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WPT Prime Cyprus 2026: Ivelin Kolev Wins $171,600 After 11BB Comeback
- Ivelin Kolev won the WPT Prime Cyprus 2026 Main Event after overcoming a major chip deficit.
- Kolev secured $171,600, including a WPT World Championship entry, from a field of 953 participants.
- The festival offered 23 events and over $1.5 million in total prize pools, with upcoming WPT stops highlighted.
Ivelin Kolev celebrates his WPT Prime Cyprus title after fighting back from just 11 big blinds to secure a $171,600 prize package.
WPT Prime Cyprus 2026 at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Spa had an incredible finish, with Ivelin Kolev crawling back from an 11 BB hole all the way to the top of the $1M GTD Championship.
The poker gods favoured Kolev in multiple situations, eventually securing him a $171,600 payday, including a package to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, scheduled for December 13-20.
WPT Prime Cyprus 2026 Numbers Overview
| Statistic | Result |
|---|---|
| Festival dates | October 7-19 |
| Festival events | 23 |
| Total festival entries | 1,655 |
| Combined festival prize pools | $1,582,518 |
| Main Event buy-in | $1,100 |
| Main Event guarantee | 1,000,000 |
| Main Event entries | 953 |
| Winner's prize package | $171,600 |
How Kolev Won the Main Event
Kolev started the final table well behind chip leader Said Tahar, but the Bulgarian pro player found the right spots to rebuild his stack.
With six players left, Kolev was down to 11 big blinds when he shoved with Q-7 against Johan Storakers' A-6. A seven on the flop gave him a crucial double-up.
Kolev then picked up pocket aces against Storakers' pocket nines, winning another major pot. He later eliminated Storakers in fifth place with pocket fives, before sending Andreas Christodoulo out in fourth.
When only three players were left, Kolev increased the pressure, including a 17.55 million river shove after flopping the nut straight. Joseph El Khoury folded, and Kolev eventually eliminated him in third place for $74,000.
Final Hand: Straight Favors Kolev Again
Kolev began heads-up play with 32.95 million chips against Tahar's 5.175 million. Tahar managed to double up, but Kolev soon restored his advantage.
The final hand came on a board of T-7-5-Q-3. Tahar called Kolev's river shove with Q-3 for two pair, but Kolev revealed 6-4 for a seven-high straight.
Tahar collected $100,000 for second place, and Kolev secured the title and his Las Vegas seat.
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 |
What's Next on the WPT Calendar?
The tour continues with WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star in California, followed by WPT Seoul and the WPT World Championship festival in Las Vegas.
After the WPT World Championship festival wraps up, the tour heads to Taipei for WPT Prime Taiwan, running January 2-11, 2027.
If you are looking to qualify online, check WPT Global for available satellites and packages to selected live events. Qualification options and buy-ins vary by tournament.
Check our WPT Global promo code 2026 page for current offers and qualifying routes.
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