Antoine Degiorgio is one of Malta’s most beloved poker personalities, and on Monday, October 26, 2026, he gets his own tournament to help him recover after suffering a devastating heart attack in March 2026 that left him with brain damage and changed his life in an instant.
His family has now launched a fundraiser to fund the next stage of his rehabilitation, and the poker world is being asked to help. The Make Antoine Great Again Charity Poker Tournament fires at 7 p.m. at Casino Malta, the night before the Battle of Malta officially kicks off, with a €100 buy-in, a €40 re-entry, and half of every dollar raised going directly to charity.
I’m hosting alongside Adam Tomasson, and our partners have put together a value-added prize pool that makes this one of the most stacked charity events the Malta poker calendar has ever seen.
- Read more: The 2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition: Full Schedule and €2,000,000 in Guarantees
- Read more: Learn About the Battle of Malta’s Casino Malta Era History
- Read more: What to Do Away From the Tables During the 2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition
- Read more: No Filter and Teddy.Poker Bring High Stakes to the Battle of Malta
- Read more: Poker Community Rallies for Antoine Degiorgio After Heart Attack Leaves Malta Poker Fish Founder Fighting for Recovery
What You Need to Know
The tournament structure keeps things moving and accessible. The buy-in is €100, with a 15,000-chip starting stack; blind levels run 15 minutes each, and late registration stays open for eight levels. Re-entries are available for €40, also with a 15,000-chip starting stack, so it’s worth firing multiple bullets if the cards don’t cooperate early. The split is simple: 50% of the prize pool goes to charity, and 50% is paid out to players in the money.
Make Antoine Great Again Essential Information
| Date | Monday, October 26, 2026 |
| Start time | 7:00 p.m. |
| Venue | Casino Malta |
| Buy-in | €100 |
| Re-entry | €40 |
| Starting stack | 15,000 |
| Blind levels | 15 minutes |
| Late registration | 8 levels |
| Prize pool split | 50% charity / 50% players |
The More Than €5K Added-Value Prize Pool
Beyond the player prize pool, our partners have contributed more than €5,000 in added prizes. The headline package is a €1,600 Battle of Malta 2027 Main Event seat, plus hotel accommodation, donated by Casino Malta.
From there, the list keeps giving: OlyBet has put in a €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event seat, CoinPoker is offering a $1,000 online heads-up freeroll against Ryan De Paulo (winner takes all), two $215 CoinMillion tickets for the $1,000,000 Guaranteed online tournament, and a $150 Coin Masters online ticket.
VibeLive and partypoker have added a £500 partypoker Tour Main Event seat, while KKPoker has contributed four $50 online tickets for Battle of Malta satellites plus a €200 Ola Poker Tour Bratislava seat. Simplified Poker is offering a Final Table Bubble training course, JJ/PLO Masters an Overall Bubble live session, and PokerStars rounds out the list with two merchandise packs.
There is something here for every player who takes a seat.
| Place | Prize | Donor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | €1,600 Battle of Malta 2027 Main Event Package (seat + hotel) | Casino Malta |
| 2 | €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event Seat | OlyBet |
| 3 | $1,000 Online Heads-Up Freeroll vs Ryan De Paulo — winner takes all | CoinPoker |
| 4 | $215 CoinMillion Online Ticket — $1,000,000 Guaranteed | CoinPoker |
| 5 | $215 CoinMillion Online Ticket — $1,000,000 Guaranteed | CoinPoker |
| 6 | $150 Coin Masters Online Ticket | CoinPoker |
| 7 | £500 partypoker Tour Main Event Seat | partypoker / VibeLive |
| 8 | $50 Online Ticket for BoM Satellite | KKPoker |
| 9 | $50 Online Ticket for BoM Satellite | KKPoker |
| 10 | $50 Online Ticket for BoM Satellite | KKPoker |
| 11 | $50 Online Ticket for BoM Satellite | KKPoker |
| 12 | €200 Ola Poker Tour Bratislava Seat | KKPoker |
| 13 | Training Course: Final Table Bubble | Simplified Poker |
| 14 | Live Session Training: Overall Bubble | JJ/PLO Masters |
| 15 | Merchandise Pack | PokerStars |
| 16 | Merchandise Pack | PokerStars |
The Battle of Malta Kicks Off the Next Day
Make Antoine Great Again opens for the biggest poker festival on the island. The 2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition runs from October 27 through November 4 at Casino Malta and the InterContinental Malta in St. Julian’s, with €2,000,000 in guarantees spread across the schedule. The centerpiece is the 2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition Main Event, which carries a €1,500,000 guarantee and runs across nine starting flights with €600 and half-priced €300 buy-ins before culminating in a final table on November 3.
