Cyprus has established itself as a sizzling spot for match poker in Europe in recent times, with loads of large sequence happening all through the calendar. The newest was the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series that ran from Jan. 14-26 on the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel.
The competition featured 21 tournaments, with the centerpiece being the $1.5 million assured $3,300 no-limit maintain’em major occasion. With a brand new occasion file of 791 entries made throughout 4 beginning flights, the prize pool swelled to just about $2.2 million. In the top, the most important share of that was awarded to Umberto Ruggeri. The Italian earned $377,500 for the win, the second-largest rating of his profession.
“Incredibly happy. It was an amazing week and a great final. It was difficult, but I made it through,” Ruggeri informed Merit Poker after popping out on prime. “The emotions are overwhelming me right now and I don’t know what else to say. I’ve had a lot of support from my friends here, I’m going to rest now and then decide how to celebrate. Thanks to Merit for organizing such a great tournament.”
Ruggeri’s prime payday stays the $495,979 he was awarded for a third-place displaying within the 2023 European Poker Tour Prague major occasion. He now has almost $1.2 million in recorded cashes.
This newest triumph additionally got here with a bevy of Card Player Player of the Year factors. This was Ruggeri’s first money of the brand new yr, however the 1,368 factors he secured because the champion have been sufficient to shoot him up the leaderboard and into fifth place within the 2025 POY standings introduced by Global Poker.
The prime 103 finishers made the cash on this occasion, with notables Johan ‘YoH ViraL’ Guilbert (twenty fifth), bracelet winner Georgios Skarparis (fifteenth), and World Poker Tour champion Dmitry Gromov (tenth) all operating deep.
Renars Skanis bagged up the chip lead heading into the ultimate day, with Ruggeri sitting in a tie with fellow Italian Mario Colavita for third-place within the chip counts among the many remaining 9.
Look at these faces.
9 guys, from all around the world, by an enormous subject of 791 rivals, made it to the finals.Yes, poker is an exquisite and considerably inventive recreation. But that is match poker. And it is a brutal exercise. After all, just one will stroll out of right here with a… pic.twitter.com/DXd6wmjP2B
— Merit Poker (@meritpokerlive) January 26, 2025
Skanis had a giant bluff picked off early to see him fall out of the lead. The Latvian ended up ending eighth for $50,500.
2024 EPT Cyprus $10,000 excessive curler champion Ryan Mandara bought the final of his quick stack all-in with pocket deuces main the A-J excessive of Muhtar Taysi after a paired six-high flop. The board double-paired on the top, although, and Mandara was despatched packing in seventh place ($63,200).
Ruggeri scored his first knockout of the day when his pocket sevens outran the A-J suited of Alexander Sokolovsky (sixth – $75,900). Mihai Niste then busted Xiaosheng Zheng (fifth – $94,600) to slender the sector to 4, making certain that each one remaining contenders locked up six-figure paydays.
Ruggeri and Niste quickly clashed in a large pot. All of the chips went in after a Okay
Q5
flop with Ruggeri holding 87 for a flush draw whereas Niste had 54 for a pair of fives and a decrease flush draw. The Q
flip stored Niste forward, however the 8 river gave Ruggeri increased two pair and the pot. With that, he moved into the highest spot within the chip counts.
Colavita was left quick when his pocket eights have been bested by Ruggeri’s A-7. he then bought all-in with pocket tens main Ruggeri’s Q-10, solely to have Ruggeri river a king-high straight. Colavita headed house with $130,200 for his efforts.
The remaining three gamers ended up hashing out a deal that introduced the occasion to an in depth, with Ruggeri incomes the title in consequence. Niste was formally listed because the runner-up ($251,000), whereas Muhtar Taysi positioned third ($180,300).
Here is a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the remaining desk:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Umberto Ruggeri | $377,500 | 1,368 |
| 2 | Mihai Niste | $251,000 | 1,140 |
| 3 | Muhtar Taysi | $180,300 | 912 |
| 4 | Mario Colavita | $130,200 | 684 |
| 5 | Xiaosheng Zheng | $94,600 | 570 |
| 6 | Alexander Sokolovsky | $75,900 | 456 |
| 7 | Ryan Mandara | $63,200 | 342 |
| 8 | Renars Skanis | $50,500 | 228 |
| 9 | Edward Quinn | $37,950 | 114 |
Photo credit: Merit Poker Facebook web page.
