This content was AI generated based on the original article published on https://www.pokernews.com/news/2026/10/ivelin-kolev-wpt-prime-cyprus-52632.htm. All credits for the original reporting belong to them.
Bulgarian poker player Ivelin Kolev has added another title to his growing résumé, winning the $1,100 WPT Prime Cyprus Championship at the Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino. The victory earned him $171,600 and capped off a strong year on the tournament circuit.
Kolev entered the livestreamed final table far from the chip lead. Said Tahar, who would later become his heads-up opponent, started Day 3 well ahead of the field, with Andreas Christodoulo the only player close behind him.
The final table proved to be a long and competitive battle. Ismail Yagci, who began the day short-stacked, was eliminated first in eighth place for $19,300. Sergiu Cornea, Bora Kurtulus, and Johan Storakers followed in seventh, sixth, and fifth place, earning $24,800, $32,000, and $42,500 respectively.
Christodoulo, despite his strong start, could not maintain momentum and was eliminated in fourth place for $56,000.
By three-handed play, Kolev had surged into the chip lead. He then won a crucial 60/40 flip to eliminate Joseph El Khoury in third place for $74,000, entering heads-up play with roughly a 7-1 chip advantage over Tahar.
Tahar attempted a comeback but could not overcome the deficit. Kolev sealed the win with a straight against Tahar’s top pair, securing the title. Tahar finished runner-up for $100,000. Kolev, who also won a PokerStars EPT Barcelona event in August for $44,570, now adds this Cyprus title to his 2025 achievements and earns a $10,400 seat into the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas in December.
