The Battle of Malta so far couldn't have gone any better with not only huge numbers but players enjoying themselves throughout a festive Saturday.

The €500,000 guaranteed Main Event has been a smashing success thus far with the guarantee already more than doubled with a €1,062,720 prize pool and counting with one more flight to go. The first four opening flights attracted 2,171 entries plus a handful that advanced to Day 2 with via online opening flights.

Day 1c attracted 926 entries with 141 players scheduled to advance to Day 2 with at least a min-cash unless multiple players hit the rail on the bubble. However, a huge pot took place between three players at the same table with Francesco Cuoccio holding fours, Marco Bartolini holding big slick, and Napoletano Aniello holding king-queen suited. The fours spiked a set and Cuoccio had both his opponenets covered to send both Bartolini and Aniello to the rail empty-handed.

Marios Eracleous bagged the Day 1c chip lead with 701,500 in chips placing him just behind Day 1a chip leader Raoul Van Wersch, who managed to advance with a little bit more with 744,000 in chips. Eracleous won a huge flip with about an hour left in play when his big slick spiked an ace on the river to beat the nines held by Grzegorz Kordek.

Also bagging top five chip stacks were Carmelo Salafia (645,000), Keimo Suominen (595,500), women's poker advocate Ann-Roos Callens (585,000), and Giuseppe Comitini (520,500).

Day 1c Top 10 Chip Counts

The Main Event action will continue with the final opening flight in the turbo Day 1e on Sunday at 10 a.m. Our coverage will begin later with the start of Day 2 scheduled at 5 p.m. 

Stay tuned to see who will advance to Day 3 and beyond at the 2022 Battle of Malta Main Event.

The bubble was really short today, actually there was no bubble, two last players busted in the same hand. 

3-way all in between Marco Bartolini , Napoletano Aniello and Francesco Cuoccio saw a board that did not help Bartolini and Aniello, who both can be named as Day 1C bubble boys.

We have played down to 143 players. That means that still three players must bust, before we are done for the day.

Grzegorz Kordek and Eracleous Marios went all in preflop.

The board was finally on side of Marios, who after this hand is our chipleader.

Here are the biggest stacks after level 15.

We just finished level 15, and now players have a 15 minutes break. After the break they come back and then we play until we reach the bubble.

Francisco Martorina  and Liad Himelfarb  went all-in preflop. The board

gave Himelfarb bigger two pairs, and Martorina moved to the rail.

At table 6 we saw huge 3-way all in, when Daniel Fernandez Alcantara with Ramirez Blanco with and Derek Bastow with saw the board run and Alcantara held his lead all the way.

Blanco busted  and Bastow was left with 2000, which he lost just couple of minutes later.

Davide Brancale moved all in with and Emmi Juutilainen did not hesitate to call from the big blind with the board did not help Davide so we are one bust out closer to the bubble.

Pawel Wakuluk with and Ofed Benhamo with went all in before the flop. The board did not help Pawel, so he also has to decide if he wants to play tomorrow on day 1E.

Daniel Fernandez Alacantara opened for 9,000 from under the gun. The player on the button tanked for two minutes before letting go of his hand but Jakob Simonsen snap-called from the big blind after the player from the small blind folded.

Both players checked the flop before things got interesting on the turtn. Simonsen bet 10,000 and Alacantara snap-raised to 25,000. Just as quickly, Simonsen jammed for approximately 85,000 and Alacantara snap-called.

Daniel Fernandez Alacantara:

Jakob Simonsen:

It was a massive cooler for Simonsen who despite flopping a set was drawing to just one out on the river as Alacantara held a bigger set. The blank completed the board on the river and Alacantara doubled through Simonsen.

Nevoh Yemini with and Vincenzo Maffei with went all in before the flop. Board did not help Yemini, and he also has to plan about attending day 1E tomorrow.

Here are the biggest stacks after level 12.

Day 1d is on its fourth break of the day.

Davide Spalletta moved his last chips in with and Tayfun Rodoplu called with

The board did not help Davide who went to the rail, maybe thinking about playing tomorrow at Day 1E.

Giovanni Tomasello jammed the button with his short stack from the button. Pawel Wakuluk folded from the small blind before Georgios-Angelos Tavoularis called off an even shorter stack from the big blind and the cards were exposed.

Georgios-Angelos Tavoularis:

Giovanni Tomasello:

Tomasello celebrated after his hand held up to eliminate Tavoularis on the board.

Telly Bartolo and Patrisha Rimfire inform players that the Battle of Malta prize pool has reached €1 million benchmark. 

Erik Drakenberg jammed for about 20,000 from middle position and was called by Chrysi Phiniotis from the button.

Erik Drakenberg:

Chrysi Phiniotis:

Drakenberg connected with his king on the flop and never looked back with the turn and river completing the board to double his stack.

Stewart Kirby went into the tank for several minutes after Christian De Palma jammed the river with about 40,000 in the pot on the double paired board.

Kirby eventually called off his stack of 40,000 and De Palma turned over . Kirby was a lot stronger and won the pot with a full house after showing .

