Andrii Novak Poised for Deep Run as Record-Breaking Carmen Series Main Event Continues
The $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series returns for Day 3 today at noon local time inside the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. After a record-breaking 881 entries, just 213 players remain in the hunt for the title, with the lion’s share of the $2,431,560 prize pool still up for grabs. The top prize of $401,000 awaits the eventual champion, along with one of the most prestigious trophies on the North Cyprus poker calendar.
Leading the field is Cyprus’ own Georgios Tsouloftas, who bagged a massive 1,744,000 on Day 2. Hot on his heels is Bulgaria’s Atanas Malinov, looking to reach his third major final table of the series with 1,661,000 in chips. Ukraine’s Andrii Novak rounds out the podium in third place, returning with 1,444,000 and plenty of momentum.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgios Tsouloftas | Cyprus | 1,744,000 | 291 |
| 2 | Atanas Malinov | Bulgaria | 1,661,000 | 277 |
| 3 | Andrii Novak | Ukraine | 1,444,000 | 241 |
| 4 | Yuan Xu | China | 1,369,000 | 228 |
| 5 | Andrija Cvetkovic | Croatia | 1,178,000 | 196 |
| 6 | Konstantin Voronin | Russia | 1,155,000 | 193 |
| 7 | Ludovic Geilich | United Kingdom | 1,146,000 | 191 |
| 8 | Anthony Khouzami | Lebanon | 1,138,000 | 190 |
| 9 | Ahmad Abdelhadi | United Kingdom | 1,094,000 | 182 |
| 10 | Kuljinder Sidhu | United Kingdom | 1,061,000 | 177 |
Just behind the top trio, several big names are well-positioned to make a deep run. Yuan Xu (1,369,000), Andrija Cvetkovic (1,178,000), and Konstantin Voronin (1,155,000) all return with healthy stacks, while Ludovic Geilich, Anthony Khouzami, and Ahmad Abdelhadi each finished the day above the one-million mark and will look to maintain momentum as the money bubble approaches.
Cards will be in the air at 12:00 p.m. local time, with blinds resuming at 3,000/6,000 and a 6,000 big blind ante. The schedule for the day will be confirmed shortly after play begins, but with just 119 spots making the money and a min-cash of $4,545 up for grabs, the short stacks will be clinging on while the big stacks will be looking to apply maximum pressure and chip up.
$3,300 Main Event Payouts
Stay locked in with PokerNews as Day 3 unfolds, with live updates, chip counts, and all the key hands on the road to crowning the 2025 Carmen Series Main Event champion.