It's been nine years since the last EPT Malta Main Event champion was crowned. We wait just one more day to see who will hoist the trophy at its long-awaited return. The final table is full of storylines waiting to be written.
The field has been trimmed down to the final five. Tomorrow will feature an EPT first-timer, the defending champion from nine years ago, a back-to-back EPT final tablist, and more.
| Place | Player | Country | Chips | Big blinds |
| 1 | Mykhailo Ostash | Ukraine | 9,870,000 | 123 |
| 2 | Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | 7,035,000 | 88 |
| 3 | Tomasz Brzezinski | Poland | 5,380,000 | 67 |
| 4 | Adria Calonge | Spain | 3,525,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Tom-Aksel Bedell | Norway | 1,140,000 | 14 |
1. Mykhailo Ostash (123 big blinds)
Many dream of coming to an EPT and playing with some of the best players in the world. Competing in the prestigious Main Event is a chance to prove yourself, earn life-changing money, and cement your place in EPT history. For our final table chip leader, he's living the dream on his first shot at an EPT series.
Mykhailo Ostash chose to come to Malta to play poker for the first time outside of his home country of Ukraine. It's gone very so far. Ostash bagged 123 big blinds and the chip lead over the final five, impressing Ben 'Spraggy' Spragg along the way.
With less than $20K in live earnings, according to Hendon Mob, Ostash has already locked up his biggest live score by far. Will he also get his first live victory on the biggest stage?
2. Aliaksei Boika (88 big blinds)
Speaking of making history, Aliaksei Boika has the chance to do something nobody else has in the history of the EPT. He won this event nine years ago for €355,700, the last time the EPT came to Malta. He returns for the final day second in chips with the chance to be the first to win two Main Events at the same venue, and the first to defend a Main Event title.
Boika has amassed nearly $6M in live tournament earnings in fifteen years of play. The nine-year-old Main Event is his only major win, so he's surely happy to be back in contention at a place where he got the job done nearly a decade ago. Will he write history tomorrow?
3. Tomasz Brzezinski (67 big blinds)
Not to be outdone, Tomasz Brzezinski has an impressive stat of his own. He came in fourth place at EPT Barcelona for €493,250 just six weeks ago. Getting to an EPT Main Event final table is something many poker players will never accomplish. Brzezinski has now done so at back-to-back series.
His Barcelona finish was by far his largest live score. With additional experience under his belt and a pad to the bankroll, will he set his sights on an even bigger score tomorrow?
4. Adria Calonge (44 big blinds)
Another player with not many live results to his name, Adria Calonge has shown he has what it takes to compete with the best when he does set foot on the live felt.
The Spaniard secured his first EPT cash in Barcelona. That run only earned him €9,800, but that was still his largest score to date. He's already improved upon that many-fold, but will he handle the pressure tomorrow? This is his first live final table ever, and it''s on the biggest stage under the spotlights. How he handles it will be a spectacle to enjoy.
5. Tom-Aksel Bedell (14 big blinds)
Finally, we find the Norwegian Tom-Aksel Bedell as a short stack, though that's not where he spent most of the last two days. Bedell bagged the chip lead last night and spent much of the day on top of the counts. The engine sputtered near the end of the day, though, and he'll have work to do tomorrow.
Bedell has years of experience in high-pressure situations, multiple major titles to his name, and plenty of colorful bucket hats to get him into his comfort zone tomorrow. With 14 big blinds, heavy ICM pressure, and no other short stacks near him, you have to think Bedell will be looking for an early, crucial double to bolster his chances at getting better than sixth place.
How to watch tomorrow's action
The Main Event will begin at 12:30 pm local time (6:30 am EST) and will be streamed on PokerStars' YouTube channel with a delay. Tune in to watch this one come to an exciting finish.
Remaining payouts
| Place | Prize |
| 1 | €760,000 |
| 2 | €474,650 |
| 3 | €339,000 |
| 4 | €260,750 |
| 5 | €200,550 |
All images courtesy Eloy Cabacas/Danny Maxwell/Rational Intellectual Holdings LLC
