Let’s be honest: Where would you rather be in January? Freezing your grind station off in Northern Europe, or sitting in the 5-star Portomaso Casino, peeling four (or five, or six) cards while the Mediterranean sun warms up the boardwalk outside?
Exactly.
After crushing it with massive fields in Tallinn, putting on a show in Malta, and wrapping up a wild stop in Prague in December 2025, the Diamond Poker Series is heading back to the island. From January 19–26, 2026, the PLO Grand Slam returns to St. Julians for the Portomaso Grand Opening Event.
If you’re a PLO tournament specialist or just a Hold’em refugee realizing two cards are boring, this is the must-play series of Q1 2026. We’re talking €1,000,000 guarantees, elite structures, and a “Play & Stay” offer that basically pays you to show up.
Here is everything you need to know about the PLO Grand Slam Malta 2026.
Do you want to sharpen your Pot Limit Omaha tournament strategy skills before the event? PLO Mastermind has released the new PLO course “Winning PLO Tournaments” together with the PLO crusher Christopher Frank:
Why This Stop Matters (Beyond the Sun)
The Diamond Poker Series has quickly cemented itself as the “Goldilocks” of the PLO circuit. It’s not the nosebleed-only Triton series, and it’s not the rake-trap low stakes. It hits that sweet spot where pros, ambitious grinders, and wealthy recreational players mix it up.
For this January stop, DPS is rolling out 7 Elite PLO Events. We aren’t just talking about standard Pot Limit Omaha. The schedule is packed with the variants that are actually dominating the cash game streets right now: 5-Card PLO, 6-Card PLO, Mystery Bounties, and even Bomb Pots.
The “Play & Stay” Value Bomb
Before we get to the schedule, let’s talk EV. DPS is offering a Play & Stay for Free deal that is frankly insane for anyone planning to play the majors.
If you register for Day 1 of the €10K Championship AND Day 1A of the €5K Million, you get:
- Free 5-Star Accommodation at the Hilton Malta.
- Coverage for the entire tournament period (Jan 19–26).
You are essentially getting thousands of euros in rakeback upfront just for playing the tournaments you were probably going to play anyway. If you are a mid-to-high stakes grinder, this is a no-brainer.
Pro Tip: To claim this, you need to lock in your registration for both flagship events. Contact the Diamond Poker Series team (Rasti +420 728 808 005 or Richi +420 725 543 607) asap, as rooms at the Hilton don’t last forever.
The Big Three: Marquee Events
The Live PLO series is built around three massive tournaments that will define your January bankroll.
1. The €10K Championship (€1M GTD)
- Buy-in: €10,000 + €300
- Guarantee: €1,000,000
- The Lowdown: This is the big one. Deep stacks, slow clock, and a field that usually softens up considerably by Day 2. If you want a shot at a seven-figure prize pool with a structure that actually lets you play postflop, this is it.
2. The €5K Million (€1M GTD)
- Buy-in: €5,000 + €200
- Guarantee: €1,000,000
- The Lowdown: Same guarantee as the 10K, half the buy-in. Expect a larger field and a lot more variance. This event often attracts the satellite qualifiers and aggressive shot-takers.
3. The €15K PKO High Roller (€300K GTD)
- Buy-in: €15,000 + €300
- Guarantee: €300,000
- The Lowdown: For those who want immediate blood. The Progressive Knockout format means aggression is rewarded instantly. We’ll talk strategy for this below, but expect chips to fly.
PLO Grand Slam Malta 2026 Schedule
Here is the full run of play. Clear your calendar.
| Date | Time | Tournament | Buy-In | Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.01 Mon | 15:00 | 15k PKO High Roller | €15,000 + €300 | €300,000 |
| 20.01 Tue | 12:00 | Sat for 10k Championship Day 1 | €1,500 + €150 | €30,900 |
| 20.01 Tue | 14:00 | 10k Championship – Day 1 | €10,000 + €300 | €1,000,000 |
| 21.01 Wed | 11:00 | Sat for 10k Championship Day 2 | €1,500 + €150 | €30,900 |
| 21.01 Wed | 14:00 | 10k Championship – Day 2 | — | — |
| 21.01 Wed | 20:00 | 3K PLO 5-Card Turbo | €3,000 + €300 | €100,000 |
| 22.01 Thu | 12:00 | Sat for 5k Million Day 1A | €520 + €50 | €15,600 |
| 22.01 Thu | 13:00 | 10k Championship – Final TV Table | — | — |
| 22.01 Thu | 15:00 | 5K Million – Day 1A | €5,000 + €200 | €1,000,000 |
| 23.01 Fri | 12:00 | Sat for 5k Million Day 1B | €520 + €50 | €15,600 |
| 23.01 Fri | 15:00 | 5K Million – Day 1B | €5,000 + €200 | €1,000,000 |
| 23.01 Fri | 20:00 | Sat for 5k Million Day 2 | €520 + €50 | €15,600 |
| 23.01 Fri | 22:00 | 2k PLO 6-Card Turbo | €2,000 + €200 | €50,000 |
| 24.01 Sat | 13:00 | 5K Million – Day 2 | — | — |
| 24.01 Sat | 19:00 | 5K Classic Bounty Day 1 | €5,000 + €200 | €200,000 |
| 25.01 Sun | 12:00 | 5K Million – Final TV Table | — | — |
| 25.01 Sun | 15:00 | 5K Classic Bounty Day 2 | — | — |
| 26.01 Mon | 14:00 | 2k 5-Card DB Bomb-Pot Turbo | €2,000 + €200 | €50,000 |
Don’t Miss the Early Bird
If you are punctual, there is free equity on the table.
