The "quintuple stud" tournament is under way in Malta, which represents a unique challenge to players, reporters and the people who write the festival tournament schedule brochure alike.

Let's start with the latter: They have only a tiny on with which to describe a tournament in the at-a-glance festival line-up, but "quintuple stud" doesn't quite describe what this is all about.

More particularly, this is a six-handed tournament in which you play a rotation of five stud games. First up, it's seven-card stud, then seven-card hi/lo, then seven-card razz, then seven card super stud hi/lo and then five-card stud. They are all similar, but they are all different (and I'll confess, I don't know what makes super stud super). But at least 30 players here do and have come out to join the fray.

Among them is the man who has the best reason to remember this room fondly: Jean Montury. Having mastered no-limit hold-em this time last season--he won the main event--Montury is making his first appearance of this season's EPT Malta in the quintuple stud.

It's a tough one to live-blog. I watched one hand, during a seven-card hi/lo round, and poor Olli Kokko was required to declare himself eliminated at the end of it. His opponents and the dealer were still pondering who had won what of the two pots on offer--Kokko was all in on fourth street--but Kokko knew the game was up.

After Tobias Hausen, who won the razz here last year, paid the bring in with the [4d] exposed, Bas de Laat called with [jd] up and Kokko raised with [qh] showing. The other two called. The betting then capped when the three had the [9h], [8s] and [5s] added to their exposed cards, respectively. And I totally lost track of what money was going in when the [ac], [kd], [Ts] came next.

By this point Kokko was definitely all in, so Hausen and De Laat were piling cash into a side pot. The [6d], [7h], [7s] were the next out and then they all got their final down card too.

A load more betting ensued--this really is first rate coverage, isn't it. Bookmark. This. Page!--and they all flipped over their hands.

Hausen showed [2h][6c][ah] to go with his [4d][5s][Ts][7s].
De Laat had [7d][jh][8d] to go with his [jd][8s][kd][7h].
Kokko had [qs][2s][4c] to go with his [qh][9h][ac][6d].

When all was said and done, Hausen won the low with his ace-to-six and De Laat won the high with his two pair, jacks and eights. Meanwhile Kokko said, "One pair, no low," handed his tournament ticket to the dealer and headed off, very politely.

Montury and Fabrice Soullier are still involved at this point, as the tournament officials announced the prize pool details. There were 31 players, five places paid and few grand for the winner.

In the tournament area adjacent to the quintuple stud, the ladies event was also in its early stages. There are 55 players in that one--another fine turnout--and a decent whack up for grabs to whoever takes that down later this evening.

Jennifer Shahade, the PokerStars Mind Sport Ambassardor, is wearing the Red Spade.

Everything about EPT Malta is on the main EPT Malta page. More specifically, all the hand-by-hand coverage of the €25,000 High Roller is on the €25,000 High Roller page and everything from the IPT Main Event is on the IPT Main Event page.

No really, begin plotting your own bid for EPT glory by downloading the PokerStars client and having a crack. Follow this EPT event via the EPT app. There you will get all the latest news, chip counts and payouts. You can download it on Android or IOS