The 2016 Battle of Malta is the biggest poker tournament ever held on the isle of Malta.

By the time the last player had been counted there were a total of 1,813 entries, which is the most ever in the five-year history of the event.

There will be exact numbers provided later tonight but for a tournament that carries a modest buy-in of €550 there will be a prize pool in excess of €870,000.

The numbers were boosted by the biggest starting day in BOM history.

There were a total of 883 entries on Day 1c, which is the highest ever Day 1 total and nearly triple the entire field of the inaugural BOM in 2012.

Leo Margets, Fernando Pons Join the Action

A couple of very well known Spanish poker pros helped push the field into record-setting territory.

Leo Margets

Fernando Pons, hot off his ninth-place finish in the November Nine earlier this week, took a seat early on Day 1c.

Leo Margets, a BOM veteran, took a little longer but also made her presence felt in the Grandmaster Ballroom at Portomaso Casino.

Both players were still in the contest as of the dinner break.

There were plenty of other pros in the field, too, as Konstantin Puchkov, Luca Moschitta, Steven van Zadelhoff and Sofia Lovgren all played Day 1c.

The 2016 Battle of Malta edges the 2015 edition by a slim margin of nine entries but that was enough to set the record.

The prize pool won't be announced until later but since the numbers are very similar to last year first place could top €165,000 this year.

We’ll have a complete wrap later tonight. In the meantime you can follow the Battle of Malta live updates.

It was the biggest single starting day in the history of the Battle of Malta and Eugeny Krikun and Nave Biton definitely took advantage.

When the smoke had cleared there were a total of 883 entries on Day 1c, which pushed the overall field to a record 1,813 entries.

The overall prize pool won’t be released until tomorrow but it should be more than €800,000.

Here’s a look at the approximate top five stacks at the end of play:

1. Eugeny Krikun - 244,200
2. Nave Biton - 239,000
3. Tommi Erik Hirvonen - 222,200
4. Alberto Farah - 194,000
5. Giuseppe Occhipinti - 181,300

Moschitta, Margets Make an Appearance

While the Battle of Malta is primarily focused on recreational players there were several pros who graced us with their presence today.

Claire Renaut

Most notably Fernando Pons (direct from the November Nine in Las Vegas), Konstantin Puchkov, Claire Renaut and Andreas Hoivold.

Spanish poker pro Leo Margets, who’s a bit of a BOM vet, also joined the action partway into the day.

Famed poker blogger (and sometimes PL.com live updater) Allen Rash, you probably know him as Alcanthang, came all the way from the USA to play his first European Poker Tournament but had the misfortune of getting Margets directly on his left.

Rash avoided living up to his nickname, however, and hung out longer than the aforementioned Margets. He couldn’t escape the rail altogether as he busted in the last 20 minutes of play.

A total of 322 survived Day 1c. They’ll join 89 from Day 1a and 227 from Day 1b.

Tomorrow promises to be the most exciting day yet of the 2016 Battle of Malta as the surviving 638 players from all three of the starting days will reconvene at 1 p.m. to play under the same roof for the first time.

The money bubble will also burst tomorrow, which means we’ll see our first payouts of the 2016 BOM.

You can follow along live via our exclusive Battle of Malta live updates.

Daily Video with Leo Margets, Football Legends and MMA Fighters

Check out the daily highlight video for a look at today's action, a peek at yesterday's sports-betting Q&A with football legends Paul Dickov, Alan McInally and Harry Redknapp and interviews with professional MMA fighters Emil Meek, Kenneth Bergh and Jack Hermansson.

The 2016 PokerListings Battle of Malta Main Event will offer a prize pool of nearly €900,000 thanks to record-setting participation.

The 1,813 entries helped push the prize pool to €879,305, which is also a new record for the tournament.

First place will award €160,000 this year. Not bad considering the buy-in remains a modest €550.

Final Table Offers €541k

The final table alone will share €541,940, which is a new record for the five-year-old tournament.

In addition both first and second-place will award over €100,000 this year.

BOM host Maria Ho

A total of 179 players will be paid this year with a min-cash worth nearly double the buy-in at €945.

The Battle of Malta has grown exponentially since its debut in 2012, which offered a modest €169,265 prize pool.

This year’s Battle of Malta features returning host Maria Ho and attracted poker pros Leo Margets, Fabrice Soulier, Konstantin Puchkov and Chris Bjorin.

A number of celebs also bought into the action including Finnish DJ Amanda Harkimo, Norwegian rapper Petter “Katastrophe” Kristiansen and former Swedish National Team goalkeeper Magnus Hedman.

Zachary Reinbold, of Alaska, collected the most chips over the first three starting days with 268k.

You can follow the tournament in real-time via our official Battle of Malta live updates.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s payouts:

Pos.   Prize

1.    €160,000
2.    €110,000
3.      €67,000
4.      €56,000
5.      €46,500
6.      €37,500
7.      €29,000
8.      €21,400
9.      €14,540

10-12       €9,100
13-15       €6,400
16-18       €4,800
19-27       €3,800
28-36       €3,240
37-45       €2,750
46-54       €2,370
55-63       €2,020
64-72       €1,760
73-81       €1,650
82-90       €1,550
91-100     €1,450
101-110    €1,360
111-120    €1,280
121-130    €1,210
131-140    €1,150
141-150    €1,090
151-160    €1,040
161-170       €990
171-179       €945

Spaniard Roberto Lanero rode a late surge to the overnight chip lead of 2,229,000 chips on Day 2 of the 2016 Battle of Malta.

He’s followed closely by Swede Rasmus Eriksson who bagged 2,190,000 and was the only other player to end the night over two million chips.

A total of 72 players remain with the nine-player final table looming. Every player left has locked up €1,760 but the ultimate goal is the €160,000 for first-place.

Double Bubble Surprises

It was a rapid-fire day with 566 eliminations in less than 10 hours of play.

Maria Ho, Konstantin Puchkov, Nicolas Proust and Chris Bjorin all finished shy of the money.

Silje Nilsen made the money.

The money bubble awaited at 179 players remaining and it proved to be an interesting one with two players busting in hand-for-hand play.

Martin Ilavsky and Manuel Raffl ended up sharing the payout of €945 for 179th place, which meant they nearly recouped their €550 buy-in.

Once the bubble burst the bustouts cranked up a notch with over 100 eliminations in the final four levels of play.

Spirit of Poker award winner and guts.com sponsored player Silje Nilsen was one of the casualties as she finished in 145th place for a min cash.

Action ended around midnight local time with Lanero on a dizzying hot streak that peaked at well over 2.2 million chips. Lanero's lifetime live tournament earnings are $7,605 so he has a chance at doubling that number just by making the final table.

Play will resume tomorrow at 2 p.m. and we'll be on hand to live update the final push to the final table.

