Humberto Lopes Galindo and Eight Others Vie for Warm Up Crown & $210,000
The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up has reached its grand finale, with just nine players left standing after three days of intense action. What started as a 646-entry field has been whittled down to a battle-tested final table, each contender now guaranteed at least $21,010, but with their sights set on the $210,000 top prize. The stakes are high, the pressure is mounting, and by the end of the day, a new Carmen Series champion will be crowned inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
Leading the charge is Alessio Isaia, a decorated Italian pro with over $3.5 million in live earnings, who soared to the top of the counts after a string of late knockouts. Hot on his heels is Atanas Malinov, a fierce competitor who bulldozed his way through the final two tables, including a crucial double knockout to vault up the leaderboard. Spain’s Humberto Galindo is also in the mix, looking to make his mark on one of the biggest stages in Merit Poker history. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Daniel Abrahamsson has quietly built his stack and could prove to be the dark horse in this final chapter.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giorgiy Skhulukhiya | Georgia | 3,100,000 | 16 |
| 2 | Alessio Isaia | Italy | 12,525,000 | 63 |
| 3 | Daniel Abrahamsson | Sweden | 10,825,000 | 54 |
| 4 | Dmitrii Kopyl | Russia | 4,500,000 | 23 |
| 5 | Rui Querido Martins | Portugal | 1,500,000 | 8 |
| 6 | Humberto Galindo | Spain | 11,250,000 | 56 |
| 7 | Atanas Malinov | Bulgaria | 12,450,000 | 62 |
| 8 | Atanas Georgiev Pavlov | Bulgaria | 2,300,000 | 12 |
| 9 | Erdal Gulseven | Turkey | 6,425,000 | 32 |
For the shorter stacks, the pressure is on from the very first hand. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya, Atanas Pavlov, and Rui Querido Martins all return with under 20 big blinds, leaving them little room for error. They'll need to find a double-up early to get back into contention or carefully pick their spots to ladder up the payouts. With big stacks likely to apply pressure, expect to see plenty of all-ins as the short stacks fight to stay in the hunt
With seasoned pros, aggressive wildcards, and short stacks desperate to spin it up, the final table promises plenty of fireworks. The cards go in the air at 12:00 p.m. local time, with blinds resuming at 100,000/200,000. As the field narrows and the stakes climb, blind levels will extend to 60 minutes, ensuring plenty of deep-stacked play before a champion is crowned. By the end of the day, only one will walk away with the trophy, the glory, and a six-figure payday.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $210,000 |
| 2 | $142,100 |
| 3 | $98,575 |
| 4 | $71,030 |
| 5 | $52,530 |
| 6 | $42,020 |
| 7 | $35,015 |
| 8 | $28,015 |
| 9 | $21,010 |
Stay locked in with PokerNews for live updates, key hands, and final table eliminations as we crown the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series Warm Up champion. With the title and $210,000 on the line, the action is set to be unmissable!