$2,200 IPO Master Day 1bc | 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series

07-29-2025 19:01 UTC+3

Don’t Miss the Onyx Super High Roller Series Cyprus

Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Big bucks and a seat in an upcoming $100,000 buy-in Triton Poker tournament are up for grabs in the inaugural Onyx Super High Roller Series Cyprus presented by the Onyx Club.

The series at Merit Royal Diamond runs from August 9-21 and features a mix of Pot-Limit Omaha and No-Limit Hold'em high-stakes tournaments, along with some juicy cash game action. PokerNews will be on-site, live reporting the six biggest events of the series, starting with the $10,400 GG Million$ from August 9-12.

There are 12 high-stakes tournaments, with buy-ins ranging from $10,400 to $102,000, all taking place inside a luxurious resort along the Mediterranean Sea.

Find Full Series Details Here

07-29-2025 18:50 UTC+3

El Patron Returns

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

For anyone scrolling the Day 1b chip counts and wondering why Hassan Nashar isn’t listed, don’t worry, he’s still here. After leading the way on Day 1a with 699,500, Nashar jumped back in today for another run. To avoid overwriting his qualified stack, he's been given a temporary alias.

Until the end of play, he’ll be appearing in the counts as El Patron. Same chips, same presence, just a new name for the day. He currently has around 600,000 to work with and is closing in on the number he bagged yesterday. At this rate, he just might top the leaderboard two days in a row.

While the wait starts to see if he can again top the field, here's a peek at his player card.

Player	Chips	Progress
El Patron	600,000 600,000	600,000

Tags: Hassan Nashar

07-29-2025 18:39 UTC+3

Nawar and Balaev Tangle

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Viacheslav Balaev opened the button and Joseph Nawar defended his big blind to the 10♦4♣6♣ flop, where Nawar check-called a bet of 3,500 from Balaev.

A 2♣ on the turn saw Nawar check again, then Balaev threw out 9,000. Nawar tossed in one white chip, worth 25,000, and intended to raise, but didn't say anything so it went down as a call.

When the 2♠ paired the board on the river, Nawar again tossed out a white chip, and this time the bet was for the full amount of 25,000. Balaev didn't need to think for too long before he folded, and Nawar took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viacheslav Balaev	295,000 15,000	15,000
Joseph Nawar	110,000

Tags: Joseph Nawar Viacheslav Balaev

07-29-2025 18:29 UTC+3

Selected Top Stacks at Final Break

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Kirill Burtin	650,000 25,000	25,000
Osman Ihlamur	500,000 20,000	20,000
Fadi Nakhoul	425,000 135,000	135,000
Ivan Banovic	390,000 70,000	70,000
Joris Ruijs	380,000 70,000	70,000
Marlo	380,000 200,000	200,000
Cosmas Zantis	350,000 350,000	350,000
Timur Margolin	340,000 340,000	340,000

Viacheslav Balaev	310,000 20,000	20,000
Chady Ojeil	230,000 20,000	20,000
Antoine Hasbani	220,000 140,000	140,000

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000

07-29-2025 18:09 UTC+3

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Players are heading on their last break of the night.

When they return, two more levels will be played before the survivors bag up.

07-29-2025 18:02 UTC+3

Balaev's Pot Bet Paid by Ruijs

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

A full board of 5♥6♦2♣A♥2♥ was showing with around 75,000 in the pot when Viacheslav Balaev took around two minutes to fire out 80,000 from the small blind.

Joris Ruijs was in the big blind and upon confirming the count, tossed in a chip to make the call, only to muck when Balaev showed 7♥4♥ for a flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joris Ruijs	450,000 100,000	100,000
Viacheslav Balaev	290,000 180,000	180,000

Tags: Joris Ruijs Viacheslav Balaev

07-29-2025 17:56 UTC+3

Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack by PokerNews

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Have you heard about MyStack by PokerNews? It is a free-to-use tool built into the PokerNews website that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. MyStack directly connects you to PokerNews' live reporting pages, making you an even bigger part of the action in the events you play.

MyStack is a free poker tool and PokerNews activates MyStack for every event it is live reporting from, regardless of that tournament's buy-in. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!

Click Here to Set Up Your Account

07-29-2025 17:48 UTC+3

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Kirill Burtin	625,000 225,000	225,000
Joris Ruijs	550,000 100,000	100,000
Damir Zhugralin	350,000 80,000	80,000
Nikolay Fal	270,000 10,000	10,000

Elie Farah	240,000 80,000	80,000
Jingxuan Zhu	240,000 35,000	35,000
Andrei Spataru	210,000 50,000	50,000
Chady Ojeil	210,000 10,000	10,000
Viktor Iarilov	200,000 85,000	85,000
Danielle Noja	100,000
Benjamin LeBlond	100,000 70,000	70,000
Konstantin Voronin	90,000 30,000	30,000

Milos Petakovic	80,000
Georgios Tsouloftas	75,000 45,000	45,000

07-29-2025 17:39 UTC+3

Ihlamur Stacks Skrbic's Set

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

With around 80,000 in the middle on a 3♥4♥5♠ flop, five players were still involved when Milos Skrbic fired out 35,000 from middle position. Osman Ihlamur called on the button, and the other three players got out of the way.

A 7♦ landed on the turn and Skrbic checked it over to Ihlamur, who fired 85,000. Skrbic did some inventory of his stack and with a little less than 200,000, he called.

"I have to call," responded Ihlamur before he dropped the chips in.

Milos Skrbic: 3♦3♠ All in
Osman Ihlamur: 7♠7♣

Both players had a set, but it was Ihlamur whose was higher. Skrbic had one out to win the pot, and four to chop, but the A♣ river meant he was eliminated as Ihlamur's stack climbed about half a million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Osman Ihlamur	520,000
Milos Skrbic	Busted

Tags: Milos Skrbic Osman Ihlamur