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

1. Roberto Lanero -- 2,290,000
2. Rasmus Eriksson -- 2,190,000
3. Robert Berglund -- 1,825,000
4. Flaviano Cammisuli -- 1,585,000
5. John Finnighan -- 1,400,000
6. Davide Fichena -- 1,370,000
7. Gabriele Zappala -- 1,315,000
8. Alessandro Stena -- 1,152,000
9. Patrick Clarke -- 1,100,000
10. Knut Mo -- 985,000

Watch Day 2 BOM Highlight Video

Check out today's highlight video for an inside look at the action in the Main Event, the special 888poker Win the Button tournament, Spirit of Poker Award winner Silje Nilsen and last night's penultimate BOM party.

Rasmus Eriksson and Robert Berglund already loved the Battle of Malta.

Now they have two more very big reasons to.

For the part three years Eriksson, Berglund and a third friend have traveled from Sweden to Malta to play in the BOM.

The best finish they've had previously is Rasmus' 135th-place finish last year for €1,250. This year, they both made the final table of nine.

"This is my best friend from back in Sweden," Rasmus told us after the final table was set. "Robert was the first friend I started to play poker with I think five or six years ago.

"Three years ago was the first time we came to the Battle of Malta and we loved it so much we've come back every year.

"It's been a tradition for us," added Robert. "We hadn't had much success so far but this year we both made the final table."

Rasmus Eriksson

Last-Longer Added Motivation

As a bit of an added incentive, as if they need it now that there's a €160,000 first-place prize on the table, they also have a last longer bet for a free dinner. They say they're both still very motivated to win it.

"Me and Robert have a last-longer bet," Rasmus says "and I want to take him down so I will do what I can to finish him off."

Rasmus plays poker for fun while Robert has been trying to make a living off poker for the last year. Adds Rasmus:

"The money means a lot for me. I have a normal job back in Sweden so even to make the min-cash at the final table is pretty huge.

"But I will try to play my best and not think of the money but the place of €160,000 is really huge and I want it so I will go for it."

“We are over the moon. “We’ve been speaking about how cool it would be to play heads-up for the title, but of course we weren’t serious.”

“Now we move on to Day 4 and it’s actually still possible.”

They were sitting at the same table today, but now that’s unavoidable. With 8,795,000 chips to Robert's 2,895,000, Rasmus also seems to have the upper hand. Or does he?

“I think that Robert is the best player at the table," Rasmus says, "so why would I try to target him? I think it’s better for me to target other players. He might come for me, though.”

Robert Berglund

Stakes Are Even Higher

Between the two of them and their unnamed friend, there is also an agreement that if one of them made the final table, the other two have to get a tattoo.

What exactly is that tattoo of? A very famous Swedish symbol, particularly prominent in their hometown of Falun: the Dalahäst, or Swedish horse.

But now that two of them have made it there, does that mean their friend has to get two tattoos?

Rasmus and Robert can easily agree on an answer here: “Yes, I guess.”

"Our friend wants us to get the tattoos, too," Rasmus says. "Since I made the final table, Robert has to do it and since he made it, I do too.

The two friends return at 3 pm to play the Battle of Malta main event final table, which you can watch right here on live stream with commentary.

You can follow along in the live updates as well right here.

The Battle of Malta takes place in the Mediterranean but this year’s final table will have a considerable Swedish influence with Rasmus Eriksson, Robert Berglund and Jonas Hahnert all looking to scoop the €160,000 first-place prize.

They’ll have to contend with Ireland’s John Finnighan who is the overwhelming chip leader with 10.8 million chips.

The rest of the final table includes two Italians, a Norwegian, a Spaniard and an American.

Here’s a complete look at the final-table chip counts:

1. John Finnighan (Ireland) — 10840000
2. Rasmus Eriksson (Sweden) — 8795000
3. Lawrence Brandt (USA) — 8000000
4. Flaviano Cammisuli (Italy) — 6215000
5. Gonzalo Fernandez (Spain) — 2900000
6. Robert Berglund (Sweden) — 2895000
7. Robert Sverre Eik (Norway) — 2500000
8. Giorgio Legasacchi (Italy) — 2200000
9. Jonas Hahnert (Sweden) — 1000000

Frantic Action Leads to Short Day

For the second-straight year the playdown to the final table proved to be a turbo-charged affair with 63 eliminations in less than seven hours.

Chip leader John Finnighan.

Among the early bustouts were Giuseppe Grimaldi, who made last year’s final table, and German Camilo Hernandez.

Mid-way through Day 3, Rasmus Eriksson laid a staggeringly sick beat on Roger Nilsen.

Eriksson was all-in bad with AK against Nilsen’s KK but managed to spike a miracle when the board ran out J-7-2-K-K.

Eriksson rode that hand to a final-table chip stack of 8.7 million, which is second only to chip leader Finnighan. Amazingly Eriksson’s close friend and fellow Swede Robert Berglund also made the final with 2.8 million chips.

Berglund and Eriksson have been coming to the Battle of Malta for the last three years together but they’ve never had a result quite like this before.

Close behind Eriksson is American Lawrence Brandt who’s a long way from his Phoenix home. Brandt finished with eight million chips.

Italians Continue Strong Presence at BOM

Flaviano Cammisuli

It wouldn’t be the Battle of Malta without at least one Italian and this year’s edition will have two in Flaviano Cammisuli (6.2 million chips) and Giorgio Legasacchi (2.2 million chips).

A Spanish player has never won the Battle of Malta but Gonzolo Fernandez (2.9 million chips) will attempt to rectify that this year.

Meanwhile photo journalist Robert Sverre Eik (2.5 million chips) will attempt to give Norway a Battle of Malta title.

Finally Jonas Hahnert (1 million chips) will give Sweden one more chance to win the biggest tournament ever held in Malta.

The final table will kick off tomorrow at 3 p.m. local time and we’ll once again be on hand to provide live updates.

In addition — for the first time ever — the Battle of Malta will offer a livestream thanks to Betsson, Betsafe and NordicBet.

Watch Day 3 Highlight Video

Check out the highlight video to get to know our final-table players a bit better and hear more about the two best friends who came to Battle of Malta together and both made the final table!

Swedish best friends Robert Berglund and Rasmus Eriksson came to the 2016 Battle of Malta with the dream of making the final table together.

They accomplished that and so much more Monday night.

Berglund beat Irishman John Finnighan Linkins heads-up to take home €160,000, which was the single biggest payout in Battle of Malta history.

In addition Eriksson incredibly finished third for €67,000. Together the pair will take home €227k back to their hometown of Falun, Sweden.

Scandis Dominate Crazy Final Table

The Battle of Malta has always had a large Nordic presence but this is the first year the event featured a Scandinavian winner.

Rasmus Eriksson and a friend cheer Robert Berglund to victory.

