Carmen Zainescu Sets the Pace as Main Event Heats Up
Day 2 of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series kicks off today at 12:00 p.m. local time, with 611 entries registered so far. After four starting flights, 302 players are set to return to the felt inside the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino for the next chapter of this prestigious event.
Leading the charge into Day 2 is Romania’s Carmen Zainescu, who holds the overall chip lead with a towering stack of 748,000, good for 374 big blinds. She’s followed closely by Anthony Khouzami (616,000) and Ori Elul (610,000), both of whom are well-positioned to make deep runs.
The top ten features a truly international mix, including seasoned pros like Konstantin Voronin, Qiang Xu and Andrii Novak, alongside rising stars from China, Greece, and Russia. With stacks this deep and talent this strong, Day 2 is set for fireworks as the field starts to close in on the money.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmen Zainescu | Romania | 748,000 | 374 |
| 2 | Anthony Khouzami | Lebanon | 616,000 | 308 |
| 3 | Ori Elul | Israel | 610,000 | 305 |
| 4 | Konstantin Voronin | Russia | 601,000 | 301 |
| 5 | Hassan Nashar | Guinea-Bissau | 585,000 | 293 |
| 6 | Maxim Toldin | Russia | 573,500 | 287 |
| 7 | Amir Mohammadi | Iran | 569,000 | 285 |
| 8 | Spyridon Apartoglou | Greece | 553,500 | 277 |
| 9 | Andrii Novak | Ukraine | 527,500 | 264 |
| 10 | Qiang Xu | China | 510,000 | 255 |
The final turbo flight, Day 1d, added 34 entries, with 19 players advancing to Day 2. Blinds will resume at 1,000/2,000 (2,000 big blind ante) for Level 9, and levels now extend to 60 minutes for the rest of the tournament. Late registration remains open until the end of Level 14, giving players six more levels to jump in before the field is officially locked.
Remaining Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 tuned to PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action as Day 2 unfolds at one of the biggest poker festivals of the year!