Cyprus has established itself as a scorching spot for match poker in Europe lately, with loads of massive sequence happening all through the calendar. The newest was the 2025 Advantage Poker Western Sequence that ran from Jan. 14-26 on the Advantage Crystal Cove Resort.
The competition featured 21 tournaments, with the centerpiece being the $1.5 million assured $3,300 no-limit maintain’em important occasion. With a brand new occasion document of 791 entries made throughout 4 beginning flights, the prize pool swelled to just about $2.2 million. In the long run, the most important share of that was awarded to Umberto Ruggeri. The Italian earned $377,500 for the win, the second-largest rating of his profession.
“Extremely comfortable. It was a tremendous week and an incredible remaining. It was tough, however I made it by,” Ruggeri instructed Advantage Poker after popping out on high. “The feelings are overwhelming me proper now and I don’t know what else to say. I’ve had a variety of help from my buddies right here, I’m going to relaxation from time to time resolve methods to rejoice. Because of Advantage for organizing such an incredible match.”
Ruggeri’s high payday stays the $495,979 he was awarded for a third-place displaying within the 2023 European Poker Tour Prague important occasion. He now has practically $1.2 million in recorded cashes.
This newest triumph additionally got here with a bevy of Card Participant Participant of the Yr factors. This was Ruggeri’s first money of the brand new yr, however the 1,368 factors he secured because the champion had been sufficient to shoot him up the leaderboard and into fifth place within the 2025 POY standings offered by World Poker.
The highest 103 finishers made the cash on this occasion, with notables Johan ‘YoH ViraL’ Guilbert (twenty fifth), bracelet winner Georgios Skarparis (fifteenth), and World Poker Tour champion Dmitry Gromov (tenth) all working deep.
Renars Skanis bagged up the chip lead heading into the ultimate day, with Ruggeri sitting in a tie with fellow Italian Mario Colavita for third-place within the chip counts among the many remaining 9.
Take a look at these faces.9 guys, from all around the world, by an enormous subject of 791 opponents, made it to the finals.
Sure, poker is a stupendous and considerably inventive sport. However that is match poker. And it is a brutal exercise. In any case, just one will stroll out of right here with a… pic.twitter.com/DXd6wmjP2B
— Advantage Poker (@meritpokerlive) January 26, 2025
Skanis had a giant bluff picked off early to see him fall out of the lead. The Latvian ended up ending eighth for $50,500.
2024 EPT Cyprus $10,000 excessive curler champion Ryan Mandara bought the final of his brief stack all-in with pocket deuces main the A-J excessive of Muhtar Taysi after a paired six-high flop. The board double-paired on the tip, although, and Mandara was despatched packing in seventh place ($63,200).
Ruggeri scored his first knockout of the day when his pocket sevens outran the A-J suited of Alexander Sokolovsky (sixth – $75,900). Mihai Niste then busted Xiaosheng Zheng (fifth – $94,600) to slim the sector to 4, making certain that every one remaining contenders locked up six-figure paydays.
Ruggeri and Niste quickly clashed in a large pot. All the chips went in after a Ok
Q5
flop with Ruggeri holding 87 for a flush draw whereas Niste had 54 for a pair of fives and a decrease flush draw. The Q
flip saved Niste forward, however the 8 river gave Ruggeri increased two pair and the pot. With that, he moved into the highest spot within the chip counts.
Colavita was left brief when his pocket eights had been bested by Ruggeri’s A-7. he then bought all-in with pocket tens main Ruggeri’s Q-10, solely to have Ruggeri river a king-high straight. Colavita headed house with $130,200 for his efforts.
The ultimate three gamers ended up hashing out a deal that introduced the occasion to a detailed, with Ruggeri incomes the title in consequence. Niste was formally listed because the runner-up ($251,000), whereas Muhtar Taysi positioned third ($180,300).
Here’s a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the remaining desk:
Place
Participant
Earnings
POY Factors
1
Umberto Ruggeri
$377,500
1,368
2
Mihai Niste
$251,000
1,140
3
Muhtar Taysi
$180,300
912
4
Mario Colavita
$130,200
684
5
Xiaosheng Zheng
$94,600
570
6
Alexander Sokolovsky
$75,900
456
7
Ryan Mandara
$63,200
342
8
Renars Skanis
$50,500
228
9
Edward Quinn
$37,950
114
Picture credit: Advantage Poker Fb web page.
