Oleg Semionov Tops Day 1a of $10,400 Merit Millions Event
Day 1a of the $10,400 Merit Millions Event, part of the 2025 Merit Poker Classic Millions, unfolded today at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, with a $1,000,000 guaranteed first-place prize. The event attracted a talented field of 67 entries, all vying for a spot at the final table as only nine players will be paid in this special event. After eight 40-minute levels of action, 34 players managed to bag up their chips and secure a spot on Day 2, continuing their quest for the seven-figure top prize.
Oleg Semionov leads the pack with an impressive stack of 7,380,000 and is the only player to surpass the six-million chip mark, establishing himself as the clear frontrunner after the first of four opening flights. A significant portion of his stack came from a pivotal hand against Mark Steven Smith, where Semionov hero-called Smith’s river bluff with pocket jacks during Level 5, gaining the chip lead, which he held onto for the remainder of the day.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oleg Semionov | Lithuania | 7,380,000 | 369 |
| 2 | Kirill Shcherbakov | Russia | 4,710,000 | 236 |
| 3 | Tobias Duthweiler | Germany | 4,095,000 | 205 |
| 4 | Ali Al-Kubasi | Iraq | 4,000,000 | 200 |
| 5 | Tahsin Cankurtaranli | Turkey | 3,230,000 | 162 |
| 6 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 3,100,000 | 155 |
| 7 | Alexandr Lakhov | Russia | 2,660,000 | 133 |
| 8 | Danesh Zargaran | Iran | 2,645,000 | 132 |
| 9 | Luck Luck | 2,545,000 | 127 | |
| 10 | Nikola Minkov | Bulgaria | 2,305,000 | 115 |
The closest rival to Semionov is Kirill Shcherbakov from Russia, who currently sits second in the standings with 4,710,000 chips. Tobias Duthweiler rounds out the podium positions with a stack of 4,095,000. Duthweiler was all-in and at risk, holding a straight against Mehmet Samsa's set of sixes. A clean river propelled him up the chip counts and helped him to ultimately end third on the leaderboard.
Several notables advancing to Day 2 include Tahsin Cankurtaranli (3,230,000), Fahredin Mustafov (3,100,000), and Hassan Nashar (2,035,000), who hit quad deuces to crack the pocket kings of Nichan Khorchidian, sending him to the rail in disbelief. Also making it through to Day 2 were Alessio Isaia (1,850,000), Paul Runcan (1,290,000), and short-stacked bracelet winner Stephen Song (340,000).
The Merit Millions Event continues over the next four days, with Day 1b set to take place tomorrow. Day 1b will follow the same structure as Day 1a, kicking off at 1 p.m. and featuring eight 40-minute levels of poker. Survivors from all four flights will converge on Day 2, which begins on Saturday, April 12. Late registration will remain open until the end of Level 12, giving players a final opportunity to enter the action and chase the coveted $1,000,000 first-place prize.
Remaining Merit Millions Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 10 | Day 1b | 1 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| April 11 | Day 1c | 1 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| April 11 | Day 1d | 8 p.m. | 30 minutes |
| April 12 | Day 2 | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| April 13 | Day 3 | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Stay tuned to PokerNews for ongoing coverage of the Merit Millions Event, with live updates, chip counts, and all the key hands as the tournament progresses.