Start of the day chip leader Carmen Zainescu came in with a min-raise to 5,000 from under the gun, with only Stefanos Kechagias calling from the big blind.
The two players were happy to check the J♦7♥4♠ flop to see the 7♠ appear on the turn. Kechagias fired out 5,000 and Zainescu called.
The river came the 5♥ and Kechagias put out a bet of 15,000. Zainescu was quick to fold, and Kechagias won the pot.
Luke Marsh found some bullets at the right time and managed to double up his stack.
Soraya Estrada made it 5,000 to go from early position and Luke Marsh three-bet the button to 13,500. Grigorii Rodin was in the big blind and cold four-bet to 30,000, which got a quick fold out of Estrada. Marsh wasn't going anywhere and shoved his stack of 75,500 into the pot, and Rodin quickly called.
Luke Marsh: A♠A♦ 
Grigorii Rodin: Q♠Q♦
The dealer was already counting out Marsh's stack but there was still a board to run where anything could happen. However, nothing did happen as the J♠7♥3♠6♣8♣ runout kept the bullets of Marsh in the lead, and he doubled up.
Carmen Zainescu started the day as chip leader as has grown her stack to around 850,000 as the second level of the day just started.
Zainescu came through Day 1b with 748,000 and was the only player to clear the 700,000-chip mark from the opening four flights.
Alessio Isaia raised under the gun to 5,000 before Erdal Gulseven shoved for 21,000 from the hijack. Krzysztof Spisak jammed his 49,000 into the middle from the cutoff and after getting a count from the dealer, Isaia called with the covering stack.
Erdal Gulseven: Q♦10♣
Krzysztof Spisak: A♠Q♣
Alessio Isaia: A♦J♦
Spisak currently had the best hand with ace-queen high and could almost triple up if a favourable runout appeared. A favourable runout did come out for Spisak as the board fell 9♣2♠9♦K♦3♣. Spisak dragged in the pot, and Gulseven was out.
Level: 10
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 2,500
There were already around 35,000 chips in the middle on an all-spade 6♠2♠A♠ flop when Mehmet Demirkol bet 10,000 from the big blind and Azamat Rakaev made it 26,000 to go. Demirkol called.
The turn brought a fourth spade, the 10♠, and both checked to the 3♦ river. Demirkol checked again, then Rakaev shoved for around 200,000. Demirkol went into the tank and after a long time thinking, he elected to fold.
Petar Andreev was the first to act preflop and came in with a raise to 4,000. Aytekin Yayla three-bet to 12,000 from the hijack. Andreev called when the action got back to him.
On the 10♦9♣4♣ flop, Andreev check-called after Yayla put out a continuation-bet of 16,000.
The turn came the Q♥ and Andreev checked for a second time. Yayla fired again, this time for a much bigger bet of 56,000. Andreev folded, surrendering the pot to Yayla.
The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series continues to smash expectations, as demand for seats in the $3,300 Main Event has officially outgrown the main tournament hall. For the first time in the series’ history, organizers were forced to expand into the dedicated cash game area to accommodate the surge in entries.
What began as a steady flow of arrivals quickly turned into a full-on rush. Just 15 minutes before cards were scheduled to be in the air, the main tournament room was still relatively quiet—but within moments, every seat filled, dealers rushed to open new tables, and the overflow was directed into the adjacent poker room.
It’s yet another sign of the Carmen Series' growing reputation as a must-play stop on the international poker calendar. With registration still open and entries continuing to climb, the Main Event is already up to 645 entries and shaping up to be one for the record books.
Fahredin Mustafov came in with a raise to 4,000 and was met by a three-bet to 13,500 by Shai Zurr in the next seat. When it folded back to Mustafov, he called to see a flop.
Mustafov checked the 4♣A♥9♣ flop, and Zurr continued with a bet of 11,000. Mustafov put in the call and both players saw the 10♠ roll off on the turn. Mustafov checked for a second time, and Zurr barrelled again, this time for 27,000. Mustafov check-shoved four roughly 140,000, causing Zurr to let go of his hand quickly.
Osman Aksu raised from under the gun and Nugzar Glonti three-bet to 12,000 from the next seat. When it got to Timur Margolin in the big blind, he four-bet to 35,000, Aksu folded, and Glonti called.
They went to a flop of 3♠7♦9♦ where Margolin bet 16,000, and Glonti called to see the 6♥ turn, which went check-check.
A K♠ completed the runout and after some time, Margolin shoved for around 120,000. Glonti didn't need to think for too long before he laid his hand down, and Margolin scooped in the pot.
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