For Polish poker pro Tomasz Brzezinski, the 2025 poker season will go down as a career-defining chapter. Just weeks after placing fourth at EPT Barcelona, Brzezinski made a triumphant return to the felt in his adopted home of Malta — and this time, he sealed the deal. The 37-year-old took down the 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Malta Main Event at Casino Malta, claiming a massive €631,632 top prize after a thrilling heads-up duel with Ukrainian newcomer Mykhailo Ostash.
Record-Breaking Field in Malta
The prestigious €5,300 buy-in tournament drew a record-breaking 898 entries, building a prize pool of €4,355,300 — the largest in the history of the EPT Malta Main Event. Brzezinski’s triumph, following a heads-up deal, was not only his biggest live cash to date but also earned him a place in the record books as the 11th player to reach consecutive EPT Main Event final tables.
Brzezinski expressed his emotions after the victory, reflecting on years of near misses:
“It felt surreal. I’ve finished second so many times — it almost felt like a curse. But this time, everything finally went my way.”
From Passion to Poker Glory
Despite his success, Brzezinski isn’t a full-time poker professional. For the past decade, he has worked in Malta’s thriving sports betting industry, treating poker as a lifelong passion rather than his main occupation.
“I used to play full-time years ago,” he said. “But now I have a regular job. Still, I love playing live poker — maybe even more than work. I’ve learned from amazing players here in Malta, and this win feels like the ultimate reward.”
2025 EPT Malta Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tomasz Brzezinski | Poland | €631,632* |
| 2 | Mykhailo Ostash | Ukraine | €603,058* |
| 3 | Adria Calonge | Spain | €339,000 |
| 4 | Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | €260,750 |
| 5 | Tom-Aksel Bedell | Norway | €200,550 |
| 6 | Toni Kaukua | Finland | €154,250 |
| 7 | Ben Heath | United Kingdom | €118,650 |
| 8 | Juan Pardo | Spain | €91,250 |
| 9 | Joao Tomas | Portugal | €70,250 |
| *Denotes heads-up deal |
Final Table Drama and Storylines
The final table featured top European talent and plenty of twists. Norwegian businessman Tom-Aksel Bedell, who dominated earlier stages, entered the last day short-stacked and was first to fall when his pocket deuces lost to Ostash’s pocket threes.
Aliaksei Boika, aiming to become a rare two-time EPT champion, exited in fourth place after his kings were cracked by Ostash’s pocket fives. Despite a brilliant ace-high hero call earlier, Boika’s deep run ended just shy of poker immortality.
Adria Calonge’s elimination in third place set the stage for a gripping heads-up battle that would go down as one of the most dramatic finales in EPT Malta history.
A Legendary Heads-Up Battle
Both Brzezinski and Ostash agreed to a deal securing €603,058 each, with €28,574 and the EPT trophy left in play.
Brzezinski came out swinging, applying relentless pressure and extending his lead. But Ostash showcased incredible resilience, surviving nine all-ins, hitting miracle rivers, and even taking the lead at one point.
The turning point came when Brzezinski completed a runner-runner flush, reclaiming a 2:1 chip advantage. Eventually, his ace-jack held strong against Ostash’s ace-ten, sealing an emotional and hard-fought victory.
A Breakout Year for Brzezinski
The 2025 EPT Malta Main Event win marks a monumental moment for Tomasz Brzezinski, who has transformed from a part-time grinder into a European poker champion. His back-to-back final tables and landmark victory have made him one of the breakout stars of 2025, solidifying his reputation as one of Poland’s top poker talents.
