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Ivelin Kolev Defies the Odds in WPT Prime Cyprus Thriller

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Pessi Lamm 38 seconds ago

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Ivelin Kolev won the WPT Prime Cyprus $1,100 Main Event, earning $171,600 and a WPT World Championship seat.
Kolev staged a dramatic comeback from 11 big blinds, eliminating key opponents at the final table.
The next WPT stops are California and Seoul, leading up to the World Championship in Las Vegas.

Ivelin Kolev turns 11 big blinds into a WPT Prime Cyprus title and a $171,600 payday after an incredible final-table comeback.

WPT Prime Cyprus produced an incredible show in the $1M GTD Championship event. For Ivelin Kolev, sitting at the final table with 11 BB, it must have seemed like the end was near. But after a massive comeback, the Bulgarian poker pro was celebrating the championship title and a $171,600 payday.

Kolev topped 953 entries in the $1,100 Main Event at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Spa. His payday includes a $10,400 seat to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, scheduled for December 13-20.

WPT Prime Cyprus 2026 Overview

Statistic	Result
Main Event buy-in	1,100
Guarantee	1,000,000
Entries	953
Winner	Ivelin Kolev
1st prize	$171,600
WPT World Championship seat	$10,400 (included in 1st prize)

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Kolev’s Comeback From 11 Big Blinds to WPT Cyprus Champion

Down to 11 BB: With six players left, Kolev had just 3.175 million chips. He doubled up with Q-7 against Johan Storakers' A-6.
Pocket aces strike: Kolev won a major pot with AA against Storakers' pocket nines.
Storakers eliminated: Kolev's pocket fives held up, sending Storakers out in fifth place.
Another knockout: Kolev's Q-J beat Andreas Christodoulo's pocket fives, eliminating him in fourth.
Big bluff, big pressure: Three-handed, Kolev flopped the nut straight with 9-8 and fired a massive river shove, forcing Joseph El Khoury to fold.
Third place: Kolev eventually eliminated El Khoury, who collected $74,000.

The Final Hand: Straight Luck

Big chip lead: Kolev started heads-up with 32.95 million chips against Said Tahar's 5.175 million.
Tahar fights back: The French player doubled up, briefly extending the battle.
The final hand: Kolev limped with 6-4, and the board ran out 10-7-5-Q-3. Kolev shoved the river, and Tahar called with Q-3 for two pair.
Straight to victory: Kolev revealed a seven-high straight to win the title and $171,600 prize package. Tahar collected $100,000 for second place.

WPT Prime Cyprus Main Event Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Ivelin Kolev	$171,600*
2	Said Tahar	$100,000
3	Joseph El Khoury	$74,000
4	Andreas Christodoulo	$56,000
5	Johan Storakers	$42,500
6	Bora Kurtulus	$32,000
7	Sergiu Cornea	$24,800
8	Ismail Yagci	$19,300

Includes the $10,400 WPT World Championship seat.

What's Next on the WPT Calendar?

WPT's next stop is the Bay 101 Shooting Star in California, followed by WPT Seoul in South Korea, starting November 5. After that, the tour begins warming up for the annual World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

Then it's straight into 2027, with WPT Prime Taiwan kicking off in January.

If you want to follow Ivelin Kolev to Las Vegas, WPT Global offers online routes to selected live events. The Las Vegas WPT World Championship packages are a prime example.

Check our WPT Global promo code 2026 page for current deals and ways to win your seat.

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