€550 Grand Event Day 1de | 2025 Malta Poker Festival Spring

May 02, 2025

Limp-Jam Works for O'Connor

Richard Hayes

Level 2 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Padraic O'Connor limped from middle position and Mark Hayes raised to 1,300 from the next seat. Action folded back to O'Connor, who jammed for 24,200, about half of Hayes' remaining stack.

The two players, who seemed to be enjoying each other's company at the table, then engaged in another bout of table talk as to whether O'Connor wanted a call.

"Tell me what you have and I'll tell you if I want a call" smiled O'Connor. "Good pair" claimed Hayes, who stuck in a call after a bit more thought.

Padraic O'Connor: A♥K♦ All in
Mark Hayes: J♦J♣

It was a fair fight, but the king was in the window on the K♣6♥5♦ flop, and Hayes could not find a two-outer on the 8♣ turn and 8♦ river.

Tags: Mark Hayes Padraic O'Connor

May 02, 2025

Media Presence Causes Tremors as Trigo Takes Pot from Flatt on Turn

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Richard Hayes

Level 2 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Jan-Thore Flatt opened to 600 under the gun, and received a call from Adrian Trigo on the button and Christian Ruopp in the big blind.

As Flatt opened, Adrians Imsa quipped "Oh pressure is on, the media is here", causing everyone to have a good chuckle.

The flop came A♦8♥6♦, and Flatt attempted to continuation bet of 1,000. As he tried to drop a single 1,000 chip into the middle, he only succeeded in rolling it off the table, causing uproar at the table. "He's losing it" said Imsa, Flatt and the table dissolving into laughter.

After he retrieved his chip, both of his opponents called.

The 5♥ hit on the turn, and action was checked to Trigo - "Okay time to slow down now" said Flatt. Trigo fired out a bet of 2,500 and both opponents quickly folded.

"Nothing worse than two pair bets now" said Flatt, as the table was still chuckling to itself.

Tags: Adrian Trigo Adrians Imsa Christian Ruopp Jan-Thore Flatt

May 02, 2025

Hewston Busts Mihai-Popescu

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Richard Hayes

Level 2 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

A monstruous pot of 40,000 had brewed on a completed board of 10♠9♣2♠K♣7♥, in a hand between Jonathan Hewston and Sergiu-Valentin Mihai-Popecu.

Hewston had jammed for 41,200 and Mihai-Popescu was in the tank, with around 25,000 behind.

Eventually he made the call with A♠K♠, for top pair kings after flopping a flush draw - but was shown the bad news when Hewston had 10♥10♣ for a set of tens.

"Nice hand" said the Romanian as he departed, "Unlucky mate" replied Hewston.

Tags: Jonathan Hewston Sergiu-Valentin Mihai-Popescu

Level: 2

Blinds: 100/300

Ante: 300

May 02, 2025

Fenech Good at Showdown

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Philip Fenech opened to 500 from the cutoff, and was met with a three-bet to 1,500 from Tobias Lundgren on the button. Action folded back to Fenech, who called.

On the 7♥6♣2♦ flop, Fenech check-called versus a continuation bet of 1,300 from Lundgren.

The pattern continued on the A♣ turn, this time in respect of a 3,300 bet from Lundgren.

The 8♣ river was checked through, and Lundgren mucked when Fenech tabled A♥Q♥ for the turned pair of aces.

Tags: Philip Fenech Tobias Lundgren

May 02, 2025

Three Ladies for Hayes

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

A huge pot of 32,000 had developed on a completed board of A♥10♠7♠2♦Q♠, in a hand between Padraic O'Connor on the button and Mark Hayes in the small blind.

Hayes had jammed for 34,000, and the players were engaged in debate about who was happier at the poker table. "I'm always happy, win or lose" said Hayes. "Everyone's smiling, you're the only one who's not" replied O'Connor, all said in good humour.

Eventually O'Connor said "Ok, it's yours, show the bluff", and folded.

"No bluff" said Hayes, and he was about to send his cards to the muck, before he took a straw poll of the table as to whether he was bluffing - the unison reply was flush. Hayes then tabled Q♣Q♦ for the rivered set of queens.

Tags: Mark Hayes Padraic O'Connor

May 02, 2025

Flora Might Regret Clock Call as Groedum Proves to be a Hero

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Richard Hayes

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

A big pot of 12,000 had brewed on a completed board of 8♣5♥2♦10♦A♠, in a hand between Willy Flora in the cutoff, and William Brandwell and Jostein Groedum in the blinds.

Action checked to Flora, who fired out a big bet of 11,500. Brandwell quickly folded but Jostein Groedum went into the tank.

Around two minutes passed before Flora, in a rather spicy move for a 100 big blind pot in Level 1, called the clock on his opponent.

Groedum took another 15 seconds before making the call, and his 9♥9♠ for third pair was good versus Flora's 6♦5♦, for a pair of fives and busted turned flush draw.