$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series

12-01-2023 20:56 UTC+2

Khordbin Plays Stop and Go

Jeremy Geist

Level 16 : 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Hadi Khordbin opened under the gun to 12,000 before the action moved to middle position who called and then the big blind defeneded.

The K♣K♦9♣ flop landed and action checked all the way past Khordbin to the middle position player who took the betting lead with a wager of 10,000. Only Khordbin called.

The Q♦ turn landed and action checked through to a 7♦ river. Khordbin then put his foot back on the gas with a bet of 50,000. Both of his opponents mucked and he was awarded the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hadi Khordbin	700,000 455,000	455,000

Tags: Hadi Khordbin

12-01-2023 21:17 UTC+2

Habib Shows Down Trips

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Mark Smith opened to 14,000 from early position and Walid Bou Habib defended from the big blind.

The flop came A♣J♦3♥ and Habib check-called a 20,000 continuation bet from Smith.

Habib check-called another bet on the A♦ turn, this time for 33,000.

Both players checked the 2♠ river. Smith tabled J♣10♣ for two pair but Habib showed down A♠5♦ for trip aces to take the pot.

Despite the minor setback Smith is still sitting with one of the largest chip stacks in the room in front him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Smith (UK)	1,520,000
Walid Bou Habib	460,000 318,000	318,000

Tags: Mark Smith Walid Bou Habib

12-01-2023 21:27 UTC+2

Joyce Doesn't Slow Down

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Jeremy Geist

Level 16 : 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

There was an early position open to 14,000 before the action folded to Toby Joyce on the button who put in a cold three-bet to 42,000. It folded back to the original raiser who called and they were off to a flop heads up.

The 3♦K♠Q♦ flop landed and action checked to Joyce who continued with a bet of 30,000. His opponent called.

The 8♣ rolled off on the turn and it checked to Joyce again. This time he sat in the tank for about a minute before he put out a large bet of 115,000.

His opponent snap folded and Joyce scooped a solid pot with pure aggression.

Player	Chips	Progress
Toby Joyce	680,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Toby Joyce

Level: 17

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

12-01-2023 21:43 UTC+2

Small Pair Does the Job for Karaliunas

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

With three players seeing a board of 3♣6♣3♥ and roughly 50,000 already in the middle, Simas Karaliunas checked in the big blind and Christos Leantzis checked from early position.

Dmitry Gromov bet 25,000 from the cutoff and received a call from Karaliunas while Leantzis made the call.

The two remaining players checked both the Q♣ turn and 2♠ river. Karaliunas tabled 5♣5♠ which was good enough to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christos Leantzis	1,070,000 100,000	100,000
Simas Karaliunas	672,000 467,000	467,000

Tags: Christos Leantzis Dmitry Gromov Simas Karaliunas

12-01-2023 21:44 UTC+2

Gulseven Puts in the Last Bet

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Jeremy Geist

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Erdal Gulseven opened in middle position to 16,000 before the action moved to Selahaddin Bedir on the button who called and Alisa Sibgatova defended her big blind.

The Q♠3♦A♠ flop hit the felt and the action checked to Gulseven who continued for 10,000. Both of his opponents called.

The 6♥ turn landed and the action slowed down and checked through to a 9♣ river.

Sibgatova checked and then Gulseven stepped back on the gas with a bet of 35,000. Unfortunately, if this was a value bet it would get no more action and Gulseven scooped after both of his opponents mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Erdal Gulseven	410,000 250,000	250,000
Alisa Sibgatova	360,000 -177,000	-177,000
Selahaddin Bedir	320,000 -450,000	-450,000

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Erdal Gulseven Selahaddin Bedir

12-01-2023 21:56 UTC+2

Max Pressure from Smith

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

With three players seeing a board of J♠7♥6♠ and roughly 60,000 already in the middle, Robert Heidorn checked in the big blind and Oleg Netaliev checked from under the gun. Mark Smith bet 28,000 only for Heidorn to check-raise to 84,000. Netaliev got out of the way and Smith moved all in, covering Heidorn who with roughly 560,000 behind already had an above-average stack himself.

Heidorn took about 30 seconds before deciding to fold and Smith was awarded a sizable pot without having to see a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Smith (UK)	1,640,000 120,000	120,000
Oleg Netaliev	795,000 200,000	200,000
Robert Heidorn	558,000 291,000	291,000

Tags: Mark Smith (UK)Oleg Netaliev Robert Heidorn

12-01-2023 22:10 UTC+2

Final Three Hands

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

The tournament staff have announced there will be three more hands played tonight.

12-01-2023 22:30 UTC+2

Assorted End of Night Chip Counts

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Smith (UK)	1,535,000 -105,000	-105,000
Simas Karaliunas	1,300,000 628,000	628,000
Christos Leantzis	1,284,000 214,000	214,000
Hadi Khadra	1,224,000 1,099,000	1,099,000
Razvan Sabau	1,205,000 140,000	140,000
John One	1,095,000 -255,000	-255,000

Dmitry Gromov	1,092,000 212,000	212,000

Parahat Nurmuhammedov	1,065,000 565,000	565,000
Victor Yugay	998,000 719,000	719,000
Nils Pudel	998,000 496,000	496,000
Maximilian Wieser	963,000 534,500	534,500

Ihar Soika	925,000 285,000	285,000
Toby Joyce	851,000 171,000	171,000
Ahmed Slimen	851,000 61,000	61,000
Oleg Netaliev	798,000 3,000	3,000
Abdullah Akbarpoor	781,000 11,000	11,000
Dmitry Yurasov	500,000 230,000	230,000

Guoliang Wei	348,000 -53,500	-53,500