From early position, Dmitry Yurasov raised to 70,000. It was folded to Aliaksei Boika on the button and the Belarusian made the call. Big blind Xixiang Luo came along as well and it was three-way to the flop.
Luo checked to Yurasov and he bet 80,000. Boika was the only caller. The fell on the turn and that slowed down the action. It was checked to the river.
Both players checked again and Yurasov tabled for a pair of nines. Boika had and his pocket jacks were good for the win.
Not much has happened in the first few hands. Dmitry Yurasov and Elie Saad took down single raised pots, Tomas Macnamara picked up the blinds and antes uncontested.
Peter Ockenden did get some resistance. He raised and Yurasov made a three-bet. Ockenden thought about it but folded. Karlsson three-bet Boika and the latter folded as well.
Elie Saad raised to 65,000 from middle position and Mats Karlsson defended his big blind. Karlsson checked the flop to Saad, who bet 85,000. Karlsson put in a check-raise to 275,000 and Saad called after a minute of thought.
The landed on the turn and Karlsson took some time before cutting out a bet of 325,000. Saad came along with a pretty quick call, leaving himself with less than a potsized bet behind.
The on the river completed all the draws out there. Karlsson opted for a small bet of 250,000 in the pot of 1,390,000. Saad called, but got shown the bad news by Karlsson. The Swede tabled and took down the massive pot to extend his chiplead.
Level 24 has come to an end and the final nine players are now on a 20-minute break.
The second level of the day had just one player hit the rail. It was the level of the short stacks surviving with the worst of it. Macnamara had ace-four against Xixiang Luo's ace-king, but spiked a four on the turn. Peter Ockenden shoved ace-deuce in Macnamara's pocket tens and found an ace.
Someone had to go eventually. It was Germany's Louis Cartarius who fell in 10th place. Cartarius shoved pocket sevens into Aliaksei Boika's pocket aces and couldn't catch up. He was the last one to receive €32,140, the other players are guaranteed at least €41,590.
With nine players left, the unofficial final table was set. The early stages were relaxed, only Mats Karlsson was able to take a big pot off Elie Saad in the last hand before the break.
Back from the break, Dmitry Yurasov opened in the first hand and took down the blinds and antes. One hand later, Yurasov opened again. From first position, he made it 90,000.
It was folded to Dominik Panka and the Pole moved all in for 850,000 in chips. When it was folded to Yurasov, he directly called.
Dominik Panka:
Dmitry Yurasov:
The last former EPT champion remaining was at risk and he wasn't in good shape. Yurasov's kings were ahead.
The made it even worse for Panka as Yurasov flopped a set. Panka was looking for running cards to survive. The turn wasn't one of the cards he wanted to see and it was all over. The inconsequential river was the .
Panka takes home €41,590 for his achievement. He is the official final table bubble. It wasn't the first time Panka had a deep run at the EPT Malta Main Event. He was third here in March 2015, during EPT season 11.
Hand #1: Bastian Dohler open-shoved 360,000 from middle position, taking down the blinds and antes.
Hand #2: Aliaksei Boika opened to 90,000 from middle position and everyone folded.
Hand #3: Bastian Dohler open-shoved 450,000 from under the gun and once again took down the blinds and antes.
Hand #4: Dmitry Yurasov raised to 90,000 from the cutoff, enough to win the pot.
Hand #5: Xixiang Luo opened to 90,000 in early position and Aliaksei Boika defended his big blind. The flop came and Boika quickly check-folded to a 100,000 bet from Luo.
Hand #6: It was folded to Tomas Macnamara in the cutoff. He raised to 90,000. Mats Karlsson defended his big blind.
The flop came down and Karlsson checked to Macnamara. The Brit bet 90,000 and Karlsson called.
The on the turn completed a flush draw and Karlsson checked again. Macnamara checked behind and they saw the hit the river.
Karlsson counted out some green 25,000-chips and bet 225,000. Macnamara double checked his cards and folded.
Hand #7: Tomas Macnamara opened to 90,000 again and this time he took down the blinds and antes.
Hand #8: From first position, Dmitry Yurasov raised it up and won the blinds and antes.
Hand #9: Aliaksei Boika opened to 90,000 and from the button, Xixiang Luo made a thee-bet to 255,000. It was folded back to Boika and he made the call.
The flop came down and Boika checked to Luo. The Chinese threw in a continuation bet of 225,000 and Boika folded.
Hand #10: After being folded to him, Mats Karlsson made a raise to 90,000 and Elie Saad defended his big blind.
The flop was and it was checked through. Both checked again on the turn. The river didn't generate any action as well and Karlsson took it down with .
![[user13328]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. 
fell on the turn and that slowed down the action. It was checked to the 
river. 
for a pair of nines. Boika had 
and his pocket jacks were good for the win.
flop to Saad, who bet 85,000. Karlsson put in a check-raise to 275,000 and Saad called after a minute of thought.
landed on the turn and Karlsson took some time before cutting out a bet of 325,000. Saad came along with a pretty quick call, leaving himself with less than a potsized bet behind.
on the river completed all the draws out there. Karlsson opted for a small bet of 250,000 in the pot of 1,390,000. Saad called, but got shown the bad news by Karlsson. The Swede tabled 
made it even worse for Panka as Yurasov flopped a set. Panka was looking for running cards to survive. The 
and Karlsson checked to Macnamara. The Brit bet 90,000 and Karlsson called. 
on the turn completed a flush draw and Karlsson checked again. Macnamara checked behind and they saw the 
hit the river. 
and Boika checked to Luo. The Chinese threw in a continuation bet of 225,000 and Boika folded. 
and it was checked through. Both checked again on the 
.