM main event is expected to break its own record again for biggest tournament ever held on Malta.

With three starting flights and three full days of side events combined prize pools should easily surpass €1m and make it one of the best value festivals of the year.

If the poker isn't incentive enough it's also known for its friendly, casual atmosphere and some of the best player parties on the circuit.

The VIP Player package to be won on partypoker includes:

Check the preview video below and after that there's an updated look at the leaderboard as of Sept. 20:

Updated Leaderboard as of Sept. 20

Player

Points

NS_Sueca_Master

5,098

SimpolJack

3,896

je3essutra

2,902

KS_15

1,635

xxtiltmanxx

1,488

OnTheMac1

1,438

goslow48

1,155

iwillnevertilt

1,052

PaddyPeace

1,039

idwin_1952

1,018

This November, the 2016 Battle of Malta will deliver big-field, low buy-in action along with side tournaments and a full schedule of player parties.

Reserve your seat now with one of three different BOM packages.

The Battle of Malta plays out at the Portomaso Casino, backdropped by the beautiful Mediterranean, and there's nowhere better for a poker holiday in November.

Say goodbye to whatever you'd usually be doing and take a trip to Malta for warm weather, good times and a shot at a massive €500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Click here to reserve your package now and watch the new promo video to see for yourself what makes Battle of Malta Europe's hottest low buy-in poker event.

Three Levels of BOM Packages

PokerListings.com is offering three levels of BOM packages to suit every bankroll.

VIP Package - €1,459

Economy Package - €900

Friends Package – 2 Players: €2,259, 3 Players: €2,859

Go to the Battle of Malta page for more information and to reserve your seat.

The 2016 Battle of Malta is less than a month away and BOM Host Maria Ho has five great reasons you should consider a last-minute trip.

Playing out November 2-7, the Battle of Malta boasts a huge €500,000 guaranteed prize pool for a buy-in of just €550, plus a massive schedule of parties and side events.

Click here for more information and to reserve your seat with one of three special BOM packages.

In its fifth year, BOM has quickly become Europe's hottest low buy-in poker event and in 2014 it won the European Poker Award for Best New Low Buy-In Tournament.

Battle of Malta offers recreational players a major tournament experience at a buy-in they can afford.

Complete with live media coverage, VIP player parties and huge prizes, amateur players can get a taste of what it's like playing at an event like the EPT without breaking their bankroll.

Check out the video below for Maria Ho's five biggest reasons to play Battle of Malta and reserve your spot not to join us this November.

Maria Ho's Top 5 Reasons to Play BOM

#5 – Amazing Location

I think there's huge value in going to a place where, not only can you play poker and you can have fun, but you could actually explore a little bit. There's history and it's all away from the poker tables.

For me, every year that I go back to Malta I feel like I'm discovering something new that I hadn't before.

So even though it's a small place, you feel like there's a lot of different things you can experience.

#4 – Friendly Atmosphere

What's really special about the Battle of Malta is that people go in with the mindset of having fun and obviously winning money is going to be important but it's almost secondary to that fact they're treating this like a vacation.

The 2016 Battle of Malta is going to be huge.

Every year that I've been at Battle of Malta I've met so many different people. You can come with one or two people but you can leave with so many new poker friends and I know I've connected with a lot of people at the Battle of Malta.

#3 – Four Different Parties

This might sound unprofessional but I kind of look forward to the parties more than the poker. There's four different parties. There's karaoke and clubs.

I think when you go to these parties you realize that people have a persona away from poker. Whether it's a pro you've seen on TV you got to play against, or just a recreational player you met the day before at your table.

It's fun to see people away from the poker table.

#2 – Tons of Side Action

If they unfortunately bust the Main Event, the best part is there's still many other things they can do poker-wise such as side events and cash games, so if you're really there to get a poker fix, you're for sure going to get that.

#1 – Low Buy-In, Huge Guarantee

For the Battle of Malta Main Event, for just €550 buy-in you get a shot at a €500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

I think now for recreational players, they look at the value of a poker tournament based on how big the prize pool gets, how many players there are, but what that means relative to maybe their paycheck.

I think when you can walk away with a six-figure score when you're just playing for fun, that's amazing for a lot of these people and it's going to change a lot of their lives.

