PPC Malta 2022 Day 1 C/D/E Live Blog

The partypoker Championship (PPC) Malta was hopping at the Portomaso Casino with the €500,000 Guaranteed PPC Malta €550 Main Event featuring both Day 1c and Day 1d.

Day 1c attracted 168 entries with 26 survivors while Day 1d, which PokerListings was live reporting, boasted 162 entries with 25 survivors. This brings the field up to 735 entries with 111 survivors when taking into account the previous opening flights held both at partypoker, in Milan, and at Portomaso Casino with one more turbo opening flight to go.

In other words, there is a huge overlay alert thanks to the lofty €500,000 guarantee and there will be huge value for anyone that enters into Day 1e kicking off at 10:30 a.m. For some, this might be too early but the good news is that late registration will be open until approximately 1 p.m when Level 10 is scheduled to end.

Claudio Gangemi bagged the Day 1c chip lead with a stack of 479,000 but this pales in comparison to the 584,000 in chips that Simone Lombardo accumulated during Day 1d.

Lombardo isn’t going to be the chip leader going into Day 2 as there is one player ahead of him with Christoph Erbler virtually bagging 700,596 during an online opening flight held at partypoker in March.

Day 1d Chip Counts

Day 2 Begins at 2:30 p.m.

All surviving players will resume action on Sunday, April 3 at 2:30 p.m. CEST at Portomaso Casino. It is possible that there will be a delayed start depending on how quickly the turbo Day 1e ends. As a reminder, there is an almost certainty that there will be some overlay, providing not only great value to those looking for a last-minute ticket via Day 1e which begins at 10:30 a.m. CEST but also to all those that already bagged a stack.

Day 2 survivors will compete for one more day on Monday, April 4 until a winner is crowned. PokerListings will be reporting the final two days starting on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CEST, so be sure to tune back into our dedicated 2022 PPC Malta Main Event blog.

Level 19: 5,000/10,000 (10,000)

Players are now bagging chips with the marathon of a bubble now burst. Jonas Engedal jammed for 38,500 from the hijack and was called by Dean Perry from the big blind. A crowd gathered and players turned over their cards.

Jonas Engedal: A 7

Dean Perry: J 10

Perry hit trips on the 4 K J Q J board to eliminated Engedal on the bubble. The 25 survivors are bagging their Day 2 stacks with each survivor guaranteed at least a €1,000 min-cash.

Stay tuned for the final Day 1d chip counts and the recap of the day.

Level 18: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)

Mauro Alessi jammed for 82,500 from the cutoff and was called by Mikael VIggander from the small blind. A crowd gathered as players turned over their cards.

Mauro Alessi: A K

Mikael Viggander: 9 9

Alessi won the flip to stay alive and double his stack after pairing his king on the 3 5 K 6 7 ran out on the board.

Mikael Viggander – 200,000

Mauro Alessi – 190,000

Level 18: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)

The action has already been hand-for-hand for several hands after Giovanni Trimarchi dusted off his stack to leave 26 players remaining with 25 advancing to Day 2 in the money for at least a €1,000 min-cash.

Level 17: 3,000/6,000

Giovanni Trimarchi jammed for more than 15 big blinds from the hijack. Charlo Azzopardi called off for about 13 big blinds from the button.

Charlo Azzopardi: A A

Giovanni Trimarchi: 10 10

Azzopardi’s aces not only held but he improved to the nut-flush as the J 4 2 Q 9 rolled out on the board.

Charlo Azzopardi – 170,000

Giovanni Trimarchi – 25,000

Field: 27/164

Level 16: 2,500/5,000 (5,000)

Alberto Cigliano was just able to get there with ace-ten against ace-king but couldn’t work his magic a second time. Cigliano jammed the button for about 15 big blinds and was looked up by Giovanni Trimarchi from the small blind.

