Record-Breaking Battle of Malta 2025 Marred by Collusion Allegations

The Battle of Malta 2025 Main Event, Autumn Edition, shattered records this year, drawing more than 6,000 entries and generating a prize pool of approximately €2.7 million, the largest in the event’s history and one of the biggest live tournaments ever held in Europe. But soon after the confetti fell, the celebration turned to controversy, as multiple players began questioning the integrity of the final table.

Leonardo Romeo, who finished fourth in the Main Event, took to Facebook, in a popular group called Malta Poker Fish, to voice serious concerns about what he called “irregular and rigged” play during the final table. Romeo said he analyzed footage, spoke with other players, and found “absurd hands” suggesting potential collusion between certain finalists.

“I’m more and more convinced that the final table was irregular,” he wrote, calling the situation “the darkest chapter in the history of poker in Italy.”

Romeo added that after contacting Casino Malta and the tournament’s management for clarification, he received either “puzzling” answers or no response at all. He said the casino’s official position was that irregularity could only be proven if a player folded “the nuts or second nuts”, a remark he dismissed as “devoid of any technical logic.”

Romeo highlighted two key hands involving eventual runner-up Andrea “Sheva” Shehadeh and chip leader Candido Cappiello.

With eight players remaining and blinds at 250,000/500,000, Shehadeh opened from the button with Q♥5♥ holding 11 big blinds. Cappiello defended his big blind with J♦2♦.

The flop came J♥3♠7♠. Shehadeh bet 1 million (2 BB), and Cappiello called. Both checked the 10♥ turn. On the 4♦ river, Shehadeh fired nearly a pot-sized bet, around 6 BB, and Cappiello folded top pair.

The hand, visible around the 43rd minute of the final table broadcast, was a turning point. Had the bluff failed, Shehadeh would have been nearly eliminated; instead, he doubled his stack and gained momentum.

Later, with blinds higher, Shehadeh open-shoved 14-15 big blinds from the button holding 4♦4♣. Cappiello again held the chip lead and found A♠J♦ in the big blind but decided to fold. This second hand can be viewed around the 2:29 mark in the video.

The two eventually reached heads-up play, quickly agreed to a deal for the top two prizes, and posed together in the winner’s photo.

Romeo accused both Cappiello and Shehadeh - possibly alongside others - of chip dumping and coordinated play that “scientifically falsified the final result.” He claimed that a player who should have finished eighth (€28,000 payout) walked away with €180,000 instead.

He alleged that multiple players, including Giuseppe Ciancio, Rafał Lubczy, and Davis Modans, privately reported irregularities during the event but said the tournament director “didn’t intervene.”

Romeo demanded that the title be reassigned to Ciancio, that the accused players receive lifetime bans from the Italian and Maltese poker circuits, and that the tournament organizers issue formal apologies.

The Italian poker community has since erupted with discussion. Some commenters backed Romeo’s claims, calling the hands “dirty” or “devoid of logic,” while others argued that unconventional ICM-based strategies could explain the plays.

One user wrote: “It’s not new that in Malta Italian players are colluding… but you need proof as well. With ICM, standard play often deviates.” Another commenter urged Romeo to let it go, saying, “You won’t get any apologies or bans. Move on.”

Still, Romeo remains firm, calling the situation “only the tip of the iceberg.” He suggested that an “organized system” could be operating within parts of the live poker scene, giving “huge advantages to a few, at the expense of fairness and credibility.”

As of now, neither Casino Malta nor the Battle of Malta organizers have issued an official statement regarding the allegations. Romeo ended his post by urging transparency:

The controversy continues to divide opinion, leaving what was supposed to be Malta’s proudest poker moment under a cloud of suspicion.

Disclaimer: This article is a factual summary of discussions and statements made publicly on Facebook by players involved in the Battle of Malta 2025 Main Event. We are not taking any position or making any judgment regarding the allegations presented. The content reflects claims and opinions expressed by participants and members of the poker community, not verified findings.

We have not reached out to Casino Malta or the Battle of Malta organizers for comment or clarification. It’s worth noting that in poker, perceived irregularities can sometimes stem from variance, unconventional strategy, or emotional reactions to key hands rather than actual wrongdoing. 

While the hands in question have sparked legitimate debate, we remain neutral and simply report the conversation as it unfolded online.