3-Bet: Nenad Dukic, Taylor Hart & Kiwanont Sukhum Win Major Live Titles

Poker action is exploding all across and its evident from how major events across the globe continue to draw massive fields and deliver big-time paydays. From the scenic shores of Cyprus to the heart of New York and the vibrant poker halls of Manila, players have been showing up and showing out. This 3-Bet report brings the headline-grabbers from the Merit Poker Carmen Series Main Event, WSOPC Turning Stone Main Event, and the Manila Megastack 22 Main Event.

Over in Kyrenia, the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino saw Serbia’s Nenad Dukic (cover image – left) put on a clinic in the $3,300 Main Event. He navigated a record-setting field of 881 entries with remarkable control, capturing the title and a career-high $401,000 payday. Dukic bested Turkey’s Akin Tuna in the final duel, with Tuna taking home a respectable $265,000 for his second-place effort.

Stateside at the WSOP Circuit at Turning Stone, persistence paid dividends for Oregon’s Taylor Hart (cover image – right top). After years of coming close, Hart finally grasped the gold, overcoming a vast 1,183-entry field in the $1,700 Main Event. His victory brought his third WSOPC ring and his largest career score yet – a handsome $280,770. Michael Aman earned $187,172 for a hard-fought runner-up finish.

And flying over to the Filipino capital, the Manila Megastack 22 ₱45,000 Main Event at Okada Manila provided a compelling comeback story. Thailand’s Kiwanont Sukhum (cover image – right bottom), who started the final table as one of the shorter stacks, skillfully battled his way to the top of the 652-entry field. Following a three-way deal, Sukhum claimed the title, a career-best ₱3.410 Million (~$59,470), and an APPT package. The deal also saw the Philippines’ William Ysmael (2nd) and South Korea’s Cheolmin Byeon (3rd) lock up over ₱3 Million each from the same deal.

Nenad Dukic Takes Center Stage: Conquers Record-Breaking Merit Carmen Series Main Event For $401K!

The 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series, after a fortnight of high-stakes drama, culminated in a breathtaking finale at Kyrenia’s Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. All the focus was on the $3,300 Main Event final table, where Serbia’s Nenad Dukic pulled off a breakthrough. The series regular navigated a record-breaking field of 881 hopefuls to stand alone at the end, hoisting the championship trophy and pocketing a career-best $401,000 top prize.

The largest Main Event of the Merit Poker Classic has come to an end!

Our March series – Carmen Poker Series gathered an impressive 881 entries in the $3.300 Main Event!

An incredible five-day marathon is now part of our club’s history—a beautiful history!

The tournament was… pic.twitter.com/myFo9N3peb

— Merit Poker (@meritpokerlive) March 24, 2025

This win is more than just Nenad Dukic’s biggest live tournament cash; it signals a real turning point in his poker journey. He’d shown flashes before, finishing second in a 2022 WSOP Online event ($216,348) and fourth at the 2023 Merit Poker Retro Series Main Event ($191,100). Those deep runs proved he could hang tough in major fields, but he finally went all the way this time. The win pushes his recorded live earnings just shy of the million-dollar point, landing him at $992,751 and placing him ninth on Serbia’s all-time money list, according to The Hendon Mob.

The Main Event was a roaring success, setting a new attendance record for the Carmen Series and generating a massive $2,431,560 prize pool. The spoils were shared among the top 119 finishers, with several familiar circuit faces making deep runs, including Alessio Isaia (13th for $25,800), Andrey Pateychuk (18th – $22,400), Darius Neagoe (40th for $11,840), Matas Cimbolas (43rd for $11,840), and Lukas Pazma (51st for $10,140).

Dukic came into the nine-handed final day holding the chip advantage and immediately went to work. His performance, from the first hand to the final river card, was a study in control.

The final table eliminations began with Dukic doing the honours, sending Leonid Orman out in ninth when his pocket Queens held firm against jack-ten suited. Soon after, Daniil Kiselev hit the exit in eighth as his couldn’t find help against Soraya Estrada’s . Maher Achour’s hopes were dashed in seventh place after an all-in shove with bottom pair against Mikhail Zavoloka didn’t go his way.

