$10,400 Merit Millions
Day 1a Completed
2025 Merit Millions
$10,400 Merit Millions
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2025 Merit Millions
Buy-in
$10,400
Prize Pool
$1,950,400
Entries
212
Level
28
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
67
Players Left
34
Level 8
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
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.
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,380,000
980,000
|
980,000 |
|
||
|
4,710,000
2,410,000
|
2,410,000 |
|
4,095,000
1,395,000
|
1,395,000 |
|
4,000,000
4,000,000
|
4,000,000 |
|
3,230,000
2,130,000
|
2,130,000 |
|
3,100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
2,660,000
1,160,000
|
1,160,000 |
|
2,645,000
645,000
|
645,000 |
|
2,545,000
2,545,000
|
2,545,000 |
|
2,305,000
2,305,000
|
2,305,000 |
|
2,300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
2,035,000
965,000
|
965,000 |
|
2,025,000
675,000
|
675,000 |
|
2,000,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
1,960,000
660,000
|
660,000 |
|
1,960,000
560,000
|
560,000 |
|
1,905,000
1,405,000
|
1,405,000 |
|
1,850,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
||
|
1,720,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
1,665,000
1,665,000
|
1,665,000 |
|
1,585,000
585,000
|
585,000 |
|
1,535,000
365,000
|
365,000 |
|
1,490,000
410,000
|
410,000 |
|
1,475,000
1,475,000
|
1,475,000 |
|
1,425,000
775,000
|
775,000 |
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The surviving players are now bagging up their chips and Day 1a has now finished.
Stay tuned for the full chip counts of the survivors and a recap of the day's action.
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Dmitry Kataev raised to 30,000 from the cutoff with Mark Steven Smith calling from the small blind and Oleg Semionov defending his big blind.
The action checked to Kataev on the 3♠Q♠Q♣ flop and he fired out a bet of 32,000. Only Smith called.
The J♠ turn checked through for the 6♦ to drop on the river. Smith led out for 113,000 and Kataev let go of his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,400,000
866,000
|
866,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,500,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
1,300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The floor has announced that three more hands will be played before the players bag up for the day.
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Samuel Ju came in with a raise from middle position with Paul Runcan calling on the button, and the player in the big blind making the call also.
Three-ways to a J♣10♠8♠ flop, which checked through for the 6♥ to land on the turn. The big blind player led out for 75,000, which both Ju and Runcan called.
The 2♦ river checked around and Runcan took down the pot with 10♦9♥ for second pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,800,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
1,400,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
Level 8
: 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Vladas Tamasauskas opened from early position to 30,000 with only Alessio Isaia defending from the big blind.
The action went check-check on the 9♦8♥3♥ flop and the 6♥ landed on the turn. Isaia led out for 70,000, which Tamasauskas called.
Isaia slowed down and checked upon seeing the 2♥ fall on the river. Tamasauskas bet 170,000 and Isaia folded his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,000,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
1,900,000 | |
|
|
||
Level: 8
Blinds: 10,000/15,000
Ante: 15,000
Level 7
: Blinds 8,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
With the board showing J♣8♥9♦6♦ and after some betting and raising back and forth between Tobias Duthweiler in the big blind, and Mehmet Samsa from middle position, Samsa called the 1,280,000 shove of Duthweiler.
Tobias Duthweiler: 7♣5♣ 
Mehmet Samsa: 6♠6♥
The action turn card had given Samsa a set of sixes while improving Duthweiler to a straight. Duthweiler just needed to avoid a board pair to secure the huge double-up. A clean A♠ landed on the river and a Duthweiler took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,700,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
1,400,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
