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Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Everyone who arrived before the first card his the baize gets an additional 10% added to their stack.
2026 NOIR Poker Series
$5,500 Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 114 / 1,140
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Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Cards are in the air on Day 1a of the Main Event, with 114 players taking their seats.
Level: 1
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
There is a slight delay to the start of the day as players head to their seats.
A new chapter in the inaugural Merit Poker Noir Series begins today as the $5,500 Merit Poker Main Event gets underway at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa in Northern Cyprus.
With the Merit Poker Cup now in the books and the High Roller playing down to a winner today, all eyes turn to the centerpiece of the series as professionals and amateurs from across the globe prepare to battle for one of the most prestigious titles on the Merit Poker calendar.
The tournament features a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and a starting stack of 100,000 chips. Cards get in the air at noon for Day 1a, with players having four opportunities to run up a stack and give themselves a chance of making a deep run on Day 2.
The last Merit Poker Main Event took place during the Merit Poker Classic series in May, when Ivan Ilichev was victorious, picking up the trophy and the $525,000 top prize. Ilichev beat a final table featuring Erdem Akmert, Davit Mikhanashvili, Guy Dvash, Maxime Chilaud, and Nikolay Gadzhalov on his way to capturing the biggest score of his career.
2026 Merit Poker Classic Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivan Ilichev | Russian Federation | $525,000 |
| 2 | Unknown | Unknown | $320,000 |
| 3 | Erdem Akmert | Turkey | $200,000 |
| 4 | Davit Mikhanashvili | Georgia | $139,000 |
| 5 | Guy Dvash | Israel | $100,500 |
| 6 | Maxime Chilaud | France | $82,500 |
| 7 | Nikolay Gadzhalov | Bulgaria | $67,000 |
| 8 | Dimitrios Kilintaris | Greece | $54,000 |
| 9 | Wael Sarkis | Lebanon | $43,536 |
From the get-go, late registration will remain open until the start of Level 11 in each flight. Unlimited reentries will be permitted throughout the tournament. The opening two flights will feature 40-minute levels, while Day 1c will play with a faster 30-minute structure before the final opening flight, Day 1d, takes place later that evening with 20-minute levels.
Play in each opening flight will continue until just 15% of the field remains, with bagging chips on any of the starting days guaranteeing players a payday and a return for Day 2. Once the field combines on Wednesday, August 5, level lengths will increase to 60 minutes, while the official prize pool and payout information will be released shortly before the first on the penultimate day.
$5,500 Merit Poker Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2 | Day 1a | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| August 3 | Day 1b | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| August 4 | Day 1c | 12 p.m. | 30 minutes |
| August 4 | Day 1d | 6 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| August 5 | Day 2 | 1 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| August 6 | Final Day | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
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Stay tuned to PokerNews as cards get in the air for Day 1a of the Merit Poker Main Event, with live updates, chip counts, and all the action direct from the tournament floor.
$5,500 Main Event
Day 1a Started