- 10% Chip Bonus: Register and play from the very beginning.
- 5% Chip Bonus: Register and play during the 1st level. In a deep-stack PLO tournament, that extra 10% can easily be the difference between busting a set-over-set or surviving with a playable stack.
Tournament Strategy: Adjusting for the Grand Slam
Since you’re flying all the way to Malta, you might as well try to win. Here are a few quick strategic adjustments for the specific formats DPS is throwing at us.
1. The PKO High Roller (Jan 19)
In the €15K PKO, survival is secondary to bounties.
- Widen your calling ranges: When you cover someone, the pot odds change drastically. You should be calling lighter against short stacks than you would in a vanilla freezeout.
- Don’t over-fold: In PKO PLO, people jam wider to hunt bounties. Your “marginal” top two pair might actually be a snap-call here.
2. The 5-Card & 6-Card Turbos
These events (Jan 21, 23, 26) are fast and brutal.
- Preflop Equities Run Closer: In 5/6 card, the gap between “premium” and “trash” narrows, but the “nut advantage” becomes everything.
- Don’t slowplay: In a Turbo structure with 5 or 6 cards, giving a free card is suicide. If you have the nuts or a massive draw, shovel money into the pot. You do not have time to trap.
3. The Bomb Pot Event (Jan 26)
Double Board Bomb Pots are the ultimate variance fest.
- Split Pot Awareness: Remember, you are playing for half the pot on two boards. Don’t go broke chasing the nuts on one board if your hand is dead on the other. Scoopability is the name of the game.
Conclusion: See You at Portomaso?
The Diamond Poker Series has proven they know how to run a PLO festival. They strip away the nonsense, guarantee massive prize pools, and pick venues where you actually want to spend a week.
Whether you are chasing the €1M GTD in the Championship or just want to degen in the 6-Card Turbo, Malta in January is the place to be.
Next Steps:
- Book your flights.
- Contact Rasti or Richi to lock in that Play & Stay deal (seriously, don’t pay for a hotel if you don’t have to).
- Check your ranges. The field will be tough, but the value is undeniable.
We will see you at the tables.
Key Takeaways
- Dates: Jan 19–26, 2026 at Portomaso Casino, Malta.
- Main Events: €10K Championship (€1M GTD) & €5K Million (€1M GTD).
- Free Hotel: Play the €10K Day 1 + €5K Day 1A to get a free stay at the Hilton.
- Variety: Schedule includes PLO, PLO5, PLO6, PKO, and Bomb Pots.
- Bonuses: 10% extra chips for starting on time.
FAQs
You must register for Day 1 of the €10K Championship and Day 1A of the €5K Million. This covers your stay at the Hilton Malta for the whole series (Jan 19-26).
No. Unlimited re-entries are allowed during the registration period for all events.
The schedule features 4-Card PLO (Main Events), 5-Card PLO (Turbo & Bomb Pot), and 6-Card PLO (Turbo).
Yes. There are satellites running daily from Jan 20-23 for both the €10K and €5K events, with buy-ins starting around €520.
If you are seated and playing at the very start of the tournament, you get 10% more starting chips. If you join during Level 1, you get 5% more.
With over 12 years of Omaha Poker experience, Lebi is the Head of Content at PLO365. A dedicated PLO specialist, he bridges the gap between complex GTO theory and practical street poker. He leads our review team, stress-testing PLO solvers, HUDs, and training courses to ensure they meet the demands of the modern grinder. When he isn’t auditing poker room RNGs or writing strategy guides, you can find him grinding mid-stakes PLO cash games and Turbo MTTs.
