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

01-15-2026 19:27 UTC+2

Bozhenko Wins a Flip With Jacks

Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Alisa Sibgatova started things off with an open to 2,000 from under the gun and Danilo Solovyev three-bet the cutoff to 5,500. Ivan Bozhenko then shoved for around 27,000 from the big blind, which got Sibgatova to fold, but Solovyev called.

Ivan Bozhenko: J♠J♥ All in
Danila Solovyev: A♥K♦

Bozhenko was ahead with his pair, and stayed there throughout the 6♠10♥6♦3♦2♦ runout to earn the double-up. Solovyev was left with around 20,000, but they soon evaporated and he hit the rail shortly after.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alisa Sibgatova	100,000
Ivan Bozhenko	60,000 24,500	24,500
Danila Solovyev	Busted

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Ivan Bozhenko Danila Solovyev

01-15-2026 19:12 UTC+2

Assorted Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Moein	160,000 20,000	20,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	145,000 25,000	25,000
Ughur Giyasi	110,000 110,000	110,000
Alisa Sibgatova	100,000 40,000	40,000
Christoforos Chrysochoidis	100,000
Tommy Mokhtari	95,000 35,000	35,000
Tarik Ugural	90,000 5,000	5,000
Alexander Sokolovsky	90,000 25,000	25,000
Jamie Nixon	80,000 5,000	5,000

Yevhen Korynetskyi	75,000 20,000	20,000
Blaz Zerjav	65,000

Olena Vashchenko	65,000 65,000	65,000

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

01-15-2026 18:55 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Players are heading on a 15-minute break.

01-15-2026 18:51 UTC+2

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

01-15-2026 18:47 UTC+2

Cisic Hits his Draw to Double Through Kasper

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With around 10,000 in the middle on a J♣4♠6♠ flop, the chips went flying into the middle between Mehmed Cisic and Ruslan Kasper, which left the former at risk for his stack of around 20,000.

Mehmed Cisic: K♠10♠ All in
Ruslan Kasper: 6♣4♥

Cisic had flopped a flush draw, and he needed to get there as Kasper made two pair. It was a case of instant service for Cisic as the 3♠ turn improved him to a flush, meaning he just needed to fade a six or a four on the river.

Fortunately for Cisic, he managed to dodge the outs as the K♦ river secured him a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ruslan Kasper	65,000
Mehmed Cisic	50,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Mehmed Cisic Ruslan Kasper

01-15-2026 18:38 UTC+2

Ugural Out-Flops Gallo

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Giulio Gallo had his stack of around 20,000 in the middle from the big blind and was put at risk by Tarik Ugural, who was on the button.

Giulio Gallo: A♦K♦ All in
Tarik Ugural: A♠9♠

Gallo was ahead with his big slick, but not for long as the 7♥9♣Q♦ flop gave Ugural a pair of nines. Some more outs arrived on the 10♥ turn for Gallo in the form of a gutshot, but the 5♣ river bricked out, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tarik Ugural	95,000 25,000	25,000
Giulio Gallo	Busted

Tags: Giulio Gallo Tarik Ugural

01-15-2026 18:29 UTC+2

Alekian Bets Out Ghioca

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Genrik Alekian is another player who ran deep yesterday, but just missed out on making Day 2.

A few more chips just found their way into his stack after he tangled with Valentin Ghioca. Alekian made it 1,800 to go on the button and Ghioca called from the big blind.

The flop came 7♥5♠K♦ and Ghioca check-called a bet of 1,800 from Alekian to the 9♣ turn, where he checked it over again. Alekian then fired 4,200, which was enough to force a fold from Ghioca.

Player	Chips	Progress
Genrik Alekian	60,000 25,000	25,000
Valentin Ghioca	25,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Genrik Alekian Valentin Ghioca

01-15-2026 18:21 UTC+2

A Round of Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Moein	180,000 10,000	10,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	120,000 95,000	95,000
Uri Reichenstein	100,000 40,000	40,000
Yevhen Korynetskyi	95,000 45,000	45,000
Blaz Zerjav	65,000 5,000	5,000

Alexander Sokolovsky	65,000 38,000	38,000
Viktoria Shalneva	60,000 10,000	10,000
Alisa Sibgatova	60,000 10,000	10,000
Pablo Redrado	45,000 35,000	35,000
Timur Margolin	30,000

Hakan Varol	25,000 5,000	5,000
Nikolay Fal	20,000 5,000	5,000

Level: 8

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800