2023 Merit Poker Western Series

$2,200 Warmup
Day: 3
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Western Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$181,200
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$962,320
Entries
523
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
102
Players Left
19

Merheb Takes One

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

As play has slowed considerably since the last break, there was a three-way hand on a flop of {3-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}. From under the gun. Andress Merhed bet 225,000. Evengii Katymaev called in the hijack while Akin Guven folded the big blind.

The turn was the {9-Diamonds}. Merheb bet again, this time for 675,000 and Guven gave it up this time.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Andress Merheb lb
Andress Merheb
2,430,000
-170,000
-170,000
Profile photo of Akin Guven tr
Akin Guven
2,300,000
1,200,000
1,200,000
Profile photo of Evgenii Katymaev ru
Evgenii Katymaev
1,100,000
-1,300,000
-1,300,000

Tags: Akin Guven

Level: 26

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 80,000

Postle Escapes Court-Ordered Debt Following Poker Score...This Time

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Mike Postle
Mike Postle

Rumors that Mike Postle's recent poker tournament winnings were seized are inaccurate, lawyers for Veronica Brill confirmed to PokerNews. But those same attorneys will continue to keep the pressure on the accused poker cheater in hopes of one day collecting a $27,000 court-ordered debt.

Postle finished seventh for $32,703 in the $1,200 buy-in Million Dollar Heater series Main Event at Beau Rivage Casino, an MGM Resorts property. On his final hand, in which he held an over-pair, his opponent Brock Gary tanked for 30 seconds facing an all-in bet before calling with top set.

Although Postle resides in Northern California and is originally from Wisconsin, he has a lengthy history of playing poker in Mississippi, including at Beau Rivage.

Read the full story on what happened here!

Musa Genc Eliminated in 22nd Place ($7,275)

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Musa Genc
Musa Genc

David Hu raised to 125,000 from early position and was called by Arie Kliper. In the small blind, Musa Genc reraised all in for 850,000, Hu reshoved, and Kliper got out of the way.

Musa Genc: {j-Clubs}{j-Spades}
David Hu: {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

Both players picked up straight draws on the {q-Clubs}{10-Spades}{a-Spades} flop. The board ran out {9-Clubs}{3-Hearts} and Hu's kings stayed in front to eliminate Genc in 22nd place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Hu nl
David Hu
1,800,000
-300,000
-300,000
Profile photo of Musa Genc tr
Musa Genc
Busted

Tags: Arie KliperDavid HuMusa Genc

Mandara, Hadioglu Find Doubles

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Arie Kliper raised to 160,000, then called when Ryan Mandara moved all in for 920,000.

Ryan Mandara: AJ
Arie Kliper: A10

The 27928 board improved neither player and Mandara's jack-kicker played to earn him a double-up.

At the same time on the other outer table, Nuri Hadioglu was all in for 700,000 with A9 but needed help against Michele Guerrini's KK. The 37J flop gave him the nut flush draw, which he completed on the river as the board came Q5.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ryan Mandara gb
Ryan Mandara
1,900,000
825,000
825,000
Profile photo of Nuri Hadioglu tr
Nuri Hadioglu
1,400,000
550,000
550,000
Profile photo of Michele Guerrini it
Michele Guerrini
1,100,000
-800,000
-800,000
Profile photo of Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
800,000
100,000
100,000

Tags: Arie KliperMichele GuerriniNuri HadiogluRyan Mandara

Doe Gets Revenge on Guerrini

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Action was on the river with a board showing {10-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{6-Spades}{8-Spades}{2-Clubs}. The pot had about 600,000 in it. Michele Guerrini bet 350,000 and was instantly one-chip called by John Doe on the button.

Guerrini tabled king-high with the {k-Clubs}{j-Clubs} while Doe had the {7-Diamonds}{7-Clubs} to take a chunky pot from Guerrini by calling a bluff, just as Guerrini had done to him a couple of levels ago.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Doe
John Doe
7,750,000
750,000
750,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Michele Guerrini it
Michele Guerrini
825,000
-275,000
-275,000

Tags: John DoeMichele Guerrini

Akin Guven Eliminated in 21st Place ($8,115)

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Akin Guven
Akin Guven

Akin Guven moved all in for around 800,000 from middle position and was called by chip leader John Doe in the cutoff.

Akin Guven: {a-Spades}{9-Hearts}
John Doe: {a-Hearts}{k-Spades}

Both players hit top pair on the {6-Spades}{a-Clubs}{4-Spades} flop, but Doe's king-kicker stayed in front. Guven was already standing up from his seat by the time the {10-Hearts} turn appeared, and his elimination was sealed on the {j-Clubs} river as Doe added more to his already massive stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Doe
John Doe
9,500,000
1,750,000
1,750,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Akin Guven tr
Akin Guven
Busted

Tags: Akin GuvenJohn Doe

Nuri Hadioglu Eliminated in 20th Place ($8,115)

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Nuri Hadioglu
Nuri Hadioglu

From the small blind Nuri Hadioglu jammed and was called by Michele Guerrini in the big blind.

Michele Guerrini: {a-Spades}{3-Diamonds}
Nuri Hadioglu: {q-Hearts}{5-Hearts}

Guerrini was the one at risk as it the flop came {10-Spades}{6-Hearts}{9-Clubs}. The turn was the {a-Clubs} and the river the {7-Hearts} to knock Hadioglu down to just 400,000.

The next hand Nuri Hadioglu shoved his five big blinds from the button and was called by Andress Merheb in the big blind.

Nuri Hadioglu: {k-Hearts}{8-Clubs}
Andress Merheb: {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}

The flop sent Hadioglu a lifeline as it came {q-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}. The turn was the {4-Clubs} but the river was the {10-Diamonds} to bust Hadioglu who threw up his hand in disgust and walked away.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Andress Merheb lb
Andress Merheb
2,575,000
145,000
145,000
Profile photo of Michele Guerrini it
Michele Guerrini
1,750,000
925,000
925,000
Profile photo of Nuri Hadioglu tr
Nuri Hadioglu
Busted

Tags: Andress MerhebMichele GuerriniNuri Hadioglu

Mandara Flushes Hu For a Double

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

On one of the last hands of the night, Ryan Mandara moved all in for 955,000 from the cutoff, small blind David Hu reshoved, and big blind Yurk Bochkarev got out of the way.

Ryan Mandara: {10-Hearts}{8-Hearts}
David Hu: {a-Clubs}{j-Clubs}

Hu made top pair on the {2-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{a-Hearts} flop, but Mandara picked up a flush draw. He completed the draw on the {q-Hearts} turn, while the {10-Diamonds} on the river was safe for him to secure the late double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ryan Mandara gb
Ryan Mandara
2,000,000
925,000
925,000
Profile photo of David Hu nl
David Hu
1,800,000

Tags: David HuRyan Mandara