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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ravenswoud Busts Fifth, Meri 10th

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

Runner-up finisher Henrik Jacobsen

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deal Reached Three-Handed

A Battle of Malta trophy

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

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

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

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

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

Watch Maria Ho Recap Action-Packed BOM

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

But in Europe? Not so much.

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

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

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

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

Luckily for you, the cameras were rolling.

Hung Shows True Spirit of Battle of Malta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards

Winners Beat Out Huge List of Nominees

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

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

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

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

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

Congratulations to all three 2015 Spirit of Poker Awards winners!

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Final Table from All Walks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full-Fledged Poker Festival

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

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

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

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

Celebs Out In Force

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charity Partner MOAS Joins Ranks, Spreads Awareness

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

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

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

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

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

Brenes, Filatov and Carrel Claim Spirit of Poker Awards

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

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

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

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

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

The Parties

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

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

Can BOM 2016 Top BOM 2015?

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

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

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

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

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

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

There was even a stand where you could buy underwear.

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

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

They say that winners have “something more."

For France's Nicolas Proust, winner of the 2015 Battle of Malta main event, that “something more” could arguably be a half-dozen things.

He’s hard-working, hyper competitive and humble. He can control his emotions, think lucidly and keep the proper frame of mind under stress.

A former tennis coach who took some time to focus on poker last year his "somethings" paid off huge in Malta with a €110,000 payday and the prestigious BOM main event trophy.

Now with the bankroll to give poker another serious go in 2016 we caught up with Nicolas late last year to find out if the 2015 BOM was as satisfying for him as it looked.

PokerListings: First of all, congratulations again Nicolas. What motivated you to take part in the Battle of Malta?

Nicolas Proust: I came for the EPT festival but I have some friends who live here and who kept talking to me about the Battle of Malta.

I really wanted to play that tournament, especially since I was told that the game wasn’t too “crazy." A €500 buy-in also seemed ideal.

I was lucky enough to qualify for some EPT events and I realized that the buy-in has a massive influence on the way you play, regarding the costs and winning thresholds.

PL: What did you think of the tournament?

NP: I had a great time.

It’s a very friendly tournament, everyone is having a laugh around the table.

Plus I know a lot of people here, so I just had a good time.

PL: What did you enjoy the most compared to other tournaments?

NP: First of all, just being in Malta. I feel great and it’s very important. The prize pool, too. It was huge compared to the buy-in and the structure was interesting.

Everyone was here to play. You can do things you wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in other tournaments.

Here, there’s just enough pressure to play well. It’s the perfect tournament to step up your game.

PL: You’re 29 and you used to be a tennis coach. Can you tell us a bit more about your background?

NP: In high school all I wanted to do was IT. After that, I went to university to study IT, up to a Master’s degree. And then I just dropped everything.

I couldn’t picture myself spending my life in front of a computer. Which is quite ironic when you think about it (laughs). Let’s say I didn’t want to spend my life in an office.

So I got my coaching degree to go back to my sport - I was playing tennis then. I wanted to play at a high level but I started too late. I was never good enough for that and I injured myself, so I had to stop playing.

I had opened a new section in a club where I was in charge of preparing players for tournaments, on top of being responsible for the more amateur section. I did that for 5 or 6 years.

Then I stopped working for a year. I wanted to take a sabbatical and travel, see the world and learn English in Australia. I’d even found a job there, giving classes. But that fell through and I stayed here.

Unfortunately the season had already started and I couldn’t find a club. I had nothing left but poker (laughs). It didn’t go great at first.

I wasn’t doing well and I didn’t particularly want to make a living playing poker. I wasn’t ready mentally to play poker full time.

PL: Was it the money that convinced you?

NP: No, I’ve always been aware that poker was absolutely not “easy money” and that it was difficult to handle your money to play and to live.

But there are definitely good sides: freedom - that’s priceless. Just being able to go anywhere at any time, that’s something I couldn’t do when I had a boss.

But it’s not all fun; it can get quite lonely for example. I didn’t want to act like a superhero if I couldn’t handle it.

