Merit Poker Returns to Montenegro From Jan. 13; €1M Expected in Prize Pools

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Dec 17, 2025 4 min read

Merit Poker is best known for its prestigious Cyprus-based events, but this January, Merit Poker heads to the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva, Montenegro, for the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship.

Running from January 13-25, the Montenegro Championship is the first Merit Poker series of the New Year, and it is expected to award €1 million across its busy schedule. An estimated €950,000 should be paid out across the festival's trio of flagship events: the €1,650 Main Event, €2,750 High Roller, and €880 Merit Poker Cup. You can follow live and exclusive updates from those tournaments via the PokerNews live reporting pages.

PokerNews to Cover Trio Of Huge Merit Poker Montenegro Championship Events

Your first chance to follow some Merit Poker Montenegro Championships coverage at PokerNews is January 14, when the €880 No-Limit Hold'em Merit Poker Cup shuffles up and deals. It runs until January 18 and is widely expected to see a €250,000 prize pool.

Our coverage of the €2,750 High Roller runs January 17-19. When this event last ran in February 2022, Polish star Jakub Michalak came out on top of an 88-strong field and banked €60,720 of the €202,400 prize pool.

January 19-25 are the dates for the €1,650 Main Event, the festival's showpiece event. Lebanon's George Hannas is the reigning champion, having topped a 401 field in February 2022. Amazingly, Hannas won the previous edition of this event in 2020; can he complete the most impressive of hat tricks in 2026?

Merit Poker Montenegro Championship Schedule

Expand the table below to see the full 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship schedule.

Around-the-Clock Cash Games

Superb tournaments aside, Merit Poker festivals and series are renowned for their cash game offerings. No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha cash games will run around the clock throughout the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship, starting at €2/€5 and increasing all the way to unlimited buy-in €50/€100 games!

Available No-Limit Hold'em Cash Games

Available Pot-Limit Omaha Cash Games

Special Offers at the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

Those planning on seriously grinding at the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship can play their way to heavily discounted or even free accommodation.

Players who spend €7,500 in total buy-ins and re-entries can receive 50% off a 13-night stay in the Spendid Hotel, meaning your stay only costs €845. Up those buy-ins and re-entries to €10,000 or more, and your 13-day stay is on the house!

Cash game players can also save a significant amount on accommodation. Play six or more hours at €5/€10 each day, and you'll receive a free room.

Past Merit Poker Montenegro Results

Merit Poker was last in Montenegro in February 2022, and more than €1.1 million was won across nine events. As previously mentioned, Georges Hannas triumphed in the €1,650 Main Event, a result worth €116,240. Hannes won the same event two years early, taking home €80,983 following a heads-up deal with fellow Lebanese grinder Bassel Moussa.

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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• Tags Bassel Moussa Georges Hannas Jakub Michalak Omaha Merit Poker
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• Related Players Jakub MichalakBassel Moussa