Konstantin Voronin Still in the Hunt for $1,000,000 as Day 3 Kicks Off at Noon
Day 3 of the $10,400 Merit Millions Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Classic Millions kicks off today at noon local time, with 30 players returning to the felt inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. These players are now within touching distance of reaching the final table, where the $1,000,000 first-place prize awaits the winner.
Leading the way is Aleksandr Kirichenko, who holds a commanding stack of 17,535,000. Trailing him are Natan Chauskin with 13,985,000 and Ali Al-Kubasi with 13,375,000, both in strong positions to make deep runs and challenge for the title.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aleksandr Kirichenko | Russia | 17,535,000 | 110 |
| 2 | Natan Chauskin | Belarus | 13,985,000 | 87 |
| 3 | Ali Al-Kubasi | Iraq | 13,375,000 | 84 |
| 4 | Oleg Semionov | Lithuania | 12,160,000 | 76 |
| 5 | Boris Kolev | Bulgaria | 11,925,000 | 75 |
| 6 | Damir Zhugralin | Kazakhstan | 10,735,000 | 67 |
| 7 | Siarhei Chudapal | Belarus | 9,630,000 | 60 |
| 8 | Rafael Aslanli | Turkey | 9,325,000 | 58 |
| 9 | Tahsin Cankurtaranli | Turkey | 8,610,000 | 54 |
| 10 | Baltazar Five | Lebanon | 8,400,000 | 53 |
Meanwhile, Konstantin Voronin is still in the hunt, having played every flight despite making it through to the second day after Day 1a. Voronin's initial stack was removed due to him bagging a larger stack on Day 1b. However, he still came back for Day 1c where he was unable to improve on his previous performance. Voronin has shown that he is fearless when it comes to ICM and is unlikely to be fazed if he leaves as the bubble boy.
Other notable players include Oleg Semionov (12,160,000), Boris Kolev (11,925,000), Damir Zhugralin (10,735,000), and the Cypriot crusher Andreas Christoforou (6,100,000), all of whom will be looking to build upon their strong Day 2 performances.
Blinds will resume at 80,000/160,000 with a 160,000 big blind ante for Level 19, and play will continue with 60-minute levels until only one player remains. From here on, anyone eliminated before reaching the final table will walk away empty-handed from the $1,950,400 prize pool. However, a spot at the final table guarantees a payout of $35,400. The winner will walk away with a life-changing $1,000,000, meaning the heads-up battle will be worth $700,000.
Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000,000 |
| 2 | $300,000 |
| 3 | $200,000 |
| 4 | $140,000 |
| 5 | $100,000 |
| 6 | $75,000 |
| 7 | $55,000 |
| 8 | $45,000 |
| 9 | $35,400 |
Stay with PokerNews throughout the day for live updates, chip counts, and all the key hands as we crown the 2025 Merit Millions Event champion in this unique event.