With players teeming out of the doors to get in and seated the €200,000 guarantee was smashed within just two hours of play.

When registration finally closed a massive 417 entries had been clocked in with a sold-out Day 1b still to come tomorrow.

Given the casino capacity that puts the expected number of players near the 800-player mark, making for an incredible €440,000 prize pool.

Amato Snags Early Lead

After a full 10 hours of play 110 players bagged up chips for Day 2 with Italian Dario "Trazaman" Amato at the top with 247,400.

Dario Amato

An online grinder from Palermo, Amato has close to $200k in online earnings but could add a nice chunk to that if he can hold on to make the final table.

The official Top 5 in chips:

Scott, Neuville, Pesonen Set Back a Buy-In

As for the high-profile pros who made the trip not many had much luck on Day 1a.

Kara Scott, Giovanni Rizzo, Pierre Neuville and Lauri Pesonen bit the dust on their first bullet although all but Rizzo (who also busted his second) will get another crack at it tomorrow.

It's Holden time!

Norwegian Andreas Hoivold made it through the day on his first bullet with 46k to start Day 2. Adult Film star Puma Swede also surprised a few in the crowd and at the table by hitting Day 2 as well.

She'll start back up on Saturday with 39,800.

Holden, Dudesons, Moschitta, Kihara Among Day 1b Runners

Joining the fray tomorrow will be another wide swath of players and pros alike. Among the notables will be:

Check our Battle of Malta live updates for a recap of all the Day 1a action and for Day 1b action starting at 2 pm CET.

While a healthy field was expected an overwhelming crowd descended on Malta to push the Casino to full capacity and even leave a few on the waiting list.

The official prize pool won't be announced until tomorrow but a safe estimate is right around €444,000 - an impressive 2.5x the original guarantee.

The benficiaries? Everyone who makes the money -- and particularly this year's tourney winner who should pocket around €100k along with the super cool BOM trophy.

On a €550 buy-in, that's a truly extraordinary number.

The Thrill of a Big Tour without the Cost or Pressure

Kara Scott: Has a pretty good idea why people love the BOM.

In just its second year the PokerListings Battle of Malta is proving it fills an important niche in the poker community.

With the big tours - the EPT, WPT and WSOP - stuffed with pros and hefty buy-ins, the atmosphere is tense, quiet and pressure packed.

At BOM the overwhelming vibe is fun. Table talk is lively, stories are being swapped and the joy of the game is at the forefront.

Host Kara Scott, a veteran on the pro circuit with plenty of experience in big buy-in events, is enjoying what she sees:

"When I'm playing in really big events, like the World Series Main Event, the Irish Open, some of the big WPTs, you get a lot of pros at your tables.

"And that's, you know, we're there to make money and they're there to make their living so I understand it, but there's a lot of headphones, it's prety quiet, there's not a lot of talking.

"Here at the Battle of Malta it's kind of the opposite of that.

"People want to know each other's stories, there'a a lot more talking at the tables... I didn't see almost anyone wearing headphones and almost tuning out of their table.... It's more of a relaxed atmosphere. It's more about enjoying the game..."

Check out Kara's full take on the BOM and why it's so successful below; check all the latest live updates straight from the floor right here.

After a surprising 417 entries on Day 1a a sold-out Day 1b packed the Portomaso Casino to capacity with another 471 runners squeezing onto the tables.

All told it made for a record-breaking 888-player field, a €440,000 prize pool and a likely €80k+ first-place prize.

Norwegian Roar Aspas has the unofficial chip lead at 275,000 heading into Day 2 but full chip counts for the combined field are still to be determined.

Pesonen, Lovgren, Kihara, Jukka Dudeson Advance

PKR pro Sofia Lövgren.

Among the massive field today were several notable names including Dan "Jungleman12" Cates, Kara Scott, Sam Holden, Lauri Pesonen, Naoya Kihara, Nicolau Villa-Lobos, Luca Moschitta and Sofia Lövgren among them.