I’ve only been playing for 3 or 4 years and the few results I’d had since then could have been just a good run.

PL: What pushed you to say “I’m going in” instead of “I fold?"

NP: Two months ago I was ready to drop everything, actually. Quit poker and find a job. I had applied here and there, to work in gaming companies.

But after that I had to make a choice. I still hadn’t found a job but I’d spent a lot of time on my computer, learning. For my ego I told myself I just couldn’t quit like that.

I had already made that mistake once, with tennis. And from then on it started going better and better online. Now I’ve won the Battle of Malta!

PL: How did you discover poker?

NP: With friends, on a tennis tour. We had a poker set, like everyone. It was back when the World Poker Tour was getting big.

I remember that everyone had their own rules, like a kids’ game (laughs). Online poker came a few years later, one night as I was bored (laughs).

I had a problem: I quickly got quite a lot of money ... playing badly. The fields were very weak. I played games I don’t even play now, like NL1000 cash games. Of course I ended up losing it all.

I started playing seriously when a colleague of mine showed me what Sharkscope was. That’s when I realized that I was losing 2 or 3k, which was huge at the time.

Merci, ElkY.

There was no way I was going to lose so much in a card game.

PL: So after that, you did some research?

NP: I bought two books. One that got me a lot of money: Kill ElkY 1 (Kill Everyone). It’s amazing for tournament basics. Then I bought the next two volumes, and some other books.

PL: What’s your favorite game?

NP: Tournaments. I get bored very quickly with cash games. It’s mostly about waiting for the fish and squeezing them out.

That’s not really my thing. I’m very competitive. Give me a bunch of players and may the best one win. It’s more fun, and in my opinion healthier.

Cash games are more interesting in the higher limits. Players have a different vision, there isn’t any fish. I would love to go up against these great players but I don’t have the money to.

PL: We imagine that being competitive, which you probably picked up playing tennis, helps you a lot with poker.

NP: Definitely. Poker and tennis tournaments have a lot in common. Inflection points exist in tennis tournaments as well as poker tournaments, for example when it’s 4 all or 4-3 or during a tie breaker.

At some points during the match your game, your state of mind, must change. It’s the same in poker. You’ll need to be more aggressive, to make slightly better decisions, to take risks. Just to show you’re present.

These situations exist in poker; they just take another form.

Lots to learn from Moorman.

PL: Mentally as well?

NP: That’s an important aspect too. Poker is a solitary sport, like tennis. When you lose you’re alone, even if your friends are around to support you. You have to know how to keep yourself in check.

PL: Who are your role models in poker and tennis, these players who particularly inspire you?

NP: Marat Safin was my idol. He wasn’t a perfect player because he was a bit crazy, but his game was beautiful. I also really liked Gustavo Kuerten, for his personality as much as his game.

I also liked combative players like Agassi. Not so much for his game but because he was a model of perseverance, hard work and giving everything he’s got - like Nadal now. That’s the best spirit you can have when you’re playing sports.

Some poker players impress me too. I haven’t watched that many games on TV but online there are some monsters like Romain “neuville25” Baer or Chris Moorman.

Moorman is the kind of guy I’d like to spend one hour with just so that he could tell me his life story.

PL: Let’s talk a bit more about the tournament. What struck me is that you seemed very calm and collected throughout the tournament, even when you were one card away from busting. Always totally cool, no sign of stress.

NP: I felt it too, and it was strange. I’ve talked about it with my friends too, and they hadn’t really noticed.

When I called with A5 and Van Ravenswoud showed aces, in my head I knew I’d lost but I didn’t even get up.

I only had 2 possible backdoors but I didn’t think for one second that my tournament was over (laughs).

Maybe I was too focused, and not so clear-headed. Maybe I was just too sure of myself.

Already the day before the tournament started I had decided it was mine. It’s all very subjective but that was my frame of mind. I came to win.

It’s something I’ve learned when I played tennis: always have a goal higher than your actual goal, because it’s really hard to reach your goal.

