Fabrod Nazari wins the WPT Cyprus Championship 2026

Fabrod Nazari became the champion of WPT Cyprus 2026, defeating 520 participants and receiving $368,900 and a ticket to the WPT World Championship.

The main event of the World Poker Tour series — the 2026 WPT Cyprus Championship with a $3,500 buy-in — has concluded at the Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino in Cyprus. Over four intense days, 520 participants battled at the tables for a prize pool of $2,000,000. The winner was Fabrod Nazari , who not only claimed the WPT champion title but also took home the top prize of $368,900 and a $10,400 ticket to the WPT World Championship. Thanks to this victory, his total live tournament winnings surpassed $474,991, more than tripling his previous results. Tournament Progress: From Start to Final Table The 2026 WPT Cyprus Championship began with 520 entrants, each paying the $3,500 buy-in. The prize pool reached $2,000,000, with payouts awarded to the top 65 players. Early in the money, Elena Litviniuk , last year’s fourth-place finisher, was eliminated. This time, she was the first player to bust in the money, earning $7,700. Among the notable players who cashed were: Ray Qartomy — 55th place, $9,000 Hossein Ensan — 42nd place, $10,600 Manuel Fritz — 23rd place, $17,800 Thomas Bichon — 17th place, $21,200 Ran Azor — 14th place, $25,000 Niko Koop — 13th place, $25,000 Bernardo Neves — 7th place, $56,500 Bernardo Neves ’s elimination in seventh place ended Day 3, setting the final table of six. The chip leader going into the final day was Mihai Trofim from Moldova with 6,225,000 chips, while Sergiu Cornea from Romania had the shortest stack at 1,325,000. Final Table: Key Hands and Eliminations Finalists’ Starting Stacks Mihai Trofim — 6,225,000 Fabrod Nazari — (not specified in the original) Chadi Rizk — (not specified in the original) Weiran Pu — (not specified in the original) Sergiu Cornea — 1,325,000 Sami Ayyoub — (not specified in the original) The first elimination at the final table came on the 25th hand. With blinds at 100,000/200,000 and a 200,000 ante, Weiran Pu opened from late position to 450,000 with pocket fives. Sami Ayyoub tanked and then shoved all-in for 1,325,000 with king-queen of spades. Pu called. The flop gave Pu a set of fives, but two spades also appeared, giving Ayyoub a flush draw. However, the turn paired the board, leaving Ayyoub drawing dead. He finished sixth for $73,000. The next elimination came 24 hands later. Sergiu Cornea , holding pocket sevens, raised to 2,000,000 from the cutoff at 125,000/250,000 blinds, leaving himself very short. Chadi Rizk re-raised from the small blind, and Cornea called. Rizk showed pocket queens, which held on an ace-high board, sending Cornea out in fifth place. Next, it was the turn of the day’s starting chip leader, Mihai Trofim . In a key hand, his pocket deuces lost a coin flip to Fabrod Nazari ’s king-jack of hearts, leaving Trofim with just 0.1 big blinds. He managed to double up to one big blind, but soon after lost with king-three against Weiran Pu ’s ace-ten of hearts, finishing fourth for a career-best $130,000. Top 3: Decisive Moments and the Winning Hand Three-handed play was cautious, with few hands going to showdown. The key moment came when Fabrod Nazari completed from the small blind with jack-ten of clubs, and Weiran Pu checked with nine-four. The flop came jack-jack-nine. Nazari bet 350,000, Pu raised to 850,000, and Nazari called. The turn brought a three, Nazari checked, and Pu shoved all-in for 2,000,000. Nazari snap-called, leaving Pu drawing dead. The river seven changed nothing. After this hand, Nazari had 16,350,000 chips to Chadi Rizk ’s 9,575,000 as heads-up play began. Soon, Rizk was down to 10 big blinds and shoved with ace-five against Nazari’s pocket tens. The flop came jack-king-deuce, the turn brought a ten giving Nazari a set, but the river was a queen, giving Rizk a straight to the ace and doubling him up. However, shortly after, the tournament ended. Rizk limped the button with king-five, Nazari raised with six-five of hearts, and Rizk called. On the flop, Nazari made a straight to the six and made a small bet. Rizk shoved with his straight draw, but Nazari quickly called. The turn and river didn’t improve Rizk, and Fabrod Nazari became the tournament champion. Final Table Payouts 1st place: Fabrod Nazari — $368,900 + $10,400 WPT World Championship ticket 2nd place: Chadi Rizk — $238,000 3rd place: Weiran Pu — $175,000 4th place: Mihai Trofim — $130,000 5th place: Sergiu Cornea — $98,000 6th place: Sami Ayyoub — $73,000 7th place: Bernardo Neves — $56,500 Notable Results and Tournament Statistics Payouts were awarded to the top 65 players, including well-known names like Ray Qartomy (55th place, $9,000), Hossein Ensan (42nd place, $10,600), Manuel Fritz (23rd place, $17,800), Thomas Bichon (17th place, $21,200), Ran Azor (14th place, $25,000), Niko Koop (13th place, $25,000), and Bernardo Neves (7th place, $56,500). The tournament was highly competitive: over four days, many exciting hands were played, and the final table showcased both aggressive and strategic play. Nazari’s victory was the biggest of his career, and his total live tournament winnings now exceed $474,991. Context: WPT Cyprus Series and Chamada Prestige Venue The World Poker Tour (WPT) is one of the most prestigious poker tournament series in the world, annually attracting top players and enthusiasts from around the globe. The Cyprus event traditionally draws both European and international participants. In 2026, the venue was the Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino , renowned for hosting high-level poker events. This year, the tournament once again confirmed WPT Cyprus’s status as one of the key stops on the series, featuring significant prize pools and exciting final tables. Both established professionals and new faces took part, ensuring a variety of playing styles and strategies at the tables. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how regular practice and participation in online tournaments can be a stepping stone to success in live series. Many elements demonstrated by the WPT Cyprus finalists — smart stack management, well-timed pushes and calls, adapting to different opponents’ styles — are just as relevant for online play on the PPPoker platform. The tournament’s final hands clearly show how important it is to make the most of strong starting hands, protect your stack, and not be afraid to make all-in decisions. Such situations are common in PPPoker club tournaments, where a single decision can determine the outcome of an entire session. Moreover, Fabrod Nazari’s success is a reminder that even a player with modest previous winnings can achieve a major victory by combining discipline, strategy, and the ability to read opponents. For PPPoker club members, this is motivation to keep improving their game, participate in regular tournaments, and aim for new heights — both online and at live events.