Results were mixed, though, with Cates, Scott, Holden, Moschitta and Villa-Lobos hitting the rail.

Kihara and Lövgren, however, are through to Day 2 with Lövgren on about 63k and Kihara at last check near 80k. Pesonen also finished strong on 139k.

Three members of MTV phenoms The Dudesons also hit the tables today with Jukka the only one to survive on 101k.

Today's survivors join the survivors from Day 1a tomorrow including Andreas Hoivold and Day 1a chip leader Dario Amato.

The 251 remaining players will get back at it at 1 p.m. local time and push as close to a final table as they can.

Check our live updates here for a recap of all the action; watch our Spirit of Poker Awards presentation from today below:

Young gun Lauri Pesonen - a PokerListings Spirit of Poker Award finalist and rising star on the major tour circuit - is the expected one.

A £2k side-event winner at EPT London earlier in the year Pesonen navigated expertly through the bomb-laden field to end Day 2 third overall with 1,241,000 in chips.

Loose cannon Jukka Hilden - 1/4 of the Finnish stunt crew The Dudesons - surprised a few people at the tables over the last couple of days to say the least. Moving chips around like a boss, Hilden swung up towards the end of Day 2 to also head to Day 3 in the Top 10 with 801,000.

Italians, Scandis All Over Final 24

Jukka Dudeson: Moved his chips around.

An impressively international Battle of Malta field skewed decidely towards a couple of geographic areas as we wound down to 24 today.

Italians, perhaps feeling a slight home-court advantage given its proximity to Malta, and Scandinavians are all over the chip counts with several eyeing a big win tomorrow.

Norwegian Ambjorn Haga is the overall chip leader heading into Day 3 with 1,849,000 to join the two Finns in the top 10.

Marcus Holmstrom, Jan Erik Saelevik and Pontus Dahlgren add a bit more Northern flavor to the final 24. Norwegian pro Andreas Hoivold seemed set to join them but busted late in the day.

Giorgio Piazza leads the Italians in fourth overall with 1,023,000 while Malta's Konrad Abela leads the hometown charge in second with 1,492,000. Chip counts for the remaining 24 players below:

Andreas Hoivold: Fell late in the day.

€80,000 On the Table for Winner

Given the phenomenal turnout for the 2013 Battle of Malta the inflated prize pool will make for an extremely exciting rundown to the title tomorrow.

The final nine will split roughly €240,000 between them with the winner snagging €80,000 - an incredible return on a €550 buy-in.

Tune in to our Battle of Malta live updates tomorrow at 1 pm CET to see how it all plays out. Learn a bit more about The Dudesons ballsy poker strategy below:

“I guess I have to come back now,” laughed Cantarius. “Malta is really great and it’s been a nice trip.”

The Frankfurt-based online grinder earned his BOM package via Betsafe Poker and carried the Betsafe flag all the way to the title.

Big run at FT for Cartarius.

Biggest Poker Tournament Ever Held in Malta

A total of 888 entries -- nearly triple last year’s attendance -- made this year’s event the biggest tournament ever held in Malta.

Cartarius also out-dueled Konrad Abela heads-up. Abela would have become the first local to win the Battle of Malta.

The final day of the Battle of Malta began with 24 players still in the hunt for the title including Finnish duo Lauri Pesonen and Jukka Hilden. 

Jukka, who is a member of the Finnish stunt crew The Dudesons, proved to be a surprisingly skilled poker player and, in between joking and ordering trays full of beer, he managed to finish 17th for €3,950.

Meanwhile Pesonen, who is Finland’s fifth-best player on the Global Poker Index, made it all the way to fifth place and earned €19,000 for his efforts.

Biggest Score of Cartarius' Career

Ambjorn Haga had to settle for third.

It was another fast day at the Battle of Malta as they went from 24 players to a winner in nine hours of play.

Norwegian Ambjorn Haga dominated the chip counts for much of the day and at points looked unstoppable with 50% of the chips in play.

Unfortunately for Haga, Cartarius turned the tide three-handed when he won a huge coinflip with pocket fours against Haga’s Ace-Nine.

