Lebanon’s Nicolas Chouity has once again conquered the Mediterranean poker scene, capturing the 2025 Merit Poker Cyprus Dolce Vita Summer Series $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi Championship at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. The former EPT Grand Final champion bested 1,023 entries to secure the $460,000 top prize from a prize pool exceeding $2.8 million. This was Chouity’s fourth-largest career score, boosting his lifetime tournament earnings to just under $6 million. 
“Back in the day, I was 23 — now I’m 39. Naturally, I’m more mature. Before, I was more excited. I’m not saying I’m not happy now — but back then, it was a different experience,” Chouity told Merit Poker staff.
Final Day Highlights
- Early Knockout: Chouity’s K♣Q♥ outdrew Viacheslav Balaev’s J♦J♣ to send Balaev out in 8th place for $61,500.
- Pivotal Moment: In a huge preflop clash, Chouity’s J♥J♦ cracked Mehmet Deniz’s A♠A♥ with a river jack, eliminating Deniz in 4th for $156,000.
- Three-Handed Play: France’s “Ma” fell to Richard Broda’s 9♥9♦, setting up the heads-up duel.
Heads-Up Battle and Winning Hand
Chouity entered heads-up play with a commanding lead, but Broda fought back to briefly take the chip advantage. In the final hand:
- Broda: 7♦5♦
- Chouity: 8♦3♦
- Board: K♥Q♦6♦ | 2♦ | 8♠
Both players hit flushes on the turn, but Chouity’s was higher. Broda’s all-in move on the river was called, securing Chouity the title. Broda earned $307,000 as runner-up.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Chouity | $460,000 | 1,440 |
| 2 | Richard Broda | $307,000 | 1,200 |
| 4 | Mehmet Deniz | $156,000 | 720 |
| 5 | Aleksandr Razinkov | $115,000 | 600 |
| 7 | Nebi Baysal | $77,500 | 360 |
| 8 | Viacheslav Balaev | $61,500 | 240 |
| 9 | Adil Tlimisov | $46,280 | 120 |