Supporting the Main Event is a €600 High Roller with a €300,000 guarantee, a €150,000 Mystery Bounty, a €2K No Filter, and Teddy.Poker €5,200 Mega High Roller, and a full side-event program covering PLO, mixed games, and formats built for players who want more than Hold’em all week. The Road to BOM satellite program runs from October 23 through 26, so players arriving early for the charity event can fire a seat into the Main Event the same night the satellites close.
2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 27 | 17:00 | €70 Satellite One Shot to BOM |
| 19:00 | €450 Mystery Siege of Malta Day 1A | |
| 21:00 | €70 Satellite Accumulator to BOM | |
| Oct 28 | 11:00 | €70 Satellite One Shot to BOM |
| 13:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1A | |
| 15:00 | €450 Mystery Siege of Malta Day 1B | |
| 16:00 | €330 Tag Team Event | |
| 17:00 | €330 Pot Limit Omaha | |
| 20:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1B | |
| 21:00 | €70 Satellite Accumulator to BOM | |
| 22:00 | €130 Dark Knight NLH | |
| Oct 29 | 11:00 | €70 Satellite One Shot to BOM |
| 13:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1C | |
| 15:00 | €450 Mystery Siege of Malta Day 1C | |
| 17:00 | €300 Sviten by PLO Masters | |
| 18:00 | €170 Bounty Hunter Days Crazy Pineapple | |
| 20:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1D | |
| 21:00 | €70 Satellite Accumulator to BOM | |
| 22:00 | €130 Dark Knight NLH | |
| Oct 30 | 11:00 | €70 Satellite One Shot to BOM |
| 11:30 | €450 Mystery Siege of Malta Day 1E | |
| 13:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1E | |
| 17:00 | €175 Pot Limit Omaha 4-5c Round Each | |
| 18:00 | €130 Dark Knight NLH | |
| 19:00 | Mystery Siege of Malta Day 2 Final | |
| 20:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1F | |
| 21:00 | €70 Satellite Accumulator to BOM | |
| Oct 31 | 11:00 | €70 Satellite One Shot to BOM |
| 13:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1G | |
| 15:00 | €330 Bounty Hunter Days Bounty | |
| 17:00 | €330 Pot Limit Omaha €5,000 GTD | |
| 20:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1H | |
| 21:00 | €70 NLH Satellite Accumulator to High Roller | |
| Nov 1 | 10:00 | €600 BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 1I |
| 11:00 | €130 NLH Satellite One Shot to High Roller | |
| 15:00 | €220 IPC Side Event NLH | |
| 17:00 | €470 PLO Masters Main Event | |
| 19:00 | €130 Dark Knight NLH | |
| 20:00 | BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 2 | |
| 21:00 | €1,100 High Roller €300,000 GTD Day 1 | |
| 22:00 | €70 NLH Satellite Accumulator to High Roller | |
| Nov 2 | 11:00 | €130 NLH Satellite One Shot to High Roller |
| 13:00 | BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 3 | |
| 14:00 | €1,100 High Roller €300,000 GTD Day 2 Final | |
| 15:00 | €240 Bounty €50,000 GTD Final Day | |
| 16:00 | €5,200 Mega Teddy High Roller | |
| 17:00 | €200 Ladies Event | |
| 18:00 | Beer Poker Event | |
| 20:00 | €2,000 No Filter High Roller | |
| Nov 3 | 14:00 | BOM €1,500,000 GTD Day 4 |
| 14:00 | Mega High Roller Final Table | |
| 15:00 | €150 IPC Turbo Deep Stack NLH | |
| 16:00 | €2,200 Casino Malta Royal High Roller | |
| 17:00 | €200 HORSE | |
| 18:00 | €240 PokerNews Open Event | |
| 22:00 | €130 Dark Knight NLH | |
| Nov 4 | 14:00 | BOM €1,500,000 GTD Final Table |
| 14:00 | €200 NETWIN NLH |
Why This Event Matters
Antoine Degiorgio has been a fixture of Malta’s poker scene for years, known as much for his energy at the table as for the community he has helped build around the game in his home country. Organizing a charity tournament in his name on the eve of the Battle of Malta felt like the right way to kick off festival week: fun, accessible, and meaningful.