I have to admit that now, less than a week after coming back from a 5-week round-the-world trip, all I want is to curl up on my couch with my cats and eat good food.

That being said I’m not worried because I know that after such a big trip, and even though I need to recharge my batteries, in a few days I’ll be yearning for a new adventure.

This time I won’t have to improvise, as I planned months ago that I would be coming to Malta to play one of the most enticing tournaments in the world: the Battle of Malta!

This tournament is very accessible with just a €550 buy-in but it’s also one of the most profitable, as thousands of players turn out. Last year the three finalists each took home more than €100,000.

This will be the fifth edition. Personally, I took part in the first two, but I always knew I'd come back for more as soon as my schedule allowed.

No slots, just poker.

Beautiful and Slots-Free

Malta may be a small country but there are always things to do. If you enjoy fine food you'll love all the restaurants Malta has to offer -- in particular the Japanese ones.

The fish is great on the island and there’s a huge Japanese community, which makes the Japanese restaurants among the best.

Obviously, there are restaurants of all kinds, but as a fan of Japanese cuisine I have to admit it’s what I’m looking forward to most.

But the tournament has other strengths: it is played at the St Julian’s Hilton, in one of the most beautiful areas of Malta, next to the marina.

I love tournaments that are played in hotels instead of casinos. They feel much “cleaner,” there is more light and less stress, and at least you don’t have to walk past a million slots – which, I think, a lot of poker players will appreciate.

This also means that the hotel is closer than ever to the tournament venue. Even if the Hilton is full there are plenty of other hotels within 500m of the venue.

A Wonderful Hangover Remedy

I don’t go out much but it’s hard to avoid parties in Malta since all the good bars are close to the hotel. But the good thing is that the tournament doesn’t start until 2 pm which gives you more than enough time to recover.

Plenty of spots to recover.

If you’re staying at the Hilton you can spend some time at the heated pool or in the sauna, a wonderful hangover remedy, or even go to the gym or for a run.

The Main Event has three Day 1s with one re-entry per day. My advice is to plan precisely how many shots you want to take and what other tournaments you might want to play.

I hope I won’t be able to play any other events than the main, but if I do (shit happens), I think the €1,200 Grandmaster High Roller could be a lot of fun. There are tournaments from €50 so really there’s something for everyone.

You can book the buy-in+hotel package here with everything included - especially the VIP party.

So if you’re up for it I will see you there. In the meantime I will get back my thirst to play poker from my couch with my cats. See you very soon!

-----

Leo Margets will be one of several poker stars to attend the 5th Battle of Malta from November 2-7. Check out the full calendar of events here.

After winning last year’s Battle of Malta, Frenchman Nicolas Proust will be back at the Hilton in just over a week's time intent on defending his title.

He knows it's a long shot, sure. A very long shot. But he's not backing away from giving a repeat title his best effort.

One week before he tries again in the tournament’s fifth edition we met up with him to discuss his approach for this year's tournament and how life has changed since his big win.

PL: Nicolas, let’s start with how your year has been since your victory.

Nicolas Proust: It really didn’t go as I imagined (laughs). I wanted to spend most of my time playing poker and play much more live.

In the end, even though I have played quite a lot of tournaments, I haven’t done what I wanted to - especially because I didn’t go to the WSOP in Vegas, for various reasons.

Good, but not exactly to plan.

I got a little bored of poker. I don’t know if it’s because I won a big tournament and a lot of money, but it made me want to do other things outside of poker, like travel.

I did do a lot of this and it was an amazing year, almost a sabbatical (laughs). I went to Thailand, it was magical.

I didn’t see that many different countries but I took advantage of my newfound freedom to visit everyone - family, friends...

After that it was tough to really get back into it. My live tournaments didn’t go well, with no cashes in any of the €1Ks and €2Ks I played (EPT, FPS, Eureka), which didn’t help.  

So it has been a bit of a dead year. I wasn’t even sure I would stay in Malta.

I like my job, I like tennis, and I could see myself in a tennis club while still playing poker.

PL: Did you receive any offers from sponsors or poker rooms?

NP: No, I didn’t, but I’m not someone with a lot of visibility. Maybe I have the qualities to be sponsored but I don’t advertise them.

I didn’t do anything to get a sponsor. And outside of the Internet, where I’m a little bit well-known, live no one knows me except in Malta.

