IPT7 Malta back in March was the biggest ever in the tour's season-season history when 1,285 players helped create a €1,246,450 prize pool. Georgios Zisimopoulos beat them all and took away €142,205 for his first place. The Greek player has cashed for over $650,000 in his career and has come back to defend his title.

His Malta festival got off to a great start last night when he came second to Team PokerStars Pro Matthias De Meulder in thee €550 NL Hyper Turbo for €7,480. The blog spent an orbit at his table to see how his defence was panning out.

Hand 1. Zisimopoulos was straight into the action and was heads up with Patryk Poterek. The flop was out and read [9d][9h][ac]. Zisimopoulos bet 1,200 and his Polish opponent folded.

Hand 2. Yury Gulyy, a well-known Russian player who have played the poker circuit for many years, moved all in for 9,000 from mid position and took the blinds and antes.

Hand 3. Alberto Borsoi received a walk in the big blind.

Hand 4. Zisimopoulos opened to 2,500 (bb 1,000) and won the pot uncontested.

Hand 5. Zisimopoulos opened to 2,500 once more and called after Poterek three-bet to 5,200 from the next seat. Call. The flop fanned [4c][3c][9h] and Zisimopoulos check-called 4,800 before he check-folded to a 17,600 all in move from Poterek on the [qc] turn.

Hand 6. Zisimopoulos came in with another raise to 2,500 but folded after Viktor Georgiev Lyuzkanov moved all in for 13,300 from the button.

Hand 7. For the fourth hand in row, Zisimopoulos opened to 2,500 and Ricardo Alvarado peeled from the big blind to see a [qd][qc][ad] flop. Zisimopoulos continued for 2,200 and called after Alvarado check-raised to 6,300. The turn was the [3s] and Alvarado led for 8,000. Zisimopoulos took his time and then flicked in the call. On the [3s] river, Alvarado quickly checked and then snap folded when Zisimopoulos set him in for his last 14,000.

Hand 8. Lyuzkanov made a mid position raise and took the blinds and antes.

Hand 9. Gully moved all in once more and found no customers.

All-in-all it was a good, profitable orbit for the defending champion. The table was broken soon after the orbit and Zisimopoulos took 69,000 chips with him, good for an above average stack worth 69 big blinds.

Main Event at large

There are twomore levels left in the night and 342 players remain with an average stack of 52,500 chips. The current top five stacks are:

1. Denis Strebkov (Russia), 185,000
2. Giuseppe Zarbo (Italy), 180,000
3. Danut Chisu (France), 165,000
4. Georges Rmaily (Lebabon) 163,000
5. Alberto Lapena (Spain) 150,000

Those we have loved include: Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Korecki, Andrea Benelli, Gianluca Speranza, Mayu Toma, Tobias Peters, Ben Dobson, Ari Engel, Adam Owen, Joao Ferreira, Kimmo Kurko, Jonas Lauck, Simeon Naydenov, Ilan Boujenah and Elena Stover.

For full details of the tournaments on offer, and when you can register for them, click here.

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Updates provided by Marc Convey, with photos coming from René Velli and
Tomáš Stacha.