Not only did Sweden’s Berglund and Eriksson finish top 3 but Norway’s Robert Sverre Eik put up a good fight from the short stack to finish seventh for €29,000.

The other Swede at the final table, Jonas Hähnert, finished ninth to add €14,540 to the Scandinavian haul.

It wasn’t all about the Swedes at the final table as Ireland’s John Finnighan Linkins put in a strong performance that eventually earned him €110k for second place.

American student Lawrence Brandt, who was a long way from his home of Tempe, Arizona, also played very well to take 5th for €46,500.

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

1. Robert Berglund, Sweden - €160.000
2. John Finnighan Linkins, Ireland - €110.000
3. Rasmus Eriksson, Sweden - €67.000
4. Gonzalo Pro Fernandez, Spain - €56.000
5. Lawrence Brandt, USA - €46.500
6. Flaviano Cammisuli, Italian - €37.500
7. Robert Sverre Eik, Norwegian - €29.000
8. Giorgio Ligasacchi, Italian - €21.400
9. Jonas Hähnert, Sweden - €14.540

Bonkers Three-Way All-In Chop

The final table was a rollercoaster for Spain's Gonzalo Pro Fernández who went from short stack to chip leader to out of the tournament in a series of incredible events.

Nothing was more spectacular than a three-way all-in that went south for Fernández.

Fernández was all-in with A♦ A♥ against American Lawrence Brandt with 8♣ 8♥ and Rasmus Eriksson with 9♣ 9♦.

The Spaniard had a very good chance to knock out both players and take an overwhelming lead in the tournament.

Instead the board ran out 5♣ 4♦ 3♥ 2♠ 6♠ to put a straight on the board and provide an unlikely chop and deny Fernández what could have been a tournament-defining hand.

Fernández ended up finishing in fourth place to take home €56,000.

Live Stream Brings Final Table to Life

It was another record-breaking year for the Battle of Malta with 1,813 entries to create a nearly €900,000 prize pool.

One of the many new additions this year was the final table live stream sponsored by Betsson, Betsafe and NordicBet.

The GPL’s Roland Boothby got in the booth with a rotating list of hosts to provide real-time coverage of the final table.

It turned out to be a spectacular final table to watch with the chip lead trading back and forth numerous times and intense action all around.

Hundreds tuned in on Twitch to watch the final table play out.

There was even a free roll on Betsson/Betsafe/NordicBet in conjunction with live stream that gave away a package to the 2017 Battle of Malta.

Watch Final Table Highlight Video

Today's final table was the most exciting in Battle of Malta history and you can experience it for yourself in just three minutes.

Check out the highlights below and check back tomorrow for a full recap of the 2016 Battle of Malta.

It was arguably the most exciting final table in the history of Battle of Malta and fortunately the entire event was recorded for your viewing pleasure.

For the first time ever there was a Twitch live stream of the final table thanks to PrimeProductionTeam and sponsors Betsson, Betsafe and NordicBet.

The GPL’s Roland Boothby stopped by to handle commenting with a variety of rotating guests including various members of the media.

Hundreds of people tuned in to watch the thrilling conclusion to the biggest Battle of Malta ever.

That live stream is now available as a Video on Demand and you can watch it below this article.

Highlight Reel Three-Way All-In

Swedish best friends Patrik Berglund and Rasmus Eriksson both entered the final table trailing Irish chip leader John Finnighan Linkin but what transpired was one of the most interesting, back and fourth final tables that’s ever been played in Malta.

Just incredible.

The final table saw the chip lead swap back and fourth numerous times and a shocking three-way all-in with pocket eights vs. pocket nines vs. pocket aces. How does it turn out? Well you’re going to have to check it out below.

As usual the final table offered a little bit of something for everyone with Three Swedes, one Norwegian, one American, a Spaniard, two Italians and an Irishman.

Spain’s Gonzalo Pro Fernández had a roller coaster of a day that saw him enter the day as one of the shorter stacks but then ascend to the chip lead and then bust in fourth place.

Of course the biggest story was Berglund and Eriksson of Falun, Sweden, who got to live the dream of making the final table with your best friend after three years of attending BOM.

Watch the complete final table below and a little bit of action from the previous day below that.

PokerListings, PokerStars and the Portomaso Casino in Malta have teamed up for a special charity tournament this Saturday, Dec. 3.

The No-Limit Holdem tournament will require a modest €50 buy-in and offer unlimited rebuys for €20 apiece. There will also be a one-time add-on offered for €20.

All proceeds will go to local charities including the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation and Heritage Malta, who are helping to make the charity tournament an annual event.

EPT Prague Package for 1st Place

It’s a charity event but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be won for players in the tournament.

Heading back to Portomaso.

PokerListings, PokerStars and Betsafe have all chipped in for a prize pool that includes the following items:

1st — 2016 EPT Prague Package
2nd — 2017 Battle of Malta Buy-In
3rd — StanleyBet Buy-In

The EPT Prague Package includes a €1,100 buy-in to the Eureka Main Event (Dec. 9-13, 2016) as well as hotel and flight.

Thanks to PokerStars' revamped Championship schedule that will also be the last EPT ever so there’s a little bit of extra history for anyone who wins a package.

Second prize is of course a €550 buy-in into PokerListings’ very own Battle of Malta, which saw record numbers this year and awarded €160k to eventual winner Robert Berglund.

Action begins at 8 pm and the tournament will also offer refreshments and an open bar until 11 pm.

Here's a look at the structure:

The 2016 Battle of Malta was a memorable event in a few regards.

The main event beat its own record once again. The side events grew exponentially. And for the first time ever we saw a Swedish winner.

The most unique story, however, was two best friends making the final table.

Sweden's Robert Berglund and Rasmus Eriksson finished 1st and 3rd in the main event. How everything ended is now history – Robert claimed the title for €160,000 while Rasmus got a solid consolation prize of €67,000.

Together with a third friend, Johan Hinders, they all had a piece of the action. A few weeks after the somewhat improbable result we spoke to the 25-year old duo from Dalarna (north of Sweden) about their success. They were two humble winners.

PokerListings: A big congratulations on your 1st and 3rd! What have you been up to since? How did you celebrate it all?

The champ.

Robert/Rasmus: Thanks a lot! We stayed in Malta a couple of days and just enjoyed the moment.

We haven't actually celebrated it in a proper way yet. We were so tired the days after so we just relaxed, ate and drank well.

PL: You had a last longer bet where the winner got a free dinner, did you receive that one around the same time?

Robert: Haha yes I got it immediately. We ate at a steakhouse in the harbour, it was really good.

PL: During the tournament you mentioned that you started playing poker together 5-6 years ago. How did it all start?

Rasmus: My older brother was Robert's friend and one evening he asked me if I wanted to come along and play.

I don't remember exactly what we played but probably some small Sit & Go or some really small cash game. It was also at this time we started to hang out with each other.

