$3,300 OPE Classic Cup 8-Handed
Day 3 Completed
2024 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
$3,300 OPE Classic Cup 8-Handed
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$532,680
Entries
193
Level
29
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
29
Players Left
1
Level 29
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Though his recorded live tournament results date all the way back to 2008, Lebanon’s Walid Bou Habib doesn’t consider himself a professional poker player. He prefers to play select events at familiar venues, and his time at Merit Poker continues to be fruitful after adding another victory in the Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series.
Habib came into the added Day 3 second in chips, navigating his way through a field of 193 entries to reach the final table of the $3,300 OPE Classic Cup. From there, he did not knock out a single player until the very last hand, eliminating Julien Liarte and Antoine Hasbani together to claim the title.
“It is one amongst the major results which I have made,” Habib told PokerNews moments after the win. “To get the trophy, it’s always nice because I’m trying to make a nice collection of trophies. I have already three PokerStars trophies, and also four or five from Merit so it will be my, maybe, tenth trophy.”
The first-place score will also see his total career earnings climb above $2.3 million, with each of his last ten recorded cashes coming right here at Merit.
“I’m not professional but I play very often,” Habib explained. “This is one of the venues which I never miss. I’m just focusing on Cyprus, it’s very nice here, we came with the family, they enjoy the beach, they enjoy lot of summer activities, it’s nice.”
$3,300 OPE Classic Cup Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walid Bou Habib | Lebanon | $132,000 |
| 2 | Julien Liarte | France | $90,000 |
| 3 | Antoine Hasbani | Lebanon | $60,000 |
| 4 | Konstantin Voronin | Russian Federation | $41,500 |
| 5 | Iurii Saiapin | Russian Federation | $32,500 |
| 6 | Jeremie Zouari | France | $26,500 |
| 7 | Fadi Nakhoul | Lebanon | $21,700 |
| 8 | Azamat Tulepbergenov | Kazakhstan | $17,150 |
Added Day 3
Due to the size of the field in the $3,300 OPE Classic Cup, the schedule needed to be adjusted in order to crown a champion. The last 29 players standing from Day 2 returned to the felt this afternoon for an unscheduled added day, prepared once again to play down to a winner.
Early on, the added hurdle was the looming money bubble, as only the top 23 players would earn a payday. It did not take long to reach hand-for-hand play, as the min-cash of $5,110 was quickly in play.
Darius Neagoe was knocked out on the very first hand, and the remaining players were set to battle for the largest payouts of the $532,680 prize pool.
Habib and Hasbani were at the top of the counts to begin the extra day, along with Russian Konstantin Voronin. All three carried that momentum to the final table, but it was Voronin doing most of the damage.
Final Table Action
The final table started with a bang, as Voronin took out Edgar Yamin and Azamat Tulepbergenov at the same time. Voronin endured a roller coaster from there, eventually bowing out in fourth place.
Hasbani was able to maintain a big stack all the way down to the final three, while Habib stayed out of trouble and made a move when it mattered the most.
Habib took out both Hasbani and Liarte for another big score in Cyprus, adding another trophy to his mantle. The win comes less than a year after he made a heads-up deal in the 2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus $3,000 Mystery Bounty event for $242,623. Habib also claimed a trophy in the Merit Poker Western Series $2,200 Main Event back in 2016, so success on the island is certainly nothing new.
The OPE Classic champ will now seek to continue his good fortune here at Merit, while enjoying the time with family and friends.
That concludes our coverage of the $3,300 OPE Classic Cup, but be sure to check out PokerNews for all of the action from the $2,200 La Notte Degli Assi event as the Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series continues.
Level 29
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Antoine Hasbani moved his short stack of 1,425,000 into the middle and Walid Bou Habib followed by shoving as well. Julien Liarte quickly checked his cards and tossed in the call.
Antoine Hasbani: K♠10♣ 
Julien Liarte: 8♥4♥
Walid Bou Habib: 8♠8♦
Habib spiked a set on the 8♣J♦A♥ flop, improving to a full house on the K♣J♣ runout to score the double knockout and the title. Liarte claimed second place, while Hasbani finished third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
19,300,000
7,400,000
|
7,400,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 29
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Walid Bou Habib opened to 400,000 on the button and Julien Liarte called in the small blind. Antoine Hasbani then moved all in from the big blind, with Habib moving all in behind. Liarte called and the hands were turned up.
Walid Bou Habib: Q♣Q♥
Antoine Hasbani: A♣10♠
Julien Liarte: J♠9♣
Habib's pocket queens held through the 2♦8♣K♥2♥5♦, tripling up his stack to take the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,900,000
7,600,000
|
7,600,000 |
|
|
5,500,000
-4,425,000
|
-4,425,000 |
|
|
1,920,000
-3,155,000
|
-3,155,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Action has resumed with 36:00 remaining on Level 29.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,925,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
5,075,000
-775,000
|
-775,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,300,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
The final three players have taken a short break before resuming the tournament.
Level 29
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Konstantin Voromin moved his short stack all in from the button, with Julien Liarte making the call in the big blind.
Konstantin Voronin: J♠2♠
Julien Liarte: A♥J♣
Liarte held through the J♥Q♦6♠7♥9♠ runout, eliminating Voronin in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,800,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 29
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Konstantin Voronin raised to 375,000 in the small blind and Walid Bou Habib called in the big blind.
Voronin led out for 525,000 on the 9♥7♦2♦ flop, making the call after Habib raised to 1,150,000. Voronin then checked the 10♦ turn.
Habib went into the tank, using two time banks before announcing all in. Voronin then used a time bank card of his own before laying his hand down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,450,000
1,950,000
|
1,950,000 |
|
|
850,000
-1,350,000
|
-1,350,000 |
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Walid Bou Habib limped in the small blind before Julien Liarte raised to 450,000 in the big blind. Habib called to see the K♥J♣6♠ flop, where both players checked.
The J♦ turn saw Habib lead out for 500,000, with Liarte making the call. Habib then counted out a bet of 700,000 after the 6♦ river, with Liarte using a time bank card before tossing in the call.
Habiib showed Q♣10♥ for a missed straight draw, while Liarte tabled K♦4♣ for kings and jacks to add to his chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,600,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
5,850,000
-670,000
|
-670,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,500,000
-1,750,000
|
-1,750,000 |
|
|
2,200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |