2024 EAPT Malta

€560 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2024 EAPT Malta

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
ak
Event Info
Buy-in
€560
Prize Pool
€313,500
Entries
660
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
99
Players Left
1

EAPT Malta Main Event : Unbelievable Second Win of the Festival for Lorenzo Di Blasi (€50,225)

Level 33 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Lorenzo Di Blasi
Lorenzo Di Blasi

Last week Lorenzo Di Blasi won the €120 Flight to MPP, the first tournament of the Eurasian Poker Tour (EAPT) festival at Portomaso Casino in Malta. Outlasting 390 players, he took home €8,500, hoping for more on the Main Event.

It seemed almost impossible to win both tournaments, but Di Blasi managed to do so as he finished in first place again on the €560 Main Event, out of a field of 660 entrants. Already chip leader at the beginning of the final table, he stayed in the lead until the end and won €50,225. Germany's Aschraf Khader was the last player to challenge him for victory. But he couldn't do much against Di Blasi's good run and finished in second place for €33,200.

EAPT Malta €560€ Main Event Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Lorenzo Di BlasiItaly€50,225*
2Aschraf KhaderGermany€33,200*
3Fabio PelusoItaly€23,000*
4Marco VanniniItaly€16,000*
5Tiago SerrazinaPortugal€11,600*
6Theodoros AmpelikiotisGreece€9,600
7Sergiy AlarikiUkraine€7,675
8Panteleimon MichalakellisGreece€6,175
9Eyal SaidofIsrael€5,000

*The top five finishers will also receive a €5,000 package to Cyprus for the Mediterranean Poker Party in May which includes an entry to the €2,000 EAPT Grand Finale.

Lorenzo Di Brasi
Lorenzo Di Brasi

Winner's Reaction

"I am more than happy," Lorenzo Di Blasi said, visibly moved, moments after he lifted his second trophy of the week. "Last week, it was my first win of a tournament. I never thought that I could win one, so winning two tournaments in the same festival is unbelievable".

For this manager in the tuna industry, the Main Event started off well with a qualification for Day 2 through Day 1b with 235,000 chips. Then, he discreetly worked his way to the top places of the chip counts, eventually reaching the chip lead just before the final table. "When I eliminated Helfner Augusto Hotvedt in 10th place, it was a very big pot. It was the most important moment of the tournament for me because after this hand, I told myself that I could win."

During the final table, Di Blasi won a big flip to extend his lead, and eventually secured a chance to win in the heads-up. Khader made a comeback at the beginning of the last duel, but Di Blasi managed to triumph.

Thanks to his two victories, Di Blasi earned two packages for the Mediterranean Poker Party in May in Cyprus. For now, he plans to go there to play poker and enjoy the place. But perhaps he'll return home with one, two, or more trophies, as he did this week in Malta.

Lorenzo Di Blasi
Lorenzo Di Blasi

Final Day's Action

99 players out of a field of 660 entrants qualified for Day 2 and reached the money. They all came back at noon for the final day of the EAPT Main Event. But after the first three levels of the day, half of the field was already eliminated. At the same time, a small group of players became the first millionaires of the tournament, like Arvydas Merfeldas, Panteleimon Michalakellis, or Helfner Augusto Hotvedt, who could have lost a big part of his stack if he hadn't folded queens preflop.

After the first break of the day, David Lappin's tournament came to an end (48th, €1,150), as well as for Day 1 overall chip leader Mohamed Aissani (51st, €1,150). The action slowed down a little bit during the next few hours, but it was only the calm before the storm as only 30 minutes were needed to go from 27 players left to the two last tables. During that period, the future winner Lorenzo Di Blasi eliminated Enrico Grella (24th Place, €1,825) and drove Hans Erlandsson (20th, €2,300) crazy, while WSOP bracelet winner Fabio Peluso eliminated two players at once to build a big stack.

Fabio Peluso
Fabio Peluso

It didn't take long either to go from 16 players to the final nine. Day 1c chip leader Alessandro D'Amore (14th, €3,050) was eliminated during that time, followed by Flaviano Cammisuli (13th, €3,600), Gian Luca Proietti (12th, €3,600), Alessandro Comi (11th, €4,200), and Helfner Augusto Hotvedt. The Norwegian player had the biggest stack of all during the two-table redraw, but he had a terrible time when he moved from one table to the other. Finishing 10th for €4,200, he let his nine remaining opponents join the final table.

Helfner Augusto Hotvedt
Helfner Augusto Hotvedt

After a short dinner break, Eyal Saidof (9th, €5,000) was quickly eliminated in a three-way all-in and call situation. Moments later, it was Panteleimon Michalakellis' turn to make his way to the exit (8th, €6,175). He gave his stack to Sergiy Alariki (7th, €7,675), who engaged it with ace-king but lost the big flip against Di Blasi's queens. Then, finishing sixth, Theodoros Ampelikiotis (6th, €9,600) bubbled the €5,000 package to Cyprus for the Mediterranean Poker Party in May.

Once the package was guaranteed, the shortest stacks doubled up one after the other, until Tiago Serrazina gave up in 5th place for €11,600. Marco Vannini was the next to follow (4th, €16,000). Fabio Peluso then found kings and moved all-in on the flop against a "combo draw." But Di Blasi's flush was completed on the turn, and Peluso left with the bronze medal (3rd, €23,000).

