Alexander Lakhov, winner of the WPT National title in the Merit Crystal Cove poker room in June, returned to the venue for the World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic main event from 5-10 September and won that as well.

The final day started with a final table of six, with Nicolas Chouity the chip leader with 4.4 million, followed by Lakhov with 3.1 million, Ori Miller with 2.3 million, Toby Lewis with 1.1 million, Dmitry Gromov with 815,000 and Igor Devkin on 435,000.

Short-stack Devkin, youngest of the three Russians at the table, was the first to exit finding queens against a three-betting Chouity, who had pocket kings. No luck for Devkin on the flop, turn, or river, and he departed in sixth place for $62,000.

Israeli pro Miller lost a big pot to Lakhov when he had to fold on the turn against a check-raise shove and then, down to 15 big blinds, he moved all-in from the cut-off with K-J only to walk into Chouity with pocket aces on the button. Miller finished in fifth, taking home $77,000.

Lewis departed in fourth place after getting involved in a blind battle with Gromov with all the chips going into the middle after Lewis pushed from the big blind with A-10 after Gromov's small-blind raise. The Russian made the call after some thought with A-J, which held up, and as it turned out eliminated Lewis in fourth for $102,820 as the pair had exactly the same chip stacks.

Three-handed play started with Chouity in the lead but Gromov soon moved in front and when Chouity opened to 200,000 on the button, he three-bet from the small blind to 550,000. Lakhov was quick to fold his big blind but Chouity called.

Gromov bet 620,000 on the 9H-KH-5S flop which Chouity wasted little time in calling. Gromov then checked the 3S on the turn, with Chouity betting out 950,000 and Gromov check-raiseing all-in for just over three million, which Chouity snap-called.

Chouity seemed very confident he had the best hand, something made even more clear by the look on Gromov's face when he turned over the 2C-2H and Chouity revealed his KS-QS for top pair and a flush draw.

Only a two could save Gromov from losing most of his chips and eliminate Chouity if it fell. Very slowly the dealer burned a card then placed the 2D on the river leaving Chouity to exit in third place for $140,000.

So the tournament was down to the heads-up battle between Russians Lakhov and Gromov, who had a big lead over his countryman and he could have been champion minutes into the battle when Lakhov got all of his chips in with A-J against Gromov's aces.

But a jack on the flop and river meant Lakhov lived to fight on. And, with his double up, he started winning a lot of pots, mostly without showdown but got the best of the showdown pots as well.

Then, with Gromov down to his last 15 big blinds, Lakhov raised and Gromov moved all-in with A-2 which Lakhov called with pocket jacks. This time there was no miracle for Gromov, leaving him the runner up for $215,000.

For Lakhov it was his second WPT title at the Merit Crystal Cove poker room this year and with it came the trophy, $310,000 and a ticket for the WPT World Championship at Borgata at the end of the season worth another $15,400.

WPT Merit Classic North Cyprus
1 Alexander Lakhov $325,400
2 Dmitry Gromov $215,000
3 Nicolas Chouity $140,000
4 Toby Lewis $102,820
5 Ori Miller $77,000
6 Igor Devkin $62,000
7 Alexander Nudin $51,500
8 Dimitrios Ballas $40,500
9 Antonio Buonanno $30,000