Cartarius finally busted Haga and then dusted off Konrad Abela in less than five hands heads-up.

It was a surprising outcome for Cartarius who entered the final table second-to-last in chips.

He hasn’t had a lot of success at live tournaments yet either but that changed today.

“This is my biggest live score for sure,” he said.

At just €550 to play, the Battle of Malta is the premier low buy-in, high-value tournament in Europe.

Here are the complete final-table payouts; video below:

Valuing creativity and overall feel of the event the high-profile award represents the most noteworthy and talked-about individual poker events (not complete tours) of the year.

With a phenomenal 888 entries and a €440,000 prize pool that obliterated the €200k guarantee, the 2013 BOM was selected by a team of industry veterans and European poker experts at the Global Poker Index.

Joining the Battle of Malta among the nominees are well-established events including EPT Barcelona, the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo and WPT Cyprus.

BOM Just in Second Year, Big 2014 Planned

Jungleman just one of the BOM converts.

“We feel extremely honored to be nominated in this elite category,” PokerListings CEO Martin Carlesund said, “and very proud of the product we have put together.

“In just its second year the Battle of Malta surpassed all expectations and the response we got from players was overwhelming and contagious.

“We’re already preparing a jaw-dropping product full of surprises for 2014 with even more of the 'poker holiday' feel everyone has loved.”

The 2013 Battle of Malta is also officially in the record books as the biggest poker tournament ever held on Malta. With its growing reputation the BOM is now entrenched as a must-attend event for low- to mid-stakes players.

More information about the PokerListings Battle of Malta and how to register for 2014 here.

The 13th Annual GPI European Poker Awards will be presented January 29, 2014 at the Casino Barriere in Deauville, France as part of EPT Deauville. The full list of nominees and awards can be found in the next couple of weeks here.

Watch a video recap of the 2013 Battle of Malta with host Kara Scott below:

Just ask Battle of Malta 2013 winner Louis Cartarius, who's taken the confidence (and profit) from his win to move up in stakes, set new goals and, as it turns out, make the island his new home.

The 22-year-old online pro from Germany came to Malta last year for fun and ended up taking down the biggest score of his young career when he won the BOM main event for €68,000 (after a deal).

”It definitely gave me a lot of confidence," Cartarius told PokerListings in Talinn, Estonia late last year where he was playing the annual Superweekend tournament.

“Before Battle of Malta I was playing mid-stakes heads-up hyper turbo Sit-n-Go’s, but now I've moved up to high-stakes.

"The win gave me that comfort zone you have to be in to resist those swings there are in hyper turbo SNG’s. It made me play those games more comfortably than before."

Huge Value in Low Buy-in, Big Field Tournaments

Talinn's Superweekend is a similar tournament to the Battle of Malta with a €500 buy-in and a field mostly consisting of recreational players. Cartarius opted for Tallinn although most of his poker playing friends from Germany went to Prague for the bigger annual poker festival.

Big field, big value.

Cartarius got his seat at Superweekend through a rake race on Betsafe, one of the organisers of the tournament, but he actually also prefers playing smaller events.

“I like playing tournaments like this and there can be huge value for good players to go here. For a good player from Estonia it can be really good for him to play, because you might have many package players and drunk guys at your table."

“There are very few players who take it very seriously and I must also admit that I came here mostly for the fun."

Cartarius also mainly chose to play Battle of Malta because of its fun and friendly atmosphere. He remembers that on Day 2 he had a small nap at the table after a long night out and he also did not get that much sleep the night before the final day.

He went to bed early but his friend, who he shared a room with, came home later that night accompanied by two girls. Twins even.

“So I had to get out and sleep in front of my own hotel room while he had fun with the girls in the room," recalls Louis with a big smile.

Relocates to Malta, Expected in BOM 2014 Field

Expect the reigning champ back in 2014.

Later that day Cartarius was the one to smile when he took down BOM for his biggest career score.

