The poker saloon doors swing open once more as the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series gets underway today at noon local time. Held in the dazzling Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in North Cyprus, this high-stakes showdown promises to be a battle of wits, guts, and grit as players aim to outlast the field and stake their claim to poker glory.
Last year, the Western Series crown was claimed by France’s Mohamed Mokrani, who galloped to victory through a field of 672 contenders, pocketing a whopping $342,500 after a thrilling heads-up duel. Mokrani’s meteoric rise from the middle of the pack to the top spot was the stuff of poker folklore, as he left behind a trail of fallen opponents, including Nichan Khorchidian and Felipe Ketzer, in a showdown reminiscent of an old Western duel.
2024 Western Series Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohamed Mokrani | France | $342,500 |
| 2 | Nichan Khorchidian | Lebanon | $252,500 |
| 3 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | $155,000 |
| 4 | Christophe Panetti | Switzerland | $114,400 |
| 5 | Damir Zhugralin | Kazakhstan | $85,700 |
| 6 | Mustafa Ercan | Turkey | $69,100 |
| 7 | Antoine Hasbani | Lebanon | $57,300 |
| 8 | Samy Barka | France | $45,600 |
| 9 | Hadi Khordbin | Iran | $34,300 |
This year’s field of poker gunslingers will aim to carve their own legend, starting with Day 1a — the first of four starting flights. Armed with 100,000 chips in their holsters, players will navigate nine 60-minute levels in hopes of advancing to Day 2 and keeping their dream alive.
With late registration open until Level 14 on Day 2 and unlimited reentries, the field is expected to blow past the $1,500,000 guarantee, creating a prize pool worthy of the Wild West’s biggest bounty.
Will a new sheriff rise to claim the title, or could Mokrani return to defend his throne? Stay tuned to PokerNews as we follow every daring play and nail-biting showdown in the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series $3,300 Main Event.