Fahredin Mustafov Leads Survivors After Day 1a of 2025 Onyx SHRS $25,750 Main Event
Day 1a of the $25,750 SHRS Main Event, part of the 2025 Onyx Super High Roller Series hosted by Onyx Club, is in the books, with 16 players advancing from 76 entries at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. The tournament features a $5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, ensuring plenty at stake for those who make it deep.
When the chips were bagged, Fahredin Mustafov led the way with 3,000,000. He’s followed by Artur Martirosian (2,155,000), Nenad Dukic (1,950,000), and Aliaksei Boika (1,685,000), while Estonian high roller Ottomar Ladva (1,575,000) rounded out the top five. Other notables making it through include Leonard Maue (1,180,000), Orhan Ates (1,100,000), and Daniel Dvoress (485,000).
Remarkably, the top ten chip counts at the end of Day 1a featured players from ten different countries, showcasing the truly international nature of the field. With talent drawn from across the globe, the Onyx SHRS Series continues to attract a diverse lineup of elite professionals, each chasing both the title and valuable Onyx Player of the Series points.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 3,000,000 | 75 |
| 2 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | 2,155,000 | 54 |
| 3 | Nenad Dukic | Serbia | 1,950,000 | 49 |
| 4 | Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | 1,685,000 | 42 |
| 5 | Ottomar Ladva | Estonia | 1,575,000 | 39 |
| 6 | Raoul Kanme | Netherlands | 1,245,000 | 31 |
| 7 | Leonard Maue | Germany | 1,180,000 | 30 |
| 8 | Orhan Ates | Turkey | 1,100,000 | 28 |
| 9 | Aram Oganyan | United States | 1,045,000 | 26 |
| 10 | Manuel Fritz | Austria | 1,030,000 | 26 |
It was a slow start as only one player was registered at noon, when the tournament was supposed to kick off. Around 45 minutes later, it finally kicked off with ten players and then sprung into life.
Several big names entered, but failed to advance from Day 1a. Michael Mizrachi, the 2025 WSOP Main Event champion, was joined by poker legend and eleven-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey and seven-time bracelet winner and popular commentator Nick Schulman. All three are among the most respected and recognizable figures in the game, with decades of combined success on poker’s biggest stages. They will have another opportunity to progress when Day 1b gets underway tomorrow or in the Turbo flight later in the evening.
Artur Martirosian enjoyed a strong opening flight in the Main Event, finishing Day 1a with a healthy stack of 2,155,000, good for second in the counts. The Russian high-stakes regular is no stranger to deep runs in elite fields, boasting multiple major titles and a reputation as one of the most feared players on the circuit. His aggressive style and ability to apply pressure in key spots have made him a consistent contender in super high roller events around the world. With a top-three chip count heading into Day 2, Martirosian is well-positioned to challenge for a share of the prize pool and those all-important leaderboard points.
The survivors will return for Day 2 on August 14, where they’ll be joined by qualifiers from Day 1b, which gets underway at 12 p.m on Wednesday, August 13, with the same structure as Day 1a. There will also be a Turbo Day 1 at 8:30 p.m. featuring 20-minute levels, giving players one last shot to reach Day 2.
$25,750 SHRS Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 13 | Day 1b | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| August 13 | Turbo Day 1 | 8:30 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| August 14 | Day 2 | 12 p.m. | 50 minutes |
| August 15 | Day 3 | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Players who make the money will also earn points toward the Onyx Player of the Series leaderboard, with the eventual winner receiving a $110,000 Triton Poker Jeju package that includes a $100,000 Main Event seat and $10,000 in travel expenses. The Main Event final table will be streamed live, alongside other festival highlights, with the full live stream schedule available below.
Follow PokerNews for full Day 1b coverage of the 2025 Onyx Super High Roller Series $25,750 SHRS Main Event starting tomorrow at 12 p.m. local time, plus chip counts from the evening Turbo flight at 8:30 p.m. Stay tuned for chip counts, bustouts, and all the key hands as the field battles for a place in Day 2 and a shot at the title.