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

Mar 21, 2025

Gromov Creeping Up the Counts

Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Dmitry Gromov has a mountain of chips in front of him and just raked in another pot after a hand with Georges Chehade.

Chehade raised the button and Gromov defended his big blind to see a flop of A♥J♣Q♦, which both checked to the Q♥ turn. Gromov bet 15,000 and Chehade called.

When the 8♦ dropped on the river, Gromov fired again for 30,000, which send Chehade into a deep ponder. Some moments passed and Chehade decided to call, then he quickly mucked when Gromov showed trips with Q♠10♥.

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Georges Chehade

Mar 21, 2025

Carmen Series Hits All-Time High as Main Event Field Still Growing

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

The Main Event continues to shatter expectations as the entry count has soared to 802, with just over one level of late registration remaining. Level 14—the final chance for players to join the action—kicks off in about ten minutes, giving last-minute hopefuls one final window to chase Main Event glory.

With the previous record of 765 entries now well in the rearview mirror, this year’s edition has officially etched its name into Carmen Series history as the biggest Main Event ever. And with the lines still forming at the registration desk, that number could climb even higher. Stay locked in for the final tally and full prize pool breakdown once registration closes!

Mar 21, 2025

Novak Storming Toward a Million

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Andrii Novak is storming up the counts and is approaching a stack of 1,000,000 during Level 13.

In a hand he just played, Novak opened to 7,500 from early position and got a call from the player on the button.

They saw a flop of 6♠Q♦K♦ where both checked to the 3♠ turn. Novak fired out a bet of 17,000. and the button stuck in the call.

When the 5♦ landed on the river, Novak went small with a bet of 15,000, then the button shoved for around 112,000. Novak went into the tank and was trying to dissect the hand in his head before he finally concluded on a call.

The button then showed a bluff with A♠9♠, and Novak's K♣4♣ was good for the knockout and the pot.

Tags: Andrii Novak

Mar 21, 2025

Hallay Still in the Mix

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Axel Hallay, who topped the Day 1d chip counts, is going along nicely with a stack of around 400,000 after just raking a small pot.

Hallay made it 9,000 to go from the cutoff and the big blind defended to the [kh3h9] flop. The big blind check-called a bet of 5,000 from Hallay to the 4♦ turn, where the action was on Hallay again. After a bit of thinking, Hallay fired 20,000, which was enough to get the job done as his opponent folded.

Tags: Axel Hallay

Mar 21, 2025

The Perfect River for Danilov; The Worst River for Moraru

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Anton Danilov raised preflop from early position with only Catalin Moraru calling out of the big blind.

The flop fell J♠7♦5♠ and Moraru check-called a bet of 7,000 from Danilov.

The 10♦ landed on the turn and Moraru check-called another bet from Danilov, this time for 30,000.

Moraru checked again on the 8♦ river and Danilov shoved to put Moraru all in. Moraru had roughly 140,000 remaining in his stack, and after taking a sip of his ginger shot, made the call.

Danilov showed the nuts with A♦9♦, and this eliminated Moraru who showed 10♣9♥ for a rivered straight.

Tags: Anton Danilov Catalin Moraru

Mar 21, 2025

Flashback: Umberto Ruggeri Wrangles Record-Breaking Victory in Merit Western Series Main Event

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Back in January, the $3,300 Main Event of the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series saw Umberto Ruggeri crowned the champion after overcoming a record-breaking field of 791 inside the stunning Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.

The Italian player battled through countless emotional highs and challenging moments to claim the coveted trophy after cutting an undisclosed deal with Mihai Niste and Muhtar Taysi when three players remained.

Ruggeri expressed his joy after the victory, stating, "I’m very enthusiastic, and I think I played very well in key spots." The final table was not without its difficulties, as Ruggeri acknowledged, "It was very hard. A single moment can change everything, but in the end, it all went very well."

2025 Merit Poker Western Series Main Event Final Table Results

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Umberto Ruggeri	Italy	$377,500
2	Mihai Niste	Romania	$251,000
3	Muhtar Taysi	Turkey	$180,300
4	Mario Colavita	Italy	$130,200
5	Xiaosheng Zheng	China	$94,600
6	Alexander Sokolovsky	Serbia	$75,900
7	Ryan Mandara	United Kingdom	$63,200
8	Renars Skanis	Latvia	$50,500
9	Edward Quinn	Jersey	$37,950

Read the Full Recap Here

Mar 21, 2025

Defending Champion Farah Still Involved

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

The defending champion of the Carmen Series Main Event, Elie Farah, is still involved and has around 230,000 chips in his stack.

Farah overcame Felipe Ketzer heads up in last year's event to take home the top prize of $338,500. Ketzer is also still involved, but has a fresh stack of 100,000 after he just dusted off a bullet.

Tags: Elie Farah Felipe Ketzer

Mar 21, 2025

Gromov's Ladies Shower Ketzer

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Dmitry Gromov raised from under the gun with Zhanbek Nugumanov calling from the hijack, and Felipe Ketzer calling from the cutoff.

Three ways to a flop of 6♦4♥2♥ which saw Gromov and Nugumanov check to Ketzer, who fired out a bet of 8,000. Gromov and Nugumanov called to see a turn.

The 4♦ turn checked to Ketzer again and he fired a second barrel, this time for 22,500, leaving himself roughly 65,000 behind. Gromov raised to 115,000, which was enough to commit both of his opponents. Nugumanov quickly folded, but Ketzer went deep into the tank. After thinking for around a minute, Ketzer called or his last 65,000 chips.

Felipe Ketzer: 3♣3♠ All in
Dmitry Gromov: Q♣Q♦

Gromov currently had the best hand with pocket queens, but Ketzer still had some outs heading to the river. However, the 4♠ river wasn't one of them, and Ketzer was sent to the rebuy desk thanks to Gromov.

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Felipe Ketzer Zhanbek Nugumanov

Mar 21, 2025

New Record Set at Carmen Series as Main Event Surpasses 765 Entries

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

History has been made today, as the Main Event has officially broken the all-time record for entries. With 766 players registered, this year’s edition has surpassed the previous high of 765 set in 2023, solidifying its place as the biggest Carmen Main Event ever.

It’s a milestone moment for the series and a testament to its ever-growing reputation as a must-play stop on the global poker calendar. With late registration still open through the end of Level 14, the number is still climbing—and so is the prize pool. The energy inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino is electric, with players battling it out for their share of what’s becoming one of the largest prize pools in Merit Poker history.

Mar 21, 2025

Top Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante