After thirteen days of poker under the Mediterranean sun, the 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series has crowned its final champion. Nicolas Chouity of Lebanon conquered a record-setting 1,023-entry field in the $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi, claiming the title, the trophy, and a career-boosting $460,000 payday inside the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
The event generated a massive $2,823,480 prize pool, making it the largest Merit Poker tournament of 2025 in terms of both field size and prize pool.
The final chapter of La Notte Degli Assi (Night of the Aces) delivered all the drama and glamour expected from one of Merit Poker’s crown jewel events. Chouity began the final table as chip leader and never looked back, navigating a stacked lineup with experience, composure, and a little bit of luck. In the end, he overcame Hungary’s Richard Broda in a tough and tactical heads-up battle, marking a powerful return to the spotlight for one of Lebanon’s most accomplished players.
$3,300 La Notte Degli Assi Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Chouity | Lebanon | $460,000 |
| 2 | Richard Broda | Hungary | $307,000 |
| 3 | “Ma” | France | $215,000 |
| 4 | Mehmet Deniz | Turkey | $156,000 |
| 5 | Aleksandr Razinkov | Russia | $115,000 |
| 6 | Tommy G | San Marino | $95,000 |
| 7 | Nebi Baysal | Turkey | $77,500 |
| 8 | Viacheslav Balaev | Russia | $61,500 |
| 9 | Adil Tlimisov | Russia | $46,280 |
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Winner’s Reaction
Reflecting on the win, Chouity shared that tournament poker had taken a backseat in recent years. He noted that he mostly played EPT stops and occasionally travelled abroad, but this result reminded him of how special the thrill of victory can be. “I’m really excited and happy to be back and to beat a field of 1,000 players,” he said. “For me it’s something really nice; I’m truly satisfied.”
Starting the final table as chip leader added both opportunity and pressure, but Chouity handled it one step at a time. “My goal was to finish top three, but being out in front also let me apply pressure on the other players,” he explained. “That helped a lot.”
As for his final opponent, Chouity gave credit where it was due. “The heads-up was tough. I don’t play much heads-up, maybe he has more experience than me, I don’t know, but it was fun, it was challenging, and I really enjoyed it.”
When told that a top-three finish would elevate him to second on Lebanon’s all-time money list, according to TheHendonMob, Chouity shrugged it off with a smile. “Honestly, I’m not looking at that. I’m just happy to win the tournament. I don’t care about moving up in Lebanon’s all-time rankings. I hope [Albert Daher] he wins 3 or 4 tournaments, I’m even happier because he’s my friend.”
He also had high praise for the host venue and the Merit Poker series itself. “This venue provides a very good service, very convenient for players. They have a nice room, great fields, friendly people, and excellent staff. Merit is now one of the best poker destinations. I think they’re doing a fantastic job and I hope they keep it up.”
As for what’s next, Chouity confirmed that he’ll be sticking around a little longer for the inaugural Onyx High Roller Series.
“Yes, I will definitely play more. I’m not yet sure which events I’ll enter, it depends, but I’m staying for a couple more days. I might have to head back to Dubai, but I’ll be in the $10,000 and the $25,000 for sure.”
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From Chip Lead to Champion
Chouity started the day as chip leader and played his part in thinning down the field early, as within an hour, four of the finalists had already hit the rail. His contribution came when his king-queen flopped a king against the pocket jacks of Viacheslav Balaev, ending the Russian player’s run in eighth.
When play was four-handed, Chouity and Broda engaged in an on-felt war with each other, despite two shorter stacks still being in. Broda briefly took the chip lead, but a fortunate river for Chouity gave him around 75% of the chips in play with three remaining.
Mehmet Deniz three-bet with pocket aces and quickly called off the shove from Chouity, who held pocket jacks. A brutal jack on the river spelled the end for Deniz, who had to settle for fourth, just shy of the podium.
Broda then flopped a set of nines to dispatch “Ma” in third, setting up the heads-up finale. Chouity took a better than two-to-one advantage into the duel, but Broda clawed his way back and even regained the chip lead after scooping several small pots.
But that momentum didn’t last. In the final hand, the chips went in on every street, culminating in a shove from Broda and a call from Chouity. Both had diamond flushes, Broda with seven-five and Chouity with eight-three, but it was the Lebanese pro who held the better one, bringing the curtain down on a hard-fought final day.