Alberto Cigliano: A 8

Giovanni Trimarchi: A A

Cigliano was able to pair his eight on the 6 10 3 7 8 runout but this wasn’t enough to get ahead of Trimarchi’s aces to hit the rail just short of the end of Day 1d.

Field: 30/164

Level 16: 2,500/5,000 (5,000)

Alberto Cigliano jammed for less than 10 big blinds from the button and was called by Dean Perry from the big blind.

Alberto Cigliano: A 10

Dean Perry: A K

Cigliano was in jeopardy of hitting the rail late on Day 1d. Instead, he improved to a straight double his stack after the 6 8 9 Q 7 ran out on the board.

Dean Perry – 120,000

Alberto Cigliano – 100,000

Field: 34/164

Level 17: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)

Federico Cirillo open-jammed for about 15 big blinds from the hijack. Marco Dessena three-bet jammed over the top for a bit more from the cutoff and the rest of the table folded.

Federico Cirillo: K Q

Marco Dessena: K K

Cirillo was in terrible shape when the chips went in and hit the rail after he was unable to get ahead of cowboys on the 3 10 2 4 3 board.

Marco Cirillo – 170,000

Federico Cirillo – 0

Field: 37/164

Level 15: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)

Oliver Said bet 12,000 into a pot of around 25,000 on the 8 3 3 flop. Mikael Viggander three-bet to 40,000. Said shoved and Viggander called off for about 80,000.

Mikael Viggander: 8 7

Oliver Said: A Q

Viggander began to sing after the 8 came on the turn to give him a full house and to leave his opponent drawing dead. The dealer awarded Viggander the pot after the K completed the board on the river.

Mikael Viggander – 180,000

Oliver Said – 120,000

Field 39/164

Day 1d is on its fourth break. Blinds will increase to 2,000/4,000 with a big blind ante of 4,000 when the action resumes.

partypoker has informed PokerListings that one of the online opening flights ended at 2,000/4,000. So, this will likely be the blind level for the start of Day 2 tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.

Level 14: 1,500/3,000 (3,000)

Ivan Martinez opened for 6,000 from the hijack. Francesco Grande three-bet to 15,000 from the button. Martinez paused for nearly a minute before he called.

Both players checked the K A 9 flop before Martinez fired out for 15,000 on the 2 turn with about 30,000 behind. Grande jammed and Martinez snap-folded.

Grande showed he had the top set with A A . Martinez showed the table he folded top pair as he flashed the A before he tossed his hand into the muck.

Francesco Grande – 100,000

Ivan Martinez – 30,000

Field: 47/164

Level 13: 1,200/2,500 (2,500)

Apostolos Lanopoulos opened for 5,000 from early position. Andrea Gallerani jammed for 29,000 from the blinds and Lanopoulos called.

Andrea Gallerani: J J

Apostolos Lanopoulos: K Q

Gallerani was ahead after the 2 10 6 peeled off on the flop but fell behind after the Q followed on the turn. He was out of chips after not getting a save on the 3 river, while Lanopoulos was up to approximately 140,000 in chips.

Field: 53/164

Level 13: 1,200/2,500 (2,500)

Zlatin Penev jammed for 43,400 from the small blind. Cory Desmond asked for a count. The dealer initially told Desmond it was 52,500 but Desmond thought otherwise and asked to count again. Desmond then found a call moments after it was confirmed to actually be a jam for 43,400.

Zlatin Penev: A 8

Cory Desmond: K 9

Penev was slightly ahead when the chips went in but his equity skyrocketed after he paired his ace on the A 4 5 flop. He improved to two-pair on the 8 turn and was guaranteed a double with Desmond drawing dead. The 3 completed the board on the river and the dealer sent the pot over to Penev.

Field: 55/164

Level 12: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)

Antonio Asaro opened for 4,000 from early position. Andre Grech three-bet jammed for 24,000 and Asaro snap-called.

Andre Grech: Q Q

Antonio Asaro: A A

Things were looking grim for Grech and he was unable to get ahead of Asaro’s rockets after the K 10 9 2 K ran out on the board to hit the rail.