After this we had more poker nights and eventually we started to play online.

PL: Was Johan with you during those nights?

Robert: Not from the start. We first met him a few years later in Riga during our first live event.

PL: So you have an established poker community in Dalarna?

Robert: No, we're just a few friends that enjoy playing together. We mostly play online nowadays.

PL: Since you started to play together around the same time you must have developed some similarities in your game. How did your strategy look before the tournament? Did you have the same approach or do you have very different styles?

Early days a breeze.

Rasmus: I think we play kinda similar. Battle of Malta has such a good structure so it was all pretty basic.

You get a nice amount of space to take it easy in the beginning and then it of course becomes more and more aggressive the further the tournament goes.

PL: Do you agree, Robert?

Robert: Yes. It was a really calm first day. Even the second day was kinda calm the first hours. You just had to relax and find some good spots.

PL: The night before the final table you were 6th in chips Robert and you were 2nd Rasmus. How did you prepare? Was it on your own or did you hang out together as usual?

Rasmus: We sat down and talked about how we thought the opponents played, but not much more than that. We took a fairly early breakfast and then we hang out by the pool for a few hours before we went to the casino.

No deal talk.

PL: Were you nervous or was it just happy feelings?

Robert: Of course you were a little bit nervous, but as soon as you sat down by the table it all disappeared.

PL: Did you discuss any deal that night?

Robert: Not really; we had such different chipstacks. But we changed a few more percent so neither one would cry a river if the other one went all the way.

All three of us already had a fair amount in each other before the tournament so everyone got a good profit in the end.

PL: How did you feel when you knocked out Rasmus?

Robert: I would rather have knocked out the Irish guy (Finnighan) but it felt OK. I pushed with 9-7 and Rasmus called me with king high. He found a good spot as a marginal favorite and I sucked out.

Rasmus: Yeah I guess you could say that.

PL: Is it usually Robert that wins those hands when you play?

Rasmus: That guy always wears his running shoes!

PL: Robert, in a shorter interview during the Battle of Malta you said that you were trying to become a professional. How has that worked out for you?

Pro life going well.

Robert: It’s been going good. I have been playing poker full time for about a year now.

I mostly play cash games during the weekdays, everything from €0.5/€1 and up, and on Sundays I grind tournaments.

PL: What did you do before?

Robert: I worked as a care assistant.

PL: Have you noticed any differences in your results since you started playing poker full time and do you have any goals poker-wise for the future?

Robert: Yes, the results are much better now. It's fun to see. I can put so much more time into it which makes a big difference.

At the moment I don’t have any specific goals, I just take it as it comes. The only thing I have scheduled is Eureka in Prague. I might also play some side events in the EPT that runs along with it.

Not as keen to put hours in.

PL: You stayed in the same hotel room in Malta; do you live together in Sweden as well?

Rasmus: No we don’t, I just moved to Falun (another town in Dalarna). My girlfriend lives here so that’s why. Robert is still in Mora so we live about 100 km from each other.

PL: Do you work there? Or do you have any plans like Robert and turn professional?

Rasmus: Of course I thought about it a couple of times but I don’t have the passion to put the time in you're required to as a professional. I’m currently working at a remediation firm and I’m very happy there so I have no plans to stop.

My colleagues are great, even if they have to accept that I take some more time off than usual this year to go to Prague with Robert.

But they've handled it well -- some of them even want to buy a percentage in the action (Laughs).

PL: You had a pretty strange bet before Battle of Malta. If any of you reached the final table the other guys had to get a tattoo of a “Dalahäst” (A wooden horse from Dalarna). Have any of you done it yet?

Rasmus: Haha not yet. We actually haven’t spent any time together since we came back to Sweden.   

But it is the Swedish championships of online poker this weekend and I will go to Mora to play. Get back to us after the weekend and we will have solved it!

PL: Are you going to have a lockdown?

Robert: Yes a few friends are coming over to my place. Both Rasmus and Johan are coming, also a few others. It will be at least five of us. We will grind tournaments.

3rd-place trophy is sweet, too.

PL: Might it not be difficult to find time for tattoos then?

Rasmus: Haha yes but we have to solve it! All details are not finished yet since two of us reached the final table.

As it looks in the current situation Johan must do two because both me and Robert managed to get there. And since I made it Robert has to do one; the same goes for me.

PL: Have you had any other crazy prop bets before?

Rasmus: Hmm, we have one that is still active with a third friend that uses way too much “Snus” (A Swedish tobacco). It is also about a final table - this time about the Sunday Million.

If he reaches it first we have to start with snus, but if one of us makes it first he has to stop for one year.

Everybody got paid well.

PL: Do you have any time limit for that one?

Robert: No, it's a standing bet. Because of that reason we play the Sunday Million every week. It is not about the money; we just want to win the bet.

It was a bit nervous once when he finished around 70th but it hasn't happened much since.

PL: Will you come back to Malta next year?

Robert: Yes, I am almost convinced we will.

Rasmus: Without a doubt! It's almost forbidden to schedule something else in November. 

Sally Stephens is retired and traveled to Malta as the first stop on a poker bucket-list adventure that will take her all over the world.

By the time Battle of Malta was over Stephens had chopped a tournament heads-up, celebrated with poker pro Maria Ho and pocketed her biggest poker score ever.

After playing and busting the €550 BOM Main Event Stephens decided to enter the €1,200 Grandmaster High Roller tournament.

She made it all the way to the final two spots and made a deal to take home over €25,000.

Stephens explained that she's been playing poker since seeing Chris Moneymaker win the WSOP Main Event in 2003.

Having played strategy games since her childhood, Stephens said she quickly recognized that modern poker strategy was far more complex than what she had experienced playing cards recreationally before.

So she started practicing online, reading books and studying how professionals played by watching poker on TV and the internet.

Stephens lives in Costa Rica and she's putting her poker theory into action by traveling to tournaments in far-flung, exotic destinations.

Malta, Czech Republic, Australia

Malta was Stephens' first major live poker trip but she said she's planning more soon.

The final European Poker Tour stop in Prague this month is on the list. So's the Aussie Millions in Melbourne in the new year.

Stephens said her score at BOM will make things a lot easier.

“Winning this cash just makes it easy for me to travel around and play some more poker tournaments and it definitely boosts my confidence,” she said.

“It's a poker dream come true.”

Watch Sally Stephens' Poker Dream Come True at BOM

Check out the video to learn more about Sally Stephens' poker adventure and join us at the 2017 Battle of Malta to make your own poker dream come true.

When you've built something great, you don't want to mess with the formula that has made it such a success.

A few tweaks here and there, though, can make things even better and that's what's next for the growing Battle of Malta in 2017.

The record-setting festival - which has broken its own record for biggest poker tournament on Malta in each of its five years - is now officially set for Nov. 2-7, 2017.