He started the final day with a mid-sized stack, entered the final table with the smallest stack but eventually triumphed over the massive field of 888 players.

“Battle of Malta was no skill accomplishment. I had 15 big blinds after Day 1, I had 15 big blinds after Day 2 and I was just lucky to win the tournament."

Cartarius’ memories of Malta are so fond that he even moved to the sunny Mediterranean island this month. Malta is already a popular destination for many online grinders and he'll join a few fellow German players there.

Find out how you can join him at the 2014 BOM via our main Battle of Malta page.

With the same low buy-in of €550 the Battle of Malta Main Event has a monster guaranteed prize pool of €500,000.

Last year 888 players competed in the Main Event with Germany's Louis Cartarius taking the title and €80,000. It set the record for the biggest poker field ever hosted on the Mediterranean island and this year it's going to be even better.

The Battle of Malta strives to capture the atmosphere and excitement of a big buy-in major and make it available to recreational players at a price point they can afford.

Big-League Poker at Budget Buy-In

The Battle of Malta is also about creating an inclusive experience for all its players with plenty of parties and the opportunity to see everything Malta has to offer.

“We've been to every major poker tournament on the planet and when you're at the Battle of Malta it feels like you're playing on the EPT,” said PokerListings.com editor in chief Matt Showell.

The Battle of Malta is about more than just poker.

“Our entire reporting staff is on site with a full video crew and celebrity host so it's definitely something special for a €550 buy-in event.”

Coverage of the Battle of Malta will be posted online in ten different languages so players' friends and family can follow them every step of the way.

Go to the Battle of Malta Home Page for more information and to find out how to qualify through one of our many online poker partners.

Celebrities and Top Poker Pros Flock to Battle of Malta

Adding to the Battle of Malta's big-league feel is a huge roster of elite poker pros and celebrities.

Last year Kara Scott hosted for the second year as accomplished players like Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Sam Holden, Andreas Hoivold, Luca Moschitta, Naoya Kihara, Sofia "welllbet" Lövgren and Lauri Pesonen all battled at the felt.

Joining the pros were celebs like the infamous Finnish stunt crew known as The Dudesons, adult-entertainer Puma Swede and pick-up artist/instructor Sasha Daygame.

Check out the video below for a taste of what the Battle of Malta is all about.

The buzz apparently reached all the way to the Capitol as Senator John McCain - "caught" playing poker on his smart phone during a Senate hearing on Syria last year - will be among the participants at the tables in 2014.

McCain's staff confirmed today the outspoken Senator and former Presidential candidate will head to the Battle of Malta after vacationing with his family in nearby Italy just prior to the start of the tournament (Nov 6-10).

McCain Unapologetic About Syria Hearing, Focused on His Game

"Scandal!” McCain tweeted last year when the photo of him playing poker on his phone leaked out. “Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing – worst of all I lost!”

The ensuing furor over whether he was dissrespecting the office reached a fever pitch but McCain was unapologetic.

Getting "caught" in Syria hearing inspired McCain to take his game more seriously.

The uproar instead inspired McCain to take his poker game more seriously. He purchased memberships in several notable poker training sites and reportedly invested heavily in the frequent home games among power brokers in Washington.

As one of the premier destination tournaments for low- to mid-stakes poker players the Battle of Malta is right in McCain's wheelhouse and "the perfect opportunity," his staff said, for him to work on his tournament game in a casual and friendly environment.

Should Sen. McCain win the tournament - with a guarantee of €500,000 this year the first-place payout should top €75,000 - his staff said he will donate the proceeds to a charity of his choice.

For more on the 2014 Battle of Malta, visit our page here.

Due to a typographical error and a confusing phone call it turns out our confirmation from Sen. McCain’s office was not actually a confirmation at all.

After seeing what we thought was his name on the player list we called his office and an intern was tasked with asking the esteemed Senator if it was him registered to play the Battle of Malta.

Given his advanced age and failing hearing, however, he thought he was being offered the role of George "The Falcon of Malta" Beurling in the next Darren Aronofsky film, Battle of Malta. (He accepted). Our apologies for the confusion.