The Day 1c field is closed for late registration. A total of 936 entries got into the action with 15 percent or 141 players advancing to Day 2 with at least a min-cash secured.

We reached the action in the river when the board was Teemu Leppalahti fired 10500, Simone Magnianella decided to raise to 28500, Teemu hesitated a bit but made a call. Simone showed Ace high.

Teemu looked happy when he turned over and scooped a nice pot.

Saverio Nitti with and Mario Fenaroli with went all in preflop. The board 

did not show any mercy to Saverio, Mario's quad sent his countryman to the rail.

Alexandru Boboc opened for 3,500 from under the gun. Alexandru-Nicolae Borcan called from one seat over to see the flop.

Boboc bet 7,500 and called off his stack of 15,500 after Borcan jammed.

Alexandru Boboc:

Alexandru-Nicolae Borcan:

Boboc's two pair held after the turn and river completed the board.

"Nice hand," Borcan said in a congratulatory tone.

Players have come back from their dinner break. After a good dinner it is possible to play seven to eight more levels without getting too exhausted, we hope.

Players are on a 75-minute dinner break.

Marek Janiszewski moved all in with , Teeranan Chuennirun called with

The board ran to Janiszewski's favor and he doubled up.

Two players moved all in when the flop was Dan Olin had and Trond went for a  straight with his

and did not help Bergland and Olin doubled up.

Christian Da Palma got his stack of a bit more than 10 big blinds in against one opponent on the flop.

Christian Da Palma:

Opponent:

Da Palma was miles ahead and had his opponent drawing dead after the came on the turn. The river completed the board and Da Palma earned himself a double-up.

Two Italian players were heads up at the river.

Board was Francesco Cuoccio checked, Alessio Cirino fired 8000 to the pot. Francesco took his time, and decided to checkraise to 20000. Alessio called instantly. Francesco showed trips, but Alessio showed for a full house and scooped a nice pot.

Georgios-Angelos Tavoularis went all in with and Davide Tamburrini called with

Board ran to Georgios-Angelos favour and he doubled up.

It was a bloated pot of more than 25,000 when both Leandro Cataldo and Maurizio Fisicaro checked the flop and again on the turn.

Cataldo jammed for 11,300 after the river paired the board. Fisicaro went into the tank before he folded.

"Did you have a flush?" Fisicaro asked in Italian, which caused the entire table to laugh due to the double-paired board.

Special thanks to Sascha Manns for the Italian to English translation, who is also off to a decent enough start with 50,000 in chips.

At the river the board was . Dorian Hem decided to bet 2,600, Luke Anderson was sitting next to Dorian and raised to 21,000. Dorian thought for a while and decided to fold, wondering if Luke really made a flush, or was he bluffing.

Ant Gokcek hasn't had much luck as he has fired a bullet each on both Day 1a and Day 1b. Perhaps the third time is a charm as he just eliminated Giovanni Trimarchi with sevens against ace-king. 

Trimarchi still has plenty of time to re-enter on Day 1c today or if he so chooses can also try again in the Turbo Day 1d starting in less than two hours.

Belgium's Wouter Schuurbiers is a well-known mixed-game player living in Malta. Thus far he hasn't been able to get much going on Day 1c but maybe that is about to change after picking off a bluff to win a small pot.

Schuurbiers gave us the recap before he was headed to a new table. The small blind limped and Schuurbiers checked his option from the big blind. The player in the small blind bet 600 on the flop and Schuurbiers called. Both players checked the turn before Schuuribers' opponent fired out for 2,100 on the river.

Schuurbiers called and his opponent turned over for air. Schuurbiers showed for a pair of fives to win the pot.

Carmine Salvioli opened for 1,500 from the hijack. Fernando Pacicca three-bet from the button and Salvioli called.

Both players checked the flop before Salvioli bet 8,000 on the turn. Pacicca called and the river completed the board. Salvioli effectively jammed and Pacicca called off for about 10,000.

Pacicca turned over but this didn't get the job done with Salvioli showing for a flopped two pair.

Here is a look at some of the bigger stacks at the break.

Day 1c is on its second short break.

Lawrence Stone

Phenporn Laatikainen

Sabato Tortorella

Tony Bedford

Biagio Barretta

Heads up with two Italian players, Valerie Mascolo and Maurizio Giuseppucci.

At river board was Valerie bet 2200, Maurizio decided to call. Valerie showed and Maurizio folded quickly.

Two players checked before Tom Berlinerblau jammed 6,800 into a pot of a bit more on the flop. Cristiano Blanco went into the tank for more than a minute before he called. Erik Andersson three-bet most of his stack to 27,000 and Blanco was back in the tank for more than a minute again before he folded.

Tom Berlinerblau:

Erik Andersson:

Berlinerblau was ahead before the flop but was very behind when the rest of his chips went in. Neither the turn nor the river provided a save and Berlinerblau left the table with an empty stack.

Ilay Hoshen four-bet jammed for 10,900 and was called by Antonio Alba.

Ilay Hoshen:

Antonio Alba:

Hoshen was ahead and improved to top pair on the flop. Alba was unable to hit his Broadway gutshot draw or otherwise get ahead of Hoshen after the turn and river completed the board.

