$5,300 High Roller Giorno 2 | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

2024-01-20 02:55 UTC+3

Held and Luo Over One Million

Livello 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Justus Held had opened from the hijack and received calls from Giorgiy Skhulukhiya in the small blind and Ghassan Bitar in the big blind.

The flop came K♣3♦7♣ and Bitar lead out with a bet of 16,000. Skhulukhiya folded and Held raised to 45,000. Bitar made the call.

Bitar check-called another bet from Held on the 10♣ turn, this time for 42,000.

On the 6♣ river Bitar checked and Held bet 175,000. Bitar, who had 320,000 left in his stack, went deep into the tank.

After several minutes had gone by Bitar flicked in a call and tabled 3♣3♥ for a flopped set turned into a small flush on the river. Held turned over A♣A♠ for an overpair, turned into the nut-flush on the river to scoop a gargantuan pot.

Meanwhile at another table, Fausto Tantillo was recently eliminated at the hands of Xixiang Luo, who is the only other player in the field with over one million chips.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Justus Held	1,145,000 565,000	565,000
Xixiang Luo	1,125,000 400,000	400,000
Ghassan Bitar	145,000 -285,000	-285,000
Fausto Tantillo	Eliminato

Tags: Fausto Tantillo Ghassan Bitar Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Justus Held Xixiang Luo

Livello: 17

Bui: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

2024-01-20 02:33 UTC+3

Zukowicz Calls Down Doe

Livello 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

With two players seeing a board of 6♠9♣5♣K♠ and roughly 60,000 already in the middle, Monika Zukowicz checked from the big blind and John Doe bet 54,000 from the button. After a couple minutes of consideration Zukowicz made the call.

Doe bet again on the J♦ river, this time for 100,000 and was once again called by Zukowicz. Doe could only show Q♣7♠ for complete air while Zukowicz tabled J♥9♥ for two pair to score nearly a full double up while making a big dent in the day 1 chip leader's stack.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Monika Zukowicz	430,000 248,000	248,000
John Doe	246,000 -186,000	-186,000

Tags: John Doe Monika Zukowicz

2024-01-20 02:23 UTC+3

Assorted Chip Counts after Final Break

Livello 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Xixiang Luo	725,000 603,500	603,500
Joseph Sabe	650,000 205,000	205,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	638,000 378,000	378,000

Justus Held	580,000 290,000	290,000
Eugenio Peralta	558,000 558,000	558,000
Fahredin Mustafov	530,000 -66,000	-66,000
Guoliang Wei	485,000 215,000	215,000

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	480,000 -90,000	-90,000
Frederic Popot	435,000 330,500	330,500
Shuang Luo	355,000 -15,000	-15,000
Roman Hrabec	280,000 98,000	98,000
Peng Yang	190,000 -240,000	-240,000
Andrey Pateychuk	132,000 22,000	22,000

Livello: 16

Bui: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

2024-01-20 02:02 UTC+3

Break

Livello 15 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Players are on the final break of the evening. 49 players remain. Play will continue for either three more levels after break or until the money is reached.

2024-01-20 02:02 UTC+3

Fal Plays it Slow

Livello 15 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Vedat Mutlu opened to 20,000 from early position and Nikolay Fal called from the small blind.

The flop came A♥9♥8♦ and Fal check-called a 30,000 continuation bet from Mutlu.

Fal check-called another bet from Mutlu on the K♠ turn, this time for 75,000.

Both players checked the 3♥ river. Mutlu tabled A♠6♠ for top pair but Fal showed down 8♠8♣ for a set to take down a sizable pot.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Nikolay Fal	428,000 384,000	384,000
Vedat Mutlu	235,000 124,500	124,500

Tags: Nikolay Fal Vedat Mutlu

2024-01-20 01:49 UTC+3

Prize Pool and Payouts Confirmed

Livello 15 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Place	Prize
1	$177,500
2	$125,100
3	$81,500
4	$58,500
5	$43,800
6	$35,100
7	$29,200
8	$23,400
9	$17,500
10-12	$12,750
13-15	$10,500
16-18	$8,950
19-20	$7,800

2024-01-20 01:49 UTC+3

Big Blind Special for Shornikau

Livello 15 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Vladimir Troyanovskiy opened to 13,000 from the button and Maksim Shornikau defended from the big blind.

The flop came 7♠5♠3♠ and Shornikau check-called a 15,000 continuation bet from Troyanovskiy.

Both players checked the 3♣ turn leading to the 10♦ river. Shornikau bet 29,000 and Troyanovskiy called.

Shornikau tabled J♣3♦ for trips and Troyanovskiy mucked.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Vladimir Troyanovskiy	445,000 5,000	5,000
Maksim Shornikau	395,000 191,500	191,500

Tags: Maksim Shornikau Vladimir Troyanovskiy

2024-01-20 01:31 UTC+3

Zukowicz Doubles Through Munteanu

Livello 15 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Bogdan-Andrei Munteanu opened to 15,000 from the small blind and Monika Zukowicz defended from the big blind.

The flop came A♥5♠4♦. Munteanu fired a 10,000 continuation bet which was called by Zukowicz.

Munteanu bet again for 18,000 on the 5♠ turn and Zukowicz moved all in for 65,000. Munteanu snap-called with a covering stack to put Zukowicz at risk.

Monika Zukowicz: 10♠4♠
Bogdan-Andrei Munteanu: A♦K♥

Both players had connected with the board. Munteanu was well ahead with aces up but still needed to fade a spade or a four to score the knockout. The Q♠ river gave Zukowicz a flush to score a full double up at Munteanu's expense.

Giocatore	Chip	Avanzamento
Monika Zukowicz	182,000 -19,000	-19,000
Bogdan-Andrei Munteanu	170,000 52,000	52,000

Tags: Bogdan-Andrei Munteanu Monika Zukowicz