UK's Niall Farrell Wins 2015 EPT Malta Main Event

Niall Farrell has won the 2015 EPT Malta Main Event, after overcoming a field of 651 players over six days, including Alen Bilic heads-ups, to capture the EPT title, and its €534,330 ($588,592) first place prize. Following a remarkable performance which now pushes his career earnings to $1,905,233, the Scottish pro commented:
“It feels incredible. I ran so pure the last two days. When we got to heads-up, I got good cards but there was one big bluff I made which felt like a momentum swinger. Bilic is a really good player. I’ve played a lot online with him. He played really tough.”
The €5,300 EPT Malta Main Event featured a prize pool worth €3,255,000, and amongst the notable pros cashing in at one of the tournament’s 95 paid money spots was Dominik Nitsche in 58th (€10,580), Max Silver in 41st (€11,840), Bryn Kenney in 34th (€13,730), Johnny Lodden in 29th (€15,620), Mike McDonald in 27th (€17,840), Shannon Shorr in 22nd (€20,800), and Faraz Jaka in 19th (€23,960).
After the final table got underway, Niall Farrell (A-K) eliminated Nabil Cardoso (A-J) in 8th for €62,570, before being dealt A-7 and doing likewise to Sam Greenwood (K-J) in 6th (€125,660). Continuing his assault, Farrell (A-A) took care of Rainer Kempe (Q-Q) in 5th (€161,340), while his A-J was good enough to send Jaroslaw Sikora (A-10) to the rail in 3rd (€265,840), thus heralding in the heads-up phase of the competition against Alen Bilic.
As the final battle commenced, both Farrell and Bilic were fairly even in chips and so the players decided to split the prize money €444,300 and €440,000 respectively, leaving €90,000 and the title still left to play for. It would then take a further 68 hands before the deciding hand was played with Bilic (8-2) bluffing all-in on an A-7-6-5-Q board, only to be called by Farrell with 6-5. Alen Bilic subsequently had to be satisfied with a runner-up finish, while Niall Farrell became only the second Scottish player, after David Vamplew, to take down an EPT Main Event title.
Final Table Results:
1: Niall Farrell, €534,300
2: Alen Bilic, €440,000
3: Jaroslaw Sikora, €265,840
4: Giulio Spampinato, €203,840
5: Rainer Kempe, €161,340
6: Sam Greenwood, €125,660
7: Daniel Dvoress, €91,550
8: Nabil Cardoso, €62,570