MPT Stories

Player Profile - KER, BENG HONG

During the break we managed to catch our player Beng Hong who came all the way from Singapore to play Malta Poker Tour and ask him about his experience.

"Its very exciting for me to play this event, since it's the second live event I played in my life. I started playing four years ago when I received 100 USD as a bonus deposit and I built up my bankroll. Today, my biggest online winning is 20 000USD and I plan on continuing. My wish is to play the APPT in Manilla in November so I must get on the affiliating to collect the money."-says Beng Hong as he is trying to convince me he is 32 years old. I found it hard to believe that since he looked so young but then he told me about his travelings and how much he enjoys them, so I tought - he cant be 20 and been all over the world already.:) He especially loves to go to China and Czech Republic and when traveling he never forgets to bring a book, as his favorite literature is the one about poker.

"One day Im gonna be just like Doyle!" - said Beng Hong and rushed to the table.

Posted at 22:25:23 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

The man with the hat

One of the final table players, Martin Klaeser from Rheinbach, Gemany, has really impressed us with his poker CV. Just turned 21 last year, he couldnt wait to start playing live events. Everything started when he joined the Full Tilt 1 million Challange and cashed out 350 000 euro. That gave him the wind in his back and he started playing more and more.

Took part in EPT Dortmund and Aussie million but his big wish was to go to poker paradise - Vegas. This year was his first chance and it was no surprise when he took the bracelet playing the 1500 pot limit OMAHA Hi Lo 8 or better. The main event didnt bring him much as he went out only 20 minutes before the day three but he has no regrets.

Vegas didn't only bring him fame, thats where he met his girlfriend, Laura, so he says he is very thankful to the city of Sin." Love you, baby!" - said Martin as he took off from the bar and sat down at the final table trying to concentrate a bit more since he wasn't very satisfied with the way he was playing during the day.

We wish him all the luck!

Posted at 02:46:38 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

Dilba Demirbag - sweet but dangerous

During the dinner break, we caught Dilbihar Demirbag, also known as Dilba and chatted to her about her game in the last two days and her experience of Malta.

“It has been really nice from the moment I came to Malta. Must say the organization is extremely good and I am happy to take part in the tournament. As I am an aggressive player, I didn’t change my strategy at all but majority of the players are online so they are quite aggressive themselves. Most of them are easy callers so if you wait for the nuts, u can build up a nice stack. At the beginning of the day I had 3k and worked my way up to 12. When I reached 14k, I got a pair of tens and my opponent raised under the gun. He had AQ and unfortunately rivered an Ace. But no hard feelings, I’m going to stay here and play some cash game and look forward to GO karting tomorrow as I’ve never tried that before. I am enjoying the weather here, it is really great and I am definitely coming back.

If you want to know more on her hands and Malta week and you speak Swedish, visit www.dilba.blogg.se.

Posted at 20:39:31 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

Player Profile - PHAM, KIM-PHUC

Even tho he just got out of the Day Two Event, Kim-Phuc wasnt unsatisfied. Smiling all the way and sipping on his drink, he told us how Jose Quintas (K10 d) called his big raise(9,10 suited) and knocked him out even tho he had nothing all the way untill the river.

At the Day One of the MPT, he was the chip leader with 35k chips in the first level and knocked the first two guys out. Unfortunately, Jacks didnt bring him luck and he got knocked out by Tommy Pavlicek who had AK.

Kim-Phuc tells us how he started playing poker when he was only 9 years old, learning from his parents who were playing Chinese poker with their friends and he got reall yinterested in cards. By the time he was 14, he already knew many card tricks and knew that the love is only going to grow. Couldnt wait to become 18 and start playing online, when he went to London and saw the first online poker page. Immidiately, he opened an account and since then he is a passionate poker player.

He has only been playing on ipoker skin for a year but he already won a bracelet in the ECOOP and is proudly showing it off at the poker room while telling us his experience of the WSOP this year. He played four events in Vegas including OMAHA, OMAHA HI-LO, HORSE and NO LIMIT. Not to foget, he also won the Forth Knox Jackpot on NoiQ Poker.

When he needs to make a choise, he doesnt hesitate, OMAHA is his one and only love. When not playing onlie, you can find this funny German in Kassel, where he is originally from, cracking jokes at the poker table or in Dortmund where he already cleaned out their cashier playing the 100 eur rebuy tournament.

And from a very reliable resource, we find out Kim-Phuc is 'on the market', so girls, dont hesitate, travel the world with him.

Posted at 18:24:10 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

Lorenzo Pellegrino - Interview

During the break we managed to catch the big boss of the Moneybookers, Lorenzo Pellegrino, the Head of gaming, and get his review of the tournament.

He said he is very pleased how things are going and hopes this is not the last time NoiQ and Moneybookers are cooperating on a live event.

"Moneybookers.com, as a co-sponsor of The Malta Poker Tour is happy to give all tournament players access to Moneybookers' refurbished VIP Programme, offering them the most competitive fee structure in the industry among other high-class offerings and bonuses.”It is very important to us that at events like this our VIPs can also meet their account managers, and we stay flexible to their wishes."

Posted at 17:34:57 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

MPT Day One - Player report - Juuso Leppanen

Tournament started with 10 000 chips and 25/50 blinds. My plan was to play tight in the beginning and see what is going to happen in my table. I didn’t know anything about the other players when the tournament started. Soon I found out who is playing tight and who is loose at my table. I managed to get AQ in early position during second level and I raised. Button called and the flop came. "Lovely" - I tough - KQQ. I made normal continuation bet which made button fold so I couldn’t get much value out of my monster but It was good for me to win the first pot I was involved and break the ice at table.

Later on I managed to get good action with KK when 2 guys went all in before me. Guys turned AQ and AJ and Pocket Kings holded up. I got more than double up and nice stack to go forward in the tournament. Later I found Kings from my hand again and knocked out shortstack in pre flop all-in.

Later on I didn’t manage to build my stack any bigger so I started to go down. I didn’t get action out of my good hands and got re-raised when I was moving with air. I ended up going out against Tommy Pavlicek when I was quite short. I bet-called his all in pre flop with A9 against his JJ which maybe wasn’t one of my best moves but blinds were going up fast and I needed to make the move very soon anyway. Tommy was the chipleader and I knew he is capable of making big moves so I ended up calling 9 big blinds more and drawing 3 outer.

It was very nice to play live poker again and take part to fantastic Malta Poker Tour :-)

Posted at 02:29:57 on Tatjana's MPT Blog

Player Profile - TOMMY PAVLICEK

Tommy is a poker player from Edmonton, Canada also known Skier_5. Some can say he is young but his future in poker looks very promising as he already cashed out in three big events in the last two years.

Nice and easy going, this pro is really keeping it cool. He came from straight from the airport and sat down at the table. Not even a trip from Dublin managed to tire him, he was fully concentrated since the start and it didnt take long before he took over the lead in the tournament. While waiting for the results on his tonight action, we give you info on his succes so far and wish him good luck troughout all three days of the MPT.

• At the EPT Scandinavian Open, Season 4, held on February 23, 2008, playing No Limit Hold'em, finished 11th and collected $48,294
• At the EPT Prague, Season 4, held on December 14, 2007, playing No Limit Hold'em, secured 22nd place and cashed out $16,579
• Competing in the Main Event of the Johnny Chan Poker Classic, held on May 11, 2007, playing in the No Limit Hold'em category, took 6th place and won $45,103.

Posted at 18:24:10 on Tatjana's MPT Blog