Between Lorenzo Di Blasi and Aschraf Khader, only one player could win. Despite Di Blasi having 75% of the chips at the beginning of the heads-up, Khader fought hard and closed the gap. However, just when he nearly was back, Di Blasi sent him to the rail with ace-king and won this EAPT Main Event.

Lorenzo Di Brasi
Lorenzo Di Brasi

That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the 2024 EAPT Malta Main Event. Stay tuned for more updates from tournaments around the world!

Tags: Alessandro ComiAlessandro D'AmoreArvydas MerfeldasAschraf KhaderDavid LappinEnrico GrellaEyal SaidofFabio PelusoFlaviano CammisuliGian Luca ProiettiHans ErlandssonHelfner Augusto HotvedtLorenzo Di BlasiMarco VanniniMohamed AissaniPanteleimon MichalakellisSergiy AlarikiTheodoros AmpelikiotisTiago Serrazina

Aschraf Khader Eliminated in 2nd Place (€33,200)

Level 33 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Aschraf Khader
Aschraf Khader

Lorenzo Di Blasi opened from the button, then both players raised each other and ended up putting all their chips in the middle, Aschraf Khader being slightly covered.

Aschraf Khader: A9 All in
Lorenzo Di Blasi: AK

On a board of K5Q10K, Di Blasi hit a king on the flop and on the river to win the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
26,650,000
10,475,000
10,475,000
Profile photo of Aschraf Khader de
Aschraf Khader
Busted

Tags: Aschraf KhaderLorenzo Di Blasi

Level: 33

Blinds: 200,000/400,000

Ante: 400,000

Khader Comes Back

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

The first hands of the last duel turned into Aschraf Khader's favor, as he has now 10,000,000 chips.

For example, he defended from the big blind to find a flop of JQ4, then he check-raised to 3,000,000 after Lorenzo Di Blasi bet 800,000 on the button.

Thanks to this raise, Khader made Di Blasi Fold.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
16,175,000
-4,000,000
-4,000,000
Profile photo of Aschraf Khader de
Aschraf Khader
10,475,000
4,000,000
4,000,000

Level: 32

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

Beginning of the Heads Up

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
EAPT Malta 2024
EAPT Malta 2024

In a few seconds, Lorenzo Di Blasi and Aschraf Khader will fight for the trophy of the tournament and for the first place prize of €50,225.

Di Blasi is in the lead so far with 20,175,000 chips, more than three times Khader's stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
20,175,000
Profile photo of Aschraf Khader de
Aschraf Khader
6,475,000
475,000
475,000

Tags: Aschraf KhaderLorenzo Di Blasi

Fabio Peluso Eliminated In 3rd Place (€23,000)

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Fabio Peluso
Fabio Peluso

Heads-up on a flop of 1029, Fabio Peluso in the big blind found himself at risk for a little bit more than 2,000,000 against Lorenzo Di Blasi in the small blind.

Fabio Peluso: KK All in
Lorenzo Di Blasi: J7

Peluso had kings against "a combo draw". But Di Blasi's flush came with the 6 on the turn, so Peluso was eliminated after the river 7.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
20,175,000
5,775,000
5,775,000
Profile photo of Fabio Peluso it
Fabio Peluso
Busted
Day 1 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Fabio PelusoLorenzo Di Blasi

Marco Vannini Eliminated in 4th Place (€16,000)

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Marco Vannini
Marco Vannini

Everybody folded to Marco Vannini in the small blind, who moved all-in for 1,400,000. He was called by Aschraf Khader in the big blind.

Marco Vannini: A8 All in
Aschraf Khader: Q4

Khader hit a top pair on Q67810, leaving Vannini with no hopes.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Aschraf Khader de
Aschraf Khader
6,000,000
-260,000
-260,000
Profile photo of Marco Vannini it
Marco Vannini
Busted

Tags: Aschraf KhaderMarco Vannini

Peluso Doubles Up

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Lorenzo Di Blasi shoved from the cutoff and received a call by Fabio Peluso on the button with 1,875,000 chips.

Fabio Peluso: KJ All in
Lorenzo Di Blasi: K2

Peluso flopped a pair on J5A93 and doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
14,400,000
-1,200,000
-1,200,000
Profile photo of Fabio Peluso it
Fabio Peluso
4,425,000
1,825,000
1,825,000
Day 1 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Fabio PelusoLorenzo Di Blasi

Di Blasi and Khader Split

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Moments after the restart, the two biggest stacks Aschraf Khader in the cutoff and Lorenzo Di Blasi on the button put all their chips in the middle.

Aschraf Khader: AJ All in
Lorenzo Di Blasi: AJ

Khader was hoping for clubs, but the flop of 432 was full of spades to give a flush draw to Di Blasi. "Not like this," he said while shaking his head. But the 42 was safe so Khader took his chips back.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lorenzo Di Blasi it
Lorenzo Di Blasi
15,600,000
300,000
300,000
Profile photo of Aschraf Khader de
Aschraf Khader
6,260,000
310,000
310,000

Tags: Aschraf KhaderLorenzo Di Blasi