After revisiting our player list though we would like to offer a warm welcome to retired police officer John McClane.

Given his stated age and bio information (just “Yippee Ki Yay"), we are now positive noted Christmas terrorism spoiler McClane will be bringing his talents to Malta.

The Best-Value Low Buy-In Tournament in Europe

Nothing wrong with location, either.

Poker fans across Europe can hardly blame McClane for his enthusiasm.

With a massive €500,000 guarantee for just a $550 buy-in the 2014 PokerListings Battle of Malta is easily the highest-value, low buy-in tournament of the year.

The paradisical setting in the heart of the Mediterranean doesn't hurt either.

Last year’s winner, Louis Cartarius from Germany, walked away with €80,000 and this year’s prize should compare favorably.

With a 1,400 player cap in place, though, those interested in registering for this year's event would be best served to do so shortly by contacting battleofmalta (@) pokerlistings.com.

More info on our 2014 Battle of Malta page.

After shattering Maltese poker tournament records last year with 888 runners, the 2014 Battle of Malta promises to be even bigger with a massive €500,000 guarantee but the same low buy-in of €550.

To add even more to the experience, this year PokerListings has booked the entire 5-star Hilton Hotel for the run of the festival from Nov. 6-10, 2014.

Last year Germany's Louis Cartarius walked away with €80,000 for first-place and this year the top prize should be even bigger.

Register Now for Huge Discount on BOM Packages

Be like Louis.

Poker players who register for the 2014 Battle of Malta before May 31 receive a special discount price on packages to the tournament.

For €1,300 early bird registrants will receive:

This is a one-time offer and will vanish after May 31 so get your package before it's too late.

Players can also opt for the Premium Friend package for €1,800, which includes the same as above with a double-occupancy room and one more €550 buy-in to the BOM Main Event.

For more information or to register early just head over to our Battle of Malta payments page.

Ho has been playing poker professionally since 2002 and has earned more than $1.5 million playing live tournaments.

She's appeared on the television show The Amazing Race and is a commentator on the Heartland Poker Tour's television broadcast.

Ho is also passionate about growing the game of poker and thinks the Battle of Malta's low buy-in, socially-oriented approach is perfect for getting new people involved in poker.

“I absolutely love this concept and am so glad to be a part of this innovative and inclusive idea,” said Ho.

“The reason why poker is so popular in the first place is because it's so accessible and things like media coverage, parties and an exotic location should be the kind of poker experience available to all poker players and lovers of the game, and not just reserved for the higher stakes.

"I absolutely love the Battle of Malta concept."

“This is a great way to get people excited because this is a special experience anyone and everyone can share together.”

For the last two years ESPN presenter and poker player Kara Scott hosted the Battle of Malta but this year's BOM dates conflict with the WSOP Main Event final table, an event that Scott covers for ESPN's television broadcast.

Big Discounts for Early Bird Packages on Sale Now

The 2014 Battle of Malta plays out at the Portomaso Casino in St. Juliens November 6-10 and discounted early bird packages are offering big savings right now.

This year the Battle of Malta features a massive €500,000 guaranteed prize pool with the same affordable €550 buy-in and players who buy or win packages will be treated to tons of VIP perks.

Packages include main event buy-in, four nights at the five-star Hilton Malta, a casino buffet every day you're playing the event and tickets to and the opening cocktail and the official BOM party.

Click here to book your trip to the 2014 Battle of Malta now.

"The Battle of Malta's guarantee is right on up there with the best of any other low buy-in event I have ever seen,” said Ho.

“With the guarantee it will be a field of at least 1,000 players but I am betting we will surpass that by a mile!”

Back for its third year alongside the marquee Main Event, the Siege of Malta, our signature €220 second-chance tourney, will run over two days Nov 8-9.

Capped at just 400 players it's the perfect opportunity for players looking to re-coup an early ME bustout.

Canadian Mike Bland took home the €110 Siege of Malta title last year, earning €5,800 in the process.

