$2,200 Luxon Pay Grand Final Day 1a | 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party

05-05-2025 15:23 UTC+2

Jorstad Takes His Seat

Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Espen Jorstad, the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event champion, has just taken his seat in Day 1a of the $2,200 Luxon Pay Grand Final at the Mediterranean Poker Party. Jorstad made history by becoming the first Norwegian player to win the WSOP Main Event, earning a $10 million prize after topping a field of 8,663 players .

Since his landmark victory, Jorstad has continued to build on his impressive resume, amassing over $18 million in live tournament earnings, which places him at the top of Norway's all-time money list . His presence here in Cyprus adds a significant level of prestige to the event, and all eyes will be on him as he begins his campaign in the Grand Final.

Player	Chips	Progress
Espen Jorstad	200,000

Tags: Espen Jorstad

05-05-2025 15:07 UTC+2

Tsouloftas' Pair Holds Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Georgios Tsouloftas just stacked his table neighbor to bring his stack north of 300,000.

The action was picked up on the flop of 4♣2♥J♥ with Pavel Tomashchuk committing his stack of over 100,000 to the pot, and being put at risk by by Tsouloftas.

Pavel Tomashchuk: A♥3♥ All in
Georgios Tsouloftas: 6♥4♥

Both had flush draws but it was the pair of Tsouloftas that gave him the big advantage going to the turn and river. The turn was red, but the Q♦ was the wrong suit for Tomashchuk, who had just one chance left to improve.

Though he did improve on the 3♣ river, his pair of threes weren't enough to keep him alive, leaving him on the rail and giving Tsouloftas the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgios Tsouloftas	325,000 75,000	75,000
Pavel Tomashchuk	Busted

Tags: Georgios Tsouloftas Pavel Tomashchuk

05-05-2025 14:58 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Carmen Zainescu	900,000 725,000	725,000
Maxime Chilaud	275,000 75,000	75,000
Niall Farrell	240,000 10,000	10,000

Mikhail Zavoloka	200,000
Michel Molenaar	200,000
Cedric Schwaederle	160,000 10,000	10,000
Dai Ishibashi	110,000 10,000	10,000
Ehsan Amiri	100,000 325,000	325,000

Level: 8

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

05-05-2025 14:55 UTC+2

Hirs Left With Fumes

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Aliaksandr Hirs is down to his last few big blinds after a failed bluff attempt.

Hirs raised from middle position and got a call from the big blind. The flop came 6♥Q♦5♥ and the big blind check-called a bet of 7,000 from Hirs to the 4♣ turn, where both checked.

A K♥ completed the board and when the action got to Hirs, he bet 16,000. The big blind called.

Hirs then revealed A♦9♠ for just ace-high, and lost to the Q♣8♦ of the big blind.

On another table, Kirill Burtin just busted and was seen exiting the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	25,000 75,000	75,000
Kirill Burtin	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Kirill Burtin

05-05-2025 14:50 UTC+2

Menhardt Spikes the River to Bust Gabdullin

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

The action was caught on a flop of Q♦7♦8♥ with Damir Gabdullin committing the last of his 80,000-chip stack and Julian Menhardt putting him at risk.

Damir Gabdullin: A♠A♥ All in
Julian Menhardt: K♠Q♠

Gabdullin was well in the lead with his rockets and was one card closer to a double-up when the 2♣ hit the turn. However, a K♣ on the river changed everything as Menhardt made two pair, leaving Gabdullin on the sidelines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julian Menhardt	240,000
Damir Gabdullin	Busted

Tags: Damir Gabdullin Julian Menhardt

05-05-2025 14:33 UTC+2

Burtin Loses Most of His Stack

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Kirill Burtin wasn't a happy man after having to send the bulk of his stack over in Dan Borlan's direction.

The complete action was missed but on a board of 9♣5♣J♠9♠5♦, Borlan had all of his stack in the middle by the time the river card hit. Burtin stuck around and may have thought his hand was best when he tabled trips with A♠9♥. However, Borlan turned a full house with J♦9♦ to earn himself a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dan Borlan	375,000 175,000	175,000
Kirill Burtin	30,000

Tags: Dan Borlan Kirill Burtin

Level: 7

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 5,000

05-05-2025 14:20 UTC+2

Another For Kirichenko

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Daniel Vellender made it 11,000 to go from middle position and got called by Tobias Peters in the cutoff, the button, and Aleksandr Kirichenko in the big blind.

All four checked the K♦3♦9♣ flop to the 5♠ turn, where Kirichenko led out for 11,500. One by one, all of his opponents folded, allowing Kirichenko to take down another pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tobias Peters	275,000 25,000	25,000

Daniel Vellender	260,000 40,000	40,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	170,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Daniel Vellender Tobias Peters

05-05-2025 14:08 UTC+2

Kirichenko Gets One Through

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko had lost the bulk of his 200,000-chip starting stack but managed to get some back in a hand against Daniel Vellender.

The board read 7♠9♣2♥2♦ and with around 25,000 in the middle, both players put in 20,000 to see the J♣ hit the river. Kirichenko was first to act and led with a shove for 64,000 Vellender then used some time to think it over but eventually decided to fold, allowing Kirichenko to grow his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Vellender	300,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	130,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Daniel Vellender