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$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi
Day 4 Completed
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi
Day: 4
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
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
50
Players Left
9
Players Left 1 / 1,023
Filter
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Day 4 of the $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi at the 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series has wrapped up inside the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. After four days of play, the final nine has been set, where one player will lift the coveted trophy and claim the top prize of $460,000.
This year’s La Notte Degli Assi drew 1,023 entries, creating a massive $2,823,480 prize pool and attracting some of the top talent from around the globe. The field has now been whittled down to a single table, with all those that remain guaranteed at least $46,280.
Starting the final day with the big stack is Lebanon’s Nicolas Chouity, who bagged 29,700,000 at the end of the day. The 2010 EPT Grand Final champion won several big pots late in the day to gain the chip lead and put himself in prime position to add another major title to his resume. Hot on his heels is Russia’s Aleksandr Razinkov with 23,125,000, while "Ma" rounds out the top three with 13,025,000.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Chouity | Lebanon | 29,700,000 | 74 |
| 2 | Aleksandr Razinkov | Russia | 23,125,000 | 58 |
| 3 | Ma | France | 13,025,000 | 33 |
| 4 | Richard Broda | Hungary | 9,750,000 | 24 |
| 5 | Mehmet Deniz | Turkey | 8,900,000 | 22 |
| 6 | Nebi Baysal | Turkey | 8,150,000 | 20 |
| 7 | Tommy G | San Marino | 5,400,000 | 14 |
| 8 | Adil Tlimisov | Russia | 2,600,000 | 7 |
| 9 | Viacheslav Balaev | Russia | 2,500,000 | 6 |
Day 4 Action
Day 4 began with 50 players having locked up $9,400, with Russia’s Aleksandr Chernikov leading the pack on 131 big blinds. Early action saw Razinkov double through the IPO Master winner Xiaosheng Zheng with pocket kings holding against queens, leaving Zheng with just a few big blinds and out shortly after.
Chernikov then sent Alessio Isaia to the rail when his ace-queen held against Isaia's jack-eight, but his own run ended in 26th place before the three table redraw. Chernikov was eliminated in a huge pot against Mehmet Deniz, who hit an ace on the turn to best Chernikov's flopped second pair.
Deniz remained active, shoving over an open from Aleksandr Kirichenko and having Chouity call to put himself at risk from the big blind. Although behind after the flop, Chouity completed his flush on the turn for a crucial double. He later dragged another big pot by eliminating Adrian State, rivering a straight against pocket jacks. These pots propelled Chouity toward the top of the leaderboard and helped secure the chip lead for the final table.
One of the day’s biggest talking points came when Dawid Smolka, chasing the first-ever Merit Poker Triple Crown, called off his stack with pocket jacks against a button shove from Razinkov. A brutal river gave Razinkov trip sevens, ending Smolka’s chances in 11th place.
The final table was confirmed when Maksim Shornikau got all-in against Chouity. Both had ace-eight suited, but Chouity won the pot outright by hitting a backdoor flush and sent Shornikau to the rail as the final table bubble boy.
The finalists have all locked up at least $46,280, but all eyes remain on the trophy and the $460,000 top prize. Cards go in the air for the final day at 1 p.m. local time, resuming with 46 minutes remaining on Level 35, featuring blinds at 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 big blind ante.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $460,000 |
| 2 | $307,000 |
| 3 | $215,000 |
| 4 | $156,000 |
| 5 | $115,000 |
| 6 | $95,000 |
| 7 | $77,500 |
| 8 | $61,500 |
| 9 | $46,280 |
Follow PokerNews on August 8, for full coverage of the La Notte Degli Assi finale, from the first shuffle to the final hand when a champion is crowned.
