The Festival Malta Breaks Records, 50 Champions Crowned

Franke’s secret sauce

After eight days and 50 occasions, that’s a wrap for The Competition Sequence Malta. Martin ‘Franke’ von Zweigbergk introduced his tour to the Mediterranean archipelago, the place it should little question return subsequent 12 months given the large uptake for what’s a distinct sort of poker expertise. 

Franke’s secret sauce is how he caters to the lovers of combined video games

The large one was the €550 ($594) Primary Occasion in fact, received by Oystein Brenden of Norway for €60,700 ($65,590) however Franke’s secret sauce is how he caters to the lovers of combined video games, embraces a cross-over with the on line casino video games and places numerous thought into enjoyable off-the-tables adventures. 

The main focus may be very a lot on participant expertise as The Competition attracts folks from throughout Europe with the assistance of Unibet Poker and its different companions. As somebody who has attended quite a few iterations of The Competition down the years, I can actually say that the one unhealthy factor about them is having to take heed to Franke gloat loudly when he cashes a match or wins some cash in a money recreation (the maniac actually goes from room to room to announce this stuff.)

Information smashed

Within the opening days of The Competition Malta, data have been smashed. The Sviten Particular occasion bought 79 entries, an astonishing effort when you think about that solely 28 folks on this planet know methods to play it. The 8-Recreation occasion bought 93 gamers, one other large feat. 

To not be outdone, the Texas Maintain’em gamers additionally got here out in pressure with The  €250 ($270) PokerListings Championship additionally breaking attendance data with a whopping 354 contributors, producing a prize pool of €76,464 ($82,619). Younes Jarir defeated Manuel Blaschke heads-up in that one to say the €16,200 ($17,504) prime prize. 

Lovelock in the end completed sixth for €3,250 ($3,512)

One other noteworthy efficiency within the Pokerlistings Championship was that of Colin Lovelock, the UK common, who made the ultimate desk and was in pursuit of back-to-back victories, having taken down the Nottingham version again in March. Lovelock in the end completed sixth for €3,250 ($3,512). 

Selection is the buzzword 

If there’s a theme to The Competition, it’s that there is no such thing as a theme. Selection is the buzzword and, as a participant, it makes for a really eclectic poker expertise. There have been loads of PLO motion, 4-card, 5-card, 6-card, and PLO8 codecs all unfold at totally different factors within the week. There was a €1,100 ($1,189) PLO Highroller that bought 60 runners and was received by Levani Rozomashvili who took away €15,400 ($16,641) after a fierce heads-up chip with Balazs Somodi.

There was a ‘Win The Button’ match, a HORSE match, a Heads-up match, and a number of Open-face Chinese language Poker tournaments. There was even a Roulette Match, a Blackjack Match, and a Slots Match for many who take pleasure in a on line casino recreation cross-over. 

Beate Etim defeated Christel Haller to take down the 47-runner Girls Occasion

There was a Queens Girls Occasion and a Seniors Occasion, the previous hosted by Laura Cornelius and the latter infiltrated by Franke regardless of him being a youthful-looking 49-year-old. Beate Etim defeated Christel Haller to take down the 47-runner Girls Occasion whereas Gerhard Brimmers defeated Dieter Falzon heads-up to win the Seniors Occasion.

High quality and amount 

‘High quality over amount’ is a motto to reside by, however The Competition manages to offer each. Positive, there are some sacrifices. With seven or eight totally different tournaments beginning day-after-day, it will be honest to say that they cannibalize one another. Nonetheless, there are marquee tournaments that gamers plan their competition round. 

One such match is the €1,100 ($1,189) Excessive Curler which attracted a subject of 70 entries to generate a prize pool of €67,200 ($72,612). The proficient Welshman Cory Desmond prevailed in that one after a heads-up take care of Domenico Zappia the place they acquired €18,000 ($19,450) and €17,500 ($18,909), respectively.

the large €5,000 ($5,401) bounty was received by Marcel Fandre

Thriller Bounty tournaments are all the trend as of late with festivals incorporating one or two of them to inject a little bit of lottery into proceedings. That’s not to say that it isn’t a ability recreation requiring strategic changes. Shoutout to my VegasSlotsOnline Information colleague Dara O’Kearney who simply revealed a strategy book on the format. Discover his prime suggestions in his newest article too. The Thriller Bounty at The Competition bought 202 entries and the large €5,000 ($5,401) bounty was received by Marcel Fandre. 

The Hendon Mob Championship was one other match that possessed added attract, for some no less than: