Bobby James Chases Day 2 Momentum in €880 Merit Poker Cup
Day 2 of the €880 Merit Poker Cup gets underway today at 12:00 p.m. local time inside the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva as part of the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship. After four starting flights and a total of 415 entries, just 61 players remain in contention, all already guaranteed a cash prize as the tournament heads towards its climax.
The combined field features the standout stacks from across the opening days, led by Day 1a chip leader Stefan Cupic and Day 1a runner-up Bobby James, who both built commanding stacks during a lively opening flight. From Day 1b, Charbel Daou returns after topping his flight, while Day 1c saw Benjamin Nicault emerge as the biggest stack.
Day 1d added another layer to the mix, with Jamie Nixon finishing the turbo flight as chip leader after navigating a 75-entry field. Nixon was one of 11 players to advance from the final starting flight, joining the Day 2 field alongside several fresh stacks looking to make an immediate impact.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stefan Cupic | Montenegro | 718,000 |
| 2 | Bobby James | United Kingdom | 691,000 |
| 3 | Jamie Nixon | United Kingdom | 531,000 |
| 4 | Benjamin Nicault | France | 523,000 |
| 5 | Antoine Farhat | Lebanon | 475,000 |
| 6 | Charbel Daou | Lebanon | 465,000 |
| 7 | Andrei Daniliuk | Russia | 453,000 |
| 8 | Mikhail Zavoloka | Russia | 374,000 |
| 9 | Christoforos Chrysochoidis | Greece | 359,000 |
| 10 | Bojan Berberovic | Serbia | 351,000 |
Blind levels increase to 60 minutes for Day 2, allowing for deeper play as stacks consolidate on the run toward the final table. With the €880 Merit Poker Cup scheduled to play down to a winner on Sunday, January 18, today’s action is expected to end when the final table is reached.
Full payout information and the official prize pool breakdown will be released shortly once Day 2 is underway, with updated figures to be published as soon as they are confirmed.
PokerNews will be on the floor throughout Day 2, bringing you live updates, chip counts, and all the key moments as the €880 Merit Poker Cup moves into its decisive stages in Budva.