Timur Margolin Secures Main Event Title at Merit Poker Montenegro Championship

Margolin Dominates Main Event After Years

The highlight of the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship was certainly the €1,650 Main Event, which concluded after five intense days of play. The tournament recorded 414 entries, generating a prize pool of €571,320, ultimately culminating in Timur Margolin's victory, who claimed the top prize of €110,000 and one of the most prestigious titles of his career.

Margolin entered the final day in third place but quickly improved his position. However, a critical hand came when Nikolay Fal called Margolin's all-in and hit a full house against Margolin's failed straight draw, dropping Margolin to a short stack. Despite this setback, the Israeli player remained focused, gradually regained his footing, and launched a successful attack for the title.

Margolin reached heads-up after eliminating Paul Esau and faced off for the title against Nikolay Fal. The duel saw several reversals, with Fal briefly taking the lead, but Margolin steadily applied pressure and took control of the game. In the final hand, Fal went all-in with K c Q c, while Margolin called with J c T h. The board 6 s A d Q d K d 8 c sealed Margolin's victory, as the turn completed his straight.

Nikolay Fal leaves Merit with mixed emotions. Alongside his second-place finish in the Main Event, he also reached heads-up in the €880 Merit Poker Cup, but the title eluded him in both instances.

For Margolin, who has three WSOP bracelets under his belt, this is an especially significant triumph, as it marks his first Main Event victory in over a decade. His last Main Event win was at the 2014 WPT National Merit Cyprus. He praised the exceptional atmosphere and professional organization of the Merit Poker series, which he regularly and gladly returns to over the years.

Buhaiov Triumphs in Budva Four Years After First Title

The prestigious €2,750 High Roller was another highlight of the Merit Poker Montenegro Championship. The event attracted 128 entries, generating a prize pool of €294,400, easily surpassing the original guarantee of €200,000. The title went to Nazar Buhaiov from Ukraine, who took home the trophy and a prize of €75,000.

Buhaiov reaffirmed his longstanding affinity for the Merit Poker series in Budva, where he secured his first major title in 2022 by winning the €777 Opening Event. His recent High Roller victory marks his second title from Merit Poker and his fourth final table finish in this series, with three taking place in Montenegro.

The decisive heads-up against Andrey Golubev from Kazakhstan was swift, requiring just five hands to crown the winner. Buhaiov entered the final match with a significant chip advantage, which he converted into a victory without hesitation. In the last hand, he hit a Broadway straight, securing the tournament triumph.

The path to the title was challenging. Buhaiov admitted that during Day 2, he had fallen to about ten big blinds and needed a series of double-ups to survive. The turning point came around the final table bubble, where he exerted pressure on his opponents and rose to the position of chipleader, maintaining it through to the end.

Sources: Merit Poker, PokerNews, Flickr