Returning will be the same amazing value in the €550 buy-in and €900,000 expected prize pool, newly guaranteed side events and the "major tour" feel players from around the world have come to love.

Also back are an enhanced final table live stream, plenty of great parties and camaraderie and a slew of celebrity guests. A few new additions should take the award-winning BoM to new heights again.

2,000 Entries Next?

Capping off last year's festival with a record 1,813 main event entries and a €879,305 prize pool, the 2016 BoM smashed all event ceilings and set new records in every tournament.

More than just a poker tournament.

In 2017 the Battle of Malta returns to the Portomaso Casino with more event guarantees, a cards-up final table live stream and slightly altered schedule that might just push the ME over the elusive 2,000-entry mark.

New perks players can expect in 2017:

“In just a few years," says Battle of Malta Tournament Director Ivonne Montealegre, "the Battle of Malta has become more than just a poker tournament - it’s become a symbol of the Maltese poker community.

Enhanced live stream!

"We’ve listened to our players again and adapted our calendar to their suggestions -- meaning more opportunities to experience the friendly vibe among players and pros, the incredible location and the weekend activities.

"In 2017 players can expect more value, more guests, more surprises, more music, more excursions, more fun … and more of the joy of poker they’ve come to expect.”

Model/Poker Player Gaëlle Garcia Diaz Steps In 

After 5 fantastic years from past BoM hosts Maria Ho and Kara Scott, Belgian model, actor and TV presenter Gaëlle Garcia Diaz will take over the mic this year and keep the Battle of Malta fun flowing.

Your new BoM host (on the right ofc)!

Much like the beloved Ho, Garcia Diaz is both a tough out at the poker table and a huge draw among poker fans who line up to get their pictures taken with her. 

A celebrity guest of the Battle of Malta before, Garcia Diaz says the mix of both poker and fun prominent at the BoM over other poker tours is perfect for her:

“I’m so excited to be hosting the Battle of Malta in 2017!" says Garcia Diaz.

"My ideal way to spend a week in November partying, enjoying the sun and playing some live poker together with thousands of other poker lovers again!”

For more info on the past, present and future qualifying opportunities for the 2017 Battle of Malta, check our BoM Main page here. Keep an eye out for satellites and package offers on our partner sites, which will start soon!

Gaëlle Garcia Diaz is coming back to the Battle of Malta. But this time the Belgian model, TV presenter and actress will do more than just play a little poker.

Garcia Diaz is stepping in as the Battle of Malta host this year three years after taking part in the tournament as a player.

As a player she reached an impressive 14th out of 593 players in the Siege of Malta Second Chance event. Now she'll also be in front the cameras as the new BOM headliner.

Before seeing her mic in hand in November we wanted to find out what she's been up to and what all this means to her.

PL: What does it mean to you to become the Battle of Malta’s host?

Fond memories of BoM as player.

GGD: I’ve been to the Battle of Malta before and have very fond memories of the event.

It combines both the excitement of a big tournament in terms of prize pool due to the massive turn-out every year together with the vibe of a lower buy in tourney which is more friendly and easy going.

Presenting this poker tourney is presenting a tourney for the kind of player that I am -- not professional but just in love with the game. Which is a great feeling. But I also think that’s why it makes it such a good fit.

PL: How did you experience the tournament as a player in 2014?

GGD: Playing in the Battle of Malta Main Event was awesome. But to quote the ultimate poker movie Rounders, "Few players recall big pots they have won, strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career.”

I guess that says enough how my main event went (laughs). I did had a nice run at the one of the side events where I remember I drew the dream opening table. it was chatty, fun and the chips where flowing my way.

PL: What made you want to accept the role as the BOM’s new host?

GGD: No one really had to convince me but the way tournament director Ivonne Montealegre approached me with so much drive and passion was certainly an added bonus!

PL: You’re always on the move and doing a million things, so a lot must have happened since 2014. Tell us a bit about what has been going on.

GGD: I’m not sure you’ll have enough space to write all of this (smile). The most important thing that happened is that I got engaged!

I’m super excited and we recently moved into a great place just outside of Brussels with our 2 cats, Gilles & Tibalt. I’ve played a bit less of poker lately than before but that made me able to do some acting work and I’m working hard on my Youtube channel.

Also I’m working on a secret project … something really on my own. If you wanna learn more about it follow me on my Instagram or Twitter.

PL: How do you see the Battle of Malta’s success?

GGD: When I think of the Battle of Malta I think of it as being an event that presents poker in its purest form for me: poker as a fun game played by hundreds of enthusiasts at the same time with the promise that one of them will go home with a nice wad of cash and every one will go home with a story.

PL: Being able to enjoy "summer" in Malta in November is always an exciting prospect, isn’t it?

Pure poker fun.

GGD: Exactly. It makes it a bit easier on those with only the story to tell as they can tell it poolside with some cocktails watching a sunset. (smile)

But I'd rather be at the final table then at the pool to be honest!

PL: The Battle of Malta is a very relaxed, very social tournament. That also seems like a good fit for you.

GGD: Of course. I’m not a pro player. I play to win but also to have fun. I’ve simply lost count of the number of great people I got to know during my years in poker and I hope to have many more great moments like this.

PL: As a host coming after such popular figures as Kara Scott and Maria Ho, what’s the hardest part? Bringing a new style, your own style?

GGD: I have a lot of respect for what Maria and Kara did, both on and of the felt. Personally I feel awesome in front of the camera due to the many EPTs and other poker shows I presented.

I don’t want to copy anyone’s style as I feel the way I am personally works the best for me. Behind my stack of tournament chips I also feel pretty good -- especially the kind of stack you have trouble finding me behind due to the height of it.

PL: Do you have a host role model (in poker or elsewhere)?

Inspired by Stapes!

GGD: In the poker world I love Joe Stapleton’s style! He has this fun approach which really makes poker accessible to a lot of new players.

I’m also a huge fan of Ellen Degeneres, she’s always so relaxed and natural behind the camera. My dream is to have a show like hers.

PL: Do you like to use your 'sexy' side when you’re hosting? What are some of your tips to play with the camera?

GGD: The Gaëlle in front of the camera will always have a bit of glamour without overdoing it. I feel this is part of the history of poker and the old Vegas days and I would like to keep this a bit in my presenting.

However those who have played me at the poker table can also attest that I can be very casual and not always the girl that you see in the glamour pics online. I’m also just your girl next door.

Much more than just a glamour girl.

PL: Do you have any advice for people who would like to become hosts?

GGD: Do it because you love it and don’t give up chasing your dreams. Also don’t pay too much attention to negative things other people say but take honest advice at heart.

PL: Do you already have a few surprises planned (without revealing too much)?

GGD: If I would tell you now it wouldn’t be a surprise. (smile)

PL: Are you ready to be escorted by armour-clad knights?

