$2,200 Merit Poker Cup Day 1a | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-27-2024 17:56 UTC+3

Sibgatova Takes from Pyzara

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

With two players seeing a board of A♥K♥2♦A♠ and roughly 30,000 already in the middle, Alisa Sibgatova checked from the big blind and Kacper Pyzara bet 20,000 from the cutoff. Sibgatova made the call.

Both players checked the 8♣ river. Sibgatova tabled K♦J♦ for two pair and Pyzara's hand hit the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alisa Sibgatova	126,000 -26,000	-26,000
Kacper Pyzara	106,300

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Kacper Pyzara

03-27-2024 17:52 UTC+3

Assorted Chip Counts after Second Break

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Boris Smuskevicius	343,200
David Vinayagamoorthy	319,000 -28,000	-28,000
Aleksandar Tot	227,000 -15,100	-15,100
Nemanja Lukovic	222,800 31,800	31,800
Zafer Sener	209,000
Darko Svesko	209,000
Nenad Dukic	206,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	205,000 58,000	58,000
Aleksandr Ivanov Jr	198,000 27,400	27,400
Andrea Dato	178,000 49,000	49,000

Fabio Peluso	152,000

Christos Leantzis	141,000 -38,000	-38,000
Yuri Suvorov	134,000
Maher Achour	123,000 -3,500	-3,500
Dinesh Alt	97,500 17,100	17,100

Level: 5

Blinds: 700/1,500

Ante: 1,500

03-27-2024 17:21 UTC+3

Break Time

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Players are now on their second 15-minute break of the day. The field has grown to 155 entrants of which 124 players remain.

03-27-2024 17:18 UTC+3

Tulepbergenov Applies Pressure

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Azamat Tulepbergenov opened to 3,000 fom the cutoff and was called by a player in the big blind.

Both players checked the J♠8♦4♦ flop leading to the 9♦ turn. The big blind bet 3,000 and Tulepbergenov called.

On the 10♣ river The big blind fired a second barrel for 5,000. Tulepbergenov raised to 25,000 which was enough to force a fold from his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	83,400 83,400	83,400

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov

03-27-2024 17:01 UTC+3

Hursoz Doubles Through Achour

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

In a preflop confrontation Tugce Hursoz found herself all in from the big blind for 31,400 and was up against Maher Achour in the cutoff who held a covering stack.

Tugce Hursoz: A♥K♦ All in
Maher Achour: A♣Q♦

Hursoz was in great shape with the bigger ace and remained ahead on the J♣8♦9♦6♥6♦ runout to score a full double up through Achour.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	126,500 126,500	126,500
Tugce Hursoz	65,800 65,800	65,800

Tags: Maher Achour Tugce Hursoz

03-27-2024 16:44 UTC+3

Vinayagamoorthy Cracks Set to Take Monster Pot

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With three players seeing a board of J♠10♦9♠ and roughly 35,000 in the middle, Dinesh Alt checked from the small blind and Atanas Kodinov bet 35,000 from early position. David Vinayagamoorthy then moved all in from middle position, covering both players. Alt went into the tank for a couple minutes before folding and then Kodinov made the call to put himself at risk.

Atanas Kodinov: 9♣9♦ All in
David Vinayagamoorthy: 8♦7♦

Both players had flopped a monster but Vinayagamoorthy was well ahead with a jack-high straight versus Kodinov's set of nines. The board did not pair on the 2♠ turn or Q♣ river and Kodinov was sent to the rail while Vinayagamoorthy scooped a colossal early pot.

Alt mentioned after the hand to one of his tablemates that he had folded the nut-flush draw which would have given him the winner on the turn.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Vinayagamoorthy	347,000 347,000	347,000
Dinesh Alt	80,400 80,400	80,400
Atanas Kodinov	Busted

Tags: Atanas Kodinov Dinesh Alt

03-27-2024 16:26 UTC+3

Kirichenko Takes Multiway Pot

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Jovan Kenjic opened to 2,500 from the cutoff and received calls from Aleksandr Kirichenko on the button and a player in the small blind.

The flop came A♦K♣8♦. The small blind checked, Kenjic fired a 2,500 continuation bet, Kirichenko called and the small blind called.

On the Q♣ turn action checked around to Kirichenko who bet 7,000. The small blind called while Kenjic got out of the way.

Kirichenko bet once more for 7,000 when checked to on the 7♠ river and this time it was enough to force a fold from his one remaining opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	147,000 147,000	147,000
Jovan Kenjic	57,000 57,000	57,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Jovan Kenjic

Level: 4

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

03-27-2024 16:04 UTC+3

Tot Shows Down Top Pair

Ryan Lashmar

Level 3 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Maksim Skripkin opened to 2,400 from the cutoff and received a call from a player in the small blind before Aleksandar Tot squeezed to 14,000 in the big blind. Skripkin called while the small blind folded.

The flop came Q♥J♦9♣ and Tot fired an 8,000 continuation bet. Skripkin made the call.

Both players then checked the A♥ turn leading to the 3♠ river. Tot bet 7,500 and was called by his opponent.

Tot tabled A♠10♦ for top pair and took down a decent pot.