$3,300 Main Event Giorno 3 | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

2024-01-24 18:25 UTC+3

Maher Achour Bubbles the Main Event

Livello 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

It took until the ninth hand of hand-for-hand until there was an all in and a call. Maher Achour moved all in from the button for 380,000 and Gang Zhao tanked for a minute in the small blind before calling.

Maher Achour: 10♦10♥
Gang Zhao: A♣J♦

Achour remained in the lead on the 4♣5♥8♣ flop as he got up from his seat. The turn, though, was the J♥ and Achour threw his arms in the air in frustration as Zhao spiked a pair.

The river was the 7♥ and Zhao won the pot to eliminate Achour on the money bubble. The remaining 80 players are now all in the money.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Gang Zhao	1,600,000 -220,000	-220,000
Maher Achour	Eliminato

2024-01-24 17:26 UTC+3

Haloon Busts Skhulukhiya Two Spots from the Money

Livello 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was all in from early position for 114,000 and up against Carmel Haloon in the cutoff who had a covering stack.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: 9♠9♥
Carmel Haloon: J♥J♣

Skhulukhiya took the lead flopping a set on the 10♦9♦Q♣ flop but in a dramatic turn of events Haloon made a straight on the 8♦ turn. Skhulukhiya could not catch up on the 2♦ river and was sent to the rail two spots shy of making the money while Haloon collected the last of his chips.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Carmel Haloon	845,000 145,000	145,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	Eliminato

Tags: Carmel Haloon Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

2024-01-24 16:54 UTC+3

Urbanovich Deals Mortal Blow to Swieboda

Livello 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Dzmitry Urbanovich opened to 30,000 from middle position and Bartlomiej Swieboda three-bet to 75,000 from the button. Urbanovich four-bet to 140,000 and Swieboda made the call.

The flop came Q♠8♣J♦ and Urbanovich fired a 105,000 continuation bet that was called by Swieboda.

Urbanovich checked on the Q♦ turn and Swieboda moved all in, coverig Urbanovich who had 167,000 behind. Urbanovich snap-called and was at risk.

Dzmitry Urbanovich: Q♥J♣
Bartlomiej Swieboda: A♠A♥

Swieboda had trapped preflop with aces only for Urbanovich to flop top two pair and fill up on the turn. Swieboda couldn't find an ace on the 8♦ river and was left with just one big blind. Swieboda would bust shortly afterwards on the soft-bubble while Urbanovich secured a massive double up.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
John Doebs	1,460,000 360,000	360,000
Dzmitry Urbanovich	864,000 310,000	310,000

Bartlomiej Swieboda	Eliminato

Tags: Bartlomiej Swieboda Dzmitry Urbanovich

2024-01-24 16:33 UTC+3

El Khazen Cracks Aces For a Double Knockout

Livello 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Youssef El Khazen limped in under the gun before Simone Andrian raised to 48,000 in the hijack. Yassin Mahmoud had just 2,000 remaining and tossed it in from the cutoff, while Roman Hrabec three-bet to 165,000 in the small blind.

El Khazen then shoved for 470,000 and Andrian also pushed in his last 380,000. "Ah," Hrabec cried out as he quickly got out of the way.

Yassin Mahmoud: 9♦7♥
Simone Andrian: A♠A♦
Youssef El Khazen: J♣J♥

Andrian woke up with aces and was a big favorite to take the big pot as the flop came 6♣8♦4♣. The turn, though, was the J♠ and El Khazen made a set to take the lead.

The river was the Q♠ and Andrian, who won the Warm Up event earlier in the festival, joined Mahmoud on the rail. Hrabec later admitted he folded two queens.

"You folded queens," El Khazen asked.

"Of course. I knew he had aces," Hrabec replied.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Roman Hrabec	1,630,000 -180,000	-180,000

Youssef El Khazen	950,000 115,000	115,000
Simone Andrian	Eliminato

Yassin Mahmoud	Eliminato

Tags: Roman Hrabec Simone Andrian Yassin Mahmoud Youssef El Khazen

2024-01-24 16:10 UTC+3

Tulepbergenov Snaps Off Karam

Livello 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

According to tablemate Shuang Luo, Azamat Tulepbergenov had three-bet from the cutoff and Hala Karam called in middle position. Both players then checked the 9♣3♣5♠ flop.

The turn was the 2♠ and Karam moved all in for around 200,000. Tulepbergenov snap-called and Karam let out a loud sigh as she showed 8♥8♦. Tulepbergenov turned over A♥4♣ for the turned straight.

The river was the 4♠ and Tulepbergenov sent Karam to the rail.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Azamat Tulepbergenov	1,600,000 450,000	450,000
David Hu	1,100,000 150,000	150,000
Mehmet Demirkol	700,000 583,000	583,000
Shuang Luo	560,000 86,000	86,000
Nariman Yaghmai	550,000 78,000	78,000
Andrew Hedley	530,000 119,000	119,000
Sakis Adrianapoulos	460,000 164,000	164,000
Anatoly Nikitin	320,000 -184,000	-184,000
Hala Karam	Eliminato

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Hala Karam

2024-01-24 15:40 UTC+3

Ketzer Flips Shornikau to the Rail

Livello 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau got his last 220,000 in the middle from under the gun as Felipe Ketzer had him at risk from the button.

