2016 Italian Poker Tour main event in Malta

ITALIAN POKER TOUR MALTA MAIN EVENT WON BY AUSTRIAN PRO
 
Ismael Bojang claims first prize of Euro 101,940.
 
After besting a field of 775, many of them respected aces, Austrian poker pro Ismael Bojang claimed the main prize of Euro 101,940 over the weekend in the eighth edition of the Euro 1,100 buy-in Italian Poker Tour main event in Malta.
 
After three days of hard, competitive poker the field was reduced to a final table seating a number of live and online experienced players that suggested it might be a drawn-out affair, but the heads up was arrived at in a surprisingly short time – measured in minutes rather than hours.
 
Following some hectic action there were four eliminations within 10 minutes….all just 45 minutes into final table activity.
 
Bojang did most of the damage to enter the heads up against Italys Francesco Leotta with a small chip advantage. Leotta responded with some aggressive play which saw him overtake Bojang, marking the start of a see-saw game as the two players struggled for supremacy and the lead changed several times.
 
Eventually, the evenly-matched duo ended up in an all-in final confrontation from which Bojang emerged victorious, and Leotta earned respect and a runner up prize of Euro 75,690.
 
Bojang is actually the last Italian Poker Tour champion – the IPT is being absorbed into the Pokerstars Festival brand.
 
Other final table cashes from the Euro 751,750 prize pool included:
 
Vladimir Shabalin Russia  Euro 56,200
Johan Guilbert France  Euro 41,720
Dominik Panka Poland Euro 30,970
Alexander Lakhov Russia Euro 23,000 – Pokerstars satellite qualifier.
Daniel Portiansky Israel Euro 17,070
Filip Demby Poland Euro 12,670