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$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi
Day 3 Completed
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$2,823,480
Total Entries
1,023
Level
40
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
229
Players Left
50
Players Left 1 / 1,023
Filter
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Day 3 of the 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series has come to a close, and just 50 contenders remain in the $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi. Known as "The Night of the Aces," the event delivered drama worthy of its name, with straight flushes, royal flushes, and big stacks flying across the room. A life-changing $460,000 awaits the eventual winner inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
Russia’s Aleksandr Chernikov topped the Day 3 chip counts after building an enormous stack of 6,560,000. He surged ahead of the competition late in the day and will return with a commanding lead when cards go back in the air on Day 4.
Day 3 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aleksandr Chernikov | Russian Federation | 6,560,000 | 131 |
| 2 | Adrian State | Romania | 4,415,000 | 88 |
| 3 | Maksim Shornikau | Belarus | 4,045,000 | 81 |
| 4 | Dawid Smolka | Poland | 3,780,000 | 76 |
| 5 | Uri Reichenstein | Israel | 3,770,000 | 75 |
| 6 | Krasimir Yankov | Bulgaria | 3,445,000 | 69 |
| 7 | Milos Miskovic | Serbia | 3,355,000 | 67 |
| 8 | Haydar Issa | Lebanon | 3,295,000 | 66 |
| 9 | Tommy G | San Marino | 3,245,000 | 65 |
| 10 | Changyang Liu | China | 3,195,000 | 64 |
Right behind him is Adrian State with 4,415,000, followed by Uri Reichenstein (3,970,000), Dawid Smolka (3,780,000), and Krasimir Yankov (3,445,000). Smolka remains in contention for the elusive Merit Poker triple crown, having already captured titles in both a Warm-Up and a High Roller.
Nicolas Chouity (3,400,000), Milos Miskovic (3,355,000), Tommy G (3,245,000), and Changyang Liu (3,195,000) also bagged healthy stacks, along with Alessio Isaia (2,300,000) and IPO Master winner Xiaosheng Zheng (1,210,000).
The money bubble burst in Level 20 when Claudiu-Mihai Burlacu called off his short stack with pocket eights against Aleksandr Razinkov’s ace-king. An ace on the flop sealed Burlacu’s fate, making him the last player to leave without a payout.
As the bubble burst, fireworks followed.
Miskovic, already a dangerous force in the field, pulled off one of the most impressive hands of the day. Facing an early position raise from “Aceallin17,” Miskovic defended his big blind and then went to war on a jack-high, two-club flop. What unfolded was an all-in on the river, which Miskovic won after turning over seven-three of clubs for a straight flush. His opponent showed pocket jacks for top set and could only shake his head in disbelief as he hit the rail.
Incredibly, just moments later, another insane hand happened, but this time it was a Royal Flush.
Erdal Gulseven was all-in for his last chips against Vladimir Erceg, who held top set of aces on a flop of ace-queen-nine with two diamonds. Gulseven had king-jack of diamonds and needed a miracle. The turn paired the board and gave Erceg a full house, leaving Gulseven drawing to one out, the ten of diamonds. He was already standing to leave when the dealer peeled the magical card on the river, completing the rarest hand in poker and sending the entire table into chaos.
As the final levels of the night played out, more big names fell short of the finish line, while others locked up a seat for Day 4. In total, just 50 remain from the original 1,023, and the pressure will only increase with the final stretch now in sight.
Remaining Payouts
All remaining players have locked up at least $9,400 for their efforts. The payouts continue to climb steadily, with those reaching the final table guaranteed $46,280 and the top five each taking home six-figure scores. The eventual champion will walk away with $460,000, while the runner-up is set to earn $307,000. Other key prizes include $215,000 for third, $156,000 for fourth, and $115,000 for fifth.
Play resumes at 12 p.m. local time with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 50,000 big blind ante. The prize pool of $2,823,480 will continue to be shared out, and by the end of Day 4, the path to the final table will be far clearer.
Stay tuned to PokerNews as the road to the $460,000 top prize continues.
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,560,000 | |
|
||
|
4,415,000 | |
|
4,045,000
2,895,000
|
2,895,000 |
|
3,780,000 | |
|
3,770,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
3,445,000 | |
|
3,355,000 | |
|
||
|
3,295,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
3,245,000 | |
|
3,195,000 | |
|
3,160,000 | |
|
3,000,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
2,975,000 | |
|
2,430,000
2,039,000
|
2,039,000 |
|
2,400,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
||
|
2,345,000
345,000
|
345,000 |
|
2,325,000
375,000
|
375,000 |
|
2,300,000 | |
|
||
|
2,175,000
1,675,000
|
1,675,000 |
|
2,125,000
425,000
|
425,000 |
|
2,100,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
2,020,000
1,290,000
|
1,290,000 |
|
2,000,000 | |
|
1,970,000
820,000
|
820,000 |
|
1,965,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Day 3 has come to an end and the survivors are bagging up their chips.
Stay tuned for the full chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,560,000
1,460,000
|
1,460,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,415,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
|
3,970,000
370,000
|
370,000 |
|
|
3,780,000
380,000
|
380,000 |
|
|
3,445,000
1,045,000
|
1,045,000 |
|
|
3,400,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,355,000
445,000
|
445,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,245,000
355,000
|
355,000 |
|
|
3,205,000
805,000
|
805,000 |
|
|
3,195,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
|
|
3,160,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
|
2,975,000
1,375,000
|
1,375,000 |
|
|
2,300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,000,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
1,800,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
1,210,000
890,000
|
890,000 |
|
|
||
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
When it folded to Katherina Aristotelos on the button, she jammed for 615,000 and got snap-called by Vladimir Erceg out of the big blind.
Katherina Aristotelos: A♦5♥ 
Vladimir Erceg: 8♦8♣
Aristotelos was behind to the Snowmen of Erceg, but the 4♠Q♣3♥ flop gave her a straight draw along with an ace she could hit to double up. The A♥ rolled off on the turn to propel Aristotelos into the lead with top pair. A 10♣ completed the board, and Aristotelos doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,290,000
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
405,000
1,595,000
|
1,595,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
The floor have announced that five more hands will be played before the survivors bag up for the evening.
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Aleksandr Chernikov raised to 80,000 from early position and Changyang Liu called from the next seat. Bakhos Alalam squeezed all in from the button for 975,000, which forced the rest of the table and Chernikov to fold. Liu thought it over and then stuck in the call.
Bakhos Alalam: J♣10♣
Changyang Liu: A♦Q♠
Liu made the right call and was ahead with ace-high, but Alalam had a hand with a lot of potential on the runout.
A flop of 3♠K♥7♠ fell, keeping Liu in the lead. The rest of the board came 9♦4♦, and all of Alalam's stack was absorbed into Liu's.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,000,000
2,010,000
|
2,010,000 |
|
Busted | |
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
There were around 300,000 in the middle on a 5♦10♦9♦J♣ board when Adrian State checked from the big blind and then called a bet of 240,000 from Aleksandr Kirichenko, who was on the button.
A J♦ paired the board on the river and State checked it over once again, then Kirichenko fired 300,000. State didn't need to think for too long before he let it go, and Kirichenko's stack grew to around 3,000,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,600,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
3,000,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,200,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,800,000
650,000
|
650,000 |
|
|
3,800,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,400,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
3,300,000
2,414,000
|
2,414,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,900,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
