€880 Merit Poker Cup
Day 3 Completed
2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship
€880 Merit Poker Cup
Day: 3
Event Info
2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
€880
Prize Pool
€305,440
Entries
415
Level
28
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 415
Filter
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
The €880 Merit Poker Cup has crowned a new champion at the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship, with Vladimir Lappo claiming the title and the €61,000 top prize inside the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva. The Belarusian navigated a 415-entry field and closed out the tournament on the final day to secure one of the biggest wins of his career.
Lappo entered the final table with a middling stack but stayed alive through several all-in situations before building momentum at the right time. He eventually defeated Nikolay Fal heads-up to seal the victory, while Italy’s Fausto Tantillo finished third for €29,000.
Speaking after the win, Lappo summed up the day simply, saying, “It’s quite complicated to win this tournament without luck, and today I was a lucky boy.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vladimir Lappo | Belarus | €61,000 |
| 2 | Nikolay Fal | Russia | €42,500 |
| 3 | Fausto Tantillo | Italy | €29,000 |
| 4 | Bojan Berberovic | Serbia | €20,000 |
| 5 | Mikhail Zavoloka | Russia | €15,000 |
| 6 | Genrik Alekian | Ukraine | €12,000 |
| 7 | Ali Moein | Iran | €9,500 |
| 8 | Rashad Iskandarov | Azerbaijan | €7,400 |
| 9 | Oleksii Shchukin | Ukraine | €5,790 |
Winner’s Reaction
“It was an incredible experience for me to win this tournament,” Lappo said. “There were tonnes of interesting hands and such strong opponents around me.”
He went on to thank those closest to him, adding, “Thanks to my friends, to my family, and to the wonderful country of Slovenia where I’ve lived the last couple of years.”
Lappo also revealed a personal detail from the final day, explaining, “It was my origami talisman which my daughter made me for Christmas. I think that’s why I won.”
Reflecting on the location, he spoke warmly about Montenegro. “I lived in Montenegro for a couple of years. It’s a great country with mountains, sea, great people, and a lot of sun. I like the food and the people.”
When asked where the trophy would go, Lappo was clear. “The last couple of years I lived in Slovenia. The trophy goes to this wonderful country.”
Lappo Builds at the Right Time
After grinding a short stack early at the final table, Lappo found an important double through Tantillo. The chips went in preflop with ace-king against pocket sixes, and Lappo paired his ace on the flop before improving to two pair by the turn to move back into contention.
He then eliminated Rashad Iskandarov in eighth place, getting his chips in with king-queen against pocket jacks and pairing his queen on the flop to score the knockout. That pot pushed Lappo into a stronger position as the table continued to shrink.
Lappo later sent Mikhail Zavoloka to the rail in fifth place. Zavoloka was all in holding pocket eights, but Lappo connected with ace-ten and improved to two pair by the river, continuing his run of winning key all-in confrontations.
Ace-Five Ends Tantillo’s Run
Four-handed, one of the largest pots of the tournament saw Lappo eliminate Tantillo in third place. Lappo limped from the small blind and Tantillo raised from the big blind, with Lappo calling.
On a jack-ten-four flop, Lappo check-called a continuation bet. An ace on the turn brought another check-call, and when a nine fell on the river, Lappo checked for a third time.
Tantillo shoved, and after taking time to consider the decision, Lappo called with ace-five, which was good against Tantillo’s ten-six. The hand sent Tantillo to the rail and gave Lappo the chip lead heading into heads-up play.
Short Heads-Up Battle
Heads-up play lasted just seven hands before the title was decided. In the final hand, Fal raised the button with ace-eight and Lappo three-bet holding ace-four. Fal responded with a four-bet, after which Lappo five-bet shoved.
Fal called, but the board delivered a four on the flop, which improved to trips by the river, ending the tournament and crowning Lappo the €880 Merit Poker Cup champion.
Stay with PokerNews for more winner recaps and full coverage from the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship in Budva.
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Nikolay Fal raised the button to 240,000 and Vladimir Lappo three-bet to 1,100,000. Fal then responded with a four-bet to 2,700,000, Lappo shoved, and Fal called.
Nikolay Fal: A♦8♣ 
Vladimir Lappo: A♠4♦
Fal was covered, but had a great chance to hold the majority of chips in play.
Lappo was looking for a four, and a four is what he got as the 2♥4♣9♥ flop gave him a pair and the lead. Fal needed an eight to remain in contention, but the 7♦ turn wasn't it.
Trips would be the winning hand for Lappo as the 4♥ river cemented him as the champion.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
12,450,000
6,150,000
|
6,150,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
With the break out of the way, the players are back in their seats and ready to play it out.
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,300,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
6,200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
The two finalists are heading on a break.
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
With no action for some time, suddenly the tournament sprung into life!
Vladimir Lappo limped from the small blind and then Fausto Tantillo made it 320,000 from the big blind. Lappo called.
The flop of J♦10♣4♣ saw Lappo check and Tantillo continue with a bet of 220,000, which Lappo called to the A♠ turn.
Another check came from Lappo and Tantillo fired out 720,000, which Lappo called after some time thinking.
When the 9♠ hit the river, Lappo checked for a third time and Tantillo shoved 1,630,000. Lappo went into his deepest tank yet and after around two minutes, he found the call.
"You win," said Tantillo as he showed 10♦6♠ for a pair of tens.
Lappo then rolled over A♥5♣ for a pair of aces, and took the chip lead into heads-up play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,500,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
6,000,000 | |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
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Level: 28
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 120,000
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,000,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
3,000,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
