Day 2 of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series has officially etched its name in the record books, with a staggering 791 entries confirmed at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. This remarkable turnout not only shatters the previous high of 757 runners set back in 2023 but also underscores the ever-growing prestige of this marquee event. By the end of the day, 157 players had secured a bag to bring back for Day 3.
The tournament saw 251 players advance through the opening four flights, with an additional 186 entries pouring in before the close of late registration at the end of Level 14. This surge of last-minute entries propelled the prize pool to a massive $2,183,160, far exceeding the $1,500,000 guarantee and creating life-changing payouts for those who make it to the top.
Leading the charge is China’s Zhen Chen, who bagged a commanding 1,281,000 chips to claim the top spot on the leaderboard. Chen, no stranger to success at flagship Merit Poker tournaments, took down the $5,300 High Roller at the Gatsby Gala just a few months ago and now looks poised for another deep run.
Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhen Chen | China | 1,281,000 | 160 |
| 2 | Anton Danilov | Russia | 1,276,000 | 160 |
| 3 | Renars Skanis | Latvia | 1,250,000 | 156 |
| 4 | Bugra Karsli | Turkey | 1,184,000 | 148 |
| 5 | Dmitry Gromov | Russia | 1,154,000 | 144 |
| 6 | Nichan Khorchidian | Lebanon | 1,149,000 | 144 |
| 7 | Georgios Skarparis | Cyprus | 1,133,000 | 142 |
| 8 | Ali Fkih | Tunisia | 1,128,000 | 141 |
| 9 | Nikolay Ponomarev | Russia | 1,092,000 | 137 |
| 10 | Motokatsu Uhara | Japan | 1,014,000 | 127 |
Dmitry Gromov ended Day 2 of the Main Event with an impressive stack of 1,154,000 chips, firmly positioning himself for another deep run. The Russian player, who finished third in the Gatsby Gala Main Event just a few months ago, has turned Cyprus into his personal playground, boasting over 100 career cashes. With cashes in no less than ten previous Merit Poker Main Events, Gromov is well on track to add an eleventh to his growing list of accomplishments.
In that same Gatsby Gala event, Nichan Khorchidian outlasted the field to claim the top prize of $307,700. Khorchidian is once again in prime position to make a deep run, having bagged the sixth-largest stack of 1,149,000 chips heading into Day 3.
Georgios Skarparis continues to ride high, finishing Day 2 with an impressive 1,133,000 chips. Skarparis, who claimed victory in the Warm Up earlier in the series, is now chasing an extraordinary second major title in just a matter of days.
Other notables advancing to Day 3 include Dawid Smolka (1,000,000), Dan Borlan (887,000), Sergei Varnaev (861,000), Michel Molenaar (757,000), Philipp Wood (640,000), and start-of-Day-2 chip leader Ehsan Amiri (585,000).
The first objective on the players to-do list tomorrow will be to make the money, and from the 157 returning, only 103 will be able to do so. When play resumes on Day 3, the average stack will be just over 500,000, which is around 63 big blinds.
Payouts
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action as the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series Main Event heats up!