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Daniil Kiselev turned a Day 1d low point of 23,000 chips, with blinds at 4,000/8,000, into victory in the 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event. He beat a 972-entry field in the $5,400 no-limit hold’em tournament at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel Casino & Spa in North Cyprus, earning $1 million and the largest cash of his career.

The comeback continued well beyond the opening-day escape. Kiselev was 13th with 15 players left, then reached the nine-handed final table as chip leader after winning an early coin flip against Nikolay Baryshnikov. PokerNews reported that he gained the chip advantage after eliminating defending champion Daniel Thaller and did not give it up.

Kiselev eliminated Ivan Bryksin in eighth for $80,000, Naji Tannoury in sixth for $150,000 and Timo Vogt in fifth for $210,000. His ace-six then held against Thaller’s king-queen to send the 2025 champion out in fourth for $290,000.

Mehmet Biskin knocked out Jordan Woodall in third for $420,000, but Kiselev began heads-up with close to a two-to-one lead. He extended it through small pots and river calls against Biskin’s bluffs before the final all-in.

Kiselev limped the button with nine-three suited and shoved over Biskin’s raise. Biskin called with king-queen, but Kiselev paired his three on the flop and held on a J♠ 7♥ 3♦ A♦ A♥ board. Biskin received $621,000 for second place, his biggest score.

The Main Event paid 146 places from its $5 million guarantee. Kiselev’s win was his first title and fifth final-table finish of 2026, lifting his career tournament earnings above $2.4 million. His previous best payday was $568,000 for fourth in a $50,000 Triton Poker Montenegro high roller.

The Main Event closed the 11-day Mediterranean Poker Party festival. As covered in September, Boris Smuskevicius also won the festival’s $3,500 Merit Poker Cup, taking $217,000 after a three-way ICM deal.