Day 1c of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series kicks off today at 12:00 p.m. local time inside the stunning Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. Following two record-setting starting flights, the tournament is well on its way to smashing the $1,500,000 guaranteed prize pool, with 400 entries already tallied.
Australia’s Ehsan Amiri leads the overall chip counts after bagging an impressive 902,500 chips on Day 1b, marking the largest stack ever recorded in a Western Series Main Event opening flight since the pandemic. Close behind are Russia’s Dmitry Gromov (706,500) and Jersey’s Edward Quinn (685,000), both of whom will return on Day 2 in commanding positions.
Current Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ehsan Amiri | Australia | 902,500 |
| 2 | Dmitry Gromov | Russia | 706,500 |
| 3 | Edward Quinn | Jersey | 685,000 |
| 4 | Philip Joyce | United Kingdom | 660,000 |
| 5 | Joseph Houayek | Lebanon | 579,000 |
| 6 | Antoine Vranken | Netherlands | 557,000 |
| 7 | Kamil Sokol | Poland | 540,000 |
| 8 | Stanislau Charvinski | Belarus | 573,500 |
| 9 | Walid Bou Habib | Lebanon | 492,000 |
| 10 | Hassan Sey | Philippines | 474,000 |
Among the notables advancing to Day 2 so far are Aliaksei Boika (403,500), Andrey Pateychuk (360,500), Boris Kolev (493,500), and Jakub Michalak (249,000). These seasoned competitors have all positioned themselves for a shot at making a deep run.
As Day 1c unfolds, players will begin with 100,000 chips and battle through nine 40-minute levels to secure their place in Day 2. The action is expected to attract both new entrants and reentries from those who fell short in the first two flights, with late registration remaining open until the end of Level 14 on Day 2.
Later today, the final starting flight, Day 1d, will kick off at 7:00 p.m. in a turbo format, offering players one last chance to run up a stack before the start of Day 2.
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 22 | Day 1c | 12:00 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| January 22 | Day 1d | 7:00 p.m. | 25 minutes |
| January 23 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 24 | Day 3 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 25 | Day 4 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 26 | Day 5 | 1:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action as Day 1c unfolds in what promises to be another exciting chapter of the Merit Poker Western Series Main Event!