€880 Merit Poker Cup Day 1a | 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

01-14-2026 23:34 UTC+2

Pano Packs Up Grummitt; Redrado Eliminated

Kai Cocklin

Level 14 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Paul Grummitt shoved 31,000 from under the gun and was put at risk by Jean-Baptiste Pano in the big blind, who muttered he was sorry before he even revealed his cards.

Paul Grummitt: A♥J♥ All in
Jean-Baptiste Pano: A♣Q♣

Pano was ahead, but didn't want to pair his queen after the 2♦10♠K♦ flop gave each player a gutshot. A 2♠ turn brought around some chop outs, but the 9♥ river changed nothing, leaving Grummitt on the sidelines.

Pablo Redrado also just hit the rail, leaving the field two from the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean-Baptiste Pano	220,000 60,000	60,000
Paul Grummitt	Busted
Pablo Redrado	Busted

Tags: Jean-Baptiste Pano Pablo Redrado Paul Grummitt

Level: 14

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 4,000

01-14-2026 23:13 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Players are heading on a 15-minute break.

01-14-2026 23:11 UTC+2

Gallo and Zerjav Hit the Rail

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Giulio Gallo and Blaz Zerjav have just hit the rail, reducing the field to 21, just four players away from the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giulio Gallo	Busted
Blaz Zerjav	Busted

Tags: Blaz Zerjav Giulio Gallo

01-14-2026 23:00 UTC+2

Rudnev's Big Slick Dispatches Aristotelos

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Petr Rudnev opened the cutoff and Vladimir Lappo three-bet the button to 18,000. Katherina Aristotelos then shoved the small blind for around 70,000, and Rudnev reshoved for around 90,000. After some deliberation, Lappo folded.

Katherina Aristotelos: A♦Q♦ All in
Petr Rudnev: A♥K♥

It wasn't a great situation for Aristotelos to be in, and she couldn't pull a rabbit out of the hat as the 2♣9♥5♣8♠9♣ runout meant she was eliminated within touching distance of the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Petr Rudnev	180,000 130,000	130,000
Vladimir Lappo	110,000 10,000	10,000
Katherina Aristotelos	Busted

Tags: Katherina Aristotelos Petr Rudnev Vladimir Lappo

01-14-2026 22:48 UTC+2

Queens Good for Carbo

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

With around 25,000 in the pot on a 7♠3♣9♦ flop, Fabrizio Lo Carbo, had bet 8,000 from the hijack and Stefan Cupic called in the cutoff. Rashad Iskandarov, who initially checked the flop from the big blind, then made it 45,000. Carbo moved all in for 71,000, Cupic folded, and Iskandarov called.

Fabrizio Lo Carbo: Q♦Q♣ All in
Rashad Iskandarov: A♣9♣

Carbo was well ahead with his overpair, and the hand was all over when the Q♠ turn improved him to an unbeatable set. A meaningless 10♠ filled out the board, and Carbo raked in a healthy pot as the bubble edges closer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stefan Cupic	360,000 10,000	10,000

Fabrizio Lo Carbo	170,000 90,000	90,000
Rashad Iskandarov	70,000 70,000	70,000

Tags: Fabrizio Lo Carbo Rashad Iskandarov Stefan Cupic

01-14-2026 22:39 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Stefan Cupic	350,000 170,000	170,000

Mehmet Dalkilic	340,000 20,000	20,000
Jean-Baptiste Pano	280,000 105,000	105,000
Oleg Bystrenin	240,000 40,000	40,000
Bobby James	240,000 20,000	20,000
Xiaozhe Liu	220,000 125,000	125,000
Srdan Milicevic	200,000 115,000	115,000
Mazalahedwa Bako	200,000
Ravil Rafikov	160,000 35,000	35,000
Rashad Iskandarov	140,000 40,000	40,000
Adam Graeser	110,000 40,000	40,000
Giulio Gallo	90,000 20,000	20,000
Saljo Curovic	90,000 45,000	45,000
Fabrizio Lo Carbo	80,000 48,000	48,000
Katherina Aristotelos	70,000
Oleksii Shchukin	70,000 20,000	20,000
Paul Esau	60,000 20,000	20,000
Paul Grummitt	60,000 70,000	70,000
Milos Jovanovic	60,000 15,000	15,000
Genrik Alekian	50,000 30,000	30,000
Petr Rudnev	50,000 55,000	55,000

Level: 13

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

01-14-2026 22:26 UTC+2

Bako Collects the Last of Shalneva's Stack

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Viktoria Shalneva had been short-stacked for most of the day, and got her last 26,000 in the middle from under the gun. Mazalahedwa Bako three-bet to 45,000 from the cutoff, which got everybody else to fold.

Viktoria Shalneva: A♣4♣ All in
Mazalahedwa Bako: A♦K♣

Shalneva was way behind, and couldn't catch up as the 6♠7♣9♠3♠2♥ runout ended her run.

Vidak Banicevic was on the same table, but is no longer in the tournament. Bobby James is also on Table 2, and his stack has swelled to around 220,000!

Player	Chips	Progress
Bobby James	220,000
Mazalahedwa Bako	200,000
Viktoria Shalneva	Busted
Vidak Banicevic	Busted

Tags: Bobby James Mazalahedwa Bako Vidak Banicevic Viktoria Shalneva

01-14-2026 22:18 UTC+2

Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack by PokerNews

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

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