$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi Day 1a | 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series

08-02-2025 13:40 UTC+3

A Few Counts

Kai Cocklin

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Zabiiakin	400,000 400,000	400,000
Sari Haddad	250,000 250,000	250,000
Changyang Liu	150,000 150,000	150,000
Ilia Ubilava	150,000 10,000	10,000
Cheng Zhao	150,000 150,000	150,000
Konstantin Kvashin	120,000 10,000	10,000
Andrey Pateychuk	105,000 5,000	5,000

Soraya Estrada	65,000 55,000	55,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	40,000 40,000	40,000

08-02-2025 13:26 UTC+3

Gabdullin Doesn't Show at Showdown

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Kai Cocklin

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Normally at showdown, players need to expose their cards to show the strength of their hand, but not in the last instance involving Damir Gabdullin and Jianming Luo.

On a board of J♦2♦K♣6♥6♠, there were around 22,000 in the middle when Luo checked it over to Gabdullin, who fired 12,500. Luo sat motionless while he mulled it over for around two minutes, then eventually reached for chips and made the call.

Gabdullin just mucked his hand without showing, which meant Luo also didn't need to show his cards to claim the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jianming Luo	140,000
Damir Gabdullin	105,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Damir Gabdullin Jianming Luo

08-02-2025 13:15 UTC+3

Stanciu Over-Bets the River

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Kai Cocklin

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

On a board of 9♥5♦5♣J♣, Yury Salikaev checked and Traian Stanciu fired out a pot-sized bet of 13,500 from the cutoff. Salikaev called from middle position.

An 8♦ completed the board and after Salikaev tapped the table again, Stanciu went big with a bet of 48,000. Salikaev went into the tank for almost two minutes and eventually called.

Stanciu then flipped A♥5♥ for trip fives, and and Salikaev mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Traian Stanciu	165,000 55,000	55,000
Yury Salikaev	35,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Traian Stanciu Yury Salikaev

Level: 2

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

08-02-2025 13:01 UTC+3

La Notte Degli Assi Begins with Early Momentum

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

With around 150 entries already recorded during the opening level of Day 1a, the $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi Main Event is off to a promising start. Last year's event attracted 1,133 entries and paid out $2,084,720, and the bar has been raised this time around with a $2,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Three more starting flights remain, including a turbo flight on Sunday evening, giving players plenty of chances to join the action. With late registration open until the end of Level 14 on Day 2 and unlimited reentries available, expectations are high for another strong turnout.

The road to Day 2 has officially begun as players take their first steps toward Merit Poker's biggest title of the summer.

08-02-2025 12:53 UTC+3

Pyrkov Goes For it Against Neagoe

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

With around 25,000 in the pot on a J♣10♥Q♥9♦ board, Ilia Pyrkov fired out 18,000 from the hijack and Darius Neagoe called in the cutoff.

A 5♠ dropped on the river and after some thinking, Pyrkov shoved. Neagoe had just under 70,000 remaining and needed to put it all at risk if he wanted to take it to a showdown.

After thinking out loud for a while, Neagoe did call.

Pyrkov then revealed a missed flush draw with A♥4♥. and Neagoe's K♥J♥ was good for a straight.

Player	Chips	Progress
Darius Neagoe	200,000 200,000	200,000

Ilia Pyrkov	5,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Darius Neagoe Ilia Pyrkov

08-02-2025 12:38 UTC+3

Voronin's Stack Soars Early On

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

With around 40,000 in the middle already on a flop of 6♠J♦2♣, Seyed Mortazavi bet 15,000 from under the gun and Konstantin Voronin made it 55,000 to go from the next seat. Mortazavi called.

A 7♥ hit the turn and after Mortazavi checked, Voronin went for all of it and shoved around 50,000. Mortazavi had less and took just 10 seconds before he called.

Seyed Mortazavi: 9♥9♣ All in
Konstantin Voronin: A♣J♠

Mortazavi needed a nine to survive, but instead the 4♦ rolled off, which meant Voronin's stack soared in the opening level.

Player	Chips	Progress
Konstantin Voronin	240,000 240,000	240,000
Seyed Mortazavi	Busted

Tags: Konstantin Voronin Seyed Mortazavi

08-02-2025 12:29 UTC+3

Huang Bricks Her Straight Draw

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

There were already around 60,000 chips in the pot on a 9♠8♥2♥8♣ board when Yuxi Huang checked from the hijack and then called a bet of 20,000 from Ilia Ubilava, who was on the button.

A 3♦hit the river and both decided to check it down, where Huang showed a missed straight draw with J♣10♥. Ubilava had that beat with K♥K♦ for a pair of kings, and he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ilia Ubilava	160,000
Yuxi Huang	60,000

Tags: Ilia Ubilava Yuxi Huang

08-02-2025 12:23 UTC+3

Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack by PokerNews

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

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08-02-2025 12:16 UTC+3