Merit Poker Western Smashes Guarantee by Over $1,000,000
The first poker series of 2020, Merit Poker Western hosted by the luxurious five-star Merit Crystal Cove Casino and Resort in Kyrenia, North Cyprus on January 8-20 was a huge success with $3,650,385 distributed in prize pool payouts, thus exceeding the guarantee by over $1,000,000!
The festival boasted over $2,500,000 guaranteed prize pool and featured over 39 different events, including a $2,200 Main Event #1 ($500,000 GTD), $5,000 Main Event #2 ($1,000,000 GTD), $5,000 High Roller ($250,000 GTD), and $800 Merit Cup ($125,000 GTD).
In addition to first-place prize money, the top three finishers in both Main Events and the High Roller won tickets to the Winners’ Championship. The Winners' Championship is a $200,000 guaranteed tournament to be held in December 2020. Each seat is worth $5,000.
“Merit Poker Western series has become a tremendous start to the new poker year 2020, and we hope that our guests enjoyed every moment of their experience,” said Songul Bekem, President of Merit Poker. “Our sincere congratulations to all the winners for their achievements and well-deserved success!"
Merit Poker Western Results
| Event | Guarantee | Entries | Prizepool | Winner | Country | Payout (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,200 Main Event #1 | $500,000 | 468 | $861,120 | Gabi Livshitz | Israel | $171,370 + Winners Championship Ticket ($5,000) |
| $5,000 High Roller | $250,000 | 106 | $458,345 | Danut Florin Chisu | Romania | $127,830 + Winners Championship Ticket ($5,000) |
| $5,000 Main Event #2 | $1,000,000 GTD | 257 | $1,097,268 | Giorgii Shkulukhiia | Georgia | $220,643 + Winners Championship Ticket ($5,000) |
| $800 Merit Cup | $125,000 | 193 | $129,619 | John Adel Fouad Basta | Egypt | $31,719 |
| $1,100 Mix Max | $80,000 | 164 | $150,880 | Andrey Zaichenko | Russia | $36,915 |
A new year brings new expectations and goals for any tour, and various challenges too. Merit Poker have many exciting projects lined up for 2020. This year they will look to expand their boundaries, and in February they head to the beautiful Merit Casino Royal Splendid in Montenegro for the Merit Poker International €777,000 GTD series from February 12 through 19, featuring a €1,370 + €130 Main Event, €400,000 GTD. This is the first poker festival Merit will ever hold outside of Northern Cyprus where they are based.
"The Merit Poker team is very excited about this new location," said Songul Bekem, "The Gangsters' concept is the best match for the Merit Casino Royal Splendid. Beautiful and classy gangster-style costumes from 1920-30s will perfectly fit the ambience in which one of the most famous "James Bond 007" episodes was filmed, to create an incredibly entertaining atmosphere in the poker room."
Sponsor-generated content by Merit Poker
Pictures: Merit Poker
