$5,300 High Roller
Day 4 Completed
2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series
$5,300 High Roller
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$473,800
Entries
103
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
After four days of intense play at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, Zhen Chen emerged victorious in the $5,300 High Roller at the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series, topping a 103-entry field to claim the trophy and the top prize of $132,300.
The final table showcased players from nine different nations, highlighting the international appeal of the Merit Poker Series. Ultimately, it was China that triumphed, with Chen dispatching Russia's Aleksandr Chernikov in a brief heads-up battle. A well-executed trap with three players left helped propel Chen to the top, cementing his place as the champion.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhen Chen | China | $132,300 |
| 2 | Aleksandr Chernikov | Russia | $91,500 |
| 3 | Simone Andrian | Italy | $58,800 |
| 4 | Adrian State | Romania | $43,600 |
| 5 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | $32,000 |
| 6 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | $26,000 |
| 7 | Angelos Michael | Cyprus | $21,400 |
| 8 | Elie Saad | Lebanon | $17,100 |
| 9 | Mehmet Demirkol | Turkey | $13,100 |
Winner's Reaction
Chen reflected on his victory with gratitude and humility, acknowledging the strong competition at the final table. "There were very strong competitors on this final table, but I fortunately had a big stack and great seat position behind the chip leader," he said. "Also, my flips—I can win, I’m lucky."
Chen admitted to struggling earlier in the series during the $2,200 Warm-Up, where he lost several big hands despite being the favorite. However, he noted how fortune turned in his favor this time. "In this game, I can win, it’s very fortunate," he added.
The key to Chen’s success was his strategic adjustment during the final stages. Observing Chernikov’s tendency to shove with 30 big blinds, Chen adapted by setting traps. "I noticed that he kept shoving preflop, so I wanted to change my strategy to trap," he explained, referencing the pivotal hand with pocket tens that shifted momentum in his favor.
Chen also spoke fondly of Cyprus and the Merit Poker Series. "I was here recently, and I feel this place is very nice and beautiful. That’s why I keep coming back to Cyprus," he shared.
When asked about how he would celebrate, Chen kept it simple. "I didn’t think yet, but I think I’ll just jump into the Main [Event] because I’m running hot. I want to keep going and going," he concluded with a smile.
Final Table Action
Mehmet Demirkol, the short stack entering the final table, was the first to exit after his pocket tens ran into the pocket queens of Simone Andrian. Shortly after, Chen took the chip lead for the first time with a well-timed value bet against start-of-day chip leader Angelos Michael, setting the tone for his dominant performance.
Chernikov narrowly escaped elimination in a critical hand against Michael when his ace-ten spiked an ace on the river to overcome Michael’s pocket jacks, signaling the start of Michael’s decline. Not long after, Elie Saad exited in eighth place as his pocket sixes couldn’t hold up against Fahredin Mustafov’s pocket queens, kicking off Mustafov’s impressive run.
Mustafov then delivered a quick one-two combo to eliminate Michael and bring the field down to six. First, Mustafov check shoved the turn with a straight holding ten-seven, and Michael eventually called with a combo draw. Unfortunately for Michael, a brick on the river sent his stack tumbling to around twelve big blinds.
Not long after, Mustafov delivered the final blow when called the three-bet shove of Michael with king-queen, and held against the king-nine of the player from Cyprus.
Felipe Ketzer followed shortly after when his ace-ten couldn’t overcome the pocket aces of Chernikov. Despite flopping a gutshot, Ketzer found no further help and exited in sixth place.
Mustafov found himself in a crucial coinflip situation, holding ace-king against the pocket tens of Andrian. Both players anxiously awaited the board, but with a clean runout offering no help to Mustafov, the Bulgarian player's impressive run came to an end in fifth place.
Andrian then claimed another knockout when his pocket jacks were far too good for the ace-deuce of Adrian State, which left just three players in contention.
Chernikov jumped into the lead when his pocket eights held in a huge pot against Andrian's ace-eight, which meant the Russian player held around half of the chips in play.
Chen was the short stack at the time but turned his tournament around with three double-ups in quick succession. First, his ace-nine found an ace on the flop against the pocket nines of Chernikov. Shortly after his queen-ten rivered a straight against the ace-three of Andrian, giving him an average stack.
