$2,200 Merit Poker Cup Day 3 | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-30-2024 15:30 UTC+3

Kaukua Gets Paid by Shamurzaev

David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a board of 8♠K♦3♦A♣, Toni Kaukua bet 70,000 from the hijack and Tilekbek Shamurzaev called in the big blind.

The river was the 10♠ and Kaukua bet another 155,000. Shamurzaev tanked for several minutes until he called.

Kaukua then showed A♠Q♥ for top pair and Shamurzaev mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Toni Kaukua	1,100,000 370,000	370,000

Tilekbek Shamurzaev	350,000 -320,000	-320,000

Tags: Tilekbek Shamurzaev Toni Kaukua

03-30-2024 15:31 UTC+3

Ketzer Falls to Bortsov

Ryan Lashmar

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

Action folded to Sergey Bortsov who moved all in for roughly 150,000 from the button. Felipe Ketzer called off for his stack of roughly 100,000 from the small blind and was at risk.

Felipe Ketzer: J♠J♦ All in
Sergey Bortsov: A♠5♠

Bortsov pulled ahead with top pair on the A♥K♥6♣ flop. Ketzer picked up some more outs on the Q♥ turn but the 2♥ river was a brick and Ketzer was sent to the rail courtesy of Bortsov.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergey Bortsov	275,000 155,000	155,000
Felipe Ketzer	Busted

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Sergey Bortsov

03-30-2024 15:32 UTC+3

Pyzara Powers Past Andrian on the Turn

David Salituro

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

Simone Andrian and Kacper Pyzara went to the turn on a board of 9♠Q♠5♣4♥ where Pyzara led out for 100,000 in the big blind. Andrian then moved all in from early position and Pyzara called for 336,000.

Andrian had A♥Q♣ for top pair, but Pyzara had spiked two pair on the turn holding 5♥4♦. The river was the 6♥ and Pyzara stayed in the lead to earn a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kacper Pyzara	830,000 190,000	190,000
Simone Andrian	160,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Kacper Pyzara Simone Andrian

03-30-2024 15:38 UTC+3

Andrian Doubles Right Back

David Salituro

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

Shortly after doubling up Kacper Pyzara, Simone Andrian went to the turn on a board of 7♣6♣4♦3♠ against Milen Bakardjiev and around 250,000 in the pot.

Bakardjiev then bet 100,000 from under the gun and Andrian called for his last 68,000. Bakardjiev showed K♣K♥, but Andrian had 8♣5♥ for a flopped straight.

The river was the A♣ and Andrian doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Milen Bakardjiev	650,000 10,000	10,000
Simone Andrian	420,000 260,000	260,000

Tags: Milen Bakardjiev Simone Andrian

03-30-2024 15:46 UTC+3

Hajj on the Comeback Trail

David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a flop of J♣6♦3♦, Ivan Zabiiakin bet 20,000 from early position, Alain Hajj moved all in for 203,000 in the small blind, and Zabiiakin called.

Alain Hajj: K♦Q♦ All in
Ivan Zabiiakin: Q♥6♥

Zabiiakin was ahead with a pair of sixes, while Hajj was on a flush draw. The 8♦ came on the turn and Hajj completed his flush to secure the pot as the 5♦ completed the board on the river.

Hajj, who was knocked down to just 40,000 during the last level, doubled up to around 450,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Zabiiakin	1,300,000 -100,000	-100,000

Alain Hajj	450,000 410,000	410,000

Tags: Alain Hajj Ivan Zabiiakin

03-30-2024 15:47 UTC+3

Andrian Picks Up Kings to Double Again

David Salituro

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

Simone Andrian and Georges Hanna saw the turn on a board of Q♣6♥10♣2♦ where Andrian moved all in for 263,000 in the small blind. Hanna tanked for a minute before calling in early position.

Andrian had K♣K♠, while Hanna showed 5♥5♠ and handed over yet another double up to Andrian once the 7♣ completed the board on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georges Hanna	770,000 -430,000	-430,000
Simone Andrian	750,000 330,000	330,000

Tags: Georges Hanna Simone Andrian

03-30-2024 15:48 UTC+3

Kenjic Puts Tomescu in the Blender

Ryan Lashmar

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

Nenad Dukic opened to 24,000 from under the gun before Jovan Kenjic three-bet to 72,000 from the cutoff. George Tomescu put in a four-bet to 186,000 and Dukic got out of the way. Kenjic then five-bet shoved for 842,000, sending Tomescu deep into the tank.

After several minutes had gone by Tomescu opted to fold. Kenjic showed the A♣ in his hand before dragging in a healthy pot without having to see a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Tomescu	1,140,000 -210,000	-210,000
Jovan Kenjic	1,090,000 140,000	140,000
Nenad Dukic	475,000 -175,000	-175,000

Tags: George Tomescu Jovan Kenjic Nenad Dukic

03-30-2024 15:55 UTC+3

Sokharev Picks Off Guimond

David Salituro

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

Florian Guimond bet 42,000 from early position on a board of 7♣9♦5♠J♣ and Sergei Sokharev called on the button.

The river was the 3♣ and Guimond bet another 210,000. Sokharev tanked for a minute before calling.

Guimond instantly mucked his cards and Sokharev showed A♥7♥ as he took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Sokharev	1,100,000 245,000	245,000
Florian Guimond	630,000 -20,000	-20,000

Tags: Florian Guimond Sergei Sokharev

03-30-2024 16:03 UTC+3

Nikitin Outflips Tantillo

Ryan Lashmar

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

Anatoly Nikitin opened to 26,000 from middle position and received a call from Armand Matti in the cutoff before Fausto Tantillo three-bet to 126,000 in the small blind. Nikitin moved all in for 201,000, forcing a fold from Matti while Tantillo made the call to put Nikitin at risk.

Anatoly Nikitin: 10♣10♠ All in
Fausto Tantillo: A♦J♥

The board ran out 8♦6♥6♣3♦6♠ giving Nikitin a full double up through Tantillo.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anatoly Nikitin	452,000 147,000	147,000
Armand Matti	445,000 -204,000	-204,000
Fausto Tantillo	270,000 -390,000	-390,000

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Armand Matti Fausto Tantillo

03-30-2024 16:11 UTC+3

Turabayev Drops One, Takes Another

David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a flop of 10♥A♥4♥ and around 150,000 in the pot, Natan Chauskin bet 45,000 from middle position and Alan Turabayev called in early position.

The turn was the 7♦ and Chauskin bet 110,000. Turabayev tanked for several minutes before he showed the A♠ and mucked. Chauskin flipped over the K♣ and placed it besides Turabayev's aces as he took the pot.

The next hand, Turabayev raised to 25,000 under the gun and Boris Smuskevicius three-bet to 75,000 on the button. Turabayev called.

Both players checked the J♥Q♥6♥ flop and the J♠ fell on the turn. Smuskevicius then bet 32,000.

Turabayev came back with a raise to 86,000 and Smuskevicius let his hand go.