Simone Andrian Tops Day 3 as Final Table Approaches in PokerStars Summer Festival Malta Main Event
Day 3 of the PokerStars Summer Festival Malta Main Event, running at the InterContinental Hotel, has now concluded.
Out of the 77 who started the day, there are now just 11 players remaining in contention for the title. The winner is set to take home �153,610.
Simone Andrian of Italy closed out the day as chip leader. Andrian is a WSOP bracelet winner who has $582,073 in live tournament winnings, so he'll be looking to utilize his stack when play resumes.
In second place is Marcin Lesniewski of Poland, who has several respectable cashes in major events but who is yet to lock up a lucrative top three finish. Lesniewski is potentially on track for his biggest cash yet.
David Docherty sits third in chips. Docherty won the Irish Open in 2023 and has over $1.1 million in recorded live tournament winnings. As one of Scotland's top players, he is a serious contender for the title.
END OF DAY 3 CHIP COUNTS
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simone Andrian | Italy | 5,280,000 | 105 |
| 2 | Marcin Lesniewski | Poland | 4,780,000 | 95 |
| 3 | David Docherty | United Kingdom | 3,755,000 | 75 |
| 4 | Fotios Ntamaris | Greece | 3,235,000 | 64 |
| 5 | Marco Regonaschi | Italy | 2,800,000 | 56 |
| 6 | Biger Larsen | Norway | 1,990,000 | 40 |
| 7 | Eros Nastasi | Italy | 1,985,000 | 39 |
| 8 | Tommy Nguyen | Norway | 1,280,000 | 25 |
| 9 | Antoine Talvard | France | 1,250,000 | 25 |
| 10 | Emmanouil Asgoudakis | Greece | 880,000 | 17 |
| 11 | Grzegorz Skawinski | Poland | 850,000 | 17 |
Day 3 played out at an ever-changing pace. There were moments in which an hour would go by with only a few bustouts. But once the tournament reached the final three tables, players were eliminated left, right and centre right down to the final seconds.
David Docherty held the chip lead for much of the last couple of levels after knocking out both Steven McKeown and Gal Bar, both times whilst holding pocket kings. Simone Andrian had been gaining momentum and managed to take the lead as the day closed out.
Stacks are relatively deep with the average at 50 big blinds, so there's all still to play for as the tournament reaches the final table and plays down to a winner.
Tomorrow is the Final Day of the Main Event and will start Sunday at 12 p.m. local time. Blind will start at 25,000/50,000 with an 50,000 big blind ante and levels will run for 75-minutes, with a break every two levels.
Join PokerNews for live coverage of the Final Day straight from the tournament floor until a champion is crowned.