Chris da Silva

Fabio Assennato

Keimo Suominen

Matias Alanko

William Jarman

It wasn't the biggest pot in the world with just 6,000 or so in the pot with the on the board when Vladimir Shraiberg tossed out a few chips for what he wanted to be a bet of 2,400.

The dealer felt that it was a string bet and initially ruled the bet was 1,400 before calling over the floor. Shraiberg told the floorman that it was with one flick but the chips landed at different times but after chatting with the dealer ruled that it was a string bet and the bet was declared to be 1,400.

"It wasn't like this," said Shraiberg before Nicola De Felice called.

The river completed the board. This time, Shraiberg was very clear about his bet size and announced a bet of 6,100 before stringing them into the pot. De Felice paused for 10-20 seconds before he laid down his hand.

Everybody seems to have fun in LPPL event.

Soile Lerviks

Claire Burt

Tom Brady and Mark Valentine

Joseph Gaynard and Stuart Bell

Day 1c has already attracted 800 entries and counting. Already, more than 100 players found their way to the rail with just 687 players remaining.

Let’s Play Poker Live is an organization dedicated to giving members the chance to win their way to live poker events around the world via regional live events in the UK as well as via an online league. 

Now players at Battle of Malta will be getting a taste of the Let’s Play Poker Live experience with a LPPL-branded side event. The €100 + €20 tournament kicked off at 3pm on Saturday, April 23 with all players getting a 20,000 starting stack. The tournament will feature 20-minute blind levels. 

Matthew Summers, LPPL’s Marketing & Events Manager, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Battle of Malta for our first branded side event during this amazing festival. Battle of Malta is a perfect environment for our players – it’s geared towards recreational poker and the emphasis is on having a really good time as well as having the chance to win big prizes."

Idan Levy checked on the river with the on the board before Vincenzo Messina jammed for about 15,000.

Levy, who has had a hot start with about 70,000 in his stack, went into the tank for a few minutes before he opted to fold.

Messina breathed what appeared to be a huge sigh of relief and was slightly above a starting stack after the hand.

Great to see so many Ladies playing here at Battle of Malta. You can not say the same in some other European poker events.

Teeranan Chuennirun

Brittany Law

Cheryl Simmons

Chrysi Phiniotis

Kerryjane Craigie

Francesca Marolo

Day 1c is on its first 15-minute break.

Patrisha Rimfire and Telly Bartolo on the stage:

Mario Di Natale bet 3,600 into a pot of 7,000 with the . Hizem Khaled went into the tank for a couple of minutes before he made the call.

Di Natale first flashed the for the flush before also showing the about five seconds later showing that he flopped trips. The king-high flush was good enough to take down the hand after Khaled mucked his hand.

Massimo Carulli bet 3,800 into a pot of about 5,000 with the on the board and was called by Alexandru Boboc.

Carulli turned over and Boboc asked a question before tabling his cards.

"Do you have a straight?" Boboc asked.

The cards were over the line but not yet in the muck when a small controversy at the table broke out with Carulli wanting Boboc's hand to be declared dead.

The floor was called over and after a couple of minutes of discussion, it was ruled that Boboc's hand was correctly ruled as live and he turned over for the top pair to win the hand.

Karol Bogusz bet 3,000 into a pot of around 5,000 with the board. Fabio Miraglia went into the tank for about two minutes before he found a call.

Bogusz missed his draws with but did have bottom pair. Miraglia turned over for top pair to win the hand.

It is always nice to see some many female players in the tournament.

Emmi Juutilainen

Jacqueline "Poker Mama" Cachia

Ann-Roos Callens

Celine Zimmermann

Alessia Coco

There are already more than 100 new entries as the field has grown to 550 entries. There are already three players that found their way to the rail leaving just 547 entries in the field.

It wouldn't be shocking if the field surpasses 1,000 entries just in Day 1c alone.

We are really sorry that could not cover Ladies Event yesterday. Here are some of Ladies at Day 1C.

Britt Petersen

Anna del Prete

Freya Ebbinghaus-Wester

Dehlia de Jong

Cards are in the air for Day 1c after a brilliant introduction. Here is a look at the handful of the 432 entries in the field.

Good morning!

The casino is waiting for a huge attendance today. Usually, Saturdays boast the biggest opening flights at the Battle of Malta, and the same is expected today.

Day 1A collected 324 buy-ins, and Day 1B gathered 684 entries to the tables. We already went over the guaranteed prize pool, €500,000. And when there is 3 more starting days it is easy to evaluate that the prize pool can go over million euros. Might be difficult to reach the earlier Battle of Malta live event prize pool record which is €2,258,645. That 2019 event was won by Serghei Lisii, who collected €247,167.

Similar to the first two opening flights, Day 1c will feature 40-minute blind levels with players starting with a stack of 25,000 in chips. Players will be able to re-enter until their hearts are content until the late-registraiton is closed after Level 10. The action will go on a 15-minute break after every three blind levels with a 75-minute dinner break planned at the end of Level 9.

The Live Blogging Team will provide updates, photos, and more throughout the entire day. Stay tuned!