Main Event Fever Hits Merit Poker as the Battle for the Title Begins
The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series has been electric since the first cards hit the felt, but now the stakes get even higher as the festival’s crown jewel—the $3,300 Main Event—kicks off today inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. With poker dreams on the line and massive prizes up for grabs, the best in the game have arrived, ready to battle through eight levels of deep-stacked action in Day 1a. The anticipation is building, the tables are set, and in just a short time, the race for poker glory will begin.
Last year’s Carmen Series Main Event saw 664 entries, building a $1,832,640 prize pool, with Elie Farah rising above the competition to claim $338,500 and the prestigious title. With record-breaking fields already filling the tables this series, expectations are through the roof—will this Main Event go even bigger? Can Farah defend his crown, or will a new champion emerge to seize the spotlight? The cards are in the air, and the race for poker immortality starts now.
2024 Carmen Series Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elie Farah | Lebanon | $338,500 |
| 2 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | $249,200 |
| 3 | Dinesh Alt | Switzerland | $153,000 |
| 4 | Bart Lybaert | Belgium | $113,100 |
| 5 | Dmitry Gromov | Russian Federation | $84,700 |
| 6 | Tahsin Cankurtaranli | Turkey | $68,400 |
| 7 | Andrey Litvinov | Russian Federation | $56,600 |
| 8 | Maher Achour | Tunisia | $45,100 |
| 9 | Danut Chisu | Romania | $33,900 |
With four starting flights, deep structures, and a massive prize pool on the horizon, the Main Event is shaping up to be another unforgettable battle on the felt. The road to the final table begins today, and only the strongest will survive the gauntlet ahead. Each flight offers a different path to Day 2, catering to a variety of playing styles and strategies.
Day 1a kicks things off with eight 60-minute levels of deep-stacked play, followed by Day 1b tomorrow with the same structure. Day 1c on March 20 brings a faster pace with 40-minute levels, while Day 1d later that evening offers a turbo format with 25-minute blinds, giving players one last shot to build a stack before the field unites for the next stage of the battle.
Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 18 | Day 1a | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 19 | Day 1b | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 20 | Day 1c | 12:00 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| March 20 | Day 1d | 7:00 p.m. | 25 minutes |
| March 21 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 22 | Day 3 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 23 | Day 4 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 24 | Day 5 | 1:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
With big fields already turning out for this series, the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Main Event has all the makings of another massive showdown. Will this year’s edition break records and surpass last year’s 664 entries? Can Elie Farah defend his title, or will a new champion rise to claim poker glory?
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and key hands from the Main Event. With a stacked field and a huge prize pool on the horizon, you won’t want to miss a moment of the action!