Not since 2016 has Aliaksei Boika looked this comfortable in Malta. Nine years after he announced himself to the poker world by winning the PokerStars European Poker Tour Malta Main Event, the Belarusian star is once again deep in the same event, and this time he’s chasing history.
Back in that 2016 triumph, Boika began Day 3 with just 212,000 chips, sitting 23rd in the counts. Fast forward to 2025, and he’s traded the middle of the pack for the top of the leaderboard. After navigating a tense Day 2 that saw the bubble burst, Boika bagged 672,000 chips, good for third overall, as he eyes a spot in the ultra-exclusive two-time EPT Main Event winners club.
Only four names have ever managed that feat: Victoria Coren Mitchell, Mikalai Pobal, Mike Watson, and Anton “WhatIfGod” Bergstrom (two online EPT Main Event titles). The latter had a shot at becoming the first triple champion this week but fell before the money on Wednesday, leaving the door open for Boika to join one of poker’s most elite groups.
Boika trails only Roman Stoica (928,000) and Mykhailo Ostash (765,000) as 108 players return to Casino Malta from the record-breaking 898-entry field.
Top Ten Chip Counts
Everyone left in the hunt has already locked up €9,650 from the €4,355,300 prize pool, with five-figure paydays starting once 96 players remain.
Remaining Payouts
Play resumes at 12 p.m. local time, with blinds at 2,000/5,000/5,000, and likely four 90-minute levels will be played. The feature table will be streamed on YouTube and Twitch on a 30-minute delay.
Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates from Day 3 of the Main Event as the field battles to reach Day 4.