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

01-19-2026 19:24 UTC+2

Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack by PokerNews

Kai Cocklin

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

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01-19-2026 19:14 UTC+2

Tulin Relents as Margolin Check-Raises Turn

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Kai Cocklin

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

Timur Margolin opened to 3,000 from the hijack and Dmytro Tulin three-bet the cutoff to 9,000. When it got back to Margolin, he called.

The flop came A♥J♣7♠ and after Margolin checked, Tulin continued for 4,500. Margolin was going nowhere just yet and stuck in the call to see the 3♠ turn, where again he knuckled it over.

Tulin then bet 10,000, and before he knew it, Margolin raised to 42,000. Not much time later, Tulin sent his cards back where they came from, allowing Margolin to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timur Margolin	220,000

Dmytro Tulin	210,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Dmytro Tulin Timur Margolin

01-19-2026 18:57 UTC+2

Graeser Flipped Out by Kliper

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Kai Cocklin

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

There was a raise from the cutoff to 3,000, which Arie Kliper called on the button. Adam Graeser was in the small blind and ripped around 40,000 into the middle, which got the cutoff to fold.

Kliper got the full count and after checking his own stack, he called.

Adam Graeser: A♦8♦ All in
Arie Kliper: 7♥7♦

Graeser was in a flip, but the coin seemed to be landing Kliper's way as the 3♦K♠9♣ flop changed nothing.

The 2♣5♦ turn and river were also bricks, which meant Graeser hit the rail as Kliper's stack grew to around 160,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arie Kliper	160,000
Adam Graeser	Busted

Tags: Adam Graeser Arie Kliper

Level: 6

Blinds: 800/1,500

Ante: 1,500

01-19-2026 18:45 UTC+2

A Round of Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Lennart Beumelburg	350,000 350,000	350,000
Igor Abelmasov	340,000 110,000	110,000
Danila Solovyev	300,000 70,000	70,000
Antoine Hasbani	210,000 20,000	20,000
Vladimir Lappo	160,000 10,000	10,000
Andrey Litvinov	140,000
Alisa Sibgatova	130,000 70,000	70,000
Genrik Alekian	100,000
Darko Svesko	90,000
Nikolay Fal	50,000 30,000	30,000

01-19-2026 18:36 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya Gets Value From James

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Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya just finished sixth in the high roller for €16,300, but there was no time to celebrate the score as he hopped into the Main Event.

It didn't take long for Skhulukhiya to get involved as he clashed in a hand against Bobby James.

The action was picked up on the river with the board reading 6♣10♦J♦Q♥7♥ and with around 75,000 in there, Skhulukhiya bet 55,000 from middle position.

James was on the button and in the tank while he mulled it over, and he eventually settled on a call.

Skhulukhiya then revealed two pair with J♠10♠, and James acknowledged with a "Nice hand" before he mucked his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	240,000 240,000	240,000
Bobby James	140,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Bobby James Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

01-19-2026 18:29 UTC+2

Cheaters, Arrests and Poker Villains Among Top Stories of 2025 | PokerNews Podcast #932

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Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

In the 932nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz recap the top 10 stories of 2025 according to PokerNews. They include:

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday 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!

01-19-2026 18:21 UTC+2

Chrysochoidis Shoves Into Reichenstein's Nuts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Christoforos Chrysochoidis let out a huge sigh as he shoved into the nuts of Uri Reichenstein.

With around 20,000 in the pot on a K♥5♣Q♣ flop, Chrysochoidis checked the hijack and Reichenstein bet 6,000 from the cutoff. Chrysochoidis called.

The action repeated on the 2♠ turn as Chrysochoidis check-called a bet of 15,000 from Reichenstein to see the 3♣ fall on the river.

Almost immediately, Chrysochoidis shoved, and Reichenstein snap-called for his stack of 38,400.

"Ahhhhhhhh," was the sound that came out of Chrysochoidis as Reichenstein showed the nuts with A♣8♣. Chrysochoidis was forced to flip over his Q♠9♠ as he watched the pot get shipped to his table neighbor.