Skill there but no offers yet.

And as I said I didn’t do much this year, which is probably not a good way to attract sponsors.

PL: How do you explain this bad run?

NP: It’s not just luck. It’s about the state of mind, the commitment. They’re essential.

Another thing is that I don’t necessarily have the opportunity to talk and share with players that are better than me, which would help me work on my weaknesses.

I think part of the reason I lost my motivation is because I felt I wasn’t progressing anymore.

Confidence soared after big win.

But what I miss most lately is to play just for me. It’s annoying, because I have already fulfilled all my goals for this year.

They weren’t huge but it went quick. I did great online after my victory at the BOM because I was very confident.

But they’re not very exciting goals either, so I kind of lost my motivation afterwards. I was playing mechanically, without any pleasure.

Money isn’t really my main motivation, even though I would like to be rich, like everyone. What I miss is having another reason to play.

In tennis, a very individual sport, what I liked were the team competitions during the year. It gives you a sense of belonging.

So I have a few projects, like creating a poker team. I think there is a way to create something so that you don’t just play for yourself.

PL: What are your goals for the 2016 Battle of Malta? Are you coming to defend your title?

NP: Definitely! This year I'm intent on making it two in a row and making history, no doubt about that. If I haven’t been ITM this year it’s because I was waiting for the BOM! (laughs)

Here’s a message for those who will want to bust last year’s winner at any cost: guys, don’t hesitate. I want you to spend as many chips as you can.

Please bluff and use crazy moves. (laughs) Maybe it’s my only chance for another deep run. (laughs)

Attention, field: Please try crazy moves.

But yes, I would really like to go deep again. The odds of winning a tournament like this twice in a row are close to zero but the mere idea that it’s a possibility is exciting.

This time I will be playing for something else than money. I will be playing to make history. It can be a way to start it all up again.

With the Battle of Malta coming up, motivation is coming back. This tournament is the reason people know me. People talk about it all the time here.

They’re pushing you, want you to do the impossible. It really is a nice feeling.

PL: Will you feel any particular pressure as the title holder?

NP: No, the other players will feel the pressure, I can tell you. (laughs)

As I said the odds of winning twice are so low that there is no pressure at all. The only pressure I have is to play my best game and to enjoy being at the table.

"This tournament is the reason people know me."

Pressure has always been a good fuel for me. It prevents me from doing crazy things. I was serious last year, I was focused.

I would really like to get back in that state of mind. When you play a sports tournament you need this will to do your best, even throughout your preparation.

I had never taken another tournament so seriously. Before the Battle of Malta I was going through a tough time. I was running out of money, times were hard. I got to Malta after the worst year of my life.

It was my last chance for poker and I wanted to do my best to seize it. Preparing is essential, even though luck plays a part.

But all in all I really hope I’ll do well. It’s sentimental here and always will be. It was the first time poker gave me such emotions.

Feeling so much thanks to a card game, it seems crazy. And people who don’t play poker don’t understand. (laughs)

"It's sentimental here and always will be."

It’s such a positive feeling with so many people around you ... They’re magical moments that stick with you forever. To me, they’re the best reasons to want to play.

But I would be ok with cheering for a teammate who would have a good run.

PL: Do you have any advice for Battle of Malta first-timers?

NP: If I wanted to bluff, I could say 'Every night, you need to go out for drinks and go hard!' (laughs)

But really the best advice I can give is to do what you want to. If you’re here to play and win, then do everything you can to do so.

And enjoy it. Poker is still a game. So really, enjoy it. When you enjoy it, you will play your best game and you will want to improve.

The 2016 Battle of Malta Flash Sale is on!

The outside temperature in Malta has reached 27°C (81°F) as we speak and it doesn’t look like it’s going down much next week.

What better time, then, for a Flash Sale on the last few remaining packages for the 5th edition of BoM.

Right now we're offering single and friend packages for €200 less than the original price. And while the EPT Main Event is experiencing a player decrease this year, player numbers are expected to rise again for the Battle of Malta.

The Heat is On

As we said, temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s all next week so when you’re packing your bag to fly to Malta, leave your coat and add your swimming trunks.

He loves it; you'll love it.

That will also leave you more room in case you go back with one of our beautiful BOM trophies.

We’re making the Battle of Malta package even more attractive for a last-minute poker holiday.