Antonio Asaro – 80,000

Andre Grech – 0

Field: 67/164

Level 11: 800/1,600 (1,600)

Henriques Pereira jammed for 13,700 from under the gun and was called by Federico Petruzzelli from the small blind and Vicken Maghakian from the big blind.

Petruzzelli and Maghakian both checked the K 6 8 flop before Petruzzelli led out for 10,000 on the 8 turn. Maghakian folded and players turned over the cards.

Henriques Pereira: 10 8

Federico Petruzzelli: K J

Pereira got out of his seat looking ready to go. He then proceeded to leave the tournament arena after whiffing on the 3 river.

Vicken Maghakian – 180,000

Federico Petruzzelli – 140,000

Henriques Pereira – 0

Field: 70/164

Level 11: 800/1,600 (1,600)

Salvatore Ninelli jammed for 32,000 from under the gun. Guglielmo Susini three-bet shoved over the top for 37,000 from the button and the cards were turned over after Mirko Romeo and Mario Montanelli folded from the blinds.

Salvatore Ninelli: A Q

Guglielmo Susini: A A

Ninelli was in a world of hurt and the 10 6 7 flop did nothing to help. Susini had Ninelli drawing dead after the 2 landed on the turn and officially eliminated his opponent after the 9 river completed the board.

Guglielmo Susini – 75,000

Salvatore Ninelli – 0

Field: 74/164

Late registration has closed for Day 1d. A total of 164 entries got into the action with 84 players still in their seats.

Day 1d will end when there are just 25 players remaining. All Day 1d survivors will not only advance to Day 2 but also already be in the money for at least a min-cash of €1,000.

Players are on their third break. By the time they return, late registration will close and the number of players that advance to Day 2 with at least a min-cash of €1,000 will be announced.

Level 10: 600/1,200

Henriques Pereira opened for 2,600 from early position before Mario Romano jammed for 12,300 from the hijack. Lars Fuss asked the dealer for a count of Romano’s jam before he jammed over the top for more than 50,000. Pereira got out of the way and the duo turned over their cards.

Mario Romano: A A

Lars Fuss: K Q

Romano was ahead and by the time the J A Q 2 J rolled out on the board improved to a full house to double his stack through Fuss.

Lars Fuss – 40,000

Mario Romano – 30,000

Field: 88/163

Claudio Gangemi bagged the most of the Day 1c survivors with a stack of 479,000. Not too far behind was Mariusz Lewoniewski with 39,000. Here is a look at all of the end-of-Day 1c chip counts.

Level 9: 500/1,000 (1,000)

Loic Vaux jammed for about 15 big blinds from under the gun. Mikael Viggader has been chatting away and having fun with his tablemates and opted to call from the big blind.

Loic Vaux: A J

Mikael Viggander: 7 5

Vaux was in a decent spot to double but it was more or less a coinflip after the six-four-king flop gave him an open-ender. Vaux was drawing dead after Viggander completed his straight when a trey hit the turn and he felted Vaux after a blank came on the river.

Although Vaux took a bad beat, he was all smiles and gave fistbumps to most of the table before he left the tournament area.

Mikael Viggander – 55,000

Loic Vaux – 0

Field: 95/162

Day 1c is in the books with the field of 168 entries down to just 26 players. Those finding a bag into Day 2 also secured at least a min-cash of €1,000. PokerListings will post all the end-of-Day 1c chip counts shortly after they are tallied up.

Level 9: 500/1,000 (1,000)

The action went five ways to the turn with the Q 4 J 9 on the board and with about 5,000 or so in the pot when Paul Lyons bet 2,600. A couple of players folded before Cory Desmond three-bet to 9,300. Another player folded and Lyons jammed, more than covering the 25,600 in Desmond’s stack. Desmond made the quick call and the players showed their hands.

