Day 1c Kicks Off as Main Event Closes in on $1,500,000 Guarantee
Day 1c of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series kicks off today at 12:00 p.m. local time inside the stunning Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. With two flights already in the books, the field has grown to 432 entries, with 208 players securing a place in tomorrow's Day 2.
As today’s flights get underway, the tournament is on track to surpass the $1,500,000 guaranteed prize pool, setting the stage for what could be one of the biggest Main Events in Merit Poker history.
Carmen Zainescu holds the overall chip lead after bagging 748,000 on Day 1b, making her the only player so far to surpass the 700,000-chip mark. Currently second in the rankings is Ori Elul with 610,000, and rounding out the podium positions in third is Konstantin Voronin, who topped Day 1a's chip counts with 601,000.
Current Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmen Zainescu | Romania | 748,000 |
| 2 | Ori Elul | Israel | 610,000 |
| 3 | Konstantin Voronin | Russia | 601,000 |
| 4 | Spyridon Apartoglou | Greece | 553,500 |
| 5 | Hassan Nashar | Guinea-Bissau | 585,000 |
| 6 | Ahmad Abdelhadi | United Kingdom | 447,000 |
| 7 | Samuel Ju | Germany | 430,500 |
| 8 | Maxime Chilaud | France | 426,000 |
| 9 | Adem Marjanovic | Austria | 425,500 |
| 10 | Hadi Khordbin | Iran | 422,500 |
As Day 1c unfolds, players will start with 100,000 chips and compete through eight 40-minute levels, aiming to secure their spot in Day 2. This flight is expected to bring in a mix of fresh faces and returning players looking for another shot after falling short in previous rounds. Late registration remains open until the end of Level 14 on Day 2, giving any last-minute entrants one final opportunity to run up a stack.
Later tonight, the final starting flight, Day 1d, begins at 7:00 p.m., offering a turbo structure with 25-minute levels—the last chance for players to enter before the tournament moves into Day 2.
Remaining Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
| March 20 | Day 1c | 12:00 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| March 20 | Day 1d | 7:00 p.m. | 25 minutes |
| March 21 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 22 | Day 3 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 23 | Day 4 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| March 24 | Day 5 | 1:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Stay locked in with PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the key hands as Day 1c plays out, pushing us closer to crowning the next Merit Poker Main Event champion!