Nine Cowboys Ready for the Ultimate Showdown in the Main Event


The dust has settled at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, and the final nine gunslingers are ready to duel for supremacy in the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series. This year’s record-breaking 791-entry field has been whittled down to just a handful of contenders, each aiming to seize the coveted trophy and the $377,500 top prize.
Leading the pack is Latvia’s Renars Skanis, sitting atop a mountain of 14,600,000 chips as he rides into the final day with more than 50 big blinds — an enviable position in this high-stakes shootout. Skanis has already shattered his previous best tournament cash by tenfold and now has his sights set firmly on a career-defining victory.
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mihai Niste | Romania | 9,725,000 | 39 |
2 | Edward Quinn | Jersey | 6,550,000 | 26 |
3 | Alexander Sokolovsky | Serbia | 4,550,000 | 18 |
4 | Xiaosheng Zheng | China | 12,225,000 | 49 |
5 | Ryan Mandara | United Kingdom | 3,500,000 | 14 |
6 | Mario Colavita | Italy | 10,875,000 | 44 |
7 | Muhtar Taysi | Turkey | 6,050,000 | 24 |
8 | Umberto Ruggeri | Italy | 11,000,000 | 44 |
9 | Renars Skanis | Lativa | 14,600,000 | 58 |
Chasing close behind are two sharpshooters — China’s Xiaosheng Zheng (12,225,000) and Italy’s Umberto Ruggeri (11,000,000). Both bring considerable firepower to this final showdown, and their sights are set on capturing the lion's share of the $2,183,160 prize pool.
Also still in contention are Mario Colavita (10,875,000) and Mihai Niste (9,725,000), who round out the top five after navigating the minefield of Day 4. Meanwhile, Ryan Mandara (3,500,000) will look to pull off an underdog story as the shortest stack entering the final table.
Final Table Payouts
Each of the final nine players are guaranteed a payout of $37,950, but their focus remains fixed on claiming the prestigious trophy and the $377,500 first-place prize. The cards go back in the air at 1:00 p.m. local time, with just under 12 minutes remaining in Level 33. Blinds will resume at 125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 big blind ante.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for every twist and turn of the final table, as we crown the champion of this unforgettable Western Series Main Event!