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Dietrich Fast Wins the PokerStars EPT Malta €10,300 High Roller (€174,600)
He was chip leader after Day 1, his name was on top of the list after Day 2, he predicted it before the final table began, and last night he lifted the trophy and posed for winner photos. German bracelet winner Dietrich Fast has won the 3-day opening High Roller event in the last ever PokerStars EPT Malta, banking €174,600 and taking home his seventh career trophy.
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dietrich Fast | Germany | €174,600 |
| 2 | Viacheslav Buldygin | Russia | €126,300 |
| 3 | Dario Sammartino | Italy | €81,480 |
| 4 | Pratyush Buddiga | United States | €61,690 |
| 5 | Ramin Hajiyev | Azerbaijan | €47,720 |
| 6 | Davidi Kitai | Belgium | €37,250 |
| 7 | Vladimir Troyanovskiy | Russia | €29,680 |
| 8 | Orpen Kisacikoglu | Turkey | €23,280 |
The final day of play started with just 6 players remaining from the field of 60 entries, including 12 re-entries. With Orpen Kisacikoglu and Vladimir Troyanovskiy already gone on the penultimate day and probably registered in other tournaments, the remaining 6 players were guaranteed €37,250. All of them, of course, were gunning for that first place prize of €174,600.
Things got off to a good start for Viacheslav Buldygin as he busted Davidi Kitai and Ramin Hajiyev. Kitai ran ace-jack into Buldygin's queens and the Belgian Triple Crown champion made his way to the exit in 6th place (€37,250). Buldygin found queens again and once more a player pushed all-in. This time it was Ramin Hajiyev with ace-queen. Hajiyev did not improve and a 5th-place finish was what he had to settle for (€47,720).
While the two knockouts had propelled Buldygin to the role of big stack, he still had Fast in front of him at this point. That would change soon as the German bracelet winner lost lots of chips to Italian high roller Dario Sammartino.
Pratyush Buddiga was next to go, hitting the rail in 4th place (€61,690). Again it was Buldygin doing the dirty work, eliminating the American high roller with king-queen suited against pocket sevens.
With just 3 players remaining, Fast battled back and now Buldygin was slipping while Dario Sammartino had plenty. The Italian, however, was the next one to go. A set up of kings versus the aces of Fast set Sammartino back tremendously and he departed soon after losing the flip with pocket fours to Fast's ace-seven suited (€81,480).
Fast started with a 7-to-1 chip lead but found a tough opponent in online heads-up specialist Viacheslav Buldygin. The latter doubled to get a shot at the title, but would eventually have to leave the honors to his German opponent. In the last hand, Fast moved in to put Buldygin to the test for his last 12 big blinds. Buldygin had an easy decision with pocket sixes and was well in front against the ace-three suited of Fast. The ace on the flop, however, favored Fast and the tournament ended with a bad beat for Buldygin.
Dietrich Fast didn't go out partying, he had been multi-tabling the High Roller final table with the IPT Main Event, which he eventually busted just before play wrapped up. With now over $2 million in earnings, we imagine the disappointment was soon forgotten. Fast has the option to enter the €25,750 High Roller that kicks off at 12:30pm local time. PokerNews will be on site to cover that event, and all the other big buy-ins from Malta this week.
feels like its a really good day https://t.co/2Hnx5G5NlG
— Dietrich Fast (@2pacnrw16)
. Behzad Ahadpour bet 1,500 and Ben Heath on the button folded. Orpen Kisacikoglu called from the small blind, Max Silver over called from the big blind.
hit the turn and both Kisacikoglu and Silver checked again. Ahadpour bet 8,100 and Kisacikoglu was quick to fold. It took Silver a bit longer to come to the same conclusion as he mucked after about 15 seconds or so.
and said something to the effect that he was planning on calling just about any amount. Well, not 8,100, as he did fold. 
. Sanan checked, and before Silver could act Thorel fired 6,000. Silver, seeing the action behind him already, elected to check, meaning Thorel's bet would stand. Fatehi called and Sanan called as well, Silver folded.
came on the turn and Thorel instantly checked. The dealer gave him a friendly reminding that it wasn't his turn to act yet. Sanan checked, Thorel's check was now binding, and Fatehi checked as well.
river, Thorel instantly checked out of turn again! The dealer once again reminded the Frenchman that in poker, the small blind acts first on all postflop streets. Sanan checked, Thorel automatically checked and Ali Fatehi took a stab at the sizable pot. He cut out a bet of 10,500, which prompted a quick fold from Sanan.
, didn't give up and flicked in a speedy call. Fatehi couldn't muster up more than 
for ace-high and had to surrender the pot to the French wizard.
.
and the 
on the turn left Fatehi drawing dead.
on the turn and 
on the river were both blanks and Silver doubled up to 81,850.
-flop and 
-turn before check-folding the 
on the turn nor the 
on the river were one of Thorel outs, and he was eliminated. With Thorel's chips, Yan is now the new chipleader.
against the kings of Shak, after the latter got his stack in on a queen-high flop. Yan bought back in, forced a fold from Jean-Noel Thorel to boost his stack and then even knocked out the Frenchman to take over the lead. The online whizard from New Zealand has 134,000 thus far and only trails Patrick Leonard with 148,000.
on the turn followed the same recipe: Drinan bet another 7,900, and Jensen once again slid in calling chips.
