The 2025 Merit Poker Western Series has ridden back into town at the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, bringing with it one of its marquee events, the $5,300 High Roller. Set to kick off at 8:00 p.m. local time, this high-stakes showdown boasts a guaranteed prizepool of $500,000 and promises to deliver thrills worthy of the Wild West.
This year’s High Roller follows a similar structure to the 2024 edition, where Maksim Shornikau emerged as the last cowboy standing. The Belarusian bested a field of 153 players, pocketing $177,500 after a heads-up duel with Shuang Luo of China. With a posse of breakout stars and seasoned sharpshooters expected to saddle up this year, this looks to be another unforgettable event.
2024 Western Series $5,300 High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maksim Shornikau | Belarus | $177,500 |
| 2 | Shuang Luo | China | $125,100 |
| 3 | Aleksandar Tot | Montenegro | $81,500 |
| 4 | Aleksandr Kirichenko | Russia | $58,500 |
| 5 | Anatoly Nikitin | Russia | $43,800 |
| 6 | Bogdan Munteanu | Romania | $35,100 |
| 7 | Tarmo Tammel | Estonia | $29,200 |
| 8 | Guoliang Wei | China | $23,400 |
| 9 | Maher Achour | Tunisia | $17,500 |
Players kicking off Day 1 of this four-day rodeo will start with a stack of 100,000 chips and play through eight 40-minute blind levels. The blinds will begin at 200/400 with a big blind ante of 400. Late registration and unlimited reentries will remain open until the end of Level 12 on Day 2.
With many of the region's top poker gunslingers already spotted in the Warm Up field and a treasure chest of $500,000 up for grabs, this High Roller promises to be a showdown for the ages.
$5,300 High Roller Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 17 | Day 1 | 8 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| January 18 | Day 2 | 8 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| January 19 | Day 3 | 4 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| January 20 | Day 4 | 1 p.m. | 40 minutes |
Stay tuned to PokerNews for comprehensive live coverage of this event, from the first deal to the crowning of the champion on Monday, January 20.