GGD: Of course! I'm planning to have them stay behind me when I play to intimidate my opponents. (laughs)

PL: Last year three Swedish players had a side bet to get a horse tattoo if one of the others reached the final table (two of them did and one won the tournament). Would you make a similar bet? And what tattoo would you get?

GGD: As opponents I would chose Christophe DeMeulder and Jonathan Abdellatif.

As for a tattoo I would chose: A little butterfly on a nice pink flower for Chris, a cute cat with big kitten-like eyes for Jonathan and a bad-ass dragon for myself!

There's no better time to secure a spot in the award-winning PokerListings Battle of Malta than right now.

Early Bird packages are now on sale for the 2017 edition of the famous low buy-in, high-value tournament and players can snag a €187 discount (or more) by grabbing an early-bird VIP package.

It’s a one-time offer as the Hilton is already starting to run out of rooms.

Last year nearly 2,000 players crowded into the Hilton to play the Battle of Malta and winner Robert Berglund walked away with €160,000.

New Host, More GTDs, Enhanced Live Stream

The Battle of Malta may have a €550 buy-in but it’s hardly a “budget” tournament considering the €500,000 guaranteed prize pool which nearly hit €900,000 last year.

From player to host!

This year Gaelle Garcia Diaz will step in as the brand-new host and guarantees have been upped on a number of side events including the ever-growing Siege of Malta and Grandmaster High Roller.

The professional live stream will also return for the final table.

As usual all package holders will have access to a number of VIP perks like player parties, dinner and breakfast buffets and merchandise giveaways.

Normally the VIP packages to the Battle of Malta cost €1,556 but the early-bird discount brings them down to just €1,369 for a short period of time.

You can get an even bigger discount - close to €400 - if you opt for one of the two-player packages.

The packages are very well equipped and include the following:

The Economy Package, with accommodation at the Ir-Rokna Hotel across from the Portomaso Casino, can be had right now for just €995!

You can learn more or secure your package by heading over to our 2017 Battle of Malta payment page.

BOM packages are fully transferable and players who win a satellite via any of our official partners will be reimbursed for the package.

The 2017 Battle of Malta will take place Nov. 2-7, 2017 with the final table and live stream scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 7.

The 2017 Battle of Malta schedule is officially out with a record-setting number of tournaments, parties and activities set for Nov. 2-7 at the Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s.

This year’s BOM has nine different tournaments on the calendar and €650,000 in prize pool guarantees spread across the Main Event, Siege of Malta Second Chance and Grandmaster High Roller.

The off-the-table schedule has also been expanded with opening cocktails, the signature VIP party, a pool party, "Knight Life" Speakeasy drinks and more.

The 2017 BoM also marks the debut of its first-ever Ladies Event along with new host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz.

First-Ever Ladies Event, Win the Cross

The main attraction at BoM is still the €500,000-guaranteed Main Event, which runs Nov. 2-7, and will once again feature a live stream of the final table on the last day.

Last year Swede Robert Berglund outlasted 1,813 entries in the BOM Main Event to win €160,000 from the €875,000 prize pool. 

As usual the Main Event offers a very player-friendly structure and this year its been improved with a weekend-style format to give more recreational players a chance to get into the action.

New host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz is already a hit at BOM.

Day 1A has been moved to Thursday (one day later than last year's Day 1A) to allow registration for players coming only for the weekend, which is expected to increase overall numbers for the Main Event.

The change was made based on feedback from last year's tournament.

Last year players got to watch the final-table action from afar for the first time ever thanks to a dedicated live stream hosted by Roland Boothby and Rikard Åberg.

This year players will once again be able to fire up PokerListings on Nov. 7 to see a new BoM champion crowned but the entire stream experience has been enhanced.

A couple of brand-new events debut on this year’s schedule as well with a €165 buy-in Ladies Event on Nov. 4 and a special €110 re-buy event called “Win the Cross.”

This year the €245 buy-in Siege of Malta Second Chance tournament will offer a €100,000 guarantee and the €1,320 buy-in Grandmaster High Roller will feature a €50,000 guarantee.

Once again BOM will host a Movember Charity tournament with a €165 buy-in Crazy Pineapple event on Nov. 6. Here's a look at the key dates for tournaments at BoM:

Get a €187 Discount on VIP packages Right Now!

Early-bird discounts for the 2017 Battle of Malta are still available and players can currently save €187 on single-player VIP packages if they book ASAP.

The deals are even more significant for players traveling in groups. The two-player package or Economy package for €995 means a discount of nearly €400 off normal price.

Lock up your package now.

2017 Battle of Malta VIP packages include:

Poker isn’t the only thing on the BOM menu, of course, and the blowout BoM VIP party will be making a return along with the opening Cocktail Party and All-In Friday.

Sunday means a trip to the pool for an exclusive poolside party. Monday will see one more gathering in the form of "Knight Life" Monday. The knight life means heading to a hip speakeasy bar in Malta for a wind-down drink (or wind up!).

Poker presenter/player Gaëlle Garcia Diaz will make her debut as host. Diaz played the tournament in 2014 but this year she'll join the ranks of Kara Scott and Maria Ho as the official host of the event.

You can check out the complete 2017 Battle of Malta schedule here. You can also register for tournaments on our BOM home page.

If you attend the PokerListings Battle of Malta every year, you might want to lock up your seat asap.

This November marks the sixth edition of the award-winning small buy-in, big-value tournament and if the pre-sales are anything to go by it will be the biggest one ever.

Last year Robert Berglund outlasted 1,813 entries in the main event to take down a €160,000 first-place prize, the biggest ever in the tournament’s history. Not bad considering the buy-in remains locked at just €550.

This year the tournament will very likely flirt with 2,000+ entries thanks to a new weekend-focused schedule.

Big Discounts for Early Registrations

Right now potential BOM champs can grab a significant discount by picking up one of the early-bird packages available on the registration page.

Live that BOM life.

The best deal is for the two-person VIP package, which gets knocked all the way down from the usual €2,411 to just €2,025.

The 2-player VIP package is an all-inclusive special that includes:

• 5 nights at 5-Star Hilton hotel (2-7 November) w/ double accommodation, breakfast included
• Entrance for 4 parties: BOM Cocktail Party, All-in Friday, Knight Life Monday and BOM VIP Player Party.
• Main Event Buy-in included for 2 players (cost €1,100)
• Casino buffet dinner during tournament play

The single-player package includes all of the above with just one buy-in for €1,369.

The discounts aren’t just at the high-end, however, as you can snag a single-person economy package for just €995 instead of the usual €1,144.

The economy package offers accommodation at the Ir-Rokna hotel just beside the casino but includes almost everything else and is an excellent way to get in on the action on the cheap.

