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

07-29-2025 16:00 UTC+2

Flush For Fal

Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

The pot had ballooned to around 30,000 on a 2♣3♦A♦8♠ board when Adem Agoudjil checked from the big blind and Nikolay Fal also tapped the table from under the gun. Konstantin Voronin was on the button and fired out 7,500, which both of his opponents called.

A 10♦ fell on the river and after Agoudjil checked, Fal bet 18,500. Voronin took some time before he folded, and Agoudjil quickly called.

Fal then flipped over a flush with Q♦9♦, and Agoudjil mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikolay Fal	260,000 220,000	220,000

Adem Agoudjil	160,000
Konstantin Voronin	120,000

Tags: Adem Agoudjil Konstantin Voronin Nikolay Fal

07-29-2025 16:12 UTC+2

Luo Greeted By Balaev

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Jianming Luo hadn't been in the tournament for long and got a not-so-warm welcome from Viacheslav Balaev.

Luo opened to 3,000 from early position and got a call from the cutoff before Balaev squeezed to 11,000 on the button. Luo then four-bet to 28,000, the cutoff folded, and Balaev called.

On the 4♦J♥8♦ flop, Luo tapped the table over to Balaev, who shoved around 50,000. Luo took a bit of time before he folded, allowing Balaev to scoop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viacheslav Balaev	110,000 110,000	110,000
Jianming Luo	72,000 72,000	72,000

Tags: Jianming Luo Viacheslav Balaev

07-29-2025 16:22 UTC+2

Flashback: Boris Kolev Dominates 2025 Merit Millions Final Table

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Back in April, the inaugural $10,400 Merit Millions Event saw Boris Kolev rising above a talented field of 212 entries to become the first-ever champion. Held inside the stunning Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, the unique event ended with Kolev capturing the coveted title and the massive $1,000,000 guaranteed top prize.

Kolev, who began the final table third in chips, put on a clinical display to systematically dismantle his opponents on the way to victory. In doing so, he became the first player in Merit Poker history to walk away with a seven-figure payday. The Bulgarian pro made quick work of Mehdi Chaoui in a brief heads-up battle to seal the title and etch his name in the record books.

2025 Merit Million Final Table Results

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Boris Kolev	Bulgaria	$1,000,000
2	Mehdi Chaoui	Morocco	$300,000
3	Romans Lihacovs	Latvia	$200,000
4	Aleksandr Kirichenko	Russian Federation	$140,000
5	Rafael Aslanli	Turkey	$100,000
6	Maksim Shornikau	Belarus	$75,000
7	Andrey Pateychuk	Russian Federation	$55,000
8	Ali Al-Kubasi	Iraq	$45,000
9	Alexandr Lakhov	Russia	$35,400

Read the Full Recap Here

Level: 8

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

07-29-2025 16:29 UTC+2

Because One Chip Lead Isn't Enough

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Kai Cocklin

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

Some players bag once and rest. Hassan Nashar is not one of those players.

After topping the Day 1a counts with 699,500, Nashar is back in the field for Day 1b of the IPO Master. He’s not chasing a payout or trying to survive, he just felt like playing again. And with around 450,000 in front of him already, it’s going pretty well.

Last year, Nashar finished Day 1b as the chip leader. This year, he’s already done that on Day 1a and might just be trying to outdo himself. If he ends the night with an even bigger stack, don’t be surprised. This is a man who clearly enjoys having options.

Tags: Hassan Nashar

07-29-2025 16:39 UTC+2

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

07-29-2025 16:48 UTC+2

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 16:56 UTC+2

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

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07-29-2025 17:02 UTC+2

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.