Grandmaster High Roller Added By Popular Demand

2013 Siege of Malta winner Mike Bland.

A new tourney on the BOM schdule - our exclusive €3,850 Grandmaster of Malta High Roller event - is on the table by virtue of popular demand.

So many of last year's attendees asked for a high-roller to sweeten their pot we couldn't refuse. Also scheduled to run Nov 8/9, the Grandmaster is capped at just 100 players.

Along with the increased guarantee of €500,000 for the €550 main event plus plenty of cash games to be found it sets the 2014 Battle of Malta up to be the highest value ever offered.

As last year's event broke the record for the most-attended tourney in Malta history, that bar is already set pretty high.

Buy a discounted Early Bird package for the 2014 BOM before May 31 right here; full BOM schedule below.

1. 2014 Battle of Malta Main Event

2. Siege of Malta Second-Chance Tournament

One of three BOM trophies to go after in 2014.

3. BOM Grandmaster High Roller Tournament

For a complete rundown of all the Battle of Malta has to offer check our 2014 Battle of Malta page.

Outgrowing its previous space after a record-breaking 2013 this year’s Battle of Malta will move to the world-class Grand Master’s Suite at the Portomaso/Hilton casino complex.

The Grand Master’s Suite is one of the largest conference rooms in Malta with capacity for well over 1,000 players. It’s equipped with theater lighting, a viewing gallery, state-of-the-art sound system and a centerpiece stage.

The stage will host a feature table to showcase big-name pros and aspiring players climbing their way to the top of the chip counts. It's the first time the Battle of Malta will have a feature table.

€500k GTD, VIP Parties, The Amazing Maria Ho

The 2014 Battle of Malta has quickly become one of the best-value poker tournaments in Europe with a reasonable €550 buy-in but a massive €500,000 prize pool.

This year’s winner will likely walk away with over $100,000 USD in what will likely be the biggest tournament ever held in Malta.

Maria Ho, 2014 BOM Host.

The emphasis at BOM, though, is still about having fun and poker players will be treated to tons of VIP perks, a beautiful location in sunny Malta and a pro-tour-feel tournament all for €550.

The amazing and effervescent Maria Ho will also take over hosting duties this year. The former Amazing Race contestant and 2007 WSOP Last Woman Standing takes the reins from ESPN's Kara Scott, who'll be busy at the Nov. 9.

Sign Up Now for Big Early Bird Discounts

While the BOM is already an incredible value on the European poker circuit, if you register for the event now you get significant deals on discounted packages.

For €1,300 early-bird entries will currently receive:

In addition if you want to bring a friend you can opt for the €1,800 Premium Package, which includes everything above except an upgraded double-occupancy room and an extra €550 buy-in.

Andreas Hoivold, Paul Jackson, Louis Cartarius and Luca Pagano are the latest players to confirm they'll be joining host Maria Ho at the felt for the small buy-in, big-value event this November.

Hoivold played the tournament last year and actually finished in 30th place for €2,350. The Norwegian will be looking to improve on that result this year.

Meanwhile German Cartarius was the outright winner of the 2013 Battle of Malta and took down €80,000 for his efforts.

“I guess I have to come back now,” said Cartarius right after winning. “Malta is really great and it’s been a nice trip.”

Pagano, Jackson, Ho Hit BOM for First Time

Luca Pagano

Luca Pagano is one of the most well-known Italian players and a member of Team PokerStars Pro. One of the most influential players in Italian poker history, the 2014 BOM in Malta will be a short journey from home for Pagano.

The U.K.’s Paul Jackson has over $1.4 million in lifetime tournament earnings and played one of the most memorable hands in the history of poker against Phil Ivey at the 2005 Monte Carlo Millions.

They will all be joined by BOM Spokesperson Maria Ho for five days of entertaining poker action and VIP parties along the beaches of Malta.

The €550 buy-in 2014 Battle of Malta will take place Nov. 6-9 at the Hilton/Portomaso Casino in St. Julian’s, Malta.