Cory Desmond: K 10

Paul Lyons: A J

Lyons was drawing dead and he doubled up Lyons after the 5 completed the board on the river.

Cory Desmond – 60,000

Paul Lyons – 30,000

Field: 98/158

Level 8: 400/800 (800)

Simone Lombardo was facing a bet of 12,000 by Massimo Bruno with a little bit more in the pot with the 9 3 10 7 on the board when he jammed for about 33,000.

Lombardo went into the tank, during which time Lombardo said something in Italian. The dealer informed Lombardo that it was English-only at the table but apparently he isn’t all that comfortable chatting in English.

He asked in Italian the player sitting next to him how to say “di pesca” in English. The table laughed when Lombardo was informed the word he was looking for was fishing.

“Fishing?” Lombardo asked Bruno before adding “Got caught?”

“I will show,” Lombardo said a minute later.

A short while after, Bruno folded but not before he showed the table he had a strong hand in two pair with 10 9 . Bruno was actually ahead with one card to come as Lombardo showed the table he was behind with A 10 .

“Wow,” Lombardo added with a little shock in his voice as the dealer awarded him the pot.

Massimo Bruno – 50,000

Simone Lombardo – 60,000

Field: 103/154

Level 7: 300/600 (600)

Mauro Alessi opened to 1,300 from middle position before Oliver Said three-bet to 4,200. Hugo Delmas cold-called from the big blind and Alessi folded.

Both players checked the 4 J J flop. Said fired out for 3,000 on the 10 turn and Delmas called. The K completed the board on the river and Said bet 7,000.

“Ace-queen, eh?” asked Delmas to Said.

“Alright, show me your ace-queen,” Delmas added moments later as he was tossing in a chip to call.

Delmas was spot-on with his read even if he made the incorrect call as Said turned over A Q for Broadway. Delmas flashed A K just before the dealer awarded Said the pot.

Hugo Delmas – 130,000

Oliver Said – 75,000

Field: 106/153

Level 7: 300/600 (600)

Apostolos Lanopoulos bet 2,500 into a pot of a bit more with the 8 Q 3 2 on the board. Anastasios Andrianidis raised to 6,500 and Lanopoulos called. Lanaploulos check-called a bet of 7,400 after the 9 completed the board on the river.

Lanopoulos turned over 3 3 for a set. This was not good enough as Andrianidis showed Q Q for the top set to take down the pot. A few players at the table seemed amazed that the pot wasn’t bigger based on the set-up.

Apostolos Lanopoulos – 80,000

Anastasios Andrianidis – 70,000

Field: 108/150

The action has resumed on Day 1d with players returning from their dinner break. The field has grown by a couple of players that decided to enter (or re-enter) during the dinner break and now stands at 142 entries with 110 players remaining.

Blinds have increased to 300/600 with a big blind ante of 600.

Day 1d is on a one-hour dinner break. The field was up to 138 entries with 109 players remaining at the start of the break.

Level 6: 250/500 (500)

Karl Gialanze four-bet shoved preflop for more than the 22,000 Giuseppe Comitini had in his stack. Comitini called and the duo was off to the races with a coin flip.

Guiseppe Comitini: A Q

Karl Gialanze: 10 10

Gialanze pulled a bit ahead of the race after Comitini was unable to connect with the 8 K K flop. However, the tables were turned in a big way with Gialanze drawing to two outs after Comitini paired his ace on the A turn. The blank 3 completed the board on the river and Comitini doubled through Gialanze.

Guiseppe Comitini – 45,000

Karl Gialanze – 30,000

Field: 114/136

Level 5: 200/400 (400)

Constantino Marrochella checked with the A J 8 9 4 on the board. Sylvere Paillot jammed for about a starting stack. Marrochella, who had about 18,000, tanked for a few minutes.

He took off his glasses and gave Marrochella a staredown. Next to come off were his headphones and the staredown resumed.

Eventually, he opted to fold and Paillot was awarded the pot.

