€2,750 High Roller Day 1 | 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

01-18-2026 01:36 UTC+2

Ponomarev Soars Up the Chip Counts

Tim Baker

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

Davor Pistalo raised the button to 4,000 and Stojan Vazic called out of the small blind. Nikolay Ponomarev squeezed it up to 17,500 from the big blind, and then Pistalo four-bet shoved for around 100,000. Vazic got out the way, but Ponomarev called rather quickly.

Davor Pistalo: J♥5♠ All in
Nikolay Ponomarev: A♣Q♦

Pistalo had made a move with jack-five and ran into the ace-queen of Ponomarev.

Despite being behind, Pistalo had two live cards working in his favor. However, the 2♥A♦7♦ flop was a disaster for Pistalo as Ponomarev paired his ace. Pistalo was drawing dead after the 8♦ turn as the 2♦ on the river improved Ponomarev to an unnecessary flush.

Ponomarev's stack grew to a quarter of a million, and Pistalo was out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stojan Vazic	300,000 100,000	100,000
Nikolay Ponomarev	250,000 150,000	150,000
Davor Pistalo	Busted

Tags: Davor Pistalo Nikolay Ponomarev Stojan Vazic

01-18-2026 01:26 UTC+2

Hasbani Busts to Petrytsia's Bullets

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Tim Baker

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

Antoine Hasbani checked from the big blind on a flop of 5♥6♠5♠ and faced a bet of 4,200 by IIlia Petrytsia on the button. Hasbani made the call.

A Q♦ rolled off on the turn and Hasbani check-called another bet from Petrytsia, this time for 9,500.

When the J♣ completed the board, Hasbani moved all in for 54,500. Petrytsia deliberated for quite some time before deciding to make the call.

Hasbani showed A♣Q♠ for top pair, top kicker, but it was no good against Petrytsia's overpair with A♠A♥. Hasbani headed for the exit and Petrytsia was up to around 450,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Illia Petrytsia	450,000 70,000	70,000
Antoine Hasbani	Busted

Tags: Antoine Hasbani

01-18-2026 01:10 UTC+2

Pistalo Steals the Pot From Golubev

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Tim Baker

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

From the small blind, Davor Pistalo bet 6,000 on the Q♣J♦J♣ flop and Andrey Golubev made the call from the button.

A 8♥ landed on the turn, causing Pistalo to lead out again, this time for 13,500. Golubev continued in the form of a call.

A double board-pairing 8♠ completed the runout and Pistalo jammed for his last 55,000. Golubev quickly folded, and Pistalo was able to increase his stack past the initial starting stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Davor Pistalo	105,000 35,000	35,000

Andrey Golubev	90,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Davor Pistalo Andrey Golubev

Level: 7

Blinds: 800/1,500

Ante: 1,500

01-18-2026 00:53 UTC+2

Sibgatova Starts Her Spin-Up

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Tim Baker

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

Elie Farah raised to 2,800 from the cutoff and Paul Grummitt called on the button. Alisa Sibgatova squeezed all in for 11,800 from the big blind and only Grummitt called to try and bust her.

Alisa Sibgatova: 10♥10♣ All in
Paul Grummitt: 6♥6♦

Sibgatova started the hand with just over a tenth of the starting stack and needed her pocket tens to hold up to begin her spin-up.

Sibgatova improved to a set on the Q♦A♠7♦10♠5♦ runout to win the pot and earn the much-needed double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Grummitt	130,000 25,000	25,000
Elie Farah	90,000 90,000	90,000
Alisa Sibgatova	25,000 75,000	75,000

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Elie Farah Paul Grummitt

01-18-2026 00:41 UTC+2

Margolin Puts the Pressure On

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Tim Baker

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

There was a raise to 2,500 from the button before Timur Margolin three-bet to 13,000 out of the big blind. Margolin's opponent instantly called to see a flop.

Margolin placed out a continuation-bet of 17,500 on the 8♦9♠4♣ flop, and the button player slid in the call.

When Margolin saw the 10♠ hit the turn, he paused momentarily before jamming for his opponent's remaining 55,000. The player on the button did some inventory of his stack and then returned his cards to the dealer, surrendering the pot to Margolin.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timur Margolin	150,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Timur Margolin

01-18-2026 00:28 UTC+2

Velvelt's Top Pair Earns Him Some Chips

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Tim Baker

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

On the turn with the board showing 10♦8♥5♠6♠, Urmo Velvelt checked from the big blind and the player on the button jammed for 25,000, which was slightly less than the pot. Velvelt made the call and the players went to a showdown.

Button Player: A♦8♦ All in
Urmo Velvelt: J♠10♣

Both players had flopped a pair but it was Velvelt's top pair that had him out in front.

The river came the 5♣, and all of the button players' chips were sent over to Velvelt.

Player	Chips	Progress
Urmo Velvelt	130,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Urmo Velvelt

01-18-2026 00:18 UTC+2

Assorted Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Illia Petrytsia	380,000 280,000	280,000
Nemanja Tatar	300,000 225,000	225,000

Sebastian Szychulski	280,000 185,000	185,000
Bobby James	230,000 50,000	50,000
Alain Hajj	220,000 5,000	5,000
Nikolay Ivanov	200,000 200,000	200,000
Pablo Redrado	200,000 30,000	30,000
Alexander Lakhov	195,000 140,000	140,000

Mehmet Dalkilic	175,000 175,000	175,000
Blaz Zerjav	170,000

Milos Miskovic	160,000 60,000	60,000