The event has grown every year of its three-year existence and last year 888 runners created a prize pool of €430,680, smashing the €200,000 guarantee and setting a record for the largest poker tournament ever held in Malta.

This year that guarantee has been bumped to €500,000 and a full 1,400 players are expected to pack our new state-of-the-art venue.

Players still have a chance to grab significantly discounted early bird packages until the end of May for €1,300 that include buy-in, accommodations, VIP tickets and more.

Until June 30 you can get your seat in the €500k guaranteed BOM Main Event plus four-nights at the Hilton Malta and tons of perks for just €1,300.

And if you want to bring a friend you can both play the €550 Main Event, share a room at the Hilton and have access to buffets, parties and priority registration to side events for just €1,800

The 2014 Battle of Malta plays out November 6-10 and is set to be the biggest poker tournament Malta has ever seen.

Click here to reserve your seat at the 2014 Battle of Malta now!

Battle of Malta Host Maria Ho will be playing the main event as well as attending all the parties, along with other big-name poker pros and celebrities.

And remember, if you buy an Early Bird package now and end up qualifying online later, we'll refund the full purchase price.

Early Bird packages include:

Buy Early Bird Package Now and Join Maria Ho at 2014 Battle of Malta

This November hundreds of poker players will descend on the Hilton Malta for Europe's hottest low buy-in poker event.

The Battle of Malta is about great poker action as well as a fun, social atmosphere that's perfect for recreational poker players or more serious grinders looking for great value.

Check out the brand-new video below for details on how you can save with our Early Bird pricing and keep an eye on our 2014 Battle of Malta News Page for updates:

Split into three categories – Rising Star, Most Inspiring Player and Living Legend - the Annual PokerListings Spirit of Poker awards were created in 2013 to recognize the players who bring joy, innovation, inspiration and timelessness to the game of poker.

The response from fans was overwhelmingly positive and so inaugural award winners Luca Moschitta, Naoya Kihara and Pierre Neuville now give way to a new crop of nominees headlined by some of the biggest – and soon-to-be-biggest - names in the game today.

Voting Open Until August 26th

In our signature award category -- Most Inspiring Player -- Shannon Shorr, Randy “nanonoko” Lew, Vicky Coren Mitchell, Philip Gruissem and perennial underdog Jean-Robert Bellande lead the nominees.

If you don't love JTilla, you don't love poker.

France's Manuel Bevand, Colombia's Mayu Roca and Italy's Mustapha Kanit round out the list.

Memorable young guns Adrian Mateos, Dominik Panka, Yngve Steen and Andrey Filatov lead our Rising Star nominees along with repeat contender Sofia Lövgren.

Highlighting our Living Legend category are the delightful Jennifer Tilly, the infamous Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott, Dan Heimiller, Thor Hansen and French poker icon Roger Hairabedian.

Find out more about each player and why he or she was nominated on our Spirit of Poker Award page.

Cast your votes right on those pages until August 26. After public voting narrows the nominee list down to three our PokerListings panel of experts will vote to determine the winner.

Official winners will be announced Sept. 5. The Spirit of Poker Awards ceremony will be held at the 2014 Battle of Malta in November.

The full list of nominees for the 2014 Spirit of Poker Awards:

Most Inspiring Player

Rising Star Award

Living Legend Award

Poker770’s Brazil 2014 Football Freerolls will take place June 21, July 5 and July 19 with €2,000 up for grabs each time.

There will also be two Battle of Malta €1,395 packages awarded to the players most deserving after the Brazilian Football Freerolls are complete.

One of the packages will be awarded for the Golden Boot, which is the player who wins the most cash in the freeroll tournaments.

The other will be awarded for the Golden Ball, the player who makes the most correct predictions during the promotion.

Poker770 is awarding special tokens (one for every 250 frequent player points generated) that can be used to bet on the outcome of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The €1,395 package to the 2014 Battle of Malta includes:

To open a new account and be eligible for the freerolls, sign up via our review of Poker770.