Sylvere Paillot – 45,000

Constantino Marrochella – 18,000

Field 117/134

Level 4: 150/300 (300)

Andrea Gallerani opened for 800 from the hijack and got called by Oliver Said from the cutoff and Kat Arnsby from the big blind.

Arnsby checked the 7 9 5 flop. Gallerani continued for 1,600 and both his opponents called. Both Arnsby and Gallerani checked after the 6 followed on the turn. Said fired out for 3,700. Arnsby called and Gallerani folded.

The 8 river put a straight on the board and both players checked.

“Did you get lucky?” asked Gallerani.

“I had the six,” Arnsby said before turning over 6 3 . Gallerani shortly after turned over A 9 .

She maybe did get lucky as the board played for a chopped pot. Of course, Arnsby could have gotten even luckier to win the pot but that wasn’t what the Poker Gods had in mind.

The dealer was slightly confused and turned over Arnsby’s cards and began to award the pot to Gallerani. Arnsby quickly pointed out that the straight on the board played for both players for a chopped pot and the dealer quickly corrected it.

“Come on, if I can’t even get a female dealer on my side, what chance do I have?” Arnsby asked with a bit of sarcasm.

Kat Arnsby – 40,000

Oliver Said – 26,000

Andrea Gallerani – 40,000

Field: 117/130

Level 4: 150/300 (300)

Franco D’Antuono bet 6,000 into a pot of around double that with the 6 2 K J on the board after the turn. Petros Blikas snap-shoved for 11,000. D’Antuono shrugged before he tossed a yellow 5K chip in to call.

Petros Blikas: A A

Franco D’Antuono: K Q

Blikas was ahead with his overpair but D’Antuono had some outs to improve from his top pair. The 5 river was of no help and Blikas doubled through D’Antuono.

Petros Blikas – 30,000

Franco D’Antuono – 15,000

Field: 117/125

Level 4: 150/300 (300)

Alessandro Toninello bet 3,000 into a pot of nearly double that with the 10 8 K 9 on the board after the turn. Peppino Finochi took a moment before he called.

Toninello jammed for a little less than 14,000 after the 10 paired the board on the river. Finochi went into the tank for more than a minute before he found a call. Toninello turned over A 6 and was on the rail with a chance to still re-enter if he choose after Finochi showed K 2 for two pair to win the hand.

Peppino Finochi – 80,000

Alessandro Toninello – 0

Field: 115/119

Level 3: 125/250 (250)

Domenico Tortomasi bet 3,500 into a pot of more than double that with the A 4 6 Q 2 on the board. Andreas Klatt tanked for several minutes before Mario Montanelli called the clock.

The tournament director asked if he had enough time. The dealer confirmed and the tournament director said: “30 seconds.”

Klatt called about 10 seconds in only to get some bad news. Tortomasi turned over 6 4 for two pair and won the pot after Klatt mucked.

Players went on a 15-minute break shortly after this hand was completed.

Domenico Tortomasi – 27,000

Andreas Klatt – 24,000

Field: 110/114

Level 3: 125/250 (250)

For a little humor, PokerListings was informed by Joseph Grech that Mario Masson has been raising blind at times. Masson later informed PokerListings that it was the other way around that it was Joseph Grech that was having fun raising blind.

We caught up with a hand with 15,000 in the pot where Masson fired out for 7,500 with the 5 9 Q 2 8 on the board. Andre Grech tanked for a minute before he found a call.

Masson turned over 6 4 for a bluff, which wasn’t nearly good enough to beat the Q J held by Andre Grech. Joseph Grech was informed after the hand that he was randomly selected to move tables for balancing. Joseph Grech didn’t seem too thrilled about the idea, as it appeared he was having a bit of fun at the table he was already at.

Meanwhile, Lars Viggander, Simone Lombardo, and Mariano D’Aquila may not have been raising blind but each has already lost their initial starting stack.

