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€880 Merit Poker Cup
Day 1b Completed
2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship
€880 Merit Poker Cup
Day: 1b
Event Info
2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
€880
Prize Pool
€305,440
Total Entries
415
Level
28
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Entries
102
Players Left
15
Players Left 1 / 415
Filter
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Day 1b of the €880 Merit Poker Cup played out inside the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva as part of the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship, drawing 102 entries for the second starting flight. After a full day of action, just 15 players survived the cut, all locking up a cash and a seat in Day 2.
Charbel Daou emerged as the chip leader after a steady session, bagging 465,000 to finish well clear of the rest of the field. Mikhail Zavoloka (374,000) and Christoforos Chrysochoidis (359,000) also found healthy bags, while several others positioned themselves well heading into the combined Day 2 field.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charbel Daou | Lebanon | 465,000 | 93 |
| 2 | Mikhail Zavoloka | Russia | 374,000 | 75 |
| 3 | Christoforos Chrysochoidis | Greece | 359,000 | 72 |
| 4 | Alexander Sokolovsky | Serbia | 304,000 | 61 |
| 5 | Pablo Redrado | Spain | 255,000 | 51 |
| 6 | Ughur Giyasi | Azerbaijan | 206,000 | 41 |
| 7 | Boris Kazbekov | Russia | 206,000 | 41 |
| 8 | Maor Zaharagi | Israel | 170,000 | 34 |
| 9 | Ivan Bozhenko | Ukraine | 164,000 | 33 |
| 10 | Alisa Sibgatova | Russia | 115,000 | 23 |
Much of the mid-to-late day action centered around the stacks moving in both directions, with players fighting for position as blinds climbed and the money bubble crept closer. Zavoloka steadied himself by sending Viktoria Shalneva to the rail after getting it in ahead of ace-queen with pocket kings and fading the ace.
A few levels earlier, Mikhail Ostapenko found a key double when he paired his four against Yaniv Peretz’s ace-king, keeping himself alive as the field began to tighten. Ostapenko was involved again not long after, showing two pair in a pot against Ivan Bozhenko, who correctly found the fold before delivering the table talk with a grin.
Ali Moein also rode a wave during the later stages, winning a flip after spiking a jack on the river to rebuild, not before he had already benefited from a mistimed bluff that sent his stack surging toward the top end of the counts.
As the bubble approached, the pace slowed down across the room, with shorter stacks looking for a spot and the bigger stacks applying pressure. Players began to pick their battles more carefully as the field inched toward the 15 paid places.
The bubble finally burst when Olena Vashchenko became the last player to leave empty-handed, getting pocket fours in from the button and running straight into Boris Kazbekov’s pocket sixes. Vashchenko couldn’t find help on the board, bringing Day 1b to an end and confirming the 15 players who will return with chips for Day 2.
All survivors from Day 1b will return on January 17 for Day 2, where they’ll be joined by players advancing from the remaining two starting flights. With Day 1a and Day 1b complete, the tournament has already reached 217 total entries, with Day 1c and Day 1d still to play out on Friday, January 16.
Stay locked in to PokerNews for full coverage from the €880 Merit Poker Cup as the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship continues in Budva.
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
465,000
465,000
|
465,000 |
|
||
|
374,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
359,000
59,000
|
59,000 |
|
304,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
255,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
|
206,000
44,000
|
44,000 |
|
|
206,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
170,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
164,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
115,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
111,400
68,600
|
68,600 |
|
97,000
7,000
|
7,000 |
|
88,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
80,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
46,000
44,000
|
44,000 |
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
That's a wrap on Day 1b.
Stay tuned for the chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Olena Vashchenko shoved the button for around 40,000 and was put at risk by Boris Kazbekov in the big blind.
Olena Vashchenko: 4♥4♦ 
Boris Kazbekov: 6♠6♥
Vashchenko was at risk of being the bubble girl, and her pocket fours couldn't find a way to escape as the Q♣K♦J♥Q♠10♥ runout meant she was out in 16th.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
200,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Alexander Sokolovsky raised to 15,000 on the button and Ali Moein called from the big blind.
With 26,000 left, Moein shoved the 8♠A♥9♦ flop, and Sokolovsky called.
Ali Moein: A♠9♥
Alexander Sokolovsky: A♣2♣
Moein was way ahead, and the 6♦Q♦ runout changed nothing, earning him a double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
90,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Alexander Sokolovsky opened to 12,000 in the cutoff and Mikhail Zavoloka called on the button. Sergey Kudryavtsev also came along from the big blind.
On the 6♦7♦J♣ flop, it checked to Zavoloka, who bet 15,000. Only Sokolovsky, then the pair checked it down on the 4♦3♠ runout.
Sokolovsky showed a pair of sevens with K♥7♥, and Zavoloka mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
380,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
350,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
90,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Level 15
: 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The tournament is playing hand-for-hand, but the action is incredibly slow.
After around 20 hands, there have been no all-in-and-calls, and there aren't any super short stacks.
Level 15
: 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Ivan Bozhenko is playing very snug on the bubble, trying to make it into the money.
In a pot against Mikhail Zavoloka, the board read J♣8♦K♠Q♥, and with around 50,000 in there, Bozhenko checked the big blind. Zavoloka then bet 36,000, and after contemplating for a while, Bozhenko folded K♣Q♦ face up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
450,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
180,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