The €100 entry keeps it open to everyone who makes the trip to Casino Malta; the re-entry format means nobody goes home empty-handed after one bad beat; and half the money raised goes to charity, so everyone who plays is part of something bigger than the tournament itself. If you want to contribute directly to Antoine’s recovery before the event, the fundraising page is live at WhyDonate. Adam Tomasson and I are looking forward to being at the mic for the evening, and the prize pool our partners have put together gives every seat a shot at real value well above the buy-in.
Make Antoine Great Again: FAQ
What is the Make Antoine Great Again Charity Poker Tournament?
The Make Antoine Great Again Charity Poker Tournament is a charity event held at Casino Malta on Monday, October 26, 2026, the night before the Battle of Malta begins. It is hosted by Jason Glatzer and Adam Tomasson, with a €100 buy-in and €40 re-entry. Half of the prize pool goes to charity and half is paid out to players. The event features 16 added-value prizes from sponsors including Casino Malta, OlyBet, CoinPoker, KKPoker, partypoker, VibeLive, Simplified Poker, JJ/PLO Masters and PokerStars.
What is the buy-in and structure for the Make Antoine Great Again tournament?
The buy-in is €100 with a starting stack of 15,000 chips. Re-entry is available for €40, also with 15,000 chips. Blind levels run 15 minutes each, and late registration stays open for eight levels. The prize pool is split 50% to charity and 50% to players in the money. The tournament begins at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 26, 2026 at Casino Malta.
What are the top added prizes at the Make Antoine Great Again tournament?
The top added prize is a €1,600 Battle of Malta 2027 package from Casino Malta, covering the Main Event seat and hotel accommodation. OlyBet has contributed a €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event seat. CoinPoker is offering a $1,000 online heads-up freeroll against Ryan De Paulo, winner takes all, plus two $215 CoinMillion tickets for the $1,000,000 Guaranteed online tournament. partypoker and VibeLive have added a £500 partypoker Tour Main Event seat, and KKPoker is contributing four $50 Battle of Malta satellite tickets and a €200 Ola Poker Tour Bratislava seat.
What is the Battle of Malta Autumn Edition 2026?
The Battle of Malta Autumn Edition 2026 runs from October 27 through November 4 at Casino Malta and the InterContinental Malta in St. Julian’s. The festival has €2,000,000 in guarantees, headlined by a €1,500,000 guaranteed Main Event at a €450 buy-in running across nine starting flights, a €300,000 High Roller, a €150,000 Mystery Bounty, and the No Filter and Teddy.Poker €5,200 Mega High Roller. The Make Antoine Great Again charity event takes place the evening before the main festival begins, on October 26.
Who is Antoine Degiorgio and why is this tournament named after him?
Antoine Degiorgio is one of Malta’s most prominent poker personalities and a well-known figure in the European poker community. The Make Antoine Great Again Charity Poker Tournament is organized in his name to celebrate his contributions to Malta’s poker scene, combining a poker night with a charitable cause. The tournament is hosted by Jason Glatzer and Adam Tomasson on the eve of the Battle of Malta at Casino Malta.
How does the charity split work at the Make Antoine Great Again tournament?
The prize pool from the Make Antoine Great Again Charity Poker Tournament is divided equally: 50% is paid out to players who finish in the money, and 50% goes to charity. Every entry and re-entry contributes to both sides of the split, meaning players are not only competing for cash and added prizes but also directly contributing to a charitable cause with every bullet they fire.
- Article originally produced at poker.pro.
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