Next, Dukic picked up pocket aces and found a willing customer in Chady Ojeil, who had paired his king-queen. Ojeil paid off bets on every street, ending his run in sixth. Fifth place was decided by a pre-flop coin flip, with Dukic’s pocket jacks holding against Han Han’s king-queen.

The four-handed play saw some dynamic shifts. Soraya Estrada briefly climbed into the chip lead after winning a key pot from Zavoloka. But her time at the top was short. In a crucial hand, Dukic limped the small blind, Estrada checked, and the pot ballooned after the turn card arrived on a queen-high board. Estrada’s check-raise shove was met by a call from Dukic, who revealed the top two pair (queen-ten). Estrada’s queen-seven was in rough shape, and after the river failed to rescue her, she was left with crumps and was eliminated shortly after in fourth place ($132,100).

Mikhail Zavoloka had earlier dodged elimination when his ace-nine cracked Estrada’s ace-jack, but his fortune reversed against Dukic. Zavoloka got his stack in ahead with ace-queen versus Dukic’s ace-eight, but a running straight for the Serbian player ended Zavoloka’s tournament run in third.

That left two: Nenad Dukic holding a formidable 62 Million chips against Turkey’s Akin Tuna with 26 Million. The advantage was clear, and Dukic didn’t let the opportunity linger. After getting a walk on the first hand of heads-up, Dukic moved all-in the very next hand from the button with . Tuna peered down at and quickly made the call, hoping for a swift double-up.

The dealer spread the flop – a near-perfect sight for Dukic, giving him an instant full house. The turn gave Tuna top pair and a faint pulse, but the river was inconsequential. Akin Tuna’s excellent effort ended in second place, landing him $265,000.

Nenad Dukic, meanwhile, celebrated a defining victory, hoisting the trophy and collecting the $401,000 top prize.

After the photos and celebrations, Dukic opened up about the feeling. “It was really amazing,” he shared. “I just feel so relieved to finally close it.” He gave credit to all his final table opponents, and even praised Zavoloka for presenting a tough challenge but stressed, “Everyone played well. It was a real battle out there.”

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Nenad Dukic – $401,000
2. Akin Tuna – $265,000
3. Mikhail Zavoloka – $185,250
4. Soraya Estrada – $132,100
5. Han Han – $99,050
6. Chady Ojeil – $80,500
7. Maher Achour – $65,700
8. Daniil Kiselev – $52,200
9. Leonid Orman – $39,600

Taylor Hart Finally Captures WSOPC Gold at Turning Stone For $280K!

At the WSOP Circuit stop hosted by Turning Stone Resort Casino, Oregon’s Taylor Hart finally got the payoff he’d been chasing. After many deep runs and close calls over the years, Hart achieved his breakthrough in undeniable style. He topped a huge field of 1,183 entries in the $1,700 Main Event to capture his third WSOPC ring and a career-best $280,770 – his second-ever six-figure tournament cash. Michael Aman put up a strong fight, finishing second for a noteworthy $187,172.

Heads up with a $100k 💰 pay jump on the line… a MASSIVE decision (a 20 MINUTE long decision to be precise), and a growing crowd watching every move! ⏳🤯 With your opponent froze like a statue, would you crack under the pressure or make the call of your life?😳♠️ …. (and yes… pic.twitter.com/huZ0JLxHcK

— Poker Org (@pokerorg) March 24, 2025

Hart shared his thoughts right after the win: “I flew in from Portland, (Oregon) last Wednesday to come here on my way to Florida for a few weeks and figured I play the Main Event here at Turning Stone because I’ve seen it growing a lot,” he told PokerOrg. “I will probably be back. I really like the area and playing with the people around here. The floor, the staff, and everything else were top-notch.”

This significant score pushed Hart’s total live earnings to $975,704, moving him into 17th place on Oregon’s all-time money list, per The Hendon Mob. The tournament generated a $1,792,245 prize pool, paying out the top 176 finishers, with even a min-cash worth $3,438. But for Hart, this victory represented more than just the money; it was the culmination of years of effort and finally closing out a major tournament.

