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$5,300 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2025 Mediterranean Poker Party
$5,300 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2025 Mediterranean Poker Party
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$5,740,800
Total Entries
1,196
Level
34
Blinds
2,000,000 / 4,000,000
Ante
4,000,000
Entries
355
Players Left
86
Players Left 1 / 1,196
Filter
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
A total of 355 entries were recorded on Day 1b of the $5,300 Main Event of the 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party, all looking for a spot in Day 2 at the Merit Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. After twelve levels of poker, 86 players survived the day’s grind, securing their place in the next stage of the tournament.
Ending as one of the chip leaders for the flight and the only player to bag a stack over the three-million mark was Russia’s Viktor Mukhin, with 3,060,000. Following behind is Artsiom Lasouski of Belarus, who finished with 2,780,000. A significant portion of Lasouski’s stack was gained in the final level of the day, where his pocket jacks held up against Naji Tannoury’s top pair top kicker.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dmitry Kataev | Russian Federation | 3,400,000 | 113 |
| 2 | Viktor Mukhin | Russian Federation | 3,060,000 | 102 |
| 3 | Iurii Okolovich | Russian Federation | 2,945,000 | 98 |
| 4 | Aleksandr Blokhin | Russian Federation | 2,825,000 | 94 |
| 5 | Anatoly Zlotnikov | Russian Federation | 2,785,000 | 93 |
| 6 | Artsiom Lasouski | Belarus | 2,780,000 | 93 |
| 7 | Roman Timergazin | Russian Federation | 2,360,000 | 79 |
| 8 | Amir Hassan | Tunisia | 2,240,000 | 75 |
| 9 | Cristian Ciurea | Romania | 2,200,000 | 73 |
| 10 | Viacheslav Larin | Russian Federation | 2,135,000 | 71 |
Also near the top is Anatoliy Zlotnikov with a stack of approximately 2,700,000. Iran’s Hadi Khordbin also made it into the top ten. Khordbin found himself at risk in the first level of the day, holding a set of sevens against Anton Vinkurov’s pocket kings. However, clean turn and river cards allowed Khordbin to double up almost immediately after sitting down to play the Main Event.
Some of the other notables to have survived today include Chris Da Silva with around 1,800,000 chips, Tommy G, and the Merit Poker Carmen Series Main Event champion Nenad Dukic. A few others also returning to the baize on Sunday are Dmitrii Kopyl, Roman Stoika, Mihai Niste, and bracelet winner Daniel Smiljkovic.
Tomorrow at noon, Day 1c, the third of the five opening flights, will see arrivals look to make their mark in the Main Event. Day 1c will follow the same structure as the previous two flights, while Days 1d and 1e will feature a turbo format with 20-minute blind levels. Survivors from all opening flights will return on Sunday, May 11, for Day 2.
Remaining Main Event Schedule
| Day | Date | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1c | May 10 | 12:00 p.m. | 40 minutes (10 levels) + 50 minutes (2 levels) |
| Day 1d | May 10 | 9:00 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| Day 1e | May 11 | 12:00 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| Day 2 | May 11 | 6:00 p.m. | 50 minutes |
| Day 3 | May 12 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| Final Day | May 13 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Stay tuned to PokerNews tomorrow, as we bring you all the action, drama, excitement, and huge hands from the third day of the $5,300 Main Event here inside the Merit Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Day 1b has come to an end and the surviving players are now bagging up their chips.
Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Sergei Efimov min-raised to 50,000 under the gun, with Raul Martinez Gallego calling from the hijack. The button squeezed all in for 485,000, and only Efimov made the call.
Button: A♦8♦ 
Sergei Efimov: 9♣9♦
Efimov was ahead with pocket nines and moved even further ahead on the 9♥J♦Q♥ flop as he improved to a set. The 6♥ turn gave the button some outs, but the J♥ river wasn't one of them as Efimov filled up.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
There was a raise from the hijack to 50,000 and Dmitry Kukhtarev called from the small blind. Dmitrii Kopyl also called in the big blind.
They went to a flop of 8♣7♠4♥ where Kukhtarev led out, Kopyl raised to 130,000, the hijack folded, and Kukhtarev called.
A 6♦ on the turn went check-check to the 10♠ river, where Kukhtarev shoved for 530,000. Kopyl didn't need to think for too long before he folded.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
The floor have announced that four more hands will be played before the players bag up for the evening.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Ali Zebarjad and Espen Oye are having a whale of a time on their table and have just clashed again.
The action was picked up on a flop of Q♠7♥8♠ and with 365,000 in the middle, Zebarjad jammed for 945,000.
"YOU'RE JAMMING?" exclaimed Oye in total shock. "I have an eight and I really want to call this,".
"There is no way he's jamming this hand, 945,000 into 365,000. NO WAY," he added.
Oye kept thinking out loud and seemed like he wanted to call. "Really, I swear I have an eight,".
"You know what, I think you're so damaged that you think I'm going to call. I fold," he finished with as he tossed his cards into the muck.
Zebarjad didn't show but just pulled in the pot as he returned his cards face down.
"This is the craziest hand I've ever played in my life. He three X jams pot on the flop. No way," were Oye's closing words.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Heads-up to the turn on a board of K♦10♣4♠5♠. With roughly 145,000 in the middle, Joan Crespi bet 65,000 from the big blind and Tom-Aksel Bedell called from middle position.
The river came the 2♣ and Crespi continued with a bet of 200,000. Bedell didn't take long to release his cards, surrendering the pot to Crespi.
Level 12
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Naji Tannoury made it 55,000 from under the gun before Artisom Lasouski three-bet to 150,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Tannoury, he called to see a flop.
Tannoury knuckled the table upon seeing the 7♦8♥2♥ flop, and Lasouski bet 100,000. Tannoury quickly check-jammed for 500,000 and Tannoury instantly called.
Naji Tannoury: A♠8♠
Artisom Lasouski: J♥J♦
Lasouski was ahead with two jacks and just needed to avoid an ace or an eight to bust Tannoury. The rest of the board came 2♣9♣ and Tannoury hit the rail.
