The partypoker Championship (PPC) Malta progressed to Day 1b in the €500,000 Guaranteed PPC Malta €550 Main Event at Portomaso Casino with three more opening flights to go on April 2-3.
Day 1b attracted 132 entries with 20 players surviving each earning at least a min-cash of €1,000. When combining this with the 148 entries and 21 survivors during the four online Day 1s, the 33 entries attracted in a live Day 1 in Milan with five survivors, and the 92 entries and 14 survivors during yesterday's Day 1a, the field has blossomed to 405 entries with 60 players bagging to Day 2 already in the money.
Nicolas Maillaud led the way on Day 1b after bagging a massive stack of 553,500. Near the end of the day, Maillaud eliminated two players in the same hand when his ace-jack got there against the jacks held by Ulysses Harry and the king-eight suited held by Guiseppe Dedoni.
Maillaud bagged more chips than the Day 1a chip leader Victor Allain, who bagged 452,000 in chips. He isn't the current chip leader as this honor instead belongs to Christoph Erbler virtually bagged 700,596 online at partypoker.
Day 1b Chip Counts
| Player | Chips |
| Nicolas Maillaud | 553,500 |
| Bas de Laat | 438,000 |
| Adnane Ouahsna | 365,500 |
| Tom Delaine | 292,500 |
| Luigi D'Alterio | 266,500 |
| Ashley Delaney | 260,000 |
| Kontantino Tsikopoylos | 232,000 |
| Nicolas Plantin | 218,500 |
| Kyle Pullicino | 213,500 |
| Christopher Keifert | 202,000 |
| Florian Ribouchon | 170,000 |
| Mikael Tibblin | 145,000 |
| Federico Caielli | 130,500 |
| Lukasz Faczek | 124,500 |
| Marco Maggio | 117,000 |
| Angelo Patane | 109,000 |
| Arthur Emig | 107,500 |
| Samuel Dray | 57,000 |
| Sokol Mollaj | 56,000 |
| Koen Meutstege | 28,000 |
Two More Opening Flights on Saturday
The PPC Malta Main Event continues on Saturday, April 2 with two opening flights. Day 1c will kick off at 12 p.m., while Day 1d will follow five hours later at 5 p.m. PokerListings will be covering Day 1d, so be sure to tune back in for updates.
