Dmitrii Nazarov Leads 113 Survivors Into Day 2 of the NOIR Poker Series Main Event

Day 2 of the $5,500 Merit Poker Main Event begins today at 1:00 p.m. local time inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, with 113 players returning from a field of 769 entries at the 2026 NOIR Poker Series.

Following four action-packed starting flights, the remaining contenders will combine for the first time as the tournament enters its penultimate day. With each opening flight playing down to the money, every returning player has already secured a payout and remains in contention for the title.

The Main Event features a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, with the official payout structure expected to be confirmed shortly after play resumes.

Nazarov Holds a Narrow Lead at the Top

The Day 2 leaderboard remains tightly packed, with only 20 big blinds separating the top seven stacks.

Dmitrii Nazarov returns as the overall chip leader after topping Day 1b, carrying 2,025,000 chips, worth 101 big blinds. He is closely followed by fellow Day 1b survivor Aren Bezhanyan, who advanced with 1,945,000.

Haydar Issa rounds out the top three with 1,780,000 after finishing strongly in the final opening flight, Day 1d. Timur Margolin, Ehsan Amiri, Farkas Benedek, and Ravid Garbi are also within immediate reach of the lead, setting up a competitive start to Day 2.

Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Dmitrii Nazarov	Russia	2,025,000	101
2	Aren Bezhanyan	Armenia	1,945,000	97
3	Haydar Issa	Lebanon	1,780,000	89
4	Timur Margolin	Israel	1,760,000	88
5	Ehsan Amiri	Australia	1,705,000	85
6	Farkas Benedek	Hungary	1,650,000	83
7	Ravid Garbi	Israel	1,620,000	81
8	Joris Ruijs	Netherlands	1,560,000	78
9	Jay O’Leary	United Kingdom	1,525,000	76
10	Alexander Sokolovsky	Serbia	1,500,000	75

Experienced Contenders Remain in the Field

A place near the top of the chip counts is not the only route to a deep run, and several accomplished players return with enough chips to make an impact.

Among those advancing are Gilles Simon (1,490,000), Merijn van Rooij (1,355,000), Fahredin Mustafov (1,100,000), Martins Adeniya (870,000), Ali Al-Kubasi (790,000), and Adrian State (665,000).

Also returning are Patrick Brooks (505,000), Nicolas Chouity (450,000), Dietrich Fast (360,000), and Arsenii Karmatckii (275,000), each looking to build momentum as the field moves closer to the final table.

Day 2 Begins at Level 17

Play resumes at 1:00 p.m. on Level 17, with blinds of 10,000/20,000 and a 20,000 big blind ante. Blind levels increase to 60 minutes, allowing for deeper play as the remaining stacks compete for a place on the final day.

With all 113 players already in the money, the focus immediately shifts toward the significant payout jumps, the final table, and the race to become the first NOIR Poker Series Main Event champion.

Remaining Main Event Schedule

Date	Day	Time	Blind Levels
August 5	Day 2	1:00 p.m.	60 minutes
August 6	Final Day	12:00 p.m.	60 minutes

With a tightly packed leaderboard and numerous established players still in contention, Day 2 promises a demanding battle as the $5,500 Merit Poker Main Event moves toward its decisive stages at Merit Royal Diamond.