€1,650 Main Event Day 2 | 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

Jan 22, 2026

Esau's Bluff Catch Puts Him Over a Milly

Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

On a completed board of 9♣2♥K♣6♣J♥ and with roughly 350,000 in the middle, Igor Abelmasov shoved from the big blind for Paul Esau's stack of 361,000.

Esua, who was seated on the button, was visibly uncomfortable with the spot he was in. After giving a lot of thought, Esau flicked in a chip to indicate a call.

Abelmasov turned over a bluff with A♠10♣, and had to send over a large portion of his stack to Esau, who revealed 9♥9♠ for a flopped set.

Esau's correct bluff catch earned him the pot of over a million, while Abelmasov was down to around 350,000

Tags: Paul Esau's Igor Abelmasov

Jan 22, 2026

Grummitt Drills a Straight to Crack Kings

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Paul Grummitt just hit a nice turn card to stack Hakan Kuscu.

There were around already 70,000 in the pot on a flop of 8♥6♦7♦ when the last Kuscu's stack of around 50,000 went into the middle against Grummitt.

Hakan Kuscu: K♠K♥ All in
Paul Grummitt: 9♥9♣

Grummitt had an open-ender, and drilled it on the 5♥ turn. Kuscu's only hope was a chop, but the 5♠ river wasn't what he needed, sending him to the rail.

Tags: Hakan Kuscu Paul Grummitt

Jan 22, 2026

Buhaiov Steals the Pot From Mosyk

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Nazar Buhaiov raised under the gun to 7,000 and was three-bet to 21,000 by Maksym Bosyk on his direct left. Buhaiov called when the action got back to him.

Buhaiov check-called a bet of 15,000 from Bosyk on the K♣5♠4♠ flop.

The J♣ turn checked through for the J♠ to complete the board.

Buhaiov bet 65,000, and this was enough to get Bosyk to fold.

Tags: Maksym Bosyk Nazar Buhaiov

Jan 22, 2026

Eight Levels on Day 2

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

It has been announced that Day 2 of the Main Event will play eight levels, with no dinner break.

Currently, the field has reached 389 entries with around one and a half levels of late registration to go.

Jan 22, 2026

Reichenstein Squeezes Some Value Out of Rashed

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

From the button, Dani Rashed made it 8,000 and Uri Reichenstein defended the big blind.

Check, check came after the 10♣J♥7♠ flop, and the 6♥ arrived on the turn. Reichenstein took the betting lead by firing out for 17,000, and Rashed called.

A 7♣ rolled out on the river, and Reichenstein bet 55,000. Rashed made the call, but then mucked upon seeing Reichenstein's top pair with A♠J♣.

Tags: Uri Reichenstein Dani Rashed

Jan 22, 2026

WSOP Bracelet Winners in Action

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

WSOP bracelet winners Shai Zurr and Gabi Livshitz were both in action at their respective tables, but neither of them managed to win the pot.

First, in a blind-on-blind confrontation with Dmytro Gorbal, Livshitz had his stack of around 100,000 in the middle from the big blind.

Gabi Livshitz: 2♥2♦ All in
Dmytro Gorbal: Q♥Q♦

Livshitz was in trouble, and was deeper in the hole when the A♣Q♠5♦ flop gave Gorbal a set. No running cards appeared on the 9♠4♦ runout, and Livshitz hit the rail.

Elsewhere, there was a raise before the button three-bet to 18,000. Zurr then four-bet the small blind to 51,000, which only the button called.

On the 10♠Q♠4♠ flop, Zurr check-folded to the shove of the button.

Tags: Dmytro Gorbal Gabi Livshitz Shai Zurr

Jan 22, 2026