$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Mar 21, 2025

Molenaar Ends Chauskin's Main Event

Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

When it folded to Natan Chauskin on the button, he shoved for roughly 65,000 with just the blinds to get through. Michel Molenaar looked at his cards in the small blind and moved all in over the top. After the big blind folded the cards were flipped over.

Natan Chauskin: K♣J♠ All in
Michel Molenaar: 10♣10♦

Chauskin found himself in a flip for his Main Event. The runout of Q♠3♦2♦A♠7♦ didn't provide any help for Chauskin, as Molenaar's two tens held up, sending Chauskin to the rail.

Tags: Natan Chauskin Michel Molenaar

Mar 21, 2025

Carmen Series Smashes Records with 881-Entry Main Event

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Kai Cocklin

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series has officially made history.

With the final bell on late registration ringing at the end of Level 14, the $3,300 Main Event drew a staggering 881 entries, crushing the previous Carmen Series record of 765 from 2023. It also blew past last year’s 664-runner field, sending a clear message: poker in Cyprus has never been hotter.

What started with a packed tournament room quickly overflowed into the cash game area as players swarmed the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in search of a seat. By the time the final numbers were tallied, a six-figure first prize was locked in, and the Carmen Series had set a new bar for success.

From local grinders to international crushers, the atmosphere has been electric. There were queues at the registration desk, overflow into the cash game room, and even the dealers were feeling the buzz. This isn’t just another Main Event—it’s a milestone.

Now, with 277 players remaining on Day 2, the chase for the Carmen crown kicks into high gear. Who will ride this record-breaking wave all the way to the top?

Stay locked in to PokerNews for full coverage as we continue the journey toward crowning the next Carmen Series Main Event champion.

Mar 21, 2025

Monster Stack vs Monster Stack

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

With one of the biggest stacks in the room, Andrii Novak raised to 9,000 under the gun before Konstantin Voronin, who was also one of the biggest stacks in the room, three-bet to 28,000 from middle position. When it got back to Novak, he put in the four-bet to 105,000. Voronin took one look back at his cards before folding and allowing Novak to win the pot.

Tags: Andrii Novak Konstantin Voronin

Mar 21, 2025

Tsouloftas Hits a Milly

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Kai Cocklin

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

There were already around 60,000 chips in the middle on a 9♠5♥9♣ flop when Vitalii Pankov checked from the big blind and Georgios Tsouloftas bet 17,000 in the hijack. Pankov called.

A K♥ on the turn was checked through to the K♣, which double-paired the board. Pankov checked, then Tsouloftas fired out 35,000. Immediately Pankov tossed his cards away, and Tsouloftas hit the seven-figure mark.

Tags: Georgios Tsouloftas Vitalii Pankov

Mar 21, 2025

Estrada Cracks Golan's Aces

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Axel Hallay raised to 8,000 from early position with Soraya Estrada calling from the small blind before Navot Golan squeezed to 28,000 from the big blind. Hallay and Estrada called.

Golan continued with a bet of 17,000 on the 4♠6♣6♠ flop, which both Hallay and Estrada called.

After Estrada checked the 3♠ turn, Golan shoved for 51,000. Hallay folded, but Estrada instantly called.

Navot Golan: A♣A♥ All in
Soraya Estrada: A♠Q♠

Estrada currently had the best hand with a turned flush, and just had to avoid a few cards on the river to crack the aces of Golan. A clean 4♦ came on the river and Golan was out.

Tags: Axel Hallay Navot Golan Soraya Estrada

Mar 21, 2025

Shcherbakov Check-Raises

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Kai Cocklin

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Kirill Shcherbakov's stack is slowly growing and he now has around 400,000 after a flop check-raise earned him some extra chips.

Shcherbakov raised to 8,000 from middle position and got a call from the button and small blind. They went to a flop of K♣5♦9♣ where it checked to the button, who bet 11,000. The small blind folded, then Shcherbakov made it 35,000. Without hesitation, the button folded and Shcherbakov was pushed the pot.

Tags: Kirill Shcherbakov

Mar 21, 2025

Akyel Flips Out Darkin

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Kai Cocklin

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Ramazan Akyel is gaining some momentum and just knocked out a player to pad out his stack.

Akyel raised to 8,000 from under the gun and got a call from the player next to him before Samuel Darkin made it 25,000 from middle position. The button called, then Akyel ripped in his stack of over 200,000. Only Darkin made the call for his stack of around 120,000.

Samuel Darkin: Q♥Q♠ All in
Ramazan Akyel: A♥K♦

Darkin was looking for a double-up but saw one of the worst flops possible as the 4♥K♥7♦ board gave Akyel top pair. No improvement came on either the 8♠ turn or 9♥ river, and Darkin was sent to the rail just after registration closed.