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$50,500 Onyx High Roller Championship
Day 1 Completed
2026 Onyx High Roller Series
$50,500 Onyx High Roller Championship
Day: 1
Event Info
2026 Onyx High Roller Series
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
$50,500
Prize Pool
$864,000
Total Entries
18
Level
19
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
80,000
Entries
18
Players Left
9
Players Left 1 / 18
Filter
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
After 11 levels of play inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, Day 1 of the $50,500 Onyx High Roller Championship has come to an end, with nine players bagging chips and earning their place in Day 2.
The biggest buy-in on the 2026 Onyx High Roller Series schedule attracted a field of 18 high-stakes regulars which generated a prize pool of $864,000, and unlimited reentries available through the opening six levels. Once registration closed, the remaining players had their sights set on building a stack for the final table.
Leading the way is Alexey Borovkov, who finished the night with 1,289,000. Borovkov had a steady upswing for most of the day, until he eliminated Paulius Vaitekunas when both players flopped top pair, with Borovkov's ace-king dominating Vaitekunas' king-jack and catapulted him into the lead.
Not far behind is Rob Yong, who bagged 1,019,000 after an active day at the tables after entering during the final moments of registration. Yong was involved in plenty of pots as the night went on, with one of his final boosts coming against Alex Kulev. Yong's pocket fours held against Kulev's flush draw after the chips went in on the flop, sending Kulev to the rail.
Mikalai Vaskaboinikau sits third with 770,000, while Zorlu Er follows in fourth with 588,000. Artur Martirosian rounds out the top five with 518,000, just ahead of Manuel Fritz, who bagged 497,000.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexey Borovkov | Russian Federation | 1,289,000 | 107 |
| 2 | Rob Yong | United Kingdom | 1,019,000 | 85 |
| 3 | Mikalai Vaskaboinikau | Belarus | 770,000 | 64 |
| 4 | Zorlu Er | Turkey | 588,000 | 49 |
| 5 | Artur Martirosian | Russian Federation | 518,000 | 43 |
| 6 | Manuel Fritz | Austria | 497,000 | 41 |
| 7 | Thomas Alfred Mayer | Austria | 287,000 | 24 |
| 8 | Mikita Badziakouski | Belarus | 227,000 | 19 |
| 9 | Aleksejs Ponakovs | Latvia | 208,000 | 17 |
The Yong Show
As the day moved on, it became the Yong show, with the Brit involved in some of the biggest and most entertaining pots of the day. Yong first put Kulev to the test on every street, and Kulev went deep into the tank and eventually folded what he said was trips in queen-jack, only for Yong to turn over seven-six for a bluff.
Badziakouski was next to be put in the blender by Yong, with four spades on the board Badziakouski check-raised the turn before betting the river with a king-high flush, only for Yong to move all in. Badziakouski used all of his time banks as the pair exchanged some table talk, eventually folding his flush before Yong showed two red cards for a complete bluff.
Not everything went Yong's way, with Thomas Alfred Mayer doubling through him after Yong called an all-in with with 7-high eventually losing to Mayer's ace-high.
$50,500 High Roller Championship Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $450,000 |
| 2 | $250,000 |
| 3 | $164,000 |
The tournament will resume tomorrow at 1 p.m. for Day 2 on Sunday August 16, where the remaining players will play down to a champion. The final day will move away from timed levels, with 16 hands played per level, while the action will also be streamed live on the OnyxLive YouTube Channel.
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PokerNews will return for Day 2 with live updates as the $50,500 Onyx High Roller Championship plays down to a winner.
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The final players have bagged up their chips and will return for the final day at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 16, to play down to a winner inside the Onyx Club.
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Rob Yong limped for 12,000 from the cutoff, Thomas Alfred Mayer called from the small blind, and Alex Kulev checked his option in the big blind.
The flop came 3♦3♠6♠, and Yong bet 20,000. Kulev raised to 65,000, and after a long tank, Yong put Kulev all in. Kulev snap-called for his remaining 120,000.
Alex Kulev: 9♠7♠ 
Rob Yong: 4♠4♦
The board ran out Q♥J♥, with Yong's pocket fours holding to eliminate Kulev.
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Alex Kulev raised to 24,000 in the cutoff, and Alexey Borovkov called from the big blind.
Both checked the 4♣7♣8♠ flop to see the 3♣ on the turn. Borovkov led out for 22,000, which Kulev called.
The 2♥ completed the board, and Borovkov led out again, choosing the amount of 35,000. Kulev thought for a few moments, then raised to 185,000. Borovkov quickly called.
Kulev showed a bluff with K♣J♥, losing the pot to Borovkov's 7♠2♠ for two pair.
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Rob Yong raised to 37,000 from under the gun before Thomas Alfred Mayer moved all in for 140,000 from the button.
"I've got seven-high, what am I meant to do?" said Yong. After a few seconds, he added, "I call."
Thomas Alfred Mayer: A♠10♣
Rob Yong: 7♦6♦
The board ran out 10♦Q♥6♥Q♣2♠, with Mayer's two pair, securing the double-up.
Level 11
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Mikita Badziakouski raised from the small blind to around 40,000, and Rob Yong defended from the big blind.
Badziakouski fired for 20,000 on the monotone 5♠Q♠J♠ flop, and Yong called.
The 9♠ came on the turn, and Badziakouski checked. Yong bet 25,000, and Badziakouski came back with a check-raise to 75,000. Yong called.
When the 8♣ landed on the river, Badziakouski bet 100,000, and after just a few moments, Yong jammed for 325,000.
Badziakouski immediately let out a loud sigh and went into the tank. Then the table talk began.
"You got me with this 25 on the turn," said Badziakouski.
Yong smiled and responded, "Nice to get Mikita in the blender."
"So stupid, just call and fold," he said to himself. "Are you going to show me a bluff like you showed to Alex?" Badziakouski asked, referring to the big bluff Yong pulled a few levels ago.
Yong again smiled and said, "Maybe."
Having used all his time banks and with 20 seconds left on the clock, Badziakouski asked Yong for some advice.
"Tell me what I should do."
Seeing Badziakouski was in a pickle, Yong offered some words of wisdom.
"Well, if you think I have the ace of spades, fold. If you think I don't, call."
Badziakouski clearly thought he had it, as he folded and showed K♠K♥ for the king-high flush.
Yong pulled in the pot with the crowd and table asking him to show. He obliged and revealed A♦4♥ for another total airball.
Level: 11
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Level 10
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs raised to 20,000 from middle position before Artur Martirosian three-bet to 60,000 from the cutoff. The blinds folded, but Ponakovs made the call.
The flop came 9♠10♠J♠, and Ponakovs checked. Martirosian bet 35,000, and Ponakovs called.
The 2♦ landed on the turn, and Martirosian continued for 85,000. Ponakovs then shoved for 270,000, and Martirosian snap-folded.
