World Poker Tour Malta Day 3: Jackson Genovesi Leads Six-Handed Final Table
The World Poker Tour Malta Main Event has reached its final table after the 26 players who started the day were whittled down to just six survivors. Leading the way, as has been the case since Day 1b, is Jackson Genovesi.
The talkative Italian has entertained his opponents, the spectators and the PokerNews Live Reporting team with his witty retort and his humorous table banter, but whenever he enters a pot his jester-like demeanor hides a talented and aggressive poker player who is definitely capable of going all the way and winning this tournament.
Genovesi saw his stack size swing violently from chip leader when Day 3 started, to one of the shorter stacks as the final table bubble approached and then back to the overall chip lead in the last couple of levels of the night. When play resumes on Thursday he will start the day with 1,553,000 chips and is only one of two players (the other being Yorane Kerignard with 1,422,000 chips) to break through the one million chip barrier.
The money bubble burst in the first couple of levels of the day and it was [Removed:39] who was the unfortunate player who popped it. Alessio Isaia had opened to 8,500 in early position and Berendsen three-bet to 30,000, which left just 20,000 chips behind. Ilan Boujenah then four-bet all-in from the blinds and when Isaia folded, Berendsen made the call. Berendsen held A♦K♠ and was in big trouble against the dominating A♠[Aq] of Boujenah. The board ran out 3♣2♣2♥A♥K♥, Berendsen was eliminated and the 21 players who had chips in front of them were all guaranteed €5,240 for their efforts.
Boujenah would go on to finish in 11th place (€8,400) whilst arguably the biggest star participating in the penultimate day's play, Tony G, was eliminated in 10th place. Despite these two notable players failing to make it through to the finale of the tournament, we are still in for a real treat when the final day begins.
WPT Malta Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Name | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hui Chen Kuo | 524,000 |
| 2 | Alessio Isaia | 535,000 |
| 3 | Jackson Genovesi | 1,553,000 |
| 4 | Sampo Ryynanen | 962,000 |
| 5 | Zeljko Krizan | 174,000 |
| 6 | Yorane Kerignard | 1,422,000 |
Along with the aforementioned Genovesi and Kerignard, the final table will also feature the former WPT Venice champion Alessio Isaia, Croatia's Zeljko Krizan, Sampo Ryynanen of Finland and the first female final table member since Cecilia Pescaglini finished as runner-up in this very tournament last year, Hui Chen Kuo.
The final table will get under way at 13:00 CET and will also feature a live stream on the internet albeit on a 30-minute delay so that hole card information can be displayed. Join the PokerNews Live Reporting team on Thursday afternoon as they bring you all of the action, as it unfolds, in the WPT Malta Main Event.
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