$10,400 Merit Millions Day 1a | 2025 Merit Millions

04-09-2025 17:09 UTC+2

Lybaert Has Kicker Problems

Tim Baker

Level 7 : Blinds 8,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Bart Lybaert raised the button to 35,000 with Fahredin Mustafov calling from the small blind, and Mehdi Chaoui defending from the big blind.

The action checked to Lybaert on the Q♦Q♠7♠ flop, and he fired out a bet of 30,000. Mustafov check-raised to 100,000, which forced Chaoui to fold, but Lybaert stuck around with a call.

Mustafov bet 150,000 when the K♣ landed on the turn and was met by a raise to 385,000 from Lybaert. Mustafov called.

The two players checked the 8♦ river, and Mustafov took down the pot with K♠9♠ for a pair of kings. Lybaert showed the K♦ and Mustafov commented to Lybaert, "You always have kicker problems huh"

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	3,000,000 200,000	200,000
Bart Lybaert	2,200,000 200,000	200,000
Mehdi Chaoui	350,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Bart Lybaert Fahredin Mustafov Mehdi Chaoui

Level: 7

Blinds: 8,000/15,000

Ante: 15,000

04-09-2025 16:51 UTC+2

Over $10 Million Guaranteed at the 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party!

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Tim Baker

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

The Mediterranean Poker Party (MPP) returns to the Merit Royal Diamond Casino and Spa from May 3, bringing with it more than $10 million in guaranteed prize pools, including a monster-sized $5,300 buy-in, $5 million guaranteed MPP Main Event.

The 2025 edition of the MPP runs from May 3 through May 13 and wastes no time in exploding into action with the first of several seven-figure guaranteed events. Players will flock in droves to enter the $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em PokerOK Mystery Bounty event, which spans May 3-5.

While the Mystery Bounty edges toward crowning its champion, a $2,200 buy-in, $2,000,000 guaranteed NLHE Luxon Pay Grand Final shuffles up and deals. This tournament runs May 5-9 and should see a massive turnout. Last year, Bulgaria's Boris Kolev outlasted 1,564 opponents and banked an impressive $437,000, a prize second in size only to the first of Kolev's two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet victories.

The biggest 2025 MPP tournament, at least in terms of prize money, is the $5,300 NLHE MPP Main Event and its $5 million guarantee. Other events include the $10,400 Onyx High Roller, which Jovan Kenjic won in 2024 for $365,000, the $1,100 EAPT Cyprus Main Event, the $1,100 NLHE 6-Max Turbo Bounty, and the $10,400 Onyx 6-Max High Roller.

Find More Information Here

04-09-2025 16:46 UTC+2

Ju Holds on With Top Pair

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Tim Baker

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

On a flop of Q♥J♣3♠, Samuel Ju had a bet of 29,000 placed out in front of him from the big blind, with Paul Runcan raising to 70,000 from early position. Ju called, and the dealer put out the 7♦ on the turn. Ju checked and Runcan fired out 155,000, which Ju called.

Ju checked for the last time when the 7♣ fell, and after a few moments, Runcan reluctantly checked behind. Ju flipped over K♠Q♠ for top pair, and Runcan mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Runcan	2,400,000 200,000	200,000
Samuel Ju	2,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000

Tags: Paul Runcan Samuel Ju

04-09-2025 16:30 UTC+2

Isaia Five-bets on Gabdullin

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Tim Baker

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

Damir Gabdullin opened to 25,000 from the hijack with the player in the cutoff calling before Alessio Isaia squeezed to 110,000 on the button. After the blinds folded, Gabdullin four-bet to 280,000. The cutoff got out the way, but Isaia five-bet shoved for around 1.500,000. Gabdullin instantly folded, and Isaia chipped up without having to see any community cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Gabdullin	1,900,000
Alessio Isaia	1,900,000 700,000	700,000

04-09-2025 16:15 UTC+2

Semionov Sniffs Out Smith's Bluff

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Tim Baker

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

PokerNews was just informed of how Oleg Semionov gained all of his 5,500,000 chips.

Just before the break, there was a raise to 20,000 with Mark Steven Smith calling on the button, before Semionov squeezed to 85,000 from the small blind. The original raiser folded, but Smith called to see a flop.

On the 6♥4♣2♥ flop, Semionov bet 65,000 and was met by a raise to 140,000 by Smith. Semionov called.

The 8♣ landed on the turn and Semionov check-called a bet of 380,000 from Smith to see the 2♠ land on the river. Semionov checked again, and Smith shoved to put Semionov all in. Semionov had 2,246,000 remaining in his stack, and after burning through a few minutes of the break, Semionov called.

Oleg Semionov: J♠J♣ All in
Mark Steven Smith: 9♠7♠

Smith had made a brave bluff with just nine-high, but had been picked off by Semionov with pocket jacks.

Player	Chips	Progress
Oleg Semionov	5,534,000 334,000	334,000

Mark Steven Smith	1,000,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Mark Steven Smith Oleg Semionov

04-09-2025 16:13 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Oleg Semionov	5,200,000 3,650,000	3,650,000

Fahredin Mustafov	2,800,000 100,000	100,000
Felipe Ketzer	2,700,000 1,050,000	1,050,000
Bart Lybaert	2,400,000 500,000	500,000
Kirill Shcherbakov	2,300,000 700,000	700,000
Dmitry Kataev	2,300,000 700,000	700,000
Paul Runcan	2,200,000 900,000	900,000
Danesh Zargaran	2,000,000 300,000	300,000
Rashad Iskandarov	2,000,000 100,000	100,000
Damir Gabdullin	1,900,000 100,000	100,000
Aleksandr Chernikov	1,900,000 750,000	750,000
Romans Lihacovs	1,800,000 700,000	700,000
Konstantin Voronin	1,600,000 300,000	300,000
Alexandr Lakhov	1,500,000 250,000	250,000
Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi	1,500,000 700,000	700,000
Erdal Gulseven	1,500,000 400,000	400,000
Joseph Sabe	1,300,000 100,000	100,000
Alessio Isaia	1,200,000 200,000	200,000

Tobias Duthweiler	1,200,000 550,000	550,000
Atilla Saracoglu	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Tahsin Cankurtaranli	1,100,000 750,000	750,000
Vladas Tamasauskas	1,000,000 200,000	200,000
Sarkis Akopyan	900,000 100,000	100,000