$2,200 IPO Master
Day 1a Started
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
$2,200 IPO Master
Day: 1a
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$1,343,200
Entries
730
Level
38
Blinds
500,000 / 1,000,000
Ante
1,000,000
Entries
228
Players Left
99
Players Left 1 / 730
Filter
(1)
The 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series soon gets underway at the stunning Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, ushering in another sun-soaked festival of poker on the shores of the Mediterranean. Combining world-class tournament action with luxury resort living, the series once again invites players to embrace the “sweet life” over the thirteen-day festival.
In a place where palm trees sway in the coastal breeze and time feels like it slows down, the only thing moving fast is the action at the tables. With daily events, high-stakes clashes, and a laid-back yet electric atmosphere, the Dolce Vita Series embodies everything that makes poker in North Cyprus so special.
Kicking off the schedule is the $2,200 IPO Master, a revamped version of last year’s $1,100 opener that drew 937 entries. That tournament was dominated by Danesh Zargaran, who bulldozed through the final day to earn $146,600 and secure a breakthrough win. Now with double the buy-in, a slower structure, and heightened anticipation, the stage is set for another memorable run to the title.
2024 $1,100 IPO Master Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danesh Zargaran | Iran | $146,600 |
| 2 | Candido Cappiello | Italy | $108,000 |
| 3 | Houman Sahafi | Iran | $66,600 |
| 4 | Francesco Canzonieri | Italy | $49,200 |
| 5 | Mohamed Ameur Hammi | Tunisia | $36,700 |
| 6 | Harout Ghazarian | Lebanon | $29,750 |
| 7 | Amir Saeid | Iran | $24,600 |
| 8 | Svetoslav Nikolov | Bulgaria | $19,600 |
This year’s IPO Master features four Day 1 flights, each offering players a fresh opportunity to bag chips and secure a seat for Day 2, all of which play ten levels. Day 1a kicks off on July 28 at 12 p.m., with 40-minute blind levels and a generous 100,000 starting stack (110,000 if registered and seated before the start of play). Day 1b and 1c follow on July 29, with 1c offering a faster-paced 25-minute structure in the evening. The final turbo flight, Day 1d, gets underway on the morning of July 30 with 13-minute levels for those seeking one last shot at survival.
Late registration stays open until the end of Level 15, which will occur around halfway through Day 2, giving players plenty of flexibility to join the field. From there, the tournament shifts gears, with deeper 60-minute levels on Days 3 and 4 as the chase for the title heats up.
IPO Master Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 28 | Day 1a | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| July 29 | Day 1b | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| July 29 | Day 1c | 9 p.m. | 25 minutes |
| July 30 | Day 1d | 10 a.m. | 13 minutes |
| July 30 | Day 2 | 12:30 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| July 31 | Day 3 | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| August 1 | Day 4 | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Stay locked in with PokerNews for exclusive live updates, chip counts, and all the key moments from the floor throughout the entire series.
There is a slight delay to the start of the IPO Master to allow players to register and take their seats.
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Level: 1
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
After a bit of a delay, cards are finally in the air for Day 1a of the $2,200 IPO Master.
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Anybody registered and seated before the day kicks off will get a 10% bonus in their starting stack, giving them 110,000 to play with.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
110,000 | |
|
||
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
||
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
|
110,000 | |
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Robert Burlacu made it 1,200 to go from middle position and Maxime Chilaud called on the button. Anton Arkhipenkov also called in the big blind.
All three checked the 10♠10♥A♣ flop to the 10♦ turn, where Burlacu fired 1,400 once it checked to him. Chilaud called and Arkhipenkov folded.
A 6♣ hit the river and Burlacu fired another bet into the pot, this time for 2,200. Chilaud didn't need to think for too long before he called.
Burlacu then flipped K♥8♥ for king-high, but Chilaud had a full house with A♥2♥ to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
116,500
6,500
|
6,500 |
|
108,000
108,000
|
108,000 |
|
105,000
105,000
|
105,000 |
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
There were already 10,000 chips in the pot on a 4♠3♠9♦ flop when Ruslan Atnagulov checked from middle position and Alexandru Cinca fired 1,500 from the cutoff. Atnagulov then bumped it up to 10,000, and Cinca called.
A Q♠ on the turn saw Atnagulov fire for 10,000, which Cinca instantly called to the A♥ river. Atnagulov threw out 20,000, Cinca shoved for almost 85,000, and Atnagulov announced a call before even knowing the size of the shove.
Cinca then flipped K♠7♠ for a flush, which bested the 10♠9♠ of Atnagulov, who had a smaller flush.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
220,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
6,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Andrei Kozin had his stack of around 137,000 in the middle from the button against a player in the middle position.
Andrei Kozin: K♠K♦ 
Middle Position: 9♠9♥
Kozin had the cowboys and reduced his opponent to just one out on the 8♦A♦10♦ flop. A 10♠ on the turn brought back an out, but the J♠ river confirmed Kozin's double.
On the adjacent table at the same time, the board read 10♦2♠A♦9♥J♣, and Iliyas Mukhamedzhanov had fired the river only for Anton Arkhipenkov to shove his stack in. Mukhamedzhanov took some time to think it over and eventually tossed in a single chip to call.
Arkhipenkov showed a set with 2♦2♣, but that was no good as Mukhamedzhanov had a higher set holding A♣A♥ to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
276,000 | |
|
250,000 | |
|
|
Busted |