The final day began dramatically. Short-stacked DJ MacKinnon made his move with pocket nines, only to run into Hart’s ace-five. An ace arriving on the river ended MacKinnon’s tournament in 10th place ($17,665) and gave Hart an early boost heading into the official final table.

Pocket nines proved unlucky again shortly after that. Twenty-year-old Aaron Gao pushed all-in with them but found himself up against Michael Aman’s pocket sixes. A six on the flop was bad news for Gao, who finished in ninth. With these early eliminations, Hart and Aman controlled roughly 65% of the chips in play, establishing themselves as the players to catch.

Aman kept the pressure on, taking out Joseph Molitor in eighth place. The next clash involved two short stacks: Yuriy Kuorynskyy with pocket eights and Allen Krouth holding ace-king. An ace on the turn ended Kuorynskyy’s hopes in seventh place. Around this time, Aman’s pace slowed slightly while Hart had quietly gathered nearly half the chips on the table.

Hart hit a small speed bump when he doubled up Thomas Couture but quickly regained his footing. Allen Krouth found himself at risk soon after, this time holding ace-six against Anthony Runza’s ace-king. An ace-queen-queen flop offered little hope, and Krouth departed in sixth place.

Anthony Runza, known for his table presence, had an animated journey. He nearly eliminated Charles Goelz when his ace-queen went up against Goelz’s ace-four, but a three-jack board gave both players the same full house, and they split the pot. Visibly annoyed, Runza hit the table. Not long after, his tournament ended in a blind-versus-blind encounter where his queen-ten couldn’t catch up to Aman’s ace-high. Runza finished in fifth place.

Thomas Couture had done well to survive the carnage all this time. However, his luck finally ran out when he got his chips in with pocket fives against Hart’s jack-eight. An eight appeared on the flop, ending Couture’s run in fourth place.

Charles Goelz, having survived a scare, couldn’t dodge bullets forever. Holding ace-four, he ran into Aman’s pocket Queens and couldn`t find the ace he needed to fall out in third place.

The heads-up play started slowly, but not for lack of drama! Hart made a large shove on an unknown board covering Michael Aman. What followed was one of the longest thinking periods of the event. Aman considered the decision intensely as spectators gathered. Five minutes stretched to ten, then fifteen. Hart remained perfectly still. After more than twenty minutes, Aman finally released his hand. It seemed a lengthy heads-up match could be unfolding.

However, the final hand arrived swiftly. In a three-bet pot, the flop showed . Aman bet 2.20 Million, Hart called. The turn was the . Aman bet again, 5 Million this time, and Hart called. The river completed the board with the . Aman moved all in. Hart instantly called and tabled for the Broadway straight – the nuts. Aman could only show his for a set of jacks. Just like that, Taylor Hart’s long wait for a major title was over.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Taylor Hart – $280,770
2. Michael Aman – $187,172
3. Charles Goelz – $132,172
4. Thomas Couture- $94,583
5. Anthony Runza – $68,767
6. Allen Krouth – $50,769
7. Yuriy Kuorynskyy – $38,069
8. Joseph Molitor – $29,000
9. Aaron Gao – $22,450
10. DJ MacKinnon – $17,665

From Short Stack to Champion: Thailand’s Kiwanont Sukhum Conquers Manila Megastack 22 Main Event! ($59,470)

After eleven action-packed days of poker, the Manila Megastack 22 reached an exciting conclusion at Okada Manila. The festival’s main attraction, the ₱45,000 Main Event, pulled in a large turnout of 652 entries, all vying for the top spot. When the dust settled, Thailand’s Kiwanont Sukhum came out on top, capturing the title, the prestige, and the biggest score of his career: ₱3.410 Million (~$59,470). That prize came alongside a ₱125,000 APPT package, courtesy of a three-way agreement at the end. William Ysmael from the Philippines put up a spirited challenge, finishing second for ₱3.265 Million (~$56,940) from the same deal, while South Korea’s Cheolmin Byeon completed the top three, earning ₱3.175 Million (~$55,370).

