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$3,500 Merit Poker Cup
Day 2 Completed
2026 Mediterranean Poker Party
$3,500 Merit Poker Cup
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 Mediterranean Poker Party
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$1,270,720
Total Entries
418
Places Paid
63
Level
30
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
63
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 418
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Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The prestigious $3,500 Merit Poker Cup has reached a conclusion with Boris Smuskevicius claiming his biggest-ever live score of $217,000 at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
His previous biggest score was $39,800 at the Aria Las Vegas in 2023. Smuskevicius smashed that figure and was cheered on by a supportive rail to finally tick off winning a big one
The larger-than-life character from Lithuania bulldozed his opponents on the final table, but did have some luck along the way!
The biggest turning point of the session was when Smuskevicius got it all in with pocket jacks and ran into Mehmet Dalkilic's pocket queens for a quarter of the chips in play. A jack on the turn gave Smuskevicius a set, and he gave the table a massive thud in celebration. This proved to be the catalyst on the journey to securing the win.
An ICM deal was made at three-handed with Ekrem Sanioglu and Joseph Mouawad, but despite this, Smuskevicius took home only $3,000 less than the advertised prize of $220,000.
Smuskevicius then closed out the victory in style by making quad-queens against second-place Sanioglu to get his hands on the Merit Poker Cup.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boris Smuskevicius | Lithuania | $217,000* |
| 2 | Ekrem Sanioglu | France | $118,000* |
| 3 | Joseph Mouawad | Lebanon | $124,000* |
| 4 | Vyacheslav Kardash | Russian Federation | $74,000 |
| 5 | Darko Svesko | Serbia | $58,000 |
| 6 | Espen Sandvik | Norway | $46,000 |
| 7 | Mehmet Dalkilic | Turkey | $37,000 |
| 8 | Aleksanras Rusinovas | Lithuania | $29,000 |
| 9 | Viktor Iarilov | Russian Federation | $22,520 |
*denotes ICM Deal
Winner's Reaction
Shortly after winning the tournament, Boris Smuskevicius spoke to PokerNews and was asked how he was feeling after winning his biggest-ever recorded prize. "At the moment very tired, I think I will enjoy everything tomorrow! But I am very happy; it was a nice tournament, with a lot of hard work, a lot of happiness, and a lot of bluffing. The structure was perfect. I have been coming to Merit for ten years and may have missed one series."
PokerNews asked what makes him keep coming back to the Merit Resort for tournaments and where he learned the game. "It is a good card room, great staff, great tournaments, great food and a peaceful, wonderful five-star hotel."
"I learned the game at the Olympic Casino in Lithuania twenty years ago, playing tournaments, home games and cash games, also in Berlin and getting the ice-breaker to Tallinn. I don't play much in Lithuania now; I won everything that Olympic Casino offered and looked to bigger challenges."
Smuskevicius then wanted to pay tribute to his close ones: "I am very thankful to my family because they always believed in me, and also my friends who supported me, they believed I could hit a big one and it has took a lot of work."
Day 2 Action
A total of 63 players returned for Day 2, and the action was fast and furious through the whole day. Within the first two hours, there were 24 eliminations, with the majority coming from sub-ten big blind stacks. Among the early casualties were Eugene Katchalov, Turkish crusher Selahaddin Bedir, and Adrian State.
Only one female managed to make it to Day 2, and that was Chenxu Zhang, who had a solid day finishing in 10th place. The Chinese startlet played with great exuberance all day and is certainly a player to watch.
Mehmet Dalkilic eliminated Zhang after she ran her pocket tens into his king-queen. A king on the flop gave the Turk a better pair and denied Zhang a place on the final table.
The standout performer of the day was Serbian Darko Svesko, who was among the top stacks for most of the day. Svesko's mix of aggression and having the right hands at the right time was the perfect formula to knock out several players and amass the biggest stack going into the final table.
Unfortunately, he couldn't carry that momentum on to the final table and fizzled out in 5th place after Joseph Mouawad flopped a wheel to beat his pair of sixes.
Speaking of Mouawad, his journey was one of the day's stories. The Lebanese player delivered a masterclass in short-stack play and seemed to double up at the right times throughout the day.
But the day belonged to Lithuanian Smuskevicius, who hinted that, with the boost to the bankroll, he may take a shot at the Triton One events, which will be held at Crystal Cove's sister property Merit Diamond in November.
That concludes today's coverage of the Merit Poker Cup. Stick with PokerNews for further coverage of the Mediterranean Poker Party, including the MPP Main Event, which kicks off on Wednesday, September 23rd at 1 p.m. local time.
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Ekrem Sanioglu moved all in for 10,500,000 from the small blind and was called by Boris Smuskevicius.
Ekrem Sanioglu: K♦6♥ 
Boris Smuskevicius: A♥Q♠
Sanioglu was behind, and he had no chance of coming back as the Lithuanian made quads by the turn on the board of Q♣Q♦10♦Q♥6♠ to win the Merit Poker Cup. Sanioglu was gracious in defeat and secured a six-figure payday.
* denotes ICM Deal
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Ekrem Sanioglu bet 215,000 from the small blind and Joseph Mouawad shoved from the big blind for 7,000,000. Sanioglu shrugged his shoulders and made the call.
Joseph Mouawad: A♣2♥
Ekrem Sanioglu:K♣9♣
Mouawad was ahead, but the Lebanese veteran was knocked out after Sanioglu spiked a king on the turn on the 10♠5♥3♥K♠6♥ runout to give Sanioglu the pot.
* denotes ICM Deal
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
A deal has been agreed between the three players to an ICM chop. As per the festival's rules, 10% of the prize pool will be retained for the the eventual winner which works out to $46,000.
| Player | Country | Chips | ICM Share |
| Boris Smuskevicius | Lithuania | 24,000,000 | $171,000 |
| Joseph Mouawad | Lebanon | 9,400,000 | $124,000 |
| Ekrem Sanioglu | France | 6,700,000 | $118,000 |
Now that the deal is in place, play will now continue until a champion is crowned where they will win an additional $46,000 and the prestigious Merit Poker Cup
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The three remaining players are discussing an ICM deal. As soon as the information is available, it will be broadcasted right away!
Level 30
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Boris Smuskevicius bet 1,200,000 from the cut off. Vyacheslav Kardash moved all in for 3,300,000 from the big blind. The chip leader made the call.
Vyacheslav Kardash: A♥8♠
Boris Smuskevicius: A♣10♠
Kardash was dominated, but it looked like he was going to get a chop after the turn with the board reading A♦J♥5♦5♣, but the 10♣ river was a dagger to the heart to the Russian, and Smuskevicius now possesses two thirds of the chips in play.
Level: 30
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Level 29
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
The four remaining players are on a break for 15 minutes.
Level 29
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Joseph Mouawad shoved from the small blind for 4,425,000. Darko Svesko made the call from the big blind, which left him with only 175,000 behind.
Joseph Mouawad: A♠5♣
Darko Svesko: 6♦6♠
Svesko was ahead, but Mouawad drilled the wheel on a 4♠3♥2♦ flop. Svesko needed one of the three remaining fives to make a better straight. But it didn't come as the board paired with Q♦Q♥ completing the board.
The very next hand Ekrem Sanioglu limped from the cutoff. Svesko was forced all in from the small blind for 175,000. Vyacheslav Kardash checked in the big blind.
The two active players checked down to showdown on the board of A♠10♣7♠K♦10♦. Svesko was playing the board with 6♠3♦, Kardash had Q♥8♣, but Sanioglu had K♣8♥ and won the pot with two pair. The start of the final table chip leader Svesko finished in 5th place.