You can now book your own VIP package or Friend package for you and one additional player for €200 less than the regular price.

That’s a reduction of almost 14%!

There are only a few rooms left in our BOM hotels so hurry up and book.

They'll be gone soon. The complete package includes:

Original price for the VIP package was €1,459; now €1,259 = 14% off. Original price for the friend package was €2,159; now only €1959 = 9% off!

Click through here to go to our booking page and make your purchase. It’s fast and simple.

Numbers are Rising

While the fifth edition of BOM is only a week away the European Poker Tour is running its Malta stop for the third time. However, the growth curve for the two big autumn poker events in Malta couldn’t be more different.

Check the numbers in the main events of both tournaments over the past couple of years:

Year

BOM ME players

EPT ME players

2012

345

-

2013

888

-

2014

1447

895*

2015

1804

651

2016

?

468

*Event took place in March 2015, but was part of prior season.

In fact the current EPT stop is the smallest EPT main event since Copenhagen in 2012.

Whether the diminishing numbers at the EPT are a direct consequence of PokerStars’ announcement to cancel the EPT isn't clear but it doesn’t seem Malta is a point of focus for the new PokerStars Championships. Perhaps maybe for the smaller “Festivals” – but rumors about skipping it certainly aren’t helpful.

On the other hand the Battle of Malta is unique in every sense of the word. It’s a standalone event – although every year we add more side events – and it’s the one that combines poker and a late summer vacation better than any other poker event anywhere.

Watch the video below to feel the BOM vibe:

We’re expecting to grow again this year and the intent is to reach the magic number of 2,000 players. That would give the BOM a €1 million prize pool and again have the top three or four players walk away with more than €100,000.

Time is running out fast! Get your VIP package now and you’ll soon find yourself playing in an international top class poker event hosted by Maria Ho on a beautiful island in the middle of the Mediterranean where the sun almost always shines.

Or, you can sit back in your chair, put some extra socks on and look out of the window while the rain comes down.

Every year we work hard to improve our signature poker event, the Battle of Malta.

This year, for its fifth edition, we not only have a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the Hilton Malta to go on about but several nice new features that players should appreciate.

Streamlined registration, special VIP party guests, a final-table live stream, a charity event - all of this and more you’ll find alongside our spectacular low buy-in, high-value Battle of Malta main event.

Read on to find out what else is new in 2016.

1. Final Table Live Stream!

For the first time ever the Battle of Malta main event final table will be live streamed! 

That means you'll be able to see the hole cards of the final nine players and watch them battle it out for glory and a six-figure payday.

Sponsored by Betsson, Betsafe and NordicBet, we'll announce our main stream host shortly but you can expect plenty of guest commentators in the booth, too.

We're also working to provide a feature-table stream from Sunday as they play down to the final table. Check the Battle of Malta page here to find the stream.

2. Fernando Pons in the Field!

We’ve had WSOP November Niners at the Battle of Malta before – Pierre Neuville has played a couple of times and runner-up Felix Stephensen also made an appearance last year. But we've never had a Spanish Nov. 9er.

Until this year, that is. Fernando Pons is coming to BOM! As his chip stack suggested he might, Pons busted in 9th place last night during the early stages of the Nov. 9 but is taking some time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Las Vegas with his family.

He'll be back in the air shortly, though, and in the BOM Main Event Day 1C field on Friday.

3. Dutch DJs Deepend at VIP party

One of the signature features of the Battle of Malta is that there’s a party every day. The biggest one, however, is always the VIP party.

This party will happen at the Sky Club. It was a major hit last year and it’s going to be an even bigger one in 2016.

As a special treat we’ve invited the Dutch house DJ duo Deepend to spin the records. Deepend has millions of clicks for their tunes on YouTube and a signature hit song of the past summer.

On November 5, you'll here it live at the Sky Club.

4. Crazy Pineapple Movember

For all the crazy players among you, we’ll have a Crazy Pineapple tournament at the Battle of Malta. Even better you can contribute to charity while you play.

We’ve partnered up with the “Movember” movement and if you want to support the fight against prostate cancer, grow a moustache.

If you don’t grow a moustache, we’ll sell you one. Buy a moustache and support charity, play the Crazy Pineapple event and make this one of the more satisfying, hirsute days of your life.

