$5,300 Main Event Day 1b | 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party

05-09-2025 17:57 UTC+2

Alajmi Cracks Ubilava's Bullets

Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi can count himself a lucky man as he just managed to crack the bullets of Ilya Ubilava.

Both players had seen a flop of J♠7♥2♦ with around 175,000 in the middle and got the rest of the chips in, with Alajmi's stack of 232,000 at risk.

Abdullah Alajmi: 7♣6♠ All in
Ilya Ubilava: A♥A♦

Alajmi was way behind but went way in front when the 6♥ dropped on the turn, improving him to two pair. Ubilava still had outs but the 3♥ river bricked out, meaning he had to cough up the chips and send them Alajmi's way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	650,000
Ilya Ubilava	450,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Ilya Ubilava

05-09-2025 17:46 UTC+2

Weber Rivers Two Pair

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Tim Baker

Level 9 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

With the board showing K♠10♦6♠4♦, Helma Weber checked from early position and faced a bet of 55,000 from Kevin Houghton on the button. After a few moments, Weber made the call.

The A♣ landed on the river and both players checked. Weber tabled A♠10♣ for a rivered two pair, and all Houghton could do was muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Helma Weber	800,000 800,000	800,000
Kevin Houghton	400,000 400,000	400,000

Tags: Helma Weber Kevin Houghton

05-09-2025 17:44 UTC+2

Kukhtarev Turns His Attention to Main Event

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Dmitry Kukhtarev, who is fresh off a 12th-place finish in the $2,200 Grand Final, is now running up a stack in the Main Event!

Halil Tasyurek made it 24,000 to go from the hijack and Kukhtarev called from the big blind to see a flop of J♣4♠Q♣, where he check-called a bet of 12,000 from Tasyurek.

A 2♣ fell on the turn and after Kukhtarev checked, Tasyurek put out a bet of 25,000. Kukhtarev needed some extra time to decide how to proceed, but did eventually fold. However, not much damage was done to his stack as he has around 800,000 in front of him.

Dmitrii Kopyl, who won the Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up, is on the same table and has around 250,000 to play with.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Kukhtarev	800,000
Dmitrii Kopyl	350,000
Halil Tasyurek	250,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Dmitrii Kopyl Dmitry Kukhtarev Halil Tasyurek

05-09-2025 17:35 UTC+2

Late Registration Nears Close as Day 1b Hits Nearly 350 Entries

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

The field for Day 1b of the $5,300 Main Event has climbed to 347 entries as Level 9 gets underway inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. With 213 players still in their seats, late registration remains open until the end of Level 10, giving latecomers one final chance to jump in.

Combined with yesterday’s opening flight, the total entry count has reached 574, putting the event firmly on track to challenge last year’s 1,260-entry mark with three more Day 1 flights still to come—including two turbos.

Level: 9

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 12,000

05-09-2025 17:14 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Players are being sent on a 20-minute break.

05-09-2025 17:13 UTC+2

Reaubourg Loses a Flip to Bust

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Tim Baker

Level 8 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Quentin Reaubourg and Naji Tannoury just got all of their chips into the middle preflop with Reaubourg being the one at risk of elimination.

Quentin Reaubourg: A♦Q♦ All in
Naji Tannoury: J♣J♦

It was a flip that Reaubourg needed to win to remain in the tournament. The dealer spread out a flop of 6♦8♣4♠, which kept Tannoury in the lead. The rest of the board came 9♣3♠ , keeping Tannoury's pocket jacks ahead the whole time, and Reaubourg was out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Naji Tannoury	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Quentin Reaubourg	Busted

Tags: Naji Tannoury Quentin Reaubourg

05-09-2025 17:04 UTC+2

Kudzmanas Can't Spin Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Marius Kudzmanas' stack had dwindled down to just a few big blinds and he had them in the middle looking to spin up a stack, with Aziz Efe wanted to score a knockout.

Marius Kudzmanas: 7♦3♦ All in
Aziz Efe: K♥J♥

Kudzmanas was live and did catch a piece of the J♠3♥9♠ flop, but Efe had hit top pair. No help arrived for Kudzmanas on the 6♣4♦ runout, and he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aziz Efe	400,000 100,000	100,000
Marius Kudzmanas	Busted

Tags: Aziz Efe Marius Kudzmanas

05-09-2025 17:00 UTC+2

Ju Fires Every Street

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Tim Baker

Level 8 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Heads-up to a flop of 2♥6♥8♠. Samuel Ju bet 25,000 from early position and was called by the button.

The turn came the 4♣ and Ju carved out a second bet, this time for 60,000. The button once again called.

When the Q♣ appeared on the river, Ju did some inventory and then shoved for around 140,000. The button folded relatively quickly and Ju pulled in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Samuel Ju	350,000 350,000	350,000

Tags: Samuel Ju

05-09-2025 16:54 UTC+2

Da Silva Joins Seven-Figure Club

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Chris Da Silva has just joined the seven-figure stack club after taking down a pot just moments ago.

The hand started with Mikalai Nikanovich opening to 20,000 from middle position and Paul Esau called in the cutoff. Da Silva was on the button and squeezed to 75,000, which only Nikanovich called.

The pair watched the 6♥7♠4♥ flop hit the felt and after Nikanovich checked, Da Silva continued with a bet of 55,000. Nikanovich called.

A 9♣ was put out on the turn and again Nikanovich checked, and again Da Silva bet, The size this time was for 155,000 and Nikanovich had to use some extra time while he decided how to proceed. With around 500,000 behind, he eventually decided to fold, and Da Silva's stack grew to a million!

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Da Silva	1,000,000 550,000	550,000
Mikalai Nikanovich	500,000 150,000	150,000
Paul Esau	350,000

Tags: Chris Da Silva Mikalai Nikanovich Paul Esau