I was 9th out of 10 at the start of the final table anyway, so I had nothing to lose.

No flinching.

PL: But you didn’t even seem that excited.

NP: First of all, I didn’t want to make the player feel bad, beating his aces with 9 players left. Out of respect for him. And I really wanted to stay focused on the tournament.

PL: Is that also a matter of respect or are you more of an introvert?

NP: It’s a bit of both. Most of the time I’m an introvert.

And it wasn’t a good time to burst out, like the chip leader Uri Gilboa who ended up losing everything because he was always caught up in the emotion. You can’t play like that.

It’s the same in tennis; sometimes you have to keep the emotion buried inside and focus on what you have to do. Save it for later.

PL: So you never had any doubt at any point?

NP: Not really, except for the first 30 minutes when I wasn’t feeling that great. I just needed some time to get used to the table, to get into the tournament.

I’m happy that I dared to do things I wouldn’t have dared to do in other tournaments. I almost played my online A-game, that’s really good.

The Battle of Malta helped me prove to myself that I can play well, even live.

PL: We imagine that it also helped you to have so much support.

More fun to share.

NP: Totally. I received so many messages! My friends, my family, my grinder buddies...

I didn’t read them during the tournament because I really wanted to stay focused and my phone and my tablet were going off every 5 seconds (smiles).

But when I got home I saw that I had hundreds of missed calls, notifications, texts... It was insane.

I think that’s the best thing about all this. All these messages, everything you shared with the people at the rail, especially at the end. I think that’s what I’ll remember about this tournament.

That’s what you play for. It’s also what I played for in tennis. Playing the big games, having people there to support you and live the game with you.

If you can get that at a poker tournament, it means that poker can bring emotions and will always be popular, just like any other sport.

PL: Is there any special preparation for a tournament with more than 1,000 players?

Frame of mind essential.

NP: I didn’t do any particular preparation but I knew exactly in what frame of mind I would play it. I knew I had to get a lot of chips really quickly so I could go through a lot of tables as easily as possible and go deep.

I was careful to sleep well, to get up early enough before the tournament so I was well awake, and to not go to bed too late.

I’d already done that before and it makes a big difference. Because when you’re really focused all day, you’re drained at the end of the day. And if you haven’t slept well or aren’t well-prepared, it’s easy to make a silly mistake and lose it all.

PL: We can feel you’re a perfectionist.

NP: That’s also something I learned playing tennis, with competition: the deeper you want to go, the more attention you have to pay to details.

It’s the only thing that differentiate good players because everybody knows how to play, basically. I meet good players, players that are better than me, every day. It’s worrying (laughs).

At some point, if you want to make a difference, you need to make their weaknesses your strengths, and it can be tiny things. In the long run that’s what makes the difference.

But that’s not the only reason I won. It was my “one time” and I got lucky. Even if it doesn’t outshine what you’ve done before. I think luck doesn’t exist, it’s created.

The luckiest people are often the most “naive” ones, those who believe like children almost. Your frame of mind is important, and not just in poker.

PL: Do you already know what you will do with the money you’ve won?

NP: To be fair, I don’t think I’ll use much of it at all. I’m going to put aside most of it to cover myself. And then there are the taxes, so I’m going to have to let quite a bit of it go.

But what I know is that I don’t intend to waste it on useless things. My life isn’t going to change. I might invest in real estate.

I’m going to play more tournaments though. Not necessarily bigger ones, but $500 buy-ins or qualifiers.

PL: How long do you see yourself playing poker?

NP: As long as I keep making progress and I’m still interested, I’ll play. The day I start feeling that it’s not the case anymore, I’ll stop and I’ll go back to what I know best: tennis.

But for now this is still far, I still have a lot of goals and I’m really enjoying myself.

PL: What are your other projects?

NP: Right now, moving to Malta and going on a trip at the beginning of the year - in Thailand - to celebrate my 30th with a friend.

It’s three weeks of proper holidays with no cards involved. After that I might go to Brazil to visit my best friend.

