The 2026 Onyx Super High Roller Series kicked off at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa in North Cyprus with its ‘Premiere’ $10,400 occasion, which attracted 507 entries. The no-limit maintain’em event featured a $5 million assure, with the highest 76 finishers incomes a share. After 4 beginning flights and one other pair of combined-field periods, an nameless participant going by ‘Goofy’ emerged victorious with the title and the highest prize of $1,000,000.
While solely recognized by a nickname, the champion did pose for winner pictures after closing out the title, and in addition granted an interview to PokerInformation stay updates workers on the scene.
“I feel shocked right now. It will take one or two days to understand what I’ve done, but I start to feel amazing. My family just came yesterday, so for me to make the picture with the trophy with them, it’s like, what can I say? The dream came true,” he mentioned after popping out on high.
#1 $10.400 PREMIERE FINAL TABLE pic.twitter.com/KDCmM0VCFE
— Merit Poker (@meritpokerlive) August 11, 2026
The ultimate day started with 9 remaining and Damir Gabdullin within the lead. Two-time bracelet winner Ravid Garbi was the primary to fall, with A♣10♣ unable to come back from behind towards A♦J♦ for Goofy.
Bracelet winner and five-time Triton Poker champion Mikita Badziakouski quickly overtook the highest spot when he made quad kings, with two within the gap, to finest the pocket queens of Gabdullin in a hefty pot.
Artsiom Lasouski bowed out in eighth ($89,800) when his J♥4♥ was unable to come back from behind towards A♦Ok♣ for bracelet winner Sergio Aido. He was quickly joined by Italo Modena, whose A♣6♣ bumped into A♠A♥ for Oshri Lahmani. Modena (seventh – $110,000) made aces up by the river, however Lahmani’s high set secured him the pot and the knockout.
Badziakouski Surges Into Four-Handed Play
Mikita Badziakouski
Badziakouski and Gabdullin squared off once more with a few monster pocket pairs, this time with pocket aces for the Belarusian crusher. Gabdullin (sixth – ($140,000) obtained all-in after a J♠J♣5♣ with pocket queens and was unable to come back from behind.
Not lengthy after that, Aido made his ultimate stand. The Spanish professional raised to three,200,000 within the cutoff with Q♥10♥, committing nearly all of his stack within the course of. Badziakouski got here together with A♥10♠ from the massive blind. The flop got here down A♠9♥8♦ and Badziakouski wager sufficient to place Aido all-in. He known as his remaining 950,000 and the flip introduced the 6♣ gave him extra outs. The 9♠ on the top was no assist, although, and Aido was eradicated in fifth place ($190,000).
Aido now boasts profession earnings in extra of $26.9 million. Badziakouski’s stack swelled to 27,000,000 after the hand, giving him over half of the chips in play.
Lucky Rivers Extend Badziakouski’s Lead
Four-handed motion continued for some time with out an elimination. While Badziakouski got here in with an enormous lead, Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was in a position to shut the hole because the evening wore on.
The two high stacks ultimately clashed in a large pot. Skhulukhiya raised to 2,200,000 from the button holding Q♠J♠. Badziakouski three-bet to five,500,000 out of the small blind with [invalid notations] flip gave Skhulukhiya high pair and the lead within the hand, solely to have the 5♥ seem on the top to enhance Badziakouski to journeys to win the pot.
With that, Badziakouski surged to 37,000,000, or practically three quarters of all of the chips in motion.
The subsequent key hand additionally noticed Badziakouski discover an unlikely win on the river. He jammed with 8♣6♣ from the small blind and Lahmani known as all-in from the massive blind with A♠J♠. The A♦A♣7♠ flop gave Lahmani journeys and a large benefit within the hand. The 5♠ turnadded a flush draw to Lahmani’s fairness, whereas giving Badziakouski a glimmer of hope with an open-ended straight draw. The 9♣ rolled off to finish that draw, giving Badizkouski a nine-high straight for the win. Lahmani earned $375,000 because the third-place finisher.
Goofy Comes From Behind To Win The Title
Heads-up play started with 42,600,000 for Badziakouski and simply 7,500,000 for Goofy.
The hole was narrowed within the early going, after which all however erased when Goofy turned journey eights towards the kings and eights of his opponent. Shortly after that, Goofy gained a hefty pot with a set of threes to overhaul the lead.
Goofy started to drag away, just for Badziakouski to crack his pocket jacks with Ok-3 suited to stage the taking part in area. Goofy was in a position to regain momentum, although, and stretched his lead out to over 2:1 forward of the ultimate hand of the event.
The final conflict started with a button elevate to 2,000,000 from Goofy, who held 9♦6♥. Badziakouski known as the min-raise with 5♥4♥ within the large blind and the flop got here down 9♠4♣2♦. After a verify from Badziakouski, Goofy wager 2,000,000. Badziakouski then check-shoved for 12,600,000. Goofy known as with high pair and held by means of a 7♥ flip and 2♠ river to convey the event to a detailed.
Badziakouski settled for $585,000 because the runner-up. He additionally secured 1,750 Card Player Player of the Year factors, sufficient to maneuver him inside the highest 50 within the general standings offered by CoinPoker. This was his sixth final-table end of the 12 months. The Belarusian now has over $72.7 million in profession cashes, which is nice for fourth place on poker’s all-time cash listing.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | ‘Goofy’ | $1,000,000 | N/A |
| 2 | Mikita Badziakouski | $585,000 | 1,750 |
| 3 | Oshri Lahmani | $375,000 | 1,400 |
| 4 | Giorgiy Skhulukhiya | $260,000 | 1,050 |
| 5 | Sergio Aido | $190,000 | 875 |
| 6 | Damir Gabdullin | $140,000 | 700 |
| 7 | Italo Modena | $110,000 | 525 |
| 8 | Artsiom Lasouski | $89,800 | 350 |
| 9 | Ravid Garbi | $74,000 | 175 |
Photo credit: Merit Poker Live Flickr account.
