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

08-03-2025 15:58 UTC+2

Zouari Bluffs Some Off

Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Jeremie Zouari was caught in action on a board of 4♥5♠9♦K♠ from the button, where he fired 15,500 once checked to. The big blind called.

A K♣ paired the board on the river and again the big blind checked, then Zouari bet 25,000. The big blind was a non-believer and eventually called, which forced Zouari to showed his A♥6♣ for a bluff. The big blind revealed 7♣5♦ for a pair of fives, and that was good for the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremie Zouari	185,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Jeremie Zouari

08-03-2025 15:49 UTC+2

Aces Help Gabdullin Double

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Damir Gabdullin fired 4,000 first to act on a board of 6♠K♠3♠, which Parahat Nurmuhammedov called in early position.

With the pot at around 15,000, both checked the 6♦ turn to the 9♦ river, where Gabdullin shoved for 15,300. Nurmuhammedov confirmed the count and after thinking it over for around 30 seconds, he called.

Gabdullin then flipped A♠A♦ for a pair of aces, and Nurmuhammedov flashed his K♦5♦ before mucking.

Player	Chips	Progress
Parahat Nurmuhammedov	130,000 130,000	130,000
Damir Gabdullin	45,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Damir Gabdullin Parahat Nurmuhammedov

08-03-2025 15:37 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	460,000 20,000	20,000
Mihai Niste	450,000 450,000	450,000
Paris Dedes	430,000 240,000	240,000
Fadi Zarka	400,000 400,000	400,000
Bakhos Alalam	320,000 320,000	320,000
Timur Margolin	250,000 250,000	250,000

Emad Ghadamian	245,000 5,000	5,000
Jeremie Zouari	230,000 130,000	130,000
Sharky	190,000 20,000	20,000

Level: 5

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

08-03-2025 15:22 UTC+2

Break Time

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Players are heading on their second 15-minute break of the day.

Four levels have been played, and four more are scheduled before play ends for the day at around 8:50 p.m.

08-03-2025 15:15 UTC+2

Bezhanyan Back to Business

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Fres off of a third-place finish in the $5,300 High Roller for $155,000, Aren Bezhanyan is back to business in the Main Event.

Bezhanyan just picked up pocket jacks and had a player all-in and at risk with pocket tens. A clean runout later and Bezhanyan's stack surged to around 175,000 as the half-way mark nears

Player	Chips	Progress
Aren Bezhanyan	175,000 175,000	175,000

Tags: Aren Bezhanyan

08-03-2025 15:04 UTC+2

Flashback: Boris Kolev Dominates 2025 Merit Millions Final Table

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 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

08-03-2025 14:53 UTC+2

A Round of Counts

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ravi Sheth	250,000 50,000	50,000
Boris Tabiyev	210,000 40,000	40,000
Bakhos Joumaa	160,000 5,000	5,000
Ivan Banovic	150,000 55,000	55,000
Esper Sadek	130,000 10,000	10,000
Antoine Hasbani	90,000
Nenad Dukic	80,000 5,000	5,000
Gerard Carbo Santamaria	65,000 35,000	35,000
Ramazan Akyel	25,000 75,000	75,000
Kirill Burtin	20,000 10,000	10,000

08-03-2025 14:41 UTC+2

Karam Flops the Nuts Against Gabdullin

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

On a board of Q♥5♥3♥A♦, there were around 15,000 in the pot when Damir Gabdullin fired 10,500 from under the gun and Said Karam called in the hijack.

A 9♣ dropped on the river and Gabdullin fired again, this time for 27,000. Karam wasted no time in putting in a raise to 75,000, which Gabdullin called after around 30 seconds.

Karam instantly showed A♥4♥ for the nut flush and dragged in the pot, which boosted his stack to around 230,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Said Karam	230,000
Damir Gabdullin	75,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Damir Gabdullin Said Karam

08-03-2025 14:29 UTC+2

Iakovlev and Pshyk Play a Four-Bet Pot

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Michael Iakovlev opened from middle position and Roman Pshyk three-bet the button to 5,500. When it got back to Iakovlev, he four-bet to 15,000, and Pshyk called.

Both watched the 4♥5♠6♣ flop hit the table, and Iakovlev continued with a bet of 12,000. Pshyk didn't want anything more to do with the pot and folded, which allowed Iakovlev to scoop in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Iakovlev	120,000 20,000	20,000

Roman Pshyk	50,000

Tags: Michael Iakovlev Roman Pshyk