SiGMA Poker Tour Malta: New Champion and €28,500 in Prizes

In May 2024, Davide Yannaco became the winner of the SiGMA Poker Tour Main Event in Malta, taking home €28,500 and the championship trophy.

At the end of May 2024, the main event of the SiGMA Poker Tour (SPT) — the SPT Malta Main Event with a €400 buy-in and a €150,000 guarantee — concluded in Malta. The tournament’s final day, held at Portomaso Casino, lasted a full 12 hours and proved to be a real test for the participants. The winner was Davide Iannaco, who claimed his first-ever live tournament victory and took home the top prize of €28,500 and the champion’s trophy. Final Day: Battle for the Title and Unexpected Twists Sixty players returned for the final day, having qualified from 61 qualifiers (one of them, Ashley Scott, qualified twice and received two minimum payouts of €600 each). In total, the tournament saw 411 entries, just shy of the advertised guarantee. From the very start of Day 2, eliminations came one after another. One of the first to bust was Remy Hordan, who lost a dramatic hand to Massimo Rizzoglio. The chip leader at the start of the day was Sebastian Mortensen, who began confidently but was eliminated in 11th place, losing to Guillaum Otto. Day 1e leader Romain Gachet managed to seize the lead in the second session, winning a big hand on the blinds with pocket aces (“rockets”). Another big stack, Micaela Arcusin, also picked up a strong starting hand. Gachet held the lead up to the final table, thanks in part to a lucky river that allowed him to knock out Salvatore Incardona in an unusual hand. Nevertheless, Gachet finished in third place, losing an all-in to the future champion Iannaco. Final Table: Key Hands and Decisive Moments Heading into the final table, Gachet was the chip leader, followed by Tomasz Brzezinski from Poland. Brzezinski scored the first knockout at the final table, eliminating Terje Bremseth on the river and taking the chip lead. Gachet knocked out short stack Agostino Vitiello, who finished in eighth place. Iannaco began his run to the title by eliminating Christopher Convery when he was dealt pocket kings (“cowboys”). After this success, he gained momentum and knocked out Guillaum Otto in sixth place. Brzezinski, in turn, eliminated Jon Persent, who finished fifth. After the third break, Iannaco quickly dispatched two opponents in a row: first Joachim Vaesen, then Romain Gachet — both times with pocket aces (“rockets”). This secured his place in the heads-up against Brzezinski. Heads-Up: Davide Iannaco vs. Tomasz Brzezinski The final showdown between Davide Iannaco and Tomasz Brzezinski lasted about two hours and was marked by dynamic play. Iannaco started the match behind but managed to turn the tide. Almost all the key hands went his way — he repeatedly made the best hands against his confident Polish opponent. It’s worth noting that Tomasz Brzezinski arrived at SPT Malta after an impressive result at the EPT Barcelona Main Event, where he won nearly €500,000. However, this time he had to settle for second place. In the end, Davide Iannaco became the SPT Malta Main Event champion, earning his first live tournament title and the top prize. SPT Malta Main Event Final Table Results 1st place: Davide Iannaco — €28,500 2nd place: Tomasz Brzezinski — (amount not specified) 3rd place: Romain Gachet — (amount not specified) 4th place: Joachim Vaesen — (amount not specified) 5th place: Jon Persent — (amount not specified) 6th place: Guillaum Otto — (amount not specified) 7th place: Christopher Convery — (amount not specified) 8th place: Agostino Vitiello — (amount not specified) 9th place: Terje Bremseth — (amount not specified) Also worth noting from the payout zone: Ashley Scott received two minimum payouts of €600 each, and WSOP Online champion Jonathan Therme was knocked out by Brzezinski just before the final table. The Champion’s Perspective: Emotions and Future Plans After his victory, Davide Iannaco shared his thoughts. He noted that he doesn’t consider himself a professional and doesn’t study poker theory in depth, but he has a strong circle of friends who are coaches and professional players with whom he regularly discusses strategy. According to Iannaco, the win won’t change his approach to poker — he’ll continue to play all the tournaments in Malta as before and see where his path leads. He also expressed gratitude to the organizers and emphasized that he enjoyed both the tournament and his own play. Quick Reference: SiGMA Poker Tour and Portomaso Casino The SiGMA Poker Tour is an international series of poker tournaments held in various European countries. The SPT Malta Main Event traditionally attracts a large number of participants thanks to its affordable buy-in (€400) and impressive guarantee (€150,000). The tournament was hosted at the well-known Portomaso Casino in Malta, which regularly holds major poker events. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Davide Iannaco’s victory in the SPT Malta Main Event clearly shows that even players who don’t consider themselves professionals can achieve success in major live tournaments. For PPPoker club members, this is a great example of how regular practice, discussing strategy with more experienced players, and participating in a variety of tournaments can lead to significant results. It’s also worth noting the tournament structure: an affordable buy-in and a large guarantee attract players of all levels, creating favorable conditions for ambitious amateurs. PPPoker clubs often host tournaments with similar structures, so everyone has a chance to test their skills and prepare for live events. Finally, Iannaco’s story highlights the importance of community: interacting with coaches and professionals, sharing experiences, and analyzing hands together — all of this helps you grow as a player. Use the opportunities in PPPoker clubs to communicate, learn, and develop, so you’ll be ready for your own big wins — both online and offline.