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Portomaso Casino is the EPT's southernmost venue in Europe, but the EPT12 Malta Main Event chip leader hails from Scandinavia with Sweden's Alexander Ivarsson bagging 529,200 to seize the lead for Day 3 with 131 players left (36 eliminations away from the money).
The 27-year-old grew up in Sundsvall and now lives with his wife in Stockholm. The former engineering student is a poker pro and back in March at the EPT Malta debut stop, he cashed three times. He finished 24th in the EPT Main Event back then, which is his best result in the tour's flagship event so far.
Ivarsson is a member of Team 3000 which he started with friends, as a joke; however the team now counts some of Sweden's biggest poker stars amongst its ranks including Kent Lundmark, Robin Ylitalo, Christian Jeppson and Adrian Bussman.
Another Scandinavian follows in second place, Finland's Samuli Sipila, who has 466,500. Also coming back with big stacks for Day 3 tomorrow - and a good chance of making the money - are Faraz Jaka (375,200), Daniel Dvoress (321,100) and EPT12 Malta €25k High Roller champ Mike McDonald (314,200), who spiked a two-outer in today's level to survive and score a massive double up.
Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden, who's tied with fellow Team Pro Luca Pagano for most EPT Main Event cashes, also made Day 3. The Norwegian has 102,000 and will look for his 21st cash tomorrow. Matthias De Meulder is another Team PokerStars Pro who survived, bagging 45,600.
In a bid for the coveted title, 651 players (including one no-show) bought in to compete in the €5,300 EPT12 Malta Main Event, battling for shares of a €3,157,350 prize pool, divvied up between 95 paid positions. The eventual champion will take home €602,400 along with the title and a coveted trophy.
EPT12 Malta Main Event top five chip counts:
1st - Alexander Ivarsson Sweden PokerStars player
2nd - Samuli Sipila, Finland, 466,500
3rd - Erik Scheidt, Germany, PokerStars player, 447,700
4th - Giulio Spampinato, Malta, Live satellite winner, 406,500
5th - Jens Lakemeier, Germany, 385,000
