Welcome to Day 1b of the PokerStars.com EPT13 Malta Main Event
In two hours from now at 12 p.m. local time, the second starting day of the 2016 PokerStars.com EPT Season 13 Malta �5,300 Main Event gets underway at the Casino Portomaso. With plenty of sunshine outside and many of the online grinders returning to the felt after their Sunday sessions, a bigger field is expected than the 134 entries of yesterday's Day 1a, of which 61 bagged up chips last night.
The numbers to beat thus far for all hopefuls today are Dan Shak's 185,100 and Pasi Sormunen's 183,600, more than six times the starting stack over the course of eight 75-minute levels. All participants receive 30,000 in chips and there will be a break of 20 minutes every two levels and a 75-minute dinner break after level six, play will come to an end around midnight local time.
Last year, the EPT stopped twice on Malta. Jean Montury emerged victorious in the EPT11 Malta Main Event after outlasting a field of 895 players to claim a career-best payday of �687,400. And in October 2015, Niall Farrell defeated a 651-entry strong field in heads up against Alen Bilic to lift the trophy.
Many of the regular faces in the High Roller events took to the felt yesterday already with mixed success and as of 12.30 p.m. local time, the �10,300 Single-Day High Roller also kicks off as well. Who will make a big step towards history in the second-last EPT before the rebranding to the PokerStars Festivals next year? The PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to cover the action for both tournaments, so stay tuned and check back regularly.