Either way it’ll be a poker vacation you’ll never forget. Here’s a quick preview of what the package has to offer:

9 Events, €650,000 in Guarantees!

This year’s Battle of Malta, which will take place Nov. 2-7, 2017, is offering a packed schedule of side events with an extra €150,000 in prize pool guarantees.

Can't get enough BOM!

The always-popular Siege of Malta Second Chance will offer a €100,000 GTD while the Grandmaster High Roller will carry a €50,000 GTD respectively.

That’s in addition to the Main Event which offers its regular €500,000 guarantee. Check here for the full 2017 BoM schedule.

Also new this year is host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz, who has played the tournament before but never presented the action.

As usual the event will likely attract some of Europe’s biggest poker stars in an effort to score a piece of those big guarantees.

To learn more or secure your seat now, head over to our Battle of Malta home page.

Every year there are thousands of poker tournaments all over the world but there's nothing quite like the Battle of Malta.

But how did Europe's hottest low-buy-in event begin and how did it grow into the huge week-long poker/party extravaganza we now know?

This coming November will see the sixth-annual BoM and it's expected to be the biggest and best yet.

Predictions put the prize pool for the Main Event at roughly €1 million and it has a brand-new host: Gaëlle Garcia Diaz.

But BoM wasn't always this big. When it started in 2012 it had a guaranteed total prize pool of just €150,000.

In fact, hosting the first Battle of Malta was a bit of a risk. No one knew exactly how many people would show up.

Watch the short documentary below for more information on how Battle of Malta became what it is today and click here to buy a BoM package to reserve your seat now.

Making Poker More Accessible

The concept for BoM was brought to PokerListings.com by Costa Rican poker event coordinator Ivonne Montealegre. She saw big potential in Malta as a poker destination and recognized the strong local poker community.

“The first Battle of Malta was good but the growth of this event has been insane,” said Montealegre.

“We love that everyone's appreciating that it's a low buy-in poker holiday that gives the experience of a major event, but low stress, so I think those elements make it a really fun tournament for everyone.”

First-ever BoM Host Kara Scott also loved the idea of making poker more accessible for recreational players from Europe and all over the world.

"The atmosphere at BoM is great," said Scott.

"There are a lot of people there who play not for a living but because they love playing poker and to me important because I play because I love poker."

Poker is the main thing, but it's not the only thing.

BoM is Way More than Poker

There's a lot of poker at the Battle of Malta.

The €550 Main Event has three starting days and everyone gets the option to re-enter once if they bust.

There's also side events like the €245 Siege of Malta which has a €100,000 guarantee, the PLO Knights Crusade, a €330 No-Limit Deepstack Turbo, the €1,320 Grandmaster High Roller and for the first time this year, a €165 Ladies Event.

And that's not to mention the cash game action at the Portomaso Casino poker room.

But your trip to the Battle of Malta doesn't end at the poker table.

The schedule also includes five BoM parties which range from relaxed drinks by the Hilton pool to DJ-fueled dance parties at one of Malta's best clubs.

Malta also offers the chance to see some of the oldest man-made structures on the planet and amazing architecture and historically significant attractions.

Reserve your seat for the 2017 Battle of Malta now and join us in Malta this November for a poker experience you'll never forget.

It’s been called the best small buy-in tournament in Europe and the Betsson group is giving you a chance to get in with an even lower cost of entry.

The 2017 Battle of Malta is set to go Nov. 2-7 and will carry a familiar guaranteed prize pool of €500,000, although the expected prize pool should top last year's record €875,000

As usual, that means the eventual winner (and likely the top 3) will walk away with 6-figures+ and the experience of a lifetime.

Platinum Sponsors Betsson, NordicBet and Betsafe are all now starting satellites for the 2017 BOM on Monday, August 7 with value-packed €1,650 packages up for grabs.

Plenty of Ways to Qualify

NordicBet, Betsafe and Betsson share a 2017 BOM steps program that starts at just €1.10. Players have the option of playing the €1.10 re-entry event or the €2.20 freezeout with €11 tickets to Level 2 up for grabs.

Level 2 is a €11 buy-in event that feeds straight to the €110 weekly final where the eventual winner will walk away with a €1,650 package to the 2017 Battle of Malta.

Live the dream.

There’s also a separate €11 Sunday Flips event where the winner gets a ticket into the €110 weekly final.

The €1,650 Battle of Malta package on Betsson and NordicBet includes the following:

Check out all of the details for BoM qualifiers on Betsson, Betsafe and NordicBet.

More Online Qualifiers on the Way

Full-blown BOM qualifying season is nearly upon us with other partners set to announce their specific satellites in the coming weeks.

Silver sponsor PlanetLive365 and Classic Sponsor GUTS are among the sites that will be announcing satellites for BOM shortly.

Betsson Baltics (Betsafe) and Bets10 are also running BoM satellites.

If you’re already in Malta you’ll also be able to head down to the Portomaso and take part in live satellites co-hosted by BOM.

If you’re looking to avoid the qualifying process altogether you can just buy-in directly for €550.

You can also snag a VIP package that includes five nights accommodation at the 5-star Hilton Hotel or an economy package that includes five nights accommodation at the Ir-Rokna Hotel.

Hotels are filling up fast, however, so we recommend grabbing your packages early.

2017 BOM Promises to Be Bigger, Better Than Ever

Last year Swedish poker player Robert Berglund outlasted a record-setting field of 1,813 entries to win €160,000 and the coveted BOM trophy.

Player/host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz

This year has the potential to be even bigger with side events carrying guarantees for the first time ever, pushing the overall prize pool for the entire festival up to €650,000.

Poker pro/TV presenter Gaëlle Garcia Diaz will make her debut as the first Battle of Malta host from Europe and the very popular final table live stream will also be returning.

This year will also see the introduction of a €165 buy-in ladies event and a €110 re-buy event called Win the Cross.

Players who like to play higher will be happy to know the €1,320 Grandmaster High Roller will feature a €50,000 guarantee for the first time.

To learn more and see the entire schedule you can head over to our 2017 Battle of Malta page.

Who’s your favourite rookie? Who’s been impressive for decades? And which player did you find the most inspiring over the last twelve months? Make your voice heard.

Every year, PokerListings presents the Spirit of Poker Award in conjunction with the Battle of Malta.

This award is different from the other awards that you know, just like the Battle of Malta is different from many other poker tournaments.

It’s less about financial success, ranking points or public attention but rather about personality and value for the poker industry. It’s an award from players for players, and that’s why you get to decide who should be the chosen one.

Cast your vote in every one of our three categories. The three players with the most votes in each category will make the second round, and then it’s up to our panel of experts to determine the winner.

The presentation ceremony will take place during the breaks of the BOM Main Event and they will be hosted by our new host Gaëlle Garcia Diaz.

Here’s our list of nominees for each category. This list is not exhaustive, and there are surely other players who would have deserved to be in there, but we had to make the cut somewhere.

