Tereza Vernerova Becomes the First Woman to Win a Battle of Malta Main Event
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Quick answer: On Nov. 5, 2026, Tereza Vernerova of the Czech Republic won the €600 Battle of Malta Autumn Edition Main Event at Casino Malta, the first woman to win a Battle of Malta Main Event. The official series recap and PokerNews both reported a 5,368-entry field and a three-way ICM deal. Her published first-place total is €162,635 in the official article's body text, though the same page's headline and payout table list €162,630.
A huge field, and a deal that reshaped first place
The official Battle of Malta report put the prize pool at €2,413,281. PokerNews said €227,835 had originally been set aside for first, and that the final table lasted more than 12 hours.
With three players left, Vernerova, Israel's Ofer Tadmor, and the United Kingdom's James Malatynski agreed to an ICM deal. The official recap said Tadmor, then the chip leader, took €175,000, with €22,635 left aside for the champion, and that Vernerova had already locked up €140,000. Those two figures add up to €162,635, which is also the first-place number in the official body text and in PokerNews. The official headline and results table, however, print €162,630, a €5 difference that looks like a typo but is not resolved here. PokerNews listed Malatynski at €125,000; the official table lists €124,000. Tadmor's €175,000 matches in both, and is higher than the champion's cash because of the deal.
The official eight-handed payouts, with the two conflicts noted, were: Vernerova €162,635* (official table €162,630); Tadmor €175,000*; Malatynski €124,000* (PokerNews: €125,000); Lulei Hu €62,150; Marios Kapiris €43,400; Rosario Saddemi €32,000; Ivane Khazaradze €25,150; and Marco Lopez Coronado €21,150.
From chip lead, to a short stack, to the trophy
The official recap said Vernerova arrived at the final table with a commanding lead after picking up pocket kings twice and eliminating two players late on Day 4. She told interviewer Glenn Brown she had been nervous, never having played a final table this large, and that her husband prepared her. The official site quoted her after the win: "I think it's one of the best feeling in my life, I can't even say it in words, because I am wordless. Now I'm very happy. I'm very happy to be a first woman champion in Battle of Malta." PokerNews published a lightly smoothed version of the same remarks.
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It was not a wire-to-wire final. The official report said she went card dead, lost a big river bet into Tadmor's straight flush, and was among the shorter stacks before dinner. She then doubled with pocket kings, Kapiris busted, and Hu went out fourth. After the deal, the official recap said Malatynski "triple barrel bluffed" into Vernerova, who called the river with top pair; PokerNews described that pot as a hero call against a river shove. The accounts agree she won a large pot; they differ on the betting line. He was eliminated soon after.
Heads-up, the official recap said she doubled on the first hand, won another large pot with kings, and ended it when Tadmor jammed a pair into her trips. PokerNews said she had flopped trips against his top two pair, and that the final hand was a snap-call with trip tens on a paired flop.
The series said the win also earned an invitation to the 2027 Battle of Malta tour, with stops in Barcelona, Bratislava, and Tallinn, plus a summer Malta stop. Those late-tournament decisions are ones players can practice on Superintelligencepoker.com.
For more poker news and tournament coverage, see no-limit hold'em strategy and calling math. Browse the Superintelligence Poker blog for more.
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Battle of Malta Autumn Main Event?
Tereza Vernerova, the first woman to win a Battle of Malta Main Event, on Nov. 5, 2026.
How much did she win?
€162,635, adding the official deal components (€140,000 plus €22,635), or following the official body text and PokerNews. The official headline and table list €162,630.
Was there a deal?
Yes. A three-way ICM deal left Tadmor with €175,000, which is why second paid more than first. The leftover €22,635 and the trophy were still played for.
How large was the field?
5,368 entries, according to both the official site and PokerNews. The official prize pool was €2,413,281.
Sources
1. Battle of Malta, "Tereza Vernerova Crowned 2026 Autumn Battle of Malta Main Event Champion (€162,630)," Nov. 5, 2026: https://battleofmalta.com/battle-of-malta-news/2026/11/tereza-verenova-crowned-2026-battle-of-malta-autumn-main-event-champion-e162630.html
2. PokerNews, "Tereza Vernerova Makes History with Battle of Malta Main Event Victory," Nov. 5, 2026: https://www.pokernews.com/news/2026/11/tereza-vernerova-makes-history-battle-of-malta-victory-52743.htm
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