September in Sydney: Everything You Need to Know About WPT Australia 2026
21 May 2026Read More
Merit Poker Cup Down to 14 as Darko Svesko Takes Chip Lead
- Congya Zhang wins $300K in the $2,200 Global Poker Championship.
- Darko Svesko leads final 14 players in $3,500 Merit Poker Cup.
- $5M GTD Main Event starts September 23 at Mediterranean Poker Party.
Image by Merit Poker
Congya Zhang won the 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party Global Poker Championship for $300,000 after topping 830 entries. Darko Svesko leads the final 14 players in the Merit Poker Cup, while the $5 million guaranteed Main Event begins September 23.
The 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party is continuing at Merit Crystal Cove in Cyprus, with the September 17 to 27 festival featuring more than $10 million in guaranteed prize pools across its schedule.
China's Congya Zhang has already secured one of the festival's major titles after winning the $2,200 Global Poker Championship for $300,000. Attention has since turned to the $3,500 Merit Poker Cup, where Serbia's Darko Svesko leads the final 14 players from a 418-entry field.
The festival will then move toward its centrepiece, the $5,400 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event, which begins on September 23 with a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.
Congya Zhang Wins $2,200 Global Poker Championship
Congya Zhang captured the $2,200 Global Poker Championship after overcoming a field of 830 entries.
The tournament generated a $2 million prize pool, with Zhang collecting the $300,000 first-place payout after defeating Sergei Petrushevskii heads-up.
Petrushevskii earned $200,000 for finishing second, while fellow Chinese player Yilu Yuan took home $140,000 in third place.
Zhang began the final day ranked 12th among the 16 remaining players and reached the final table with one of the shorter stacks. Her position improved during the later stages through several double-ups and important eliminations that moved her into contention.
Her route to the heads-up stage included eliminating Adrian State in fifth place, Mengdian Peng in fourth and Yuan in third.
Zhang entered heads-up play against Petrushevskii with an advantage of roughly four-to-one in chips.
The final hand saw Petrushevskii move all-in with pocket fives against Zhang's pocket jacks.
Zhang's jacks remained ahead through the board, securing the Global Poker Championship title and the $300,000 top prize.
$5 Million Guaranteed Main Event Begins September 23
The $5,400 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event is scheduled to begin on September 23 with a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.
The tournament will feature four opening flights, after which all surviving players will combine for Day 2.
The Main Event is scheduled to continue through September 27, when the eventual champion is expected to be decided.
More than $10 million in guaranteed prize money is available across the complete 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party schedule.
The festival's key tournaments include the $2 million guaranteed Global Poker Championship, the $1 million guaranteed Merit Poker Cup and two events carrying $500,000 guarantees, the Mini Main Event and Paradise Mystery Bounty.
Mediterranean Poker Party Turns Attention to Main Event
The opening stages of the 2026 Mediterranean Poker Party have already produced a major winner, with Congya Zhang claiming the Global Poker Championship and $300,000 after defeating a field of 830 entries.
The Merit Poker Cup is now approaching its conclusion, with Darko Svesko leading the remaining 14 players from the original field of 418.
The next major tournament on the schedule is the $5,400 Mediterranean Poker Party Main Event, which starts September 23 and carries a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.
Upcoming Events
22 September 2026
European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 Poker
Tallinn to Host Inaugural European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 This October
Battle of Malta Autumn Edition 2026 Poker
What to Expect from the Battle of Malta October 2026 Autumn Edition
APT Championship Taipei 2026 Poker
APT Championship Taipei 2026 Set to Ignite Asia Poker Arena with TWD 165M GTD Main Event
30 October 2026
Poker EventsStarts in
Latest News
-
WPT Australia 2026 -
Unibet Open MarrakechMoroccan Autumn: Unibet Open Marrakech 2026 Announces 11-Day Schedule14 Jul 2026Read More
-
Jeju eventAsian Poker Tour Announces Ten-Day APT Jeju 2026 Festival at LES A Casino02 Jun 2026Read More
-
Stake FreebuyGrind in Stake Poker's $250 GTD Freebuy21 Sep 2026Read More
-
$125K GTDStake Showdown Set for September 27 With $125,000 Guarantee10 Sep 2026Read More