And then the PCA, but even if I can afford it I don’t know if it’s really reasonable. I’ll definitely try to qualify though.

PL: Why Nicolas “Maverick”? Is that a reference to the poker-playing character with the same name or to Top Gun?

NP: Neither of them really, I haven’t even seen them. I get that question quite often though (laughs).

It’s a screen name that describes my state of mind.

A maverick lives his life the way he wants, even if that means being on the fringes of society.

Europe's hottest low buy-in poker event is back and from now until May 30 you can get in on the action at a discount.

Reserve your four or five-night package now and take advantage of special early-bird pricing!

The Battle of Malta is back for its fifth year with poker celebrity Maria Ho returning as your Host for an even bigger schedule of poker tournaments and parties.

It's all going down November 2-7 at one of the best locations on the Mediterranean.

Maria Ho will be your tour guide to a week of poker and parties that has quickly become Europe's #1 poker destination for low to mid-stakes players.

This year's BOM Main Event features the same low €550 buy-in and massive €500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Last year the top three players all pocketed over €100,000 in cash.

Go to the Battle of Malta page to reserve your early bird package now.

Early Bird BOM Packages Available Now

Choose from four or five-night packages to stay and play at the 2016 Battle of Malta.

All BOM package include:

Get a five-night package and play in Day 1A of the Main Event for a special price of €1,398 or stay for four nights and play in Day 1B for €1,347.

Just pay a €298 deposit before May 30 and the remaining balance at least 60 days before the Main Event begins to get in on the Early Bird deal.

Click here to reserve your Battle of Malta package now!

The nominees for the 4th annual PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards are among the most diverse group of poker players we’ve ever put together.

They come from all corners of the globe including Canada, Taiwan, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Italy, the UK and the USA.

Some of the nominees have been playing poker since before the Internet was even a thing; others are just starting out on what looks to be a long and promising career.

Every player on the following list has been picked for the spirit they bring to the game and the personality they display on and off the table.

In other words: Poker is better - as a game and industry - because these players take part in it.

Voting Runs June 1-August 31; Vote Now!

Our centerpiece award is the Most Inspiring Player category where we pick one player that, among other accomplishments, just simply make others want to play more poker.

Last year's MIP Anatoly Filatov.

It could be because of an entertaining Twitch stream or their dedication to poker at all buy-in levels.

It could be for a relentless commitment to growing the game on a grassroots level.

Importantly, the Most Inspiring Player award aims to recognize someone who gives something back to poker in some way.

Click on the headers below to find out more about our nominees and to cast your vote! Voting is open from June 1- August 31.

The top three vote-getters in each category will advance to our final PokerListings voting panel where a winner will be determined.

Awards will be presented live in person at the 2016 Battle of Malta.

Fatima Moreira de Melo

2016 Most Inspiring Player Nominees

Rainer Kempe

2016 Spirit of Poker Rising Star Nominees

Barny Boatman

2016 Spirit of Poker Living Legend Nominees

Head over to the PokerListings Spirit of Poker Awards main page to place your votes now!

Past winners of our Spirit of Poker Awards include Shannon Shorr, Anatoly Filatov, Charlie Carrel, Humberto Brenes, Thor Hansen and Pierre Neuville.

Join the Fun at Battle of Malta 2016 

The 2016 Spirit of Poker Awards will be officially presented at this year’s Battle of Malta, which will take place in St. Julian’s, Malta, Nov. 2-7.

The small buy-in, big value tournament has grown in each year of its existence. Last year Frenchman Nicolas Proust outlasted 1,804 entries to take down €110k after a three-way deal.

All of the top three finishers took home over €100,000 and the overall prize pool hit an enormous €874,940. And that number could certainly be surpassed in 2016.

The effervescent Maria Ho will return as host and the event will once again take place at the Portomaso Casino attached to the five-star Hilton Hotel.

The Battle of Malta has grown into a full-bore poker festival with a variety of side events, including a high roller and PLO tournament, and a series of VIP player parties.

Qualify online for as little as 1c via 888poker or purchase your seat/package in advance right here.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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!