5. Wait No More

In past years there were so many players trying to get into the side events there were waiting lists with hundreds of names.

This sometimes meant that players had to wait for hours until they could play. Nobody wanted to wait at the registration desk for that long so a significant number of players missed their tournaments.

This year, that won’t happen. When you register for a tournament that's full we’ll take your telephone number.

As soon as your name nears the top of the list you’ll get an automatic SMS notifying you so you’ll have enough time to make it to the tournament area before your first card is dealt.

Check the Battle of Malta news page and the live coverage page for updates on more new BOM perks as they happen!

The final live satellites are set to go at the Portomaso Casino.

Last-minute sales of VIP packages are still available. Main Event registration is open imminently and Maria Ho is warming up her voice for the Karaoke throwdown.

It’s that time of year again and the event you’ve all been waiting for is 24 hours from finally getting underway.

If you're yet to jump on a plane and make your way here, it's still not too late. Our last-minute flash sale will save you €200 on every VIP package or friend package you book.

You can now also book your ticket to any of our side events online. Go to our payment page and secure your ticket.

Register Early, Satellites Running

Still room at the Inn.

If your seat is already secured, beyond a last-minute review of your push-fold charts your next mission is to register.

Our recommendation when you arrive in Malta is to register asap. The longer you wait, the longer the queues will be at the registration desk.

The registration desk is open from 4 PM on Tuesday and 12 PM on Wednesday and casino staff will get you sorted and ready quickly. Don’t forget your ID!

You can also still satellite your way into the main event right on location. We’re running €55+5 qualifiers until Wednesday when the last ME qualifier starts at 7 PM.

More Than Poker

The Battle of Malta, as you know, is more than a series of poker tournaments. Every night we’ll have a party somewhere to keep you entertained and make your stay even better.

Our host Maria Ho will play a special role at the first of our parties – the Karaoke night at the Marina. If you've been here before you know Maria loves to sing and she doesn’t shy away when someone gets the music machine started.

Still time to get to @PokerListings #BattleofMalta for all the festivities. €550 buy in, €500,000 Guarantee! Oh and did someone say karaoke? pic.twitter.com/LSIocUjCFw

Skies are clear.

Malta was hit by a storm last weekend but it’s already long gone and clear again.

Temperatures are supposed to rise to 26°C (79°F) by Friday so you’ll need your sunglasses away from the tables, too.

The three starting days for the Battle of Malta 2016 are Wednesday to Friday and the starting time is 2 PM.

Look out for the Spirit of Poker Awards ceremony on Thursday. Maria Ho will hand over the awards to our winners Felipe Ramos, Silje Nilsen and Konstantin Puchkov during the first break.

The 2016 Battle of Malta kicked off from the Portomaso Casino earlier today with 2013 champion Louis Cartarius and defending champ Nicolas Proust joining the action on Day 1a.

For the third straight year Maria Ho started things off with the traditional shuffle up and deal (flanked by a couple Maltese knights).

Nearly 300 entries hit the felt early on but there will be an exact count in the end of the day recap.

Eichhardt Bounced Early, Re-Buys

Among the field were serial WSOP casher Chris Bjorin and fellow pros Andreas Hoivold and Valentin Messina.

Peter Eichhardt

Swedish WSOP bracelet winner Peter Eichhardt, who was rocking an 888poker patch, took a seat but busted early.

Eichhardt is expected to return to the fray with a re-entry at some point on Day 1a.

There were some celebs in the field as well including Norwegian rapper Petter Katastrofe and Norwegian glamour model Linni Meister.

Local poker pro Jackie “PokerMama” Cachia was also in the tournament early and built a sizable 50,000-chip stack early.

Premium sponsors 888poker, Betsafe and NordicBet are fully set up at the 2016 Battle of Malta with their respective lounges.

Day 1a is expected to be the smallest starting day of the 2016 Battle of Malta with massive fields expected for Day 1b and Day 1c.

You can follow along in real-time through our BOM live updates.

Pavlos Xanthopoulos and Clément Brunet Manquat took advantage of Day 1a of the 2016 Battle of Malta and built stacks that easily surpassed 200k.

Xanthopoulos, the second Greek player to ever win a WSOP gold bracelet, locked up the overnight chip lead with 245k chips.

