The action folded around to Ali Zebarjad in the small blind, who limped in. Mario Fata was in the big blind and bumped it up to 500,000, which Zebarjad called to see the first flop of the final table.
On the 3♠J♦J♠ flop, Zebarjad checked and then folded to the 250,000-chip bet of Fata.
The dust has settled, the field has been narrowed, and the final nine players are ready to battle it out for glory in the $2,200 Warm Up at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series. By the end of today, a champion will emerge from the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, carving their name into poker history and claiming the $180,200 top prize.
Georgios Skarparis leads the charge into the final day with 8,425,000 chips, having dominated the field over the past two days. He’ll have to fend off strong competition from Philipp Wood (8,000,000) and Zhen Chen (7,625,000), who sit close behind in the counts. All three have shown they’re capable of controlling the action, but the road to victory is far from guaranteed.
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Georgios Skarparis
Cyprus
8,425,000
42
2
Danielle Noja
Australia
5,975,000
30
3
Grigorii Rodin
Russia
3,475,000
17
4
Konstantin Kvashin
Russia
6,275,000
31
5
Philipp Wood
Germany
8,000,000
40
6
Ali Zebarjad
Australia
3,625,000
18
7
Mario Fata
France
3,025,000
15
8
Aliaksandr Hirs
Belarus
3,675,000
18
9
Zhen Chen
China
7,625,000
38
Chen, who captured the High Roller title at the Gatsby Gala just a couple of months ago, is riding a wave of momentum and will be eager to add another major Merit trophy to his collection. Known for his cool, calm, and collected demeanor at the table, Chen is a methodical decision-maker who rarely puts a chip out of place. With his precise approach and recent success, he’s poised to make a serious run at the title.
Konstantin Kvashin, with nearly $400,000 in live tournament earnings, has built his poker résumé entirely in Sochi. Now, with this being his first recorded live cash outside of Russia, Kvashin proves that Merit events are a fantastic stage for poker players to shine.
Danielle Noja, on the other hand, boasts an impressive seven final tables at Merit Poker events but is still chasing that elusive first victory. With this being his eighth appearance, the Australian may be hoping the stars align to finally claim the top prize.
Aliaksandr Hirs, sitting on 3,675,000 chips, enters the final table with a fighting chance to make a deep run. Known for his fearless approach, the Belarusian will need to pick his spots wisely as he navigates the stacked competition. Mario Fata, the short stack with 3,025,000, faces an uphill battle but has already proven his resilience throughout the tournament, making him a dangerous wildcard.
Meanwhile, Ali Zebarjad (3,625,000) and Grigorii Rodin (3,475,000) round out the table as they look to leverage their experience and stay patient, ready to pounce on any misstep by their opponents.
With blinds resuming at 100,000/200,000 and a 200,000 big blind ante, the average stack of 5,600,000 (28 big blinds) leaves litte room for error as every chip counts. Each hand could be a turning point as the finalists navigate their way toward the $180,200 winner’s purse.
Remaining Payouts
Place
Prize
1
$180,200
2
$121,100
3
$86,040
4
$60,070
5
$45,050
6
$36,140
7
$30,035
8
$24,025
9
$18,020
The stage is set for an unforgettable finale. Will Skarparis hold his lead and claim the crown, or will one of the hungry challengers steal the show?
Stay tuned to PokerNews for every hand, bluff, and showdown as the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series Warm Up crowns its champion!