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Merit Poker Cup Day 1b in Northern Cyprus added 121 more entries and left Merit regular Hassan Nashar in front with 885,000 chips. After Day 1b, the $3,500 event had 280 total entries, and after the first two starting flights 138 players had already secured Day 2 seats.

PokerNews said Nashar’s turnaround came after a Day 1a bustout on the last hand. He registered around halfway through Day 1b, then picked up momentum with a six-high bluff against Adrian State before getting paid with trips after a river overbet.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was second on 705,000 after folding a full house in a blind-on-blind battle with Alexander Sokolovsky. Yahor Dambrouski finished third on 480,000.

Merit Poker’s site said Day 1b followed the same format as the opening flight, with a 100,000-chip starting stack and ten 40-minute levels. PokerNews said Day 1c was already underway when the counts were published, with late registration open throughout the flight.

Day 1a drew 159 entries and sent 86 players through, while Day 1b added 52 more qualifiers. The field was still expected to grow toward the $1 million guaranteed prize pool before play resumed.

Day 1b began at noon local time at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. The broader festival is the inaugural NOIR Poker Series, which runs from July 27 through August 6 at the same venue and is advertised with more than $6 million in guaranteed prize pools.

Day 2 starts at noon on Thursday, July 30 on Level 11 with blinds of 1,500/2,500 and a 2,500 big blind ante, and late registration remains open for five more levels after the restart.