Manquat had a very strong day, that saw him peak at 300k, but he cooled off towards the end of play to finish with 221k.

This year’s 271 entries was actually down slightly from the 305 on Day 1a last year but pre-registration has been very strong for Days 1b and 1c. A massive turnout is still expected for the event.

Poker Pros, Celebs Convene for Day 1a

While Day 1a will undoubtedly be the smallest this year it wasn’t lacking in compelling stories.

Sir Nicolas Proust

Maria Ho led things off by giving the shuffle up and deal with a couple of Maltese knights as her escort.

European poker pros Andreas Hoivold, Peter Eichhardt, Chris Björin and Fabio Assenato were in attendance.

Perhaps more interesting, however, were the number of celebs who came out for this year’s contest.

Former Swedish National Team goalkeeper Magnus Hedman, Norwegian rapper Petter “Katastrofe” Kristiansen and glamor model Linni Meister all hit the felt with varying degrees of poker experience.

It was also a day of champions as reigning champ Nicolas Proust and 2013 winner Louis Cartarius both joined in on the action.

Maria Ho getting things started.

The amenable Proust even wore a knight’s smock beneath his hoodie to rep the Battle of Malta brand.

Around 90 players including Proust, Hedman, Björin and Jackie “Poker Mama” Cachia survived the day but will have to wait a couple days to come back and play on Saturday for Day 2.

Day 1b kicks off tomorrow at the Portomaso Casino at 2 p.m. local time with a massive turnout expected.

You can follow along in real-time via the Battle of Malta homepage with live updates, news, blogs, videos and more.

Here's a look at the top 10 chip counts to end the day:

1. Pavlos Xanthopoulos - 246,300
2. Clement Brunet Manquant - 221,000
3. Markus Larsson - 205,000
4. Raffaele Sorrentino - 198,700
5. Mattias Lundkvist - 196,700
6. Giulio Spampinato - 190,700
7. Martynas Racinskas - 186,000
8. Rasmus Eriksson - 179,100
9. Gusto La Mattina - 171,100
10. Johan Nilssen - 123,600

Here's a video recap of the day:

Day 1b of the Battle of Malta Main Event has never been as busy as it was today.

A total of 659 entries packed their way into the Portomaso Casino, which made it the biggest Day 1b in the tournament’s five-year history.

It made up for a slightly smaller Day 1a which had 271 entries versus the 305 in 2015.

Overall there are 930 entries which puts the event on pace to absolutely shatter the €500,000 guarantee.

Alaska’s Zachary Reinbold took control of the chips counts in the last level of play and finished with 268,000.

Nilsen, Puchkov Claim SOP Awards

Day 1b of the 2016 BOM brought seasoned poker pros Maria Ho, Silje Nilsen, Fabrice Soulier and Konstantin Puchkov into the fray.

Konstantin Puchkov getting applause.

Nilsen and Puchkov were each honored as Spirit of Poker award winners in the Rising Star and Living Legend categories respectively.

Felipe “Mojave” Ramos who had prior obligations in New Jersey was also recognized as the Most Inspiring Player of the year.

By the end of play the field had been reduced to about 227 players.

Among the survivors were Maria Ho, Silje Nilsen and Finnish model Amanda Harkimo. They'll join the 89 remaining from Day 1a on Saturday for Day 2.

Meanwhile Day 1c of the 2016 Battle of Malta Main Event kicks off at 2 p.m. local time tomorrow giving players one last chance (two if they haven’t used their one re-entry) to get in on what will surely go down as one of the biggest tournaments ever held in Malta.

You can follow along via the official Battle of Malta live updates.

Here’s a rough look at the top 10 chip counts to end the day:

1. Zachary Reinbold - 268,000
2. Guiseppe Grimaldi - 234,100
3. Meree Medjounou - 227,500
4. Tony Rene Danielsen - 193,500
5. Ronald Haverkamp - 187,700
6. Ivaylo Panev - 180,600
7. Jimmy Olsson - 178,00
8. Gdish Manish - 173,700
9. Even Spelling - 164,000
10. Burt Kuiper - 163,200

Watch Day 1B Highlight Video

Check out today's highlight video for a look at the action, a peek at last night's karaoke party hosted by Maria Ho and an interview with BOM regular and 888poker Ambassador Sofia Lovgren.