In recent years, Malta has become one of the go-to destinations for poker lovers in Europe and beyond, with the island country playing host to numerous fun and affordable festivals. The Malta Poker Festival has certainly helped create this environment, establishing Malta’s position on the world’s poker map.
“The refurbishment of Portomaso Casino marks a new chapter in our commitment to excellence. We’ve embraced a more modern look and feel, creating a streamlined experience that blends style, comfort, and efficiency. This upgrade ensures that Portomaso continues to set the standard for premium gaming and entertainment in Malta.”
— Jesmond Galea, Chief Operations Officer, Tumas Gaming Group
Just last week, the Malta Poker Festival Autumn did it all over again, attracting thousands of players from all over the place to the beautiful Portomaso Casino for an entire week of fun and diverse tournament action.
The festival schedule truly featured something for everyone, from your classic No Limit Hold’em events, over mystery bounties, to mixed game tournaments, and all of them featuring buy-ins of just a few hundred euros, making them extremely bankroll-friendly.
The star of the show, as always, was the €550 Malta Poker Festival Grand Event, offering a hefty guarantee of €500,000. As it turned out, that guarantee was on the conservative side, as players turned up in droves to nearly double that total!
Joris Ruijs Triumphs in a Massive Field
The MPF Grand Event featured eight starting flights, giving players plenty of opportunities to build up a stack to take through to Day 2. It came as no surprise that many have jumped at this opportunity, bringing the total number of entries to 1,987. This meant that the original guarantee was blown out of the water, bringing the tournament’s final prize pool to just over €900,000.
For a €500 tournament to pay out nearly a cool million in prizes is always an accomplishment, showing once again just how popular the Malta Poker Festival has become with players.
Naturally, a lion’s share of that massive prize pool was reserved for the winner, who would take home €141,000 for their efforts. As the mix of skill and luck would have it, the honor went to Joris Ruijs, a player from the Netherlands, who managed to outlast the entire field and claim the victory.
This wasn’t Ruijs’s first rodeo by any means. With almost $4.5 million in live earnings, the man sitting in the sixth spot on the Netherlands’ All Time Money List has had his fair share of success at the tables. However, the MPF Grand Event triumph stands out as the biggest-field tournament he was able to take down, and it’s also his best score in terms of the number of buy-ins won.
What’s also interesting is that Joris is a regular in big buy-in events, having played in numerous €/$10,000+ plus tournaments, but he also likes to mix it up in cheaper tournaments, especially when they take place in nice locations.
It is also worth noting that the Grand Event was a rather international affair. The final table alone featured players from seven different countries (out of eight players). The runner-up Vincent Schueler hails from Germany, the third-place finisher Thomas Grahs is from Sweden, while Italy, Serbia, France, and Denmark were all represented as well.
Tournament Action Around the Clock
Although the Grand Event was the biggest draw of the 2025 Malta Poker Festival Autumn series, there was plenty more action to be had. The festival featured a truly colorful schedule that included quite a few niche options for those looking to mix things up.
For example, the €280 Sviten Special event attracted 69 entries. For those not familiar, Sviten is a unique variation of Drawmaha, mixing elements of Pot Limit Omaha and Five Card Draw. The game is quite popular in Scandinavian countries, and the number of entrants showed that it certainly has its place at festivals like this.
In a similar vein, the €230 H.O.R.S.E. event attracted a respectable field of 57 players, generating the prize pool of just over €10,000.
In terms of player numbers, the €250 Scandinavian Poker Championship exceeded expectations, attracting 740 entries and generating a prize pool of just under €155k. The winner, Mark Cornwell of the UK, pocketed €17,042.
Following the trends, the MPF schedule also featured a Mystery Bounty event, and that one generated a lot of interest as well. A total of 654 entries in the field resulted in a prize pool of €58,848 and plenty of action at the tables as players were looking for opportunities to get a shot at one of the envelopes.
From Malta With Love
The autumn edition of the Malta Poker Festival is in the books, and players are now back home or already chasing glory at a different venue halfway across Europe.
Some of them, like Ruijs and Cornwell, were lucky enough to pad their bankrolls during the festival. Many more had significant scores that will help them pursue their poker dreams.
However, regardless of the results, most of those who had an opportunity to visit Malta and play some poker during the festival will have some great memories to ensure they’ll be back for the next one. While big prize pools are what attract people to tournaments, it’s the memories of good times that keep them coming back.
“At Portomaso Casino, we’re proud to host over ten international poker events each year, with the Malta Poker Festival standing as a flagship among them. Our recent refurbishment — especially the redesigned poker room — reflects our commitment to delivering the most professional and enjoyable poker experience on the island. We believe this upgraded setup provides the perfect environment for players from around the world to enjoy the game at its finest.”
— Jonathan Micallef, General Manager, Portomaso Casino
Per Malta Poker Festival Founder and Event Director Ivonne Montealegre, “I’m always moving forward with my projects and not looking back; that’s part of my mindset. I choose to stay creative and fully immersed in what I’m doing now. My philosophy is deeply rooted in the power of the present moment.”
Ivonne continued, “It’s been an intense and beautiful season for all poker players. Together with my Portomaso team, we gave it everything — bringing integrity to the game while nurturing the sense of community that defines the Malta Poker Festival. We also raised funds for meaningful causes like YMCA Malta, keeping both the spirit of poker and compassion at the heart of what we do.”
Malta Poker Festival Spring 2026 Dates Announced
It’s safe to say that the Malta Poker Festival has found a way to deliver for players for years, now. The great tradition is set to continue into 2026, with the festival having just announced it’s Spring dates, for April 19-27 along with a €500,000 guaranteed Main Event.
It’s never to early to begin booking your travel and accommodation. While full details of what to expect at the festival will be released in the coming months, interested players can rest assured that the 2026 Malta Poker Festival Spring edition will be another stellar series of events!