Moments later, in perhaps the hand of the final table, Chen laid a trap with pocket tens by limping in the small blind and Chernikov took the bait as he shoved with nine-seven in the big blind. Chen snap-called and got a clean runout, which gave him a gigantic stack and turned the tables.
Chen then shoved with jack-ten to apply pressure to the shorter stacks and Andrian made the right call with king-queen. However, a ten on the flop was enough for Chen to send Andrian packing, which left just two players.
There was no talk of a deal or even a break when the finalists got to heads-up, and there was action right off the bat as a few hands in both Chen and Chernikov got their stacks into the middle in a coinflip. Chen held pocket eights and Chernikov had the overcards with ace-nine, but an eight on the flop all but sealed the deal for Chen, which meant Chernikov had to settle for second.
Congratulations to Zhen Chen on an outstanding performance and a well-deserved victory!
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Zhen Chen opened from the button and Aleksandr Chernikov shoved from the big blind for around 2,000,000. Chen called.
Aleksandr Chernikov: A♥9♦ 
Zhen Chen: 8♥8♦
Chen had a chance to win it all and took a huge lead toward doing so on the 8♣Q♦6♥ flop, which left Chernikov needing running cards to survive. The Q♥ turn boated up Chen and sealed the deal, with the 5♦ completing the runout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
10,300,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Simone Andrian and Aleksandr Chernikov are now heads-up for the title.
No break, no deal, they are just playing it out!
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Zhen Chen shoved from the button with his big stack and Simone Andrian called off his remaining 900,000 from the big blind.
Simone Andrian: K♣Q♦
Zhen Chen: J♥10♣
Chen had really moved through the gears over the past few minutes and managed to bring play down to heads-up as he connected with his ten on the 10♥3♣A♠9♣5♠ runout, which eliminated Andrian in third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,500,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Zhen Chen limped in from the small blind and Aleksandr Chernikov shoved from the big blind. Chen snap-called.
Zhen Chen: 10♦10♠
Aleksandr Chernikov: 9♣7♣
Chernikov had been shoving a lot over the course of the final table, and had been caught by Chen. There was still a board to sweat and Chernikov made a pair on the 5♥2♦7♥ flop. However, the J♠3♥ runout was clean for Chen, and he took a huge chip lead.
"You really like that hand." said Chen to Chernikov.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,200,000
3,800,000
|
3,800,000 |
|
|
1,600,000
-2,900,000
|
-2,900,000 |
|
|
1,000,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 27
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 100,000
Level 26
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Simone Andrian moved all in from the small blind, putting the pressure on Zhen Chen, who took his time before calling off his stack of just over 1,600,000 from the big blind.
Zhen Chen: Q♣10♣
Simone Andrian: A♣3♣
Chen was at risk and needed to come from behind to stay in the tournament. The 8♥K♦9♥ flop gave him a more hope with a straight draw, but Andrian’s ace-high remained in front.
The 6♣ turn provided Chen with additional outs, and the 7♥ river delivered the straight he needed to survive. Chen doubled up yet again, continuing his streak of timely escapes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,400,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
1,400,000
-1,900,000
|
-1,900,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Simone Andrian opened the button to 160,000 and Zhen Chen made it 570,000 from the small blind. Aleksandr Chernikov then shoved from the big blind, Andrian folded, and Chen called off his stack of around 1,100,000 total.
Zhen Chen: A♥9♣
Aleksandr Chernikov: 9♥9♦
It was Chernikov's turn to have an opportunity to bring play down to the final two, however he was left with one out after the 8♥6♥A♦ flop paired Chen's ace. No miracle one-outer arrived on the 8♠7♥ runout, and Chen survived.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,500,000
-950,000
|
-950,000 |
|
|
2,500,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
Level 26
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Simone Andrian limped in from the small blind and Zhen Chen checked his option from the big blind.
On the K♠A♥10♦ flop, Andrian fired 80,000 and Chen called to see the Q♦ drop on the turn, where Andrian fired again for 200,000. Chen called.
When the 6♦ came on the river, Andrian prepared another bet and put 240,000 into the middle. Chen used a few time-extensions then he eventually made the call.
Andrian then showed K♣J♦ for a straight, and Chen mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,300,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,300,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |