Graham Keith Rises from the Ashes to Take Home PokerNews Championship
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From nearly out to all the way up, Graham Keith staged one of the most improbable comebacks in the €170 PokerNews Championship at the Malta Poker Festival inside the Portomaso Casino.
Keith turned a three-big-blind stack into a €7,000 victory and the title after a rollercoaster final day of action, during which the final three players came to a deal to end proceedings.
Bora Uludag and Filip Danyi were the respective second and third place finishers, and rounded out the podium from the 291-entry field.
"We’re absolutely thrilled with how successful this event turned out to be," said Daniel Williams, Community & Engagement Manager for PokerNews.
"I’m genuinely blown away that we managed to create a €41,467 prize pool. It just shows how passionate this community is. Huge thanks to all the players who turned up in droves, and of course to the Malta Poker Festival team for their incredible support.
"Don’t forget, the fun’s not over yet, our PokerNews Scavenger Hunt is still live, and there’s a €550 Grand Event ticket up for grabs!"
PokerNews Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graham Keith | €7,000* |
| 2 | Bora Uludag | €5,400* |
| 3 | Filip Danyi | €4,500* |
| 4 | Mathias Jordi | €2,560 |
| 5 | Sophie Waddingham | €2,087 |
| 6 | Van Dang | €1,640 |
| 7 | Lawrence Bonnici | €1,350 |
| 8 | Angelo Vietti | €1,120 |
| 9 | Craig Marcuss Smith | €980 |
*denotes three-way deal
Keith's Path to Glory
Keith was one of the standout performers on Day 1, finishing eighth among the 44 players who advanced to Day 2. But as the sprint to the final table began, the Brit soon found himself clinging on for survival. With just 15 players left, Keith was rooted to the bottom of the chip counts, holding a mere three big blinds.
But in poker, it only takes one chip and a chair. Keith kept his composure and stayed afloat while others fell by the wayside such as Day 1 chip leaders Martin Pedersen (13th – €750) and Alessandro D'Amore (12th – €750).
Dalton Bezzina’s exit in 11th place (€860) set up the final table bubble. After a frantic start to the session, play slowed considerably. Eventually, Dieter Falzon was the one to fall just short. His top pair and flush draw couldn’t hold against Lawrence Bonnici’s turned pair of kings, and just like that, the final nine players convened around a single table. During the player onslaught, Keith had climbed from shortest stack to second in chips by the time the final table began.
Keith’s fellow Brit, Craig Marcuss Smith, was also hoping for a comeback story, but it wasn’t to be. He was the first casualty of the final table, falling to Filip Danyi in a flush-over-set showdown.
The eliminations of Angelo Vietti (8th – €1,120), Lawrence Bonnici (7th – €1,350), and Van Dang (6th – €1,640) brought play down to five-handed. By this stage, Keith had slipped down the leaderboard again as Mathias Jordi and Bora Uludag seized control.
Sophie Waddingham, the last woman standing, had played a near-flawless game throughout. But with the blinds climbing, she was forced to shove with queen-ten and ran into Danyi’s queen-jack. A ten on the flop gave her hope, but a jack on the turn ended her run in fifth place.
That left Jordi, Uludag, Danyi, and Keith as the final four, with Keith once again the short stack. Deal talks nearly began, but the table pointed to Keith’s position and suggested discussions could resume once he was out.
Keith had other ideas. A key double-up and two successive pots won against Jordi turned the tide. Jordi was out in fourth after running into Keith's cowboys. The eventual champion surged into the lead with more than half the chips in play.
When the break arrived, the remaining players looked at the deal numbers and liked what they saw. Keith was declared the winner, earning the trophy and €7,000, while Uludag and Danyi banked €5,400 and €4,500 respectively.
Keep your browsers locked to PokerNews as we bring you live and exclusive coverage of the €550 Grand Event here at the 2025 Malta Poker Spring Festival.
