$2,200 Merit Poker Cup
Day 1a Started
2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series
$2,200 Merit Poker Cup
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$844,560
Entries
459
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
192
Players Left
84
Get Ready for Day 1a of the $2,200 Merit Poker Cup
The action continues here at the 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino with the $2,200 Merit Poker Cup, featung a $500,000 guarantee. The first of three starting flights begins today at 12:00 p.m. local time.
The event features a starting stack of 100,000 and will play eight 60-minute levels, with the survivors from each Day 1 advancing to Day 2 on March 29. Unlimited re-entries are available and late registration will be open until the end of Level 12, midway through Day 2.
As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for all your live coverage needs for this starting flight as we bring you all the action starting from Level 3.
Level: 3
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
Assorted Chip Counts After First Break
Level 3
: Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
258,000
258,000
|
258,000 |
|
234,100
234,100
|
234,100 |
|
193,200
193,200
|
193,200 |
|
191,000
191,000
|
191,000 |
|
188,000
188,000
|
188,000 |
|
186,000
186,000
|
186,000 |
|
|
186,000
186,000
|
186,000 |
|
179,000
179,000
|
179,000 |
|
170,600
170,600
|
170,600 |
|
158,000
158,000
|
158,000 |
|
152,000
152,000
|
152,000 |
|
|
147,000
147,000
|
147,000 |
|
139,000
139,000
|
139,000 |
|
129,000
129,000
|
129,000 |
|
||
Sonsino Snaps Off Hajj
Level 3
: Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Amir Sonsino had opened from middle position only for Alain Hajj to three-bet to 6,000 from the hijack. Sonsino put in a four-bet to 20,000 and Hajj moved all in. Sonsino snap-called to put Hajj at risk.
Alain Hajj: Q♦Q♣ 
Amir Sonsino: A♥A♠
Hajj was in rough shape against Sonsino's aces and was eliminated after failing to improve on the 5♥5♦K♠3♣A♦ runout while Sonsino took down a healthy early pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
246,000
246,000
|
246,000 |
|
Busted |
Tot Shows Down Top Pair
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.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
242,100
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
123,000
123,000
|
123,000 |
Level: 4
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
Kirichenko Takes Multiway Pot
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
147,000
147,000
|
147,000 |
|
57,000
57,000
|
57,000 |
Vinayagamoorthy Cracks Set to Take Monster Pot
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♦
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
347,000
347,000
|
347,000 |
|
80,400
80,400
|
80,400 |
|
Busted |
Hursoz Doubles Through Achour
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♦
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
126,500
126,500
|
126,500 |
|
65,800
65,800
|
65,800 |