$5,300 High Roller Day 1 | 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series

08-01-2025 01:32 UTC+3

Zisimopoulos Picks Up a Small Pot from Saad

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Tim Baker

Level 7 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Mark Saad raised from under the gun with only Georgios Zisimopoulos calling out of the small blind.

Zisimopoulos check-called Saad's continuation-bet of 3,000 on the K♠7♣J♣ flop.

Both players were happy to check down the 2♥ turn and Q♥ river. Zisimopoulos flipped over the winner with J♠9♠ for a pair of jacks, as Saad showed A♣2♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgios Zisimopoulos	240,000
Mark Saad	200,000

Tags: Mark Saad Georgios Zisimopoulos

08-01-2025 01:16 UTC+3

Razinkov Picks Off Khabbazeh's Bluff

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Tim Baker

Level 7 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Aleksandr Razinkov made it 3,500 to go from middle position before Basel Khabbazeh three-bet the cutoff to 8,000. Hulya Seckin cold-called out of the big blind, and Razinkov also flicked in the call.

Three ways to 5♦6♣7♦ flop that checked around to see the 3♣ roll off on the turn. After two checks, Khabbazeh bet 25,000, which only Razinkov called.

The 7♠ hit the river, and Razinkov checked again. Khabbazeh fired out 40,000, and after a bit of tanking, Razinkov called.

Khabbazeh immediately mucked his cards, which allowed Razinkov to pick up the pot without having to show his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Basel Khabbazeh	300,000 50,000	50,000
Aleksandr Razinkov	270,000
Hulya Seckin	115,000 115,000	115,000

Tags: Aleksandr Razinkov Basel Khabbazeh Hulya Seckin

Level: 7

Blinds: 800/1,500

Ante: 1,500

08-01-2025 01:00 UTC+3

Pshyk Wrecks Reichenstein's Jacks

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With the flop showing 10♥5♣9♠ and with around 18,000 in the pot, Roman Pshyk checked from early position and Uri Reichenstein bet 9,000 from the next seat. After a few moments, Pshyk called.

The board-pairing 9♥ appeared on the turn, and Pshyk checked again. Reichenstein bet around 20,000, and was met by a check-raise to 50,000 by Pshyk. Reichenstein jammed for 60,000, which Pshyk immediately called.

Uri Reichenstein: J♣J♥ All in
Roman Pshyk: K♦9♦

Pshyk had taken a commanding lead with trips on the turn and Reichenstein needed a jack on the river to survive. The 5♥ fell on the river, and Pshyk sent Reichenstein to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Pshyk	190,000 190,000	190,000
Uri Reichenstein	Busted

Tags: Roman Pshyk Uri Reichenstein

08-01-2025 00:46 UTC+3

Smolka Hits a Straight Flush

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

After two checks on the 10♣J♦7♣ flop, the button player jammed for about 35,000, which was just over the size of the pot. The big blind folded, but Dawid Smolka immediately called.

Button: Q♥Q♦ All in
Dawid Smolka: 9♣8♣

Smolka had flopped the nuts with a redraw to a straight flush. The K♦ turn gave the button a straight draw, but the J♣ river improved Smolka to a straight flush, and the pot was sent to him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dawid Smolka	220,000 110,000	110,000

Tags: Dawid Smolka

08-01-2025 00:30 UTC+3

Some Big Stacks After the Final Break

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Amir Hassan	440,000 105,000	105,000
Basel Khabbazeh	350,000 160,000	160,000
Joseph Sabe	340,000 70,000	70,000
Vedat Yilmaz	320,000 210,000	210,000
Tudor Bartha Lazar	310,000 105,000	105,000
Gor Musinyan	300,000 300,000	300,000
Jose Roman	270,000 209,000	209,000
Artur Shupa	250,000 250,000	250,000
Antoine Hasbani	240,000 240,000	240,000
Jingxuan Zhu	230,000 120,000	120,000
Kenar	230,000 230,000	230,000
Felipe Ketzer	210,000 210,000	210,000
Haydar Issa	205,000 35,000	35,000
Dmitry Gromov	190,000 80,000	80,000

Boban Zhivkovikj	180,000 70,000	70,000

Level: 6

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

08-01-2025 00:16 UTC+3

Break Time

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Tim Baker

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Players are now on a 15-minute break.

08-01-2025 00:11 UTC+3

Is Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi the Best Poker Player in the World? | PokerNews Podcast #909

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Tim Baker

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

In the 909th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Mike Holtz wrap up coverage of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) by highlighting Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, who not only won the 2025 WSOP Main Event for $10 million but was also snap-inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. It was a historic summer for The Grinder, and the crew gave him his just deserts.

They then talk about Shaun Deeb winning the WSOP Player of the Year for a second time, numbers from the summer, and late bracelet winners, including Andrew Ostapchenko, Daniel Zack, and Chad Eveslage. They also share final results from this year's 25K Fantasy Draft as well as the PokerNews Podcast draft involving Christina Gollins and Joey Ingram.

Meanwhile, news out of Las Vegas indicates poker chips can no longer be redeemed across competing properties, and there's a great high hand promotion at the Planet Hollywood Poker Room that players should know about. From there, it's over to the Venetian, including a big hand with Patrick Leonard from Venetian Poker Live, as well as Nico Betbese winning the WPT Venetian for $706K.

Finally, an update of all things PokerStars, including them parting ways with Barny Boatman, Silver Passes, Women's Summer Festival, and a look ahead to the EPT Barcelona.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every week on Thursdays at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

08-01-2025 00:04 UTC+3

Bezhanyan Gets a Full Double-Up Through Voronin

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Tim Baker

Level 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

On a completed board of 10♥A♥Q♥10♠8♥ Konstantin Voronin fired out a bet of 60,000 from the small blind into a pot of around 100,000. Aren Bezhanyan, who was seated on the button, jammed for 61,000, and Voronin reluctantly called the extra 1,000.

Bezhanyan revealed the king-high flush with K♥J♦ to win the pot, as Vorornin showed a smaller flopped flush holding J♥3♥.