Daniil Kiselev Wins Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event

Daniil Kiselev claims the Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event title

The 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event at Merit Crystal Cove Resort is officially in the books, and it ended with a breakthrough win for Daniil Kiselev. The $5,400 no-limit hold’em championship drew 972 entries, and after four starting flights plus two more days of combined-field action in North Cyprus, Kiselev walked away with the trophy and the $1,000,000 top prize.

For Kiselev, this was a career-changing result. It was his first seven-figure score and easily the biggest payday of his poker career, topping his previous best of $568,000 from a fourth-place finish in the $50,000 Triton Poker Montenegro high roller. His lifetime earnings now stand at more than $2.4 million.

Why this result matters in a huge live field

This event carried a $5 million guarantee, and the top 146 finishers made the money. That combination of a large field and a strong prize pool is exactly what makes Merit Poker festivals so attractive to serious players: the upside is massive, but the path to the title still demands consistency, adaptability, and the ability to win high-pressure pots.

Several notable names made deep runs, including Niko Koop in 40th, Selahaddin Bedir in 32nd, Aren Bezhanyan in 19th, and Manig Loeser in 11th. In a field this size, those finishes are a reminder that even elite players need momentum, table draws, and careful stack management to reach the final stages.

Kiselev’s win also earned him 1,824 Card Player Player of the Year points. It was his first victory and fifth final-table appearance of 2026, moving him to 64th place in the overall POY standings presented by CoinPoker.

Final-table pressure and the key hands that shaped the title

By the time the final table was set, Kiselev had already seized the chip lead, and he kept building it with a series of important eliminations. He scored knockout blows against Ivan Bryksin (8th place — $80,000), Naji Tannoury (6th — $150,000), and Timo Vogt (5th — $210,000).

One of the most important pots came against defending champion Daniel Thaller. Kiselev’s A♦6♦ held against Thaller’s K♣Q♣, and the board ran out Q♦J♣8♠7♦A♣ to give Kiselev a winning pair of aces on the river. Thaller earned $290,000 for an impressive run at a rare back-to-back title.

Mehmet Biskin then advanced to heads-up play after his K♥Q♠ held against Jordan Woodall’s Q♥10♥, eliminating Woodall in third for $420,000.

Expert analysis: the strategic lessons from Kiselev’s win

Kiselev’s victory is a strong example of how modern tournament poker gets decided. At this level, the difference between first and fifth place often comes down to three things:

• stack preservation early and mid-tournament
• pressure application when ICM begins to matter
• comfort making non-standard but mathematically sound decisions

The final hand is especially instructive. Kiselev limped from the button with 9♣3♣ and then three-bet shoved over Biskin’s raise holding K♥Q♦. The line may look unusual at first glance, but in a final-table environment, aggression can force folds, exploit capped ranges, and maximize fold equity.

For players trying to improve, the lesson is clear: big live events are not won by waiting for premium hands alone. They are won by understanding stack depth, position, opponent tendencies, and tournament pressure. If you are studying that side of the game, a poker school can help sharpen the fundamentals, while poker rooms and poker clubs offer different paths to practical tournament experience.

Heads-up battle and Biskin’s runner-up payday

Kiselev entered heads-up play with roughly a 2:1 chip advantage, and the gap widened as the duel progressed. The final board came J♠7♥3♦A♦A♥, sealing the title for Kiselev and locking up the event’s biggest payout.

Biskin earned $621,000 for second place, a new career-best score for the Turkish player. Even without the trophy, that result is a major milestone and a strong sign of what deep runs can mean in marquee live festivals.

What the Mediterranean Poker Party final means going forward

The Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event once again showed why Merit Poker has become a destination for ambitious tournament players. The mix of a large guarantee, a deep structure, and a world-class field creates a spot where one run can transform a season.

For Kiselev, this is more than a headline win. It is proof that his game is holding up against elite competition in one of the most demanding formats in poker. For everyone else, it is a reminder that preparation matters just as much as talent. Whether you are chasing your first major score or grinding toward the next trophy, the edge often comes from studying structure, pressure spots, and table dynamics — the same areas that separate contenders from champions. Players looking to build a long-term plan often also compare live events with online promotions & bonuses and the support available through a poker agent.

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