Dudakov Wins Second Hendon Mob

A First in Hendon Mob Championship History

Estonian player Dmitri Dudakov has become the first two-time champion of The Hendon Mob Championship (THMC). He secured the milestone at The Festival Malta, outlasting a field of 456 entries and collecting €15,470 along with the trophy.

Dudakov had already won the same event earlier this year during The Festival's stop in Rozvadov. Before this result, no player had managed to win two THMC titles, making the Estonian the first to do so.

How the Tournament Played Out

The THMC event carried a €250 buy-in and drew 456 entries across three starting flights, generating a prize pool of €95,304. Sixty-seven players advanced to the final day, and Dudakov began that session as the chip leader.

He stayed among the leaders throughout the final day, though he faced a serious challenge at the final table from Danish player Christian Clemens, who held the largest stack at that stage. Dudakov gradually took control of the tournament and reached heads-up play against Germany's Alkan Aydingoz, known in poker circles as "Spielomeister," holding close to a 2-to-1 chip advantage.

Spielomeister briefly seized the lead after a bold all-in with a low flush draw, but Dudakov recovered the chips he had lost. In the decisive hand, the German player moved all-in with Qd Th and Dudakov called with As 7d. The board ran out 5h 4d 3d 8s 4h, leaving the outcome unchanged and allowing the Estonian to celebrate his historic second title.

Along with the €15,470 first prize, Dudakov received the THMC trophy, The Festival trophy, and a €1,800 package for the next Hendon Mob Championship.

Final Table Results

• 1. Dmitri Dudakov, Estonia — €15,470
• 2. Alkan "Spielomeister" Aydingoz, Germany — €11,400
• 3. Christian Clemens, Denmark — €8,530
• 4. Lars Jensen, Denmark — €6,540
• 5. Joel Fritz, Sweden — €5,020
• 6. Henrik Kosonen, Finland — €4,010
• 7. Lin Chen, China — €3,100
• 8. Joakim Olin, Sweden — €2,309
• 9. Dzianis Dubina, Poland — €1,900

The Festival Malta Main Event Off to a Strong Start

The €550 Main Event at The Festival Malta 2026 is already producing notable numbers. The first two starting flights attracted a combined 252 entries, with players still having three more opportunities to advance.

For context, last year's Main Event recorded 766 entries, while the 2024 edition drew 666. The current pace suggests the tournament could once again challenge for record participation.

Day 1B alone brought in 165 entries, with 21 players securing a place in Saturday's Day 2. The clear chip leader of that flight was Danish player Andreas Mai with a stack of 1,250,000 chips. Alessandro Siena bagged 870,000, and Estonian Argo Garamaga finished with 865,000.

Satellites have also drawn heavy interest. One satellite originally guaranteed just three Main Event tickets, but due to high attendance, 16 tickets were ultimately awarded. Organizers also report an exceptionally high number of online qualifiers traveling to Malta this year.

Complete results, photos, and updated news from the Portomaso Casino are available through the official live blog of The Festival Malta. A photo gallery from the event was captured by event photographer Mairo Toom.

Why the Double Matters

Winning a single Hendon Mob Championship is already a meaningful result on the international mid-stakes circuit, but doing it twice places a player in a category of their own. The THMC has become a regular feature of The Festival's stops, and repeat success across different venues — Rozvadov and Malta in this case — reflects consistency rather than a single hot run.

For players following the tour, the result also highlights how the €250 buy-in level continues to attract large fields and produce five-figure paydays. With the Main Event still underway and more starting flights to come, The Festival Malta is shaping up as one of the busier stops on the calendar this year.