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

Ozbek Collects With Flopped Set

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Gokhan Ozbek bet 63,000 from the small blind on a board reading {3-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}{j-Spades} and Eli Saad called in early position.

The river came the {5-Clubs}. Ozbek led again, this time for 76,000 and Saad called swiftly.

Ozbek tabled the {3-Clubs}{3-Spades} for a flopped set of treys and Saad mucked in frustration and played with his dwindling stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gokhan Ozbek tr
Gokhan Ozbek
775,000
350,000
350,000
Profile photo of Eli Saad lb
Eli Saad
232,000
-88,000
-88,000

Tags: Eli SaadGokhan Ozbek

Phung Doubles With a Straight

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Dawid Kuliberda bet 20,000 on a flop of {5-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{a-Spades} and was called by Helmut Phung in the big blind.

The turn came the {6-Spades} and Phung checked over to Kuliberda, who bet another 110,000. Phung tanked for about a minute before he shoved all in for 371,000. Kuliberda gave the decision some thought before he called.

Kuliberda showed {8-Hearts}{6-Hearts} for two pair, but Phung had made a straight with {9-Clubs}{7-Spades}. The river came the {5-Clubs} and Phung doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dawid Kuliberda pl
Dawid Kuliberda
870,000
-250,000
-250,000
Profile photo of Helmut Phung de
Helmut Phung
780,000
592,000
592,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dawid KuliberdaHelmut Phung

Skhulukhiya Falls Victim to Cracked Aces

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was all in for around 200,000 from the small blind and up against Gurcan Gungoren in early position.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades}
Gurcan Gungoren: {7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}

Skhulukhiya was a big favorite to double up as the flop came {8-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{5-Clubs}. Gungoren, though, caught the {7-Spades} on the turn to make a set. The river came the {10-Diamonds} and Skhulukhiya was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gurcan Gungoren tr
Gurcan Gungoren
1,200,000
280,000
280,000
Profile photo of Giorgiy Skhulukhiya
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya
Busted

Tags: Gurcan GungorenGiorgiy Skhulukhiya

Moussa Flips For His Tournament Life

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Bassel Moussa moved all in for 205,000 from the cutoff and Gurcan Gungoren called in the small blind, Musa Cenc gave it some thought from the big blind before folding.

Bassel Moussa: {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}
Gurcan Gungoren: {q-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}

Moussa hit top pair on the {a-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds} flop to take the lead, and the {6-Diamonds} turn improved him to a flush and left Gungoren drawing dead. The meaningless river came the {k-Spades} and Moussa doubled up.

After the hand, Genc admitted he folded pocket tens.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gurcan Gungoren tr
Gurcan Gungoren
1,050,000
-150,000
-150,000
Profile photo of Bassel Moussa lb
Bassel Moussa
410,000
-121,000
-121,000

Tags: Bassel MoussaGurcan Gungoren

Browne Checks Back Aces

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Paul Browne and Roman Kolotiuk built a pot of around 200,000 on a board of {8-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{7-Clubs}. Kolotiuk, in the small blind, bet 112,000 and Browne tanked for a moment before calling.

The river came the {8-Diamonds} and Kolotiuk sat shuffling his chips for more than a minute before he checked. Browne quickly checked behind and turned over {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades}. Kolotiuk took one last look at the board before he mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Paul Browne gb
Paul Browne
1,650,000
450,000
450,000
Profile photo of Roman Kolotiuk ru
Roman Kolotiuk
810,000
18,000
18,000

Tags: Paul BrowneRoman Kolotiuk

Aces for Kuliberda

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Action was on the turn as the board read {10-Clubs}{j-Clubs}{10-Spades}{q-Hearts}.

Dawid Kuliberda bet 60,000 from the gun. Helmut Phung called on the button and the small blind got out of the way.

The river was the {6-Hearts}. Kuliberda led for 160,000. Phung took quite a bit of time before he called.

Kuliberda tabled the {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades} which was good as Phung mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dawid Kuliberda pl
Dawid Kuliberda
1,210,000
340,000
340,000
Profile photo of Helmut Phung de
Helmut Phung
383,000
-397,000
-397,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dawid KuliberdaHelmut Phung

Hu Takes From Swieboda in Massive Pot

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

David Hu and Bartlomiej Swieboda built a pot of 400,000 heading to the flop of {7-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}{a-Spades}. Swieboda, from under the gun, bet 120,000 and Hu called in early position.

The turn came the {7-Hearts} and Swieboda slowed down and checked. Hu announced a bet of 250,000 and before he could even put the chips in the middle Swieboda flung his cards into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Hu nl
David Hu
1,340,000
673,000
673,000
Profile photo of Bartlomiej Swieboda pl
Bartlomiej Swieboda
450,000
-431,000
-431,000

Tags: Bartlomiej SwiebodaDavid Hu

Updated Chip Counts

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Valeriy Pak uz
Valeriy Pak
2,200,000
300,000
300,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Georges El-Hachem lb
Georges El-Hachem
1,700,000
650,000
650,000
Profile photo of Maxime Chilaud fr
Maxime Chilaud
1,475,000
275,000
275,000
Profile photo of Ahmad Rami Naall sy
Ahmad Rami Naall
1,300,000
650,000
650,000
Profile photo of Andrew Hulme gb
Andrew Hulme
1,150,000
82,000
82,000
Profile photo of Nikolay Fal ru
Nikolay Fal
950,000
470,000
470,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
950,000
16,000
16,000
Profile photo of Halil Baybars tr
Halil Baybars
850,000
-100,000
-100,000
Profile photo of Akin Guven tr
Akin Guven
750,000
-150,000
-150,000
Profile photo of Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
700,000
-146,000
-146,000
Profile photo of Esper Sadek lb
Esper Sadek
550,000
-50,000
-50,000
Profile photo of Martin Stoyanov bg
Martin Stoyanov
550,000
331,000
331,000
Profile photo of Ermanno Di Nicola it
Ermanno Di Nicola
450,000
100,000
100,000
Day 1B Chip Leader
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Ran Koller il
Ran Koller
350,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Level: 19

Blinds: 10,000/15,000

Ante: 15,000