Day 1c of €880 Merit Poker Cup Kicks Off at Noon
Day 1c of the €880 Merit Poker Cup plays out today inside the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva as the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship continues. With the first two starting flights now complete, the field will grow further as players look to secure their spot in Day 2.
Across Day 1a and Day 1b, the tournament has drawn 217 total entries, with 32 players already advancing through to Day 2. Those numbers are set to increase again today, with Day 1c getting underway at noon before the final turbo-structured flight, Day 1d, takes place later this evening at 6:00 p.m.
Montenegro’s own Stefan Cupic is the man to catch after topping the opening flight with 718,000 chips. He is followed closely by Bobby James, who also advanced from Day 1a and sits second with 691,000, while Charbel Daou topped the Day 1b qualifiers and currently sits in third place overall with 465,000 heading into Day 2.
Current Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stefan Cupic | Montenegro | 718,000 |
| 2 | Bobby James | United Kingdom | 691,000 |
| 3 | Charbel Daou | Lebanon | 465,000 |
| 4 | Mikhail Zavoloka | Russia | 374,000 |
| 5 | Christoforos Chrysochoidis | Greece | 359,000 |
| 6 | Alexander Sokolovsky | Serbia | 304,000 |
| 7 | Pablo Redrado | Spain | 255,000 |
| 8 | Oleg Bystrenin | Russia | 241,000 |
| 9 | Ravil Rafikov | Russia | 232,000 |
| 10 | Fausto Tantillo | Italy | 224,000 |
Day 1c features the same 30,000 starting stack but with 30-minute blind levels, offering a slightly quicker structure than the opening flights while still allowing room for play. As with the previous days, only players who survive the flight will lock up a cash and advance through to the combined Day 2 field.
Action begins at 12:00 p.m. local time, with late registration open until the end of Level 10. Players who fall short will have one final opportunity later today, as the fourth and final starting flight, Day 1d, kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and is played with 20-minute blind levels.
€880 Merit Poker Cup Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16 | Day 1c | 12 p.m. | 30 minutes |
| Jan 16 | Day 1d | 6 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| Jan 17 | Day 2 | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| Jan 18 | Day 3 | 1 p.m. | 60 minutes |
PokerNews will be on the floor throughout Day 1c to bring you live updates, chip counts, and key hands as players continue their push toward Day 2 of the €880 Merit Poker Cup in Budva.