Early Bird Tickets Still Available for Battle of Malta

It's going to be good.

The 2014 Battle of Malta, which is set to take place Nov. 6-9 at the Portomaso Casino in Malta, will offer a massive €500,000 prizepool despite a buy-in of only €550.

This year the event will be hosted by noted poker pro Maria Ho.

In addition Andreas Hoivold, Luca Pagano and Paul Jackson have all been confirmed to play.

If you don’t want to wait to qualify via Poker770 you can still snag the early bird special for €1,300 which includes your accommodation, buy-in, two VIP party tickets, daily breakfast and buffet and more.

You can also pick up friend packages, which cost €1,800 but include buy-ins for two players.

To learn more check our Battle of Malta homepage.

Starting this week 888poker is offering a Battle of Malta steps program with five different ways to get into €500,000-guaranteed Main Event in Malta.

All steps lead to the weekly 2014 Battle of Malta qualifier where the winner walks away with a $2,200 BOM package that includes a $300 flight credit.

Here’s a complete rundown of the steps program, which starts at just $.01:

Early Bird Discount Until June 30!

Battle of Malta host Maria Ho.

Last year the Battle of Malta drew 888 players to create a prizepool of €430,680 but this year it’s going to be even bigger with a €500,000-GTD prizepool.

Maria Ho will be taking the mic this year as host and noted poker pros Andreas Hoivold, Luca Pagano and Paul Jackson have already confirmed their intentions to play the Main Event and the new High Roller event.

As usual there will be much more than just the tournament taking place in Malta with a couple of exclusive VIP parties, side events and the Spirit of Poker Awards.

The 2014 Battle of Malta is set to take place Nov. 6-10 and early bird specials are still available if you want to buy-in directly and get a deal towards what could be the biggest poker tournament ever held in Malta.

Until the end of June, players can save up to €170 on their shot at the massive €500,000 guaranteed Main Event as well as guarantee their seat in an event that's expected to sell out.

Click here to buy your seat and save big with our special Battle of Malta Early Bird Package.

For just €1,300 you'll get the buy-in to the main event, four nights at the 5-star Hilton Malta including breakfast, daily casino buffet and priority access to a huge schedule of VIP parties and side events.

If you want to save even more, bring one of your poker friends and you can both play the Main Event and share a room at the Hilton for just €1,800 with our Battle of Malta Friend Package.

With big-name poker pros, VIP parties and a celebrity host, players can experience what it's like to play in a major poker tournament at a buy-in that fits their bankroll.

Friends and family can follow your progress every step of the way with live coverage, interviews plus photos and video.

Battle of Malta host Maria Ho is in Las Vegas right now competing in the World Series of Poker, but she's already looking forward to Malta this November.

Maria Ho will host and play the 2014 Battle of Malta.

“The WSOP is obviously an important time for poker players but I'm excited about just being able to relax, have fun and party at this year's Battle of Malta!” she said.

“I'm most looking forward to meeting new people and players that I wouldn't normally see on the circuit especially since I don't play often in Europe.”

New Room, New Bigger Guarantee for 2014

The Battle of Malta has exploded in popularity since its introduction in 2012 and last year it set the record for the biggest poker tournament field Malta has ever seen.

888 players bought in and this year PokerListings is guaranteeing it will be even bigger.

1,000 entrants are needed to reach the €500,000 guaranteed prize pool and with a maximum of 1,400, this event could be a sell-out.

To make sure all those players are comfortable, the Battle of Malta has moved to an even bigger tournament room at the Portomaso Casino in St. Juliens.

The Grand Master's Suite has capacity for over 1,000 players, a state-of-the art sound system and a raised stage that will serve as a feature-table area.

Keep an eye on our 2014 Battle of Malta page for the latest news and how to qualify for free.

And remember, if you buy an Early Bird Package now and end up qualifying online later, we'll refund the full package price.

Maria Ho Invites You to the 2014 Battle of Malta

Join Maria Ho and hundreds of other poker players in Malta this November for Europe's hottest low buy-in poker event.