Candido Cappiello Leads Strong Italian Contingent Into Day 4 of the Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series $1,100 IPO Master
A champion will be crowned at the end of what is sure to be a long and arduous Day 4 of the Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series $1,100 IPO Master.
Danesh Zargaran leads the 42 players who will return at 1 p.m. local time with 5,405,000. Right behind him are four Italians, including Candido Cappiello (4,960,000). Cappiello will be looking to add to his more than $700,000 in live career earnings with the $146,600 first-place prize today. Simone Pascucci (3,850,000), Francesco Canzonieri (3,840,000), and Nicolo Bartolone (3,445,000) round out the top five.
Day 4 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danesh Zargaran | Iran | 5,405,000 | 68 |
| 2 | Candido Cappiello | Italy | 4,960,000 | 62 |
| 3 | Simone Pascucci | Italy | 3,850,000 | 48 |
| 4 | Francesco Canzonieri | Italy | 3,840,000 | 48 |
| 5 | Nicolo Bartolone | Italy | 3,445,000 | 43 |
| 6 | Deniz Dalgic | Turkey | 3,245,000 | 41 |
| 7 | Azizjon Rakhimov | Uzbekistan | 3,105,000 | 39 |
| 8 | Romain Retiere | France | 3,020,000 | 38 |
| 9 | Georgios Skarparis | Cyprus | 2,900,000 | 36 |
| 10 | Mazen El-Ayache | Lebanon | 2,875,000 | 36 |
Other top stacks include Azizjon Rakhimov (3,105,000), French high roller Romain Retiere (3,020,000), WSOP bracelet winner Georgios Skarparis (2,900,000), Bakhos Joumaa (2,780,000), and EPT champion Kalidou Sow (2,700,000). Nikolay Fal, like Skarparis a recent bracelet winner this summer, is towards the bottom of the counts with 845,000.
The action on Day 4 picks up on Level 26 with blinds of 40,000-80,000 with an 80,000 big blind ante. Everyone left has already locked up $3,800 for making it this far out of a field of 937 entries, with a spot at the final table worth $14,600. But they’ll all have their eyes on the top prize and Merit Poker title once play begins. Action will be streamed throughout the day on Merit Poker’s YouTube channel.
A massive field once crowded the poker room inside the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. One by one they’ve fallen until only these 42 are left to chase the title. Stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the day for live updates on the road to the trophy.