Mikalai Vaskaboinikau received the 2026 $50,000 Onyx High Roller Championship, including one other trophy and a $450,000 first-place prize to a rising listing of profession accomplishments.
Vaskaboinikau, who’s from Belarus, outlasted a subject of 18 within the closing occasion of the sequence at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa in Cyprus. He defeated Russian Aleksey Borovkov heads-up to shut out his victory, with Onyx founder Rob Yong ending in third place.
This win pushed Vaskaboinikau over $17 million in complete profession earnings. Since mid-2024, Vaskaboinikau received a Triton Super High Roller Series title for $4.7 million in Montenegro, and added two further seven-figure Triton outcomes. He additionally received a $50,000 European Poker Tour excessive curler in Cyprus in October 2024.
“For me actually, it’s not a day in the office,” Vaskaboinikau instructed the PokerInformation dwell replace group. “I don’t play a lot, maybe four or five series per year. So that’s why first place and a trophy for me is always an amazing achievement.”
Under The Wire
Vaskaboinikau obtained into the event simply earlier than the shut of late registration. With the 18th and last entry, the prize pool reached $864,000. Nine gamers superior to day 2 of the event, and the ultimate three would attain the cash. The last desk featured a number of different excessive curler standouts, together with Vaskaboinikau’s fellow Belarusian, Mikita Badziakouski, in addition to Artur Martirosian and Aleksejs Ponakovs.
AFTER THE $50K WIN 🏆
Mikalai Vaskaboinikau 🇧🇾 after the most important end of the day displays on the run that introduced him the Onyx HR Championship title.
A couple of phrases from the latest Onyx champion. pic.twitter.com/8O7WRX2QM1
— Merit Poker (@meritpokerlive) August 16, 2026
Borovkov held the chip result in begin off the ultimate desk, adopted by Yong, after which Vaskaboinikau, on the high of the counts. Badziakouski surged into the chip lead within the early levels of day 2, whereas Borovkov slipped all the way in which to the underside. Borovkov had one foot out the door when Badizakouski flopped a pair of kings towards his pocket nines, however a 9 on the flip flipped their fates.
Yong later picked up pocket aces and eradicated Manuel Fritz to clear 2 million and declare the chip lead for himself. Vaskaboinikau was left because the quick stack, however doubled via Yong with a flopped diamond flush to climb again into competition. There was appreciable jockeying on the four-handed bubble, however after Yong and Vaskaboinikau every doubled via Badziakouski, Yong completed off Badziakouski to lock up payouts for the ultimate three.
Yong went from chip chief to out in third place briefly order, as each of his opponents doubled via him. Vaskaboinikau obtained the final of his chips, sending the Onyx founder out in third place ($450,000).
Closing It Out
Vaskaboinikau had a 3:1 chip result in begin heads-up play. Although Borovkov closed the hole briefly, Vaskaboinikau by no means yielded management. On the ultimate hand, Borovkov’s Okay♥6♦ trailed Vaskaboinikau’s A♠8♣. Vaskaboinikau flopped an ace, after which rivered a 3rd ace to shut out the event.
In addition to his first-place payout and the trophy, Vaskaboinikau earned 204 Card Player Player of the Year factors. His sixth qualifying results of 2026 places Vaskaboinikau in 147th place within the yearlong race introduced by CoinPoker.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Mikalai Vaskaboinikau | $450,000 | 204 |
| 2 | Aleksey Borovkov | $250,000 | 170 |
| 3 | Rob Yong | $164,000 | 136 |
Photo credit score: Merit Poker Live