Maksim Shornikau: 8♠8♦
Felipe Ketzer: A♦K♠

Shornikau was flipping for his tournament life but fell behind on the K♣5♣10♦ flop as Ketzer hit top pair. The board ran out 6♥K♥ and Ketzer finished with trips to send the High Roller champion to the rail.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Felipe Ketzer	800,000 595,000	595,000
Maksim Shornikau	Eliminato

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Maksim Shornikau

2024-01-24 15:01 UTC+3

Litvinov Loses a Classic Flip; Di Nicola Folds Trips

Livello 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Andrey Litvinov was all in for 230,000 from the hijack and up against Mohamed Mokrani in the big blind.

Andrey Litvinov: A♠K♣
Mohamed Mokrani: Q♦Q♣

Mokrani spiked top set on the 9♠Q♥8♣ flop, while the A♣ on the turn arrived too late for Litvinov as he headed for the exit following the 10♥ river.

At the same time at another table, Ermanno Di Nicola and Vedat Yilmaz were heads-up on the river with the board showing 5♥10♥K♣10♣6♠ when Di Nicola bet 190,000.

Yilmaz then raised to 400,000 and Di Nicola quickly turned over the 10♠ and tossed it into the muck. The table implored Yilmaz to show and he turned over the 5♥.

"Five-five," a tablemate said, and sure enough Yilmaz also showed the 5♣ for a full house while taking the big pot.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Mohamed Mokrani	1,150,000 230,000	230,000
Vedat Yilmaz	900,000 155,000	155,000

Matthew Davenport	750,000 139,000	139,000
Victor Fryda	640,000 430,000	430,000
Ermanno Di Nicola	520,000 -705,000	-705,000

Traian Stanciu	450,000 -110,000	-110,000
Mohammadreza Karkan	430,000 -170,000	-170,000
Vedat Mutlu	420,000 -260,000	-260,000
Hassanin Hashim	350,000 33,000	33,000
Andrey Litvinov	Eliminato

Tags: Andrey Litvinov Ermanno Di Nicola Mohamed Mokrani Vedat Yilmaz

2024-01-24 14:52 UTC+3

Skiprkin Falls to Dato

Livello 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Maksim Skripkin found himself all in for roughly 275,000 and was up against Andrea Dato who covered Skripkin very slightly.

Maksim Skripkin: 9x9x
Andrea Dato: K♥K♠

Dato's pocket-kings held up on the Q♥A♣J♥10♣4♠ runout to secure a full double up while Skripkin was sent to the rail.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Andrea Dato	575,000 307,000	307,000

Maksim Skripkin	Eliminato

Tags: Andrea Dato Maksim Skripkin

2024-01-24 14:46 UTC+3

Tot Gets Paid by Peluso

Livello 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

With around 200,000 in the middle on a flop of 6♥Q♠Q♣, Aleksandr Tot bet 20,000 from the big blind and Fabio Peluso called in the cutoff.

The turn was the 9♦ and Tot led out for another 120,000. Peluso called again and the J♠ fell on the river.

Tot sat motionless for nearly a minute before putting out a bet of 50,000. Peluso quickly called, then mucked when Tot showed K♥K♠.

At the same time at an adjacent table, Volodymyr Drokin was all in with a short stack against Ara Melkisetian.

Volodymyr Drokin: A♥Q♣
Ara Melkisetian: J♦J♥

The board ran out 8♣4♦5♦5♥6♣ and Melkisetian took the pot to send Drokin to the rail. Maroun Jazzar soon joined him as he was eliminated by Azamat Tulepbergenov at another table.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Azamat Tulepbergenov	1,150,000 570,000	570,000
Fabio Peluso	940,000 -400,000	-400,000

Aleksandar Tot	900,000 323,000	323,000
Ara Melkisetian	900,000 12,000	12,000
Jad Warde	540,000 168,000	168,000
Robert Heidorn	200,000 8,000	8,000
Maroun Jazzar	Eliminato
Volodymyr Drokin	Eliminato

Tags: Aleksandr Tot Ara Melkisetian Azamat Tulepbergenov Fabio Peluso Maroun Jazzar Volodymyr Drokin

2024-01-24 14:35 UTC+3

Jazzar Flushes Out Dziubdziela

Livello 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Marcin Dziubdziela was all in from the small blind for roughly 155,000 and up against Maroun Jazzar in the hijack who held a covering stack.

Marcin Dziubdziela: A♦K♥
Maroun Jazzar: K♦Q♠

Both players connected with the A♠3♠2♠ flop with Dziubdziela making top pair but still needing to fade a spade to avoid elimination. Jazzar's flush draw came in on the 4♠ turn and after the 10♦ river Dziubdziela made his exit from the tournament area while Jazzar took down a healthy pot.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Maroun Jazzar	580,000 -54,000	-54,000
Marcin Dziubdziela	Eliminato

Tags: Marcin Dziubdziela Maroun Jazzar