After being branded as the bubble boy of the Warm Up event earlier in this series, Sergei Varnaev raised himself from the dust of the desert to claim the coveted title of the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series $5,300 High Roller.
In true Wild West fashion, Varnaev rode through a battlefield of 174 players inside the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. The event had an eventual prize pool of $800,400, and it was Varnaev who showed the most grit and determination throughout to be able to lift the trophy and earn a career-best score of $200,000, proving that redemption is sweeter than gold.
The final table unfolded like a high-stakes poker shootout, lasting just four levels. Varnaev’s journey to glory culminated in a heads-up duel with overnight chip leader Lyudmil Ivanov, which ended after only one hand. This victory not only quintupled Varnaev’s lifetime earnings but also cemented his name among the legends of Merit Poker.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sergei Varnaev | Russia | $200,000 |
| 2 | Lyudmil Ivanov | Bulgaria | $134,000 |
| 3 | Maxime Chilaud | France | $89,900 |
| 4 | Maher Achour | Tunisia | $65,000 |
| 5 | Bogdan Jontulovic | Serbia | $50,000 |
| 6 | Mehmet Demirkol | Turkey | $39,000 |
| 7 | Ludovic Uzan | France | $30,000 |
| 8 | Sachin Joshi | United Kingdom | $23,000 |
| 9 | Xin Tang | China | $18,000 |
Winner’s Reaction
Speaking about his journey, Varnaev reflected on overcoming the psychological toll of bubbling the Warm Up. When he found himself all-in with Ace-King against pocket eights during a crucial hand, he admitted, “I was nervous. I’ve been playing for seven years, and moments like that test everything you’ve learned.” Despite his nerves, Varnaev’s skill and resilience carried him through.
This was his first final table appearance at Merit Poker, though he’s no stranger to the winner’s circle. “I was at EPT 2024 last year and even won a small tournament, this is my second trophy.” Varnaev shared.
Reflecting on the final table, Varnaev humbly noted there weren’t any standout hands that secured his victory. “I made a couple of bluffs, but it’s just like…the dealers helped me,” he said with a smile. As for what’s next, Varnaev hinted at taking a well-earned break before deciding whether to saddle up for the main event.
Final Table Action
With the average stack at the start of the final table being just 24 big blinds, it didn’t take long for the short stacks to get their chips into the middle. After one level of cagey play, Xin Tang was the first to bust in ninth place when his Big Slick lost to the ace-jack of Maxime Chilaud, who hit a four-flush. Sachin Joshi followed shortly after, exiting in eighth place. Despite having two overcards and a gutshot straight draw, Joshi couldn’t improve against the ace-high of Ivanov.
On the very next hand, Ludovic Uzan departed in seventh place after he three-bet jammed with a suited connector. Unfortunately for Uzan, Bogdan Jontulovic called with ace-queen, and the board didn’t offer any help, leaving Uzan to collect his payout.
Varnaev stayed quiet during the early stages of the final table but soon came to life, taking down a significant three-bet pot against Chilaud. This hand moved Varnaev from fifth to second in the chip counts and marked the beginning of his ascent to victory.
Ivanov continued to hold the chip lead, steadily increasing his stack and separating himself from the field. Mehmet Demirkol made a few pay jumps but was eliminated in sixth place when his pocket deuces ran into Jontulovic’s flopped set. Shortly after, Maher Achour narrowly avoided elimination against Ivanov, as the board ran out in his favor, allowing him to survive a bit longer.
Level 29 proved pivotal for Varnaev. A well-timed squeeze play saw him claim the chip lead, and a subsequent check-shove against Chilaud further extended that. Meanwhile, Jontulovic’s stack dwindled until he was left with just seven big blinds. His tournament came to an end when he got all-in with a flush draw, only to run into Varnaev’s pocket kings. Jontulovic departed in fifth place, while Varnaev’s dominance grew.
Achour, despite surviving multiple all-ins, eventually ran out of luck and exited just short of a podium finish. His elimination at the hands of Varnaev left only three players in contention for the trophy. By the start of three-handed play, Varnaev held more than half the chips in play and applied relentless ICM pressure on his opponents.
Chilaud earned the tournament’s bronze medal after shoving from the small blind with king-jack, only to be called by Varnaev’s suited queen. The board hit Varnaev hard, and he sent Chilaud to the rail in third place..
When heads-up play began, Varnaev held a commanding six-to-one chip lead over Ivanov. On the very first hand, all the chips went into the middle. Varnaev shoved the button with jack-ten, and Ivanov called with ace-deuce. A ten on the flop followed by another ten on the turn sealed the deal, crowning Varnaev as the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series High Roller champion. Ivanov, despite his runner-up finish, secured another six-figure payday but remained without a Merit Poker title.
Congratulations to Sergei Varnaev on an outstanding performance and a well-deserved victory!