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
29,700,000 | |
|
||
|
23,125,000
1,325,000
|
1,325,000 |
|
13,025,000
1,975,000
|
1,975,000 |
|
9,750,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
8,900,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
8,150,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
|
5,400,000
2,200,000
|
2,200,000 |
|
2,600,000
2,600,000
|
2,600,000 |
|
2,500,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
From the cutoff, Maksim Shornikau jammed for 3,250,000 and was called by Nicolas Chouity out of the big blind.
Maksim Shornikau: A♥8♥ 
Nicolas Chouity: A♠8♠
Both players had the same hand, and Chouity asked the dealer before the flop was dealt, "Please, no hearts or spades."
A flop of 4♠7♣10♥ appeared to provide both players with a chance to scoop the entire pot with a backdoor flush. The 9♠ turn gave Chouity a flush draw and the opportunity to make Shornikau the final table bubble boy in brutal fashion. The dealer burned a card, then rolled off the 7♠ on the river to complete Chouity's flush, and Shornikau hit the rail in 10th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
29,700,000
4,200,000
|
4,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Nicolas Chouity raised to 800,000 from under the gun and Mehmet Deniz called from the big blind.
The flop came 7♣A♣8♦, where Deniz check-called a bet of 750,000 from Chouity to see the 10♠ fall on the turn. Again Deniz went into check-call mode after Chouity bet 2,200,000.
A J♠ filled out the board and Deniz checked for a third time, and faced a third bet as Chouity unloaded a bet of 5,200,000. Within a few seconds, Deniz had folded, and Chouity's stack grew once more.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
25,500,000
4,400,000
|
4,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,500,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
9,000,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
3,400,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
When it folded to "Ma" in the small blind, he jammed for 5,325,000. Aleksandr Razinkov thought about it briefly before making the call for almost a fifth of his stack from the big blind
"Ma": A♦2♠
Aleksandr Razinkov: A♣6♠
Both had an ace, but Razinkov had the better kicker. Although the J♠8♥8♦ flop meant a chop was the most likely outcome. A 4♥ appeared on the turn, but the 2♣ came on the river to give "Ma" the best hand with a pair of deuces. Ma doubled up, much to the disappointment of the other short-stacks.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,800,000
4,200,000
|
4,200,000 |
|
|
11,050,000
6,150,000
|
6,150,000 |
Level 35
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Nebi Baysal limped in from under the gun for 400,000 and Mehmet Deniz completed from the small blind. Nicolas Chouity checked his option in the big blind.
On the J♥Q♦2♥ flop, all three checked to the J♣ turn, where Deniz checked and Chouity bet 700,000. Baysal called and Deniz folded to see the 4♥ fall on the river.
After some deliberation, Chouity fired 2,100,000. Baysal instantly moved all in for around 4,000,000, and Chouity quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,100,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
12,000,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
9,500,000
5,000,000
|
5,000,000 |
Level: 35
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Level 34
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Aleksandr Razinkov opened to 600,000 from under the gun and "Tommy G" called in the cutoff. "Ma", who just got a shove through, also called in the big blind.
The trio saw a flop of 5♠3♥6♣, where they all checked to see the 7♦ drop on the turn. "Ma" shoved for around 2,200,000, which drew quick folds from both of his opponents.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
26,000,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
7,600,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
|
5,200,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
4,900,000
2,500,000
|
2,500,000 |
|
|
3,500,000
1,550,000
|
1,550,000 |
Level 34
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
"Tommy G" jammed from the hijack for 2,900,000, and only "Ma" called from the small blind for just over half his stack.
"Tommy G": K♥Q♠
"Ma": A♥K♣
"Tommy G" was dominated by "Ma", and unless a queen came on the runout, the tournament would reach the final table.
The dealer burned a card and put out a flop of J♦3♦Q♦ to propel "Tommy G" into the lead with a pair of queens. The rest of the board came 8♣K♦, which meant "Tommy G" doubled up with two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,000,000 | |
|
|
6,400,000
2,000,000
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
5,500,000 | |
|
|
5,050,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
2,400,000
4,000,000
|
4,000,000 |
