Level: 21
Blinds: 10,000/25,000
Ante: 25,000
2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series
$5,300 High Roller
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$556,600
Entries
121
Level
29
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
22
Players Left
1
Level 20
: Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Natan Chauskin opened in early position to 45,000 before the action folded to Recep Aydemir in the big blind who defended.
The 9♣J♥7♠ flop landed and action checked to Chauskin who continued for 30,000. Aydemir called.
The K♦ hit the turn and Aydemir checked once more. Chauskin sized up and went for a bet of 85,000. Aydemir could no longer hold on and folded.
Chauskin is moving right up the leaderboard since the start of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
995,000
-105,000
|
-105,000 |
|
770,000
291,000
|
291,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
The action folded all the way to Dmitry Pokhabov in the small blind who limped and action was on Liwei Sun in the big blind. After getting a count he took a moment and then moved all in. Pokhabov snap called.
Dmitry Pokhabov: J♦J♣
Liwei Sun: K♦3♦
The full board ran out Q♠8♠A♠6♦4♥ and Pokhabov's trap would prove to be successful as he dragged in a pure double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
495,000
281,000
|
281,000 |
|
410,000
-95,000
|
-95,000 |
Level: 20
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
Level 19
: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
The action folded to Dawid Smolka in the cutoff who opened to 35,000. The only customer was Kully Sidhu in the big blind who defended.
The 6♦7♥10♣ flop laned and action checked to Smolka who continued for 32,000. Sidhu called and the 6♠ rolled off on the turn.
The action checked through to a 10♥ river and action started with Sidhu. He sat in the tank for a moment before putting in a large bet of 85,000.
Smolka thought it over for a bit but eventually he found a fold. Sidhu scooped and is trending in the right direction early in the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
835,000
-165,000
|
-165,000 |
|
500,000
-132,000
|
-132,000 |
Level 19
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya opened under the gun to 32,000 before the action folded to Recep Aydemir in middle position who put in a three-bet to 120,000. It folded back to Skhulukhiya who wasted almost no time before folding ace-queen offsuit face up.
Aydemir was a gentleman and showed Skhulukhiya that even though his fold may have been tight, it was right. He tabled a pair of queens as he dragged the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,100,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
400,000
-51,000
|
-51,000 |
Level 19
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Cards are in the air for Day 3 of the $5,300 High Roller.
Level: 19
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 16,000
The 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series $5,300 High Roller started with 121 runners, but on Day 3, only 22 players will descend on the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino to compete. The winner will take home the $149,200 top prize along with the trophy and bragging rights.
Maxime Chilaud from France achieved a massive chip lead after playing the first 18 levels. With an impressive stack of 1,729,000 chips, he became the first player to surpass the million-chip mark. He is the only player with over 100 big blinds and will enter Day 3 with a significant advantage. He is followed by Recep Aydemir from Turkey (1,055,000), Dawid Smolka from Poland (1,000,000), Bracelet winner Guo Liang Wei (971,000), and Rytis Strigunas (907,000) to complete the top five.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Name | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxime Chilaud | France | 1,729,000 | 108 |
| 2 | Recep Aydemir | Turkey | 1,055,000 | 66 |
| 3 | Dawid Smolka | Poland | 1,000,000 | 63 |
| 4 | Guo Liang Wei | China | 971,000 | 61 |
| 5 | Rytis Strigunas | United Kingdom | 907,000 | 57 |
| 6 | Aleksandr Kirichenko | Russia | 865,000 | 54 |
| 7 | Leonid Sidelkovskiy | Russia | 839,000 | 52 |
| 8 | Kully Sidhu | United Kingdom | 632,000 | 40 |
| 9 | Dmitry Pokhabov | Cyprus | 505,000 | 32 |
| 10 | Natan Chauskin | Belarus | 451,000 | 28 |
There are several notable players to keep an eye on during Day 2 of the tournament. Among them are Dmitry Yurasov, a two-time bracelet winner, who has 228,000 chips. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya from Georgia has 451,000 chips, while Natan Chauskin from Belarus also has 451,000 chips. Dmitry Gromov, the chip leader from Day 1, has 255,000 chips and is another player to watch out for.
On Tuesday, the third day of the High Roller begins at 2:00 p.m. The event is scheduled to play until a winner is determined, and the final table will be broadcast on a 30-minute delay on the Merit Poker YouTube channel.
The prize pool for the tournament is a whopping $556,660, but currently, none of the players have made any money. There are still 22 players left in the event, and only 15 of them will receive a minimum cash prize of $8,900. Today, the players will begin at level 19, with blinds of 8,000/16,000/16,000. The average stack size is around 34 big blinds, and there will be a lot of movement up and down the leaderboard.
Stay updated on the Merit Poker Gangster Series and other top events worldwide with PokerNews!
| Table | Seat | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Yigit Tinay Aksoy | 120,000 | 8 |
| 1 | 2 | Ivan Zhechev | 450,000 | 28 |
| 1 | 3 | Clement Bonnant | 260,000 | 16 |
| 1 | 4 | Huseyin Akgul | 392,000 | 25 |
| 1 | 5 | Rytis Strigunas | 907,000 | 57 |
| 1 | 6 | Halil Tasyurek | 241,000 | 15 |
| 1 | 7 | Maxime Chilaud | 1,729,000 | 108 |
| 1 | 8 | Navid Samavati | 80,000 | 5 |
| 2 | 1 | Dawid Smolka | 1,000,000 | 63 |
| 2 | 2 | Dmitry Pokhabov | 505,000 | 32 |
| 2 | 3 | Liwei Sun | 214,000 | 13 |
| 2 | 4 | Jakub Michalak | 292,000 | 18 |
| 2 | 5 | Ryan Mandara | 217,000 | 14 |
| 2 | 6 | Kully Sidhu | 632,000 | 40 |
| 2 | 7 | Aleksandr Kirichenko | 860,000 | 54 |
| 3 | 1 | Recep Aydemir | 1,055,000 | 66 |
| 3 | 2 | Guoliang Wei | 971,000 | 61 |
| 3 | 3 | Natan Chauskin | 479,000 | 30 |
| 3 | 4 | Dmitry Yurasov | 228,000 | 14 |
| 3 | 5 | Leonid Sidelkovskiy | 839,000 | 52 |
| 3 | 6 | Dmitry Gromov | 255,000 | 16 |
| 3 | 7 | Giorgiy Skhulukhiya | 451,000 | 28 |