Check the honorable mentions to see who didn’t make the cut.

Category 1 – The Rising Star

In this category, we’re trying to predict who’s going to be in the headlines in the future. These players caught our attention for either having an extraordinary impact despite their young age or for having skills that only make it a question of time before they have their international breakthrough.

Vivian Saliba

Some names you might be familiar with, while others you might not – yet.

The nominees are:

Go to our Rising Star page to find out more about the nominees and why we think they have a bright future in poker.

Honorable mentions – These players were also up for nomination but didn’t quite get there: Koray Aldemir (GER), Will Kassouf (GB), Scott Blumstein (USA), Tomas Söderström (SWE), Sander van Wesemael (NL), Aditya Sushant (IND), Christopher Frank (GER), Ema Zajmovic (CAN).

Past winners – Luca Moschitta (2013), Dominik Panka (2014), Charlie Carrel (2015), Silje Nilsen (2016).

Category 2 – Living Legends

Mike Sexton

These are the players without whom we wouldn’t even be here. They paved the way for poker’s success when they played the grandfathers of today’s champions, and they’re still around, holding their ground.

You might say that they are really the best players in the world.

The nominees for the Living Legends Award 2017 are

Head over to our Living Legends page to read more about the players who’ve been there, done that and worn the T-Shirt when most of you were still a twinkle in your daddy’s eye.

Honourable mentions – These players were recognized as nominees but didn’t make the top five spots. Barry Greenstein (USA), Donnacha O’Dea (IRL), John Duthie (ENG), Jan Bendik (SLO).

Past winners – Pierre Neuville (2013), Thor Hansen (2014), Humberto Brenes (2015), Konstantin Puchkov (2016).

Category 3 – Most Inspiring of the Year

The main category of PokerListings’ Spirit of Poker Awards rewards the player that has overall been the most valuable for the poker community – not in the sense of how much money they made, but how much they’ve done in between hands and away from the table.

John Hesp

Which of the following players do you think deserves a thumbs-up and some official recognition for what they’ve done?

Our nominees are

Go to the MIP page in the PokerListings Battle of Malta section to get a clearer picture of who you should vote for in our main category.

Honorable mentions – We had to draw a line somewhere, and these players for various reasons fell below it: Bill Perkins (USA), Tony Bloom (ENG), Adrian Mateos (SPA), Sam Grafton (ENG), Doug Polk (USA), Nipun Java (IND), Phil Gruissem (GER).

Past winners – Naoya Kihara (2013), Shannon Shorr (2014), Anatoly Filatov (2015), Felipe Ramos (2016).

How can I vote in the PL Spirit of Poker Awards?

We have polls on each of the category pages, so all you need to do is tick a box.
Here you have all the links at a glance.

About the Battle of Malta

The BOM is a success story. It’s PokerListings’ own poker event and it’s set near the PokerListings European headquarters in the Portomaso Casino in Malta.

Since the inaugural event in 2012, it’s been growing every year and now has almost six times the number of players it started out with.

Within three years, it had developed so much it was elected “Best low buy-in tournament in Europe” at the European Poker Awards.

Last year, the main event had 1813 entries, bringing the prize pool up to almost €1 million, which is unique for a €550 buy-in tournament.

Robert Berglund from Sweden became the player who collected all the chips. He took home €160,000.

You can qualify online for the Battle of Malta. Click through to see where. There are also last-minute live qualifiers at the Portomaso Casino.

16 players remain in the PokerListings Battle of Malta with Italian Giulio Astarita leading the way to the €35,000 first-place prize.

The pace was breakneck from start to finish on Day 2 with the 165-strong field that started the day chopped down to two eight-handed tables by the time all was said and done.

The final 16 players represent nine different countries with Roger Hardy stepping up as the only non-European still in this event. Hardy is originally from Victoria, British Columbia in Canada but works in Libya.

The players still in with a shot at the first ever Battle of Malta title are certainly an eclectic group, but unfortunately we had to say goodbye to a few truly big poker names before action was halted for the day.

Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Gaelle Baumann and Battle of Malta host Kara Scott all went broke on Day 2. Gaelle Baumann was the only player to squeak into the money, finishing 31st for €1,270.

It was a far cry from the almost $600,000 she earned for her 10th place finish at the 2012 WSOP Main Event but not a bad take by every-day standards for two days of poker on the Mediterranean.

Italian PokerStars Room Manager in the Lead

No one was able to crack the 1 million chip mark today but chip leader Giulio Astarita came close.

Down to just seven big blinds early in the day Astarita managed to bag 986,000 by end of day, almost 100k more than his closest competition Nicodemo Piccolo.

Gaelle Baumann finished in 31st.

Astarita is no stranger to the poker world. He’s the poker room manager for PokerStars.it but told PokerListings.com that he’s a recreational player.

“I am inside this world but actually I am not a professional player. I am a donk,” he laughed after action ended for the night.

Astarita’s best poker result to date was a fourth-place finish in a €2k re-entry event at this year’s EPT San Remo for €57,600.

Astarita told us that while the money is important, he’s really after the thrill of winning a live tournament.

“€35,000 is a lot of money because I’m not a pro, but if I have to be honest I’m more into winning this. Winning a tournament is always something you adore and you never forget winning, especially live, so I really hope I can hold on tomorrow night,” he said.

But the money and the competition aren’t the only things players are enjoying at the Battle of Malta.

“The atmosphere was very relaxed and I personally endorse the choice of Kara Scott as host because she’s very cute and she tries to interact with players and everything. I spent some time at her table and it was a fun experience because there’s always a crowd around her," said Astarita.

Official End of Day 2 Chip Counts

Keep reading for the full end of day chip counts. Tomorrow one of these players will become the first ever Battle of Malta champion.

1

Giulio Astarita

(Italy)

986,000

2

Nicodemo Piccolo

(Italy)

890,000

3

Puk Nabuurs

(Holland)

789,000

4

Cato Vonheim

(Norway)

737,000

5

Christian Bergstrom

(Sweden)

705,000

6

Luca Capostagno

(Italy)

653,000

7

Jonas Broden

(Sweden)

467,000

8

Chris Kiefert

(England)

329,000

9

Lina Teuma

(Malta)

250,000

10

Rafa Contangulu

(Turkey)

231,000

11

Stevan Sopar

(Unknown)

229,000

12

Alessandro Barone

(Italy)

205,000

13

Roger Hardy

(Canada)

199,000

14

Hans Riisager

(Denmark)

171,000

15

Pieter De Goede

(Holland)

82,000

16

Daniel Dalsborg

(Sweden)

59,000

Day 2 Video Show with Kara Scott and Dan “Jungleman” Cates

Battle of Malta host Kara Scott gives you an inside look at the action and checks in with high-stakes online legend Dan Cates before he went bust.