$3,300 Main Event
Day 1a Started
2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series
$3,300 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$1,832,640
Entries
664
Level
37
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
185
Players Left
83
Day 1a of Merit Poker $3,300 Carmen Series Main Event Kicks Off at Noon
The 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series is underway here at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in North Cyprus, with the $3,300 Main Event set to begin today at 12 p.m. local time. The seven-day tournament consists of four starting flights and an impressive $2,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.
France's Maxime Chilaud took down this same event last year after overcoming a field of 765 entrants and last defeating Michael Magalashvili in heads-up play to take home the title and $376,800. Chilaud went on to have a stellar year in 2023 following that win and enjoyed another six-figure score this past December when he finished 11th at the WPT World Championship for $456,500. Clearly no stranger to tournament success, Chilaud will be a force to be reckoned with should he attempt a title defense in today's event.
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxime Chilaud | $376,800 |
| 2 | Michael Magalashvili | $277,500 |
| 3 | Yuksel Savsa | $170,300 |
| 4 | Simeon Spasov | $125,900 |
| 5 | Eduard Barsegyan | $94,300 |
| 6 | Atanas Pavlov | $76,200 |
| 7 | Fausto Tantillo | $63,000 |
| 8 | Walter Treccarichi | $50,200 |
| 9 | Denis Kapustin | $37,700 |
Players in the Main Event will begin with 100,000 chips and today's Day 1a will play 60-minute levels. Each Day 1 will play nine levels. Late registration will be available until the end of Level 14, midway through Day 2. Day 1b will begin tomorrow, March 22 at noon and also feature 60-minute levels. Day 1c and Day 1d will take place on March 23 and feature a faster structure, with 40-minute levels on Day 1c and 25-minute levels on Day 1d. The fields combine for Day 2 on March 24 and a winner will be crowned on the fourth and final day, taking pace March 26.
As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for all your live coverage needs for this event from the moment cards are in the air until a winner is crowned.
Level: 1
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
Shuffle Up and Deal
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
With 74 players to start the day, cards are in the air for Day 1a of the Main Event.
Some Early Faces in the Field
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Borisov Takes One Early
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Marcin Puczylowski opened to 1,200 from early position and Ilia Borisov defended from the big blind.
The flop came K♠K♦4♥ and Borisov check-called an 800 continuation bet from Puczylowski.
Borisov check-called another bet from his opponent on the 5♥ turn, this time for 2,500.
Both players checked the 6♠ river. Borisov tabled K♥Q♠ for trips to take the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
104,000
104,000
|
104,000 |
|
|
98,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |
Rafikov Forces a Fold
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Danil Rafikov opened to 1,200 from early position and Nejat Erman defended from the big blind.
The flop came 9♣9♠7♣ and Erman check-called a 1,000 continuation bet from Rafikov.
Both players checked through the Q♣ turn leading to the 3♥ river. Erman checked, Rafikov bet 3,500 and Erman quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
105,000
105,000
|
105,000 |
|
96,000
96,000
|
96,000 |
Sancak Applies Pressure
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
With two players seeing a board of 6♠J♥10♠2♣9♦ and roughly 45,000 already in the middle, Mustafa Sancak thought for a minute before moving all in, covering Reilly who had roughly 55,000 behind.
Reilly didn't take long to find a fold and Sancak dragged in a massive early pot worth just under 100 big blinds without showdown.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
154,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
55,700 |
Tezcan Off to a Good Start
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Marcin Puczylowski opened to 1,200 from the cutoff and received calls from Ceyhan Tezcan on the button and Aleksandr Kirichenko in the big blind.
The flop came K♥10♠2♦. Kirichenko checked, Puczylowski fired a 1,600 continuation bet, Tezcan called and Kirichenko got out of the way.
Puczylowski slowed down with a check on the 7♠ turn. Tezcan bet 6,000 and Puczylowski's cards hit the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
153,500
153,500
|
153,500 |
|
|
102,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
97,700
97,700
|
97,700 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600