IT'S BEEN A WILD RIDE! 🏇♠️

After a tight and intense game for the title, the trophy and a ₱125,000 APPT Manila Main Event Package, the Manila Megastack 22 Main Event finally has a champion! Congratulations to Sukhum Kiwanont from Thailand for winning a total of ₱3,410,000! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JNXbb8Z2u9

— PokerStars LIVE Manila (@PSLiveManila) March 24, 2025

This victory wasn’t just another tournament result for Sukhum. He’s been diligently playing the circuit since late 2022, quietly gaining valuable experience and putting in serious table time. This win wasn’t an overnight success story; it was the well-earned reward for dedication, discipline, and heart. All that effort bore fruit spectacularly in Manila.

With this impressive cash, Sukhum’s total live earnings jump to $211,267, placing him 15th on Thailand’s all-time money list, according to The Hendon Mob.

The Main Event itself boasted a sizable ₱25.613 Million (~$446,695) prize pool, with the top 99 finishers getting paid. Even a minimum cash was worth a respectable ₱75,000 (~$1,310), ensuring the competition remained fierce deep into the event.

Sukhum had to do some serious work to get this win. He arrived at the final table with a meager eleven big blinds, placed near the bottom of the chip counts. Towering over the field were local contenders James Dela Cruz and William Ysmael, both armed with healthy stacks and seemingly in control. Dela Cruz started aggressively, jumping into big pots and drawing first blood by eliminating Tamon Nakamura in ninth place.

Predictably, the shorter stacks began to feel the pressure. Indo-Brit Uday Duggal (8th), Moosung Lee (7th), and Wanhee Kang (6th) were all eliminated as the blinds climbed, while Dela Cruz and Ysmael were still the top dogs on the table.

But then, the dynamic started changing. Sukhum found a clutch double-up when he eliminated Suya Lee in fifth place, winning a crucial pocket pair confrontation that gave him much-needed breathing room. The real turning point arrived shortly after. Sukhum made a bold, game-changing call against the previously dominant Dela Cruz. The successful call sent the Filipino player packing in fourth place while Sukhum raked in a monster pot, going from near the bottom to the chip lead, completely rewriting his story at the final table.

Down to three players, Sukhum, Ysmael, and Cheolmin Byeon paused to discuss a deal. They agreed on an ICM chop, locking up over ₱3 Million each. Sukhum, holding a slight chip advantage at the time, received the largest guaranteed share. But he didn’t sit back; instead, he used his position to apply pressure.

Sukhum and Byeon clashed multiple times shortly after the deal. Sukhum consistently prevailed in these encounters, and their third all-in clash proved to be the deciding factor, ending Byeon’s run in third place with ₱3.175 million (~$55,370).

This set up the heads-up match: Sukhum versus William Ysmael. Sukhum began with a commanding 3-to-1 chip lead, but the match was anything but a straight contest. Ysmael fought back tenaciously, seizing the chip lead within just a few hands. Just as the advantage seemed to be firmly shifting, a massive ace-high showdown tipped the scales back. Sukhum doubled up and left Ysmael dangerously short-stacked, changing the course of the battle.

Only a couple of hands later, the tournament was over. Ysmael committed his remaining chips with . Sukhum looked him up with . The board ran out without improving Ysmael’s hand, and just like that, Kiwanont Sukhum closed out the championship. William Ysmael earned ₱3.265 million (~$56,940) for his impressive runner-up finish, while Sukhum celebrated his first major title, his career-best payday, and a well-deserved place in the spotlight!

Final Table Results (Philippine Peso)

1. Kiwanont Sukhum – ₱3,410,000*
2. William Ysmael – ₱3,265,000*
3. Cheolmin Byeon – ₱3,175,000*
4. James Dela Cruz – ₱1,590,000
5. Suya Lee – ₱1,270,000
6. Wanhee Kang – ₱970,000
7. Moosung Lee – ₱700,000
8. Uday Duggal – ₱480,000
9. Tamon Nakamura -₱380,820

*denotes a three-way deal