POKER NEWS: 3,816 players became one on Tuesday when Frenchman Julien Stropoli outlasted the Battle of Malta 2018 field to collect the title and a €168,500 prize. Countryman Maxime Canevet, who was chip leader for much of the final table play, finished second but claimed a greater prize of €192,000 following a ‘money chop’ carried out when five players remained.
No less than 55 nations were represented in the €550 entry competition, which almost smashed its €1 million guarantee, and it was the largest ever competition held in Malta. 570 of the entries were classified as ‘in the money’ collecting a minimum of €700 apiece.
Stropoli, a former Magic The Gathering pro, was enjoying his biggest pay-day by some considerable way. But other final table finishers such as the UK’s Andy Hills and Dutchman Mateusz Moolhuizen will have been hoping to add another victory to their already impressive CV’s.
Plans are already afoot for the 2019 rendition of the competition with Marketing and Events coordinator Telly Bartolo indicating during live-stream commentary of the final table that “2019 could have big guarantees for all the side-events” adding “more space, for more players, will also be available next year.”