2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series

$5,300 High Roller
Day: 1
123
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
108
Prize
$310,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$1,462,800
Total Entries
318
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
200,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
209
Players Left
121
Players Left 1 / 318
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Flashback: Boris Kolev Dominates 2025 Merit Millions Final Table

Level 1 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Boris Kolev
Boris Kolev

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

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Boris KolevBulgaria$1,000,000
2Mehdi ChaouiMorocco$300,000
3Romans LihacovsLatvia$200,000
4Aleksandr KirichenkoRussian Federation$140,000
5Rafael AslanliTurkey$100,000
6Maksim ShornikauBelarus$75,000
7Andrey PateychukRussian Federation$55,000
8Ali Al-KubasiIraq$45,000
9Alexandr LakhovRussia$35,400

Read the Full Recap Here

Some Early Entries

Level 1 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kenar tr
Kenar
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Lukas Pazma sk
Lukas Pazma
110,000
110,000
110,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Alexandru Cinca ro
Alexandru Cinca
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Peng Chen cn
Peng Chen
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Mazalahedwa Bako gb
Mazalahedwa Bako
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Grzegorz Kozieja pl
Grzegorz Kozieja
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Marcin Puczylowski pl
Marcin Puczylowski
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Florian Duta ro
Florian Duta
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Alexandru Papazian ro
Alexandru Papazian
110,000
110,000
110,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Viacheslav Balaev ru
Viacheslav Balaev
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Kirill Burtin ru
Kirill Burtin
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Senol Ardic fr
Senol Ardic
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Ran Ilani il
Ran Ilani
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Joris Ruijs nl
Joris Ruijs
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Konstantin Voronin ru
Konstantin Voronin
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Aleksandr Chernikov ru
Aleksandr Chernikov
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Samir Nacer fr
Samir Nacer
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Mustafa Ercan tr
Mustafa Ercan
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Nursultan Bekkuzhiyev kz
Nursultan Bekkuzhiyev
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Boban Zhivkovikj mk
Boban Zhivkovikj
110,000
110,000
110,000
GGPoker
Profile photo of Robert Burlacu ro
Robert Burlacu
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Kemal Aslan tr
Kemal Aslan
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Quan Zhou cn
Quan Zhou
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Alexander Sokolovsky rs
Alexander Sokolovsky
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Vedat Yilmaz tr
Vedat Yilmaz
110,000
110,000
110,000

Read full

Level: 1

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

Big Turnout Expected for $5,300 High Roller Kicking Off at 8 p.m.

Walid Bou Habib
Walid Bou Habib

The high-stakes action returns to the shores of North Cyprus with the prestigious $5,300 High Roller, set to begin tonight at 8 p.m. at the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino as part of the 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series.

One of the most anticipated events on the schedule, the tournament boasts a hefty $750,000 guaranteed prize pool and will draw a mix of international crushers, regional regulars, and ambitious hopefuls eyeing a six-figure payday.

In 2024, it was Lebanon’s Walid Bou Habib, who outlasted 193 entries to win the $3,300 OPE Classic Cup, which held the same structure and format. Bou Habib sealed the win in dramatic fashion, eliminating both Julien Liarte and Antoine Hasbani in the same hand to earn the $132,000 first-place prize.

2024 Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Walid Bou HabibLebanon$132,000
2Julien LiarteFrance$90,000
3Antoine HasbaniLebanon$60,000
4Konstantin VoroninRussia$41,500
5Iurii SaiapinRussia$32,500
6Jeremie ZouariFrance$26,500
7Fadi NakhoulLebanon$21,700
8Azamat TulepbergenovKazakhstan$17,150

The $5,300 High Roller follows a three-day structure with 40-minute levels throughout the event. Day 1 will play through eight levels before bagging up for the night. Players may still enter on Day 2, as late registration remains open until the end of Level 12. The deep structure means many notable names are expected to join throughout the first two days.

Day 1 Structure

LevelSmall BlindBig BlindAnte
1200400400
2300600600
3300700700
4400800800
55001,0001,000
66001,2001,200
78001,5001,500
81,0001,5001,500

Be sure to follow PokerNews for full coverage of the High Roller and all the exciting events from the 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series, including live updates, chip counts, photos, and more straight from the tournament floor.

Tags: Antoine HasbaniAzamat TulepbergenovFadi NakhoulIurii SaiapinJeremie ZouariJulien LiarteKonstantin VoroninWalid Bou Habib

$5,300 High Roller

Day 1 Started