€880 Merit Poker Cup | 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

01-18-2026 15:07 UTC+1

Fal Survives

Kai Cocklin

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Nikolay Fal made it 300,000 to go from middle position, leaving just 20,000 behind. Rashad Iskandarov shoved the big blind, and Fal called it off.

Nikolay Fal: K♠Q♣ All in
Rashad Iskandarov: A♣2♣

Fal was marginally behind, but not for long as the 7♦Q♠2♦ flop gave him top pair. No aces or deuces were around on the J♣9♣ runout, and Fal survived.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikolay Fal	700,000 370,000	370,000

Rashad Iskandarov	650,000 350,000	350,000

Tags: Nikolay Fal Rashad Iskandarov

01-18-2026 14:59 UTC+1

Updated Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Fausto Tantillo	3,300,000 300,000	300,000

Mikhail Zavoloka	3,200,000 200,000	200,000
Bojan Berberovic	1,850,000 150,000	150,000
Genrik Alekian	1,200,000 100,000	100,000
Rashad Iskandarov	1,000,000
Vladimir Lappo	700,000 50,000	50,000
Ali Moein	625,000 25,000	25,000
Oleksii Shchukin	360,000 140,000	140,000
Nikolay Fal	330,000 70,000	70,000

Level: 23

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 40,000

01-18-2026 14:45 UTC+1

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

The remaining nine players are heading on a 15-minute break.

01-18-2026 14:37 UTC+1

Zavoloka Picks Off Moein's Bluff

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Mikhail Zavoloka opened to 60,000 from the hijack and then called a three-bet from Ali Moein. who made it 150,000 on the button.

On the 2♦5♣3♥ flop, Zavoloka check-called a bet of 105,000 from Moein to the 9♠ turn, where both checked.

A 6♣ on the river prompted Zavoloka to bet 80,000, which Moein raised to 375,000 after some time thinking. Zavoloka took some time himself to mull it over and eventually made the call.

Moein then revealed A♠K♦ for ace-high, but that was no good as Zavoloka rivered a pair holding 7♠6♠ to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mikhail Zavoloka	3,000,000 500,000	500,000
Ali Moein	650,000 550,000	550,000

Tags: Ali Moein Mikhail Zavoloka

01-18-2026 14:35 UTC+1

Player	Chips	Progress
Fausto Tantillo	3,600,000 100,000	100,000

Mikhail Zavoloka	2,500,000
Bojan Berberovic	2,000,000 800,000	800,000
Ali Moein	1,200,000 100,000	100,000
Genrik Alekian	1,100,000 350,000	350,000
Rashad Iskandarov	1,000,000 200,000	200,000
Vladimir Lappo	750,000 100,000	100,000
Oleksii Shchukin	500,000
Nikolay Fal	400,000 100,000	100,000

Tantillo Rivers a Full House and Makes Iskandarov Pay

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Rashad Iskandarov opened to 60,000 on the button and Fausto Tantillo called in the big blind.

Both checked the 6♥8♥6♦ flop to the 4♠ turn, where Tantillo bet 105,000. Iskandarov called to the 8♠ river, then was faced with a bet of 350,000 from Tantillo.

After just a few seconds, Iskandarov called, then mucked when he saw the 9♦8♦ for Tantillo, who rivered a full house.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fausto Tantillo	3,500,000 750,000	750,000

Rashad Iskandarov	800,000 300,000	300,000

Tags: Fausto Tantillo Rashad Iskandarov

01-18-2026 14:13 UTC+1

Moein Raises Out Iskandarov

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Rashad Iskandarov opened to 60,000 from early position and got a call from Mikhail Zavoloka on the button. Ali Moein also called from the big blind.

They went to a flop of 7♥K♥5♥ and when it got to Iskandarov, he continued for 75,000. Zavoloka folded, but Moein stuck in a raise to 210,000. Iskandarov pondered for a bit, but eventually let it go, allowing Moein to add more chips to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mikhail Zavoloka	2,500,000 250,000	250,000
Ali Moein	1,300,000 350,000	350,000

Tags: Ali Moein Mikhail Zavoloka Rashad Iskandarov

01-18-2026 14:07 UTC+1

Visit the PokerNews Strategy Hub

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

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01-18-2026 13:53 UTC+1

Alekian and Berberovic Rake Pots

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Not too much action going down in the early stages, but chips are changing hands.

Rashad Iskandarov opened under the gun to 60,000 and Bojan Berberovic three-bet to 160,000 from the next seat. When it got back to Iskandarov, he called.

The flop came 6♣6♦Q♥ and Iskandarov check-folded to a bet of 100,000 from Berberovic.

Shortly after, Fausto Tantillo raised to 60,000 from early position and Genrik Alekian called in the next seat. Mikhail Zavoloka called from the hijack, and Iskandarov called from the big blind.

On the 2♣3♥9♥ flop, it checked to Alekian, who took it down with a bet of 160,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bojan Berberovic	2,800,000 400,000	400,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	2,750,000 125,000	125,000
Rashad Iskandarov	1,100,000 100,000	100,000
Vladimir Lappo	850,000 125,000	125,000
Genrik Alekian	750,000 175,000	175,000
Nikolay Fal	500,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Bojan Berberovic Fausto Tantillo Genrik Alekian Mikhail Zavoloka Rashad Iskandarov