€1,650 Main Event Day 1a | 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

01-19-2026 20:54 UTC+2

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Kai Cocklin

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

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01-19-2026 20:47 UTC+2

Isaev and Szychulski Battle Again

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Kai Cocklin

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

There was a limp from under the gun and Sebastian Szychulski raised to 5,000 in middle position. Nikolai Isaev then three-bet to 16,500 on the button, which only Szychulski called.

The flop came 2♥2♦7♥ and after Szychulski checked, Isaev bet 20,000. That was enough to earn him the pot as Szychulski folded.

Both Isaev and Szychulski have been battling since the start of Day 1a, and both have well over the starting stack as the dinner break approaches.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastian Szychulski	220,000
Nikolai Isaev	170,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Nikolai Isaev Sebastian Szychulski

01-19-2026 20:39 UTC+2

Some Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Abelmasov	560,000 20,000	20,000
Lennart Beumelburg	370,000 20,000	20,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	310,000 30,000	30,000
Bobby James	300,000 25,000	25,000
Uri Reichenstein	230,000 100,000	100,000
Mehmet Dalkilic	180,000 35,000	35,000
Dmytro Tulin	170,000 40,000	40,000
Vladimir Lappo	170,000 10,000	10,000
Chady Ojeil	125,000 20,000	20,000
Stefan Cupic	120,000 10,000	10,000
Petr Rudnev	120,000 80,000	80,000
Andrey Litvinov	100,000 40,000	40,000
Ali Moein	92,000 58,000	58,000
Benjamin Nicault	90,000 25,000	25,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	60,000 5,000	5,000

01-19-2026 20:28 UTC+2

Kudryavtsev Folds to Shalneva's River Shove

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Kai Cocklin

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

On a flop of 9♣8♣Q♦, there were around 20,000 in the pot when Viktoria Shalneva checked the small blind and Sergey Kudryavtsev checked the big blind.

Genrik Alekian then bet 8,500 from under the gun, which Shalneva called. Kudryavtsev then raised to 25,000, which drove Alekian out, but Shalneva stuck around.

A J♦ turn saw Shalneva check again, only for Kudryavtsev to bet 37,000. After around a minute, Shalneva called.

The board-pairing 9♠ completed the runout and Shalneva took some more time before she shoved for around 85,000. Kudryavtsev had around 100,000 behind, but quickly made the laydown.

Shalneva then showed Q♠J♥ for top two pair as she raked the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viktoria Shalneva	200,000
Sergey Kudryavtsev	100,000
Jamie Nixon	75,000
Genrik Alekian	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Genrik Alekian Sergey Kudryavtsev Viktoria Shalneva

01-19-2026 20:13 UTC+2

Szychulski Shows Miskovic a Wheel

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Kai Cocklin

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

Sebastian Szychulski raised the hijack to 3,000 and Milos Miskovic three-bet to 9,000 from the cutoff. When it got back on Szychulski, he called.

On the 2♠3♦7♥ flop, Szychulski checked and Miskovic bet 11,000. Szychulski called to the 5♥ turn, where both checked.

The 10♣ completed the board and Szychulski bet 12,000, and Miskovic quickly called.

Szychulski then revealed A♣4♣ for a straight, and Miskovic mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastian Szychulski	220,000 110,000	110,000
Milos Miskovic	55,000

Tags: Milos Miskovic Sebastian Szychulski

01-19-2026 20:00 UTC+2

Selected Top Stacks

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Kai Cocklin

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Abelmasov	580,000 240,000	240,000
Mihail Ketlerov	360,000 10,000	10,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	340,000 10,000	10,000
Ozgur Arda	340,000 340,000	340,000
Fausto Tantillo	325,000 55,000	55,000

Milos Todorovic	300,000 40,000	40,000
Valentin Ghioca	250,000 250,000	250,000
Bora Kurtulus	240,000
Danila Solovyev	220,000 80,000	80,000
Mikhail Ostapenko	180,000 25,000	25,000
Hakan Varol	125,000 90,000	90,000
Antoine Hasbani	75,000 135,000	135,000

Level: 7

Blinds: 800/1,500

Ante: 1,500

01-19-2026 19:49 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Players are heading on a 10-minute break.

01-19-2026 19:42 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya and James Having Fun

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Bobby James and Giorgiy Skhulukhiya are continuing to battle on Table 4.

There were around 8,000 in the pot on a 2♥4♣J♥10♥ board when Skhulukhiya checked from the hijack and James knuckled back.

"What. Is this a new button you have installed?" joked James in reference to Skhulukhiya's check.

The 8♣ landed on the river and the check button wasn't used again by Skhulukhiya as he bet 5,500, forcing James into a quick fold.

"You must have got an upgrade with more buttons," joked James again.

Despite giving up that small pot, James' stack is back on the rise as he has around 275,000 in front of him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	350,000 110,000	110,000
Bobby James	275,000 135,000	135,000
Darko Svesko	100,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Bobby James Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

01-19-2026 19:31 UTC+2

Ojeil Makes the Right Call

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Chady Ojeil just picked off a bluff, bringing his stack back to just over that of starting.

There were around 40,000 in the pot on a K♥5♣7♠K♠Q♥ board when Ivo Zeravica bet 20,000 from the big blind. Ojeil was under the gun and taking his time with the decision while he tried to piece together the puzzle.

Eventually, Ojeil did call, and Zeravica sheepishly flipped over A♣8♠ with a smile. Ojeil had that beat as he rolled over A♠Q♦ for a rivered pair of queens, earning him the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chady Ojeil	105,000
Ivo Zeravica	90,000

Tags: Chady Ojeil Ivo Zeravica