Boris Kolev wins again: title at a poker tournament in Cyprus

Boris Kolev won the Onyx HRS $10,400 Mystery Bounty tournament in Cyprus, confirming his status as one of the top players. The prize pool exceeded one million dollars.

Boris Kolev claimed another title in Cyprus, winning the Onyx HRS $10,400 Mystery Bounty tournament . The event took place as part of the Onyx High Roller Series 2026 at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, one of the island’s most prestigious poker venues. A year ago, Kolev already won a million dollars here, and once again proved his love for this place by becoming the champion in the $10,400 buy-in tournament with a prize pool of $1,094,400. Final Table: Results and Prizes The tournament attracted 114 players, with a prize pool of $1,094,400. The winner, Boris Kolev, took home the top prize of $129,000 and collected seven mystery bounties. The final table featured strong opponents, including Aleksandr Kirichenko, Fabian Schmidt, Felipe Ketzer, and Geoffrey Mooney. 1st place: Boris Kolev — $129,000 2nd place: Aleksandr Kirichenko 3rd place: Fabian Schmidt 4th place: Felipe Ketzer 5th place: Geoffrey Mooney Day 1: Kolev Leads from the Start After the first day of play, Boris Kolev returned to the tables as the chip leader among the 17 remaining players. His stack was 1,700,000 chips, equivalent to 57 big blinds—a significant advantage at this stage of the tournament. From the very start of the final day, Kolev managed to build on his lead thanks to confident play and good decisions in key hands. One of the first highlights was knocking out an opponent with pocket kings—Kolev managed to "crack" a strong hand and claim his first bounty. In the next big hand against Fabian Schmidt, Kolev risked jack-ten against queen-king, saying at the table, "Let’s take a chance." A jack came on the flop, and Kolev held the lead to the end of the hand, sending Schmidt to the rail. The rest of the game also went in favor of the Bulgarian pro. Geoffrey Mooney went all-in with ace-jack, and Kolev called with queen-jack. A nine came on the turn, completing a straight for Boris, and Mooney was eliminated. The next opponent Kolev faced was Felipe Ketzer. Ketzer shoved with king-five, and Kolev called from the big blind with eight-four. An eight came on the flop, giving Kolev top pair, and he stayed ahead through to showdown, scoring another knockout. During the final day, Boris Kolev collected seven mystery bounties, significantly increasing his total winnings in the tournament. Mystery Bounty Tournament Format: Features and Nuances The Mystery Bounty tournament is a format where players receive random cash prizes for knocking out opponents, with the amounts hidden until the bounty is revealed. This format adds an element of surprise and extra motivation for aggressive knockout play. In this tournament, each eliminated player could bring Kolev not only a step closer to the title but also a substantial cash bonus, which he capitalized on by collecting seven bounties. Duel with Aleksandr Kirichenko: Intense Battle for the Title In the final stage of the tournament, Boris Kolev and Aleksandr Kirichenko clashed several times in big pots. Kirichenko doubled up twice through Kolev: first, his king-nine on the river beat Kolev’s pocket fours, and then Kirichenko’s queen-jack hit a jack on the river against Kolev’s king-six. However, Kolev didn’t give up and responded with a series of won pots. In one hand, his ace-high was best at showdown, and in another, he made three big bets on a ten-high board, forcing Kirichenko to fold on the river after a 1,800,000-chip bet. One moment stood out for Kolev: he entered a hand with pocket queens, not planning to fold such a strong hand, but changed his mind after carefully observing Kirichenko’s behavior. "I never thought about folding queens, no matter what," Kolev said, "but he looked very confident." Thanks to his experience and ability to read opponents, Kolev made the right decision: "I always trust my instincts." The heads-up between Kolev and Kirichenko saw the lead swing back and forth. According to Kolev, the opponents exchanged several "coinflips"—situations where the chances of winning are roughly equal. "He won two flips, I won one. And in the last hand, I just got lucky, so it was fair, but it could have ended earlier," Kolev noted. The decisive hand came when Kolev went all-in with king-four, and Kirichenko called with king-jack, holding 2,000,000 chips. The flop brought a king, a four, and a deuce, giving Kolev two pair. His hand held up, and that hand secured him the Mystery Bounty tournament title. Boris Kolev Quotes: On Cyprus and Success After his victory, Boris Kolev said he didn’t feel like he did anything special or played exceptionally well: "Maybe I played well, but mostly I just got lucky." He expressed a special fondness for the tournament venue: "I just love this place. It’s my favorite place to play poker. Everything is great here—the accommodation, the beach. I just relax here; for me, it’s like a vacation, not work." Kolev also noted that the Onyx High Roller Series is developing in the right direction, and the tournament schedule keeps getting better each time. Context: Onyx High Roller Series and Merit Royal Diamond Casino & Spa The Onyx High Roller Series is a prestigious series of tournaments for high-level players, held in Cyprus. The venue is the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa—a renowned casino that attracts professionals from all over the world. In 2026, the series once again brought together top participants, and the Mystery Bounty format added excitement and boosted the prize pool with extra payouts for knockouts. Boris Kolev is no stranger to success in Cyprus: a year ago, he won a million dollars here, and now he has added the Onyx HRS $10,400 Mystery Bounty champion title to his collection. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Boris Kolev’s victory is a great example of how experience, attention to opponents, and the ability to make unconventional decisions can lead to success in any tournament format, including Mystery Bounty. For PPPoker club players, it’s a signal to pay attention not only to technical skills but also to the psychology of the game—watching opponents’ behavior, analyzing their actions, and not being afraid to change your original plan if the situation calls for it. The Mystery Bounty format, which is gaining popularity in live events, is also appearing more often in PPPoker online clubs. It’s a great way to diversify your tournament experience and test your skills in situations where not only final table strategy matters, but also the ability to pick the right moments for aggressive knockout play. The achievements of players like Boris Kolev inspire PPPoker club members to strive for new heights, participate in tournaments with different formats, and constantly improve their skills. Keep an eye on the club event schedule so you don’t miss exciting Mystery Bounty tournaments and put the lessons from this story into practice!