Andre Grech – 45,000

Mario Masson – 10,000

Field: 106/109

Day 1c late registration is closed. The flight attracted 168 entries with 83 players remaining. This flight will end when there are just 26 players remaining, each of which will not only advance to Day 2 but also earn at least a min-cash of €1,000.

PokerListings will update the chip counts of this flight after players bag their chips as we continue to focus today on Day 1d.

Level 2: 100/200 (200)

Andrea Cagnazzo check-called a bet of 2,300 by Ernie Micallef on the turn with the 2 9 3 Q on the board before checking against after the 2 paired the board on the river.

Micallef bet 5,000 and Cagnazzo snap-called. Micallef turned over Q 8 . Cagnazzo muttered something under his breath before he showed J 9 . Micallef’s two pair was better to win an early pot.

Meanwhile, the Day 1d field has grown to 90 entrants with all players still in their seats.

Ernie Micallef – 40,000

Andrea Cagnazzo – 20,000

Level 1: 75/150 (150)

Domenico Tortomasi bet 1,600 into a pot of around double that with the 9 4 J Q 4 on the board. Mario Montanelli raised big to 7,600 and Tortomasi called.

Tortomasi showed 9 5 for a flush. This wasn’t good enough as Montanelli rivered a full house with J J to win the hand.

Martio Montanelli – 40,000

Domenico Tortomasi – 20,000

Field: 76/76

Level 1: 75/150 (150)

Andre Grech opened for 400 from under the gun and was called by Michele Iracani from the cutoff and Joseph Grech from the big blind.

Joseph Grech checked the 7 Q Q flop before Andre Grech continued for 1,000. Iracani called and Joseph Grech folded. Andre Grech fired out for 1,800 on the A turn and Iracani came along to see the 9 river. Andre Grech slowed down his aggression with a check. Iracani blasted for 5,500. Joseph Grech paused for about 20 seconds before he folded.

Meanwhile, new tables are being opened left and right with the Day 1d field already growing to 74 entries.

Field: 74/74

The action has kicked off for Day 1d of the Main Event with 48 entries. This figure is merely a placeholder as the field will blossom throughout the day with one re-entry allowed during the 6 1/2 hour late registration window.

Cory Desmond, Andre Grech, Joseph Grech, Mario Montanelli, Clint Sammut, Athanasios Theordoropoulos, Giovanni Trimarchi, and Angelo Vietti are among the players registered before the action kicked off.

Meanwhile, late registration for Day 1c will close in about 40 minutes. The field is up to 169 entries with 100 players remaining. The Main Event coverage today will primarily focus on Day 1d but we will provide an update about the final field size for Day 1c and how many players are scheduled to advance to Day 2. In addition, our coverage will also include the chip counts of those advancing through this flight.

The €500K guaranteed PPC Malta €550 Main Event keeps on trucking with another action-packed day at Portomaso Casino.

Today features two opening flights in Day 1c and Day 1d with PokerListings covering Day 1d. That being said, Day 1c is fully underway and has already attracted 139 entries with more to come with late registration open until 6:30 p.m. CEST.

Day 1d kicks off at 5 p.m. CEST with players starting with 30,000 in chips and blinds increasing every 30 minutes. As has been the case the entire festival, players in both opening flights will bag chips when the field is trimmed down to just 15 percent of the total entries. Those finding a bag will also earn at least a min-cash valued at €1,000. Players can re-enter once per opening flight if they lose their stack before late registration closes at the end of Level 10.

Also kicking off today is the PPC Malta €225 Win the Button event. This event is exactly as it sounds. The button doesn’t move clockwise but instead, the button is rewarded to the player that won the previous hand.

In addition to reporting the biggest hands and bad beats, PokerListings will also share the cool ambiance that partypoker LIVE and the Portomaso are both well-known for. In addition, we will sprinkle in news about the side events and how you can get involved in some amazing promotions at partypoker.

Follow along with the action at PokerListings when cards are in the air at 4 p.m. CET.

2022 PPC Malta Schedule