$3,300 Main Event | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-25-2024 13:30 UTC+2

Nariman Yaghmai Eliminated in 24th Place ($13,730)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Nariman Yaghmai found himself all in and at risk for just over 1,000,000 against Mustafa Ercan who covered.

Nariman Yaghmai: A♣J♥
Mustafa Ercan: K♣Q♣

The baord ran out 4♠6♠3♦Q♠7♥ giving Ercan a pair of queens to take the pot while Yaghmai became the first casualty of the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	2,375,000 685,000	685,000
Nariman Yaghmai	Busted

Tags: Mustafa Ercan Nariman Yaghmai

01-25-2024 13:35 UTC+2

Amir Touma Eliminated in 23rd Place ($13,730)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Amir Touma was recently eliminated from the tournament.

Touma held K♠Q♥ for top pair on a board reading 4♣Q♠5♥J♣2♣ but Ihar Soika had K♦K♣ for an overpair to take down a nice pot while Touma was sent to the rail in 23rd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ihar Soika	1,960,000 495,000	495,000
Amir Touma	Busted

Tags: Amir Touma Ihar Soika

01-25-2024 14:00 UTC+2

Azamat Tulepbergenov Eliminated in 22nd Place ($13,730)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 180,000 from early position and received a call from Christophe Panetti in the cutoff. Azamat Tulepbergenov then moved all in for 1,400,000. Khorchidian raised all in with a covering stack and Panetti got out of the way.

Azamat Tulepbergenov: J♥J♠
Nichan Khorchidian: Q♥Q♣

Tulepbergenov was in bad shape against the bigger pocket pair and failed to improve on the A♠10♥3♦7♦8♠ runout resulting in his elimination while Khorchidian continued to add chips to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	6,100,000 1,435,000	1,435,000
Christophe Panetti	2,400,000 515,000	515,000
Azamat Tulepbergenov	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Christophe Panetti Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 14:15 UTC+2

Victor Fryda Eliminated in 21st Place ($15,390)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Having recently been with under three big blinds, Victor Fryda was all in from the small blind and called by Mohamed Mokrani in the big blind.

Victor Fryda: K♥J♥
Mohamed Mokrani: 7♣2♣

Mokrani made a pair of sevens while Fryda failed to connect with the board, resulting in his elimination in 21st place while Mokrani collected the last of his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed Mokrani	4,900,000 -10,000	-10,000
Victor Fryda	Busted

Tags: Mohamed Mokrani Victor Fryda

01-25-2024 14:21 UTC+2

Wael Sarkis Eliminated in 20th Place ($15,390)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Three players saw a board of J♣10♦9♦ with Wael Sarkis having already gone all in after being left very short-stacked earlier. Samy Barka checked in the big blind and called an 85,000 bet from Giuliano Boellis on the button.

Barka check-called another bet from Boellis on the Q♣ turn, this time for 175,000.

The river was the 2♥. Barka checked, Boellis bet 340,000 and Barka folded. Sarkis held 9♣3♥ for a pair of nines while Boellis showed down K♦4♦ for a king-high straight to score the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Samy Barka	3,700,000 -750,000	-750,000

Giuliano Boellis	2,900,000 -2,595,000	-2,595,000

Wael Sarkis	Busted

Tags: Giuliano Boellis Samy Barka Wael Sarkis

01-25-2024 14:36 UTC+2

Michel Habib Eliminated in 19th Place ($15,390)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Michel Habib moved all in from the button for 970,000. Nichan Khorchidian reshoved over the top from the small blind with a covering stack to put Habib at risk.

Michel Habib: A♥9♣
Nichan Khorchidian: K♣J♦

The board ran out 10♥9♥7♠2♣8♥. Khorchidian had made a straight on the river to take the pot and send Habib to the rail in 19th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	7,705,000 1,605,000	1,605,000
Antoine Hasbani	3,030,000 180,000	180,000
Christophe Panetti	2,405,000 5,000	5,000
Andreas Christoforou	2,355,000 -1,345,000	-1,345,000
Bassel Moussa	2,085,000 1,090,000	1,090,000
Vedat Yilmaz	950,000 -680,000	-680,000

Michel Habib	Busted

Tags: Michel Habib Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 14:37 UTC+2

Ara Melkisetian Eliminated in 18th Place ($17,600)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

With two players seeing a board of 9♠7♣5♠, Ara Melkisetian found himself all in and at risk from the big blind versus Mustafa Ercan who was under the gun.

Ara Melkisetian: 8♣6♦
Mustafa Ercan: 7♠7♥

Both players had smashed the flop but Ercan was behind with middle set against Melkisetian's flopped straight. The K♥ turn changed nothing but the K♣ river improved Ercan to a full house to send Melkisetian to the rail and collect a sizable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	5,200,000
Ara Melkisetian	Busted

Tags: Ara Melkisetian Mustafa Ercan

01-25-2024 14:50 UTC+2

Clement Bonnant Eliminated in 17th Place ($17,600)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Felipe Ketzer moved all in from the small blind, covering Clement Bonnant in the big blind. Bonnant made the call and was at risk.

Clement Bonnant: A♣10♥
Felipe Ketzer: A♥3♦

Bonnant was in great shape to double up with a bigger ace and remained ahead on the 10♥9♥3♣ flop. The 2♣ turn was also clean for Bonnant but the 3♥ river improved Ketzer to trips and Bonnant was sent to the rail while as Ketzer collected Bonnant's remaining chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	9,300,000 1,575,000	1,575,000
Clement Bonnant	Busted

Tags: Clement Bonnant Felipe Ketzer

01-25-2024 15:01 UTC+2

Aleksandr Kirichenko Eliminated in 16th Place ($17,600)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 220,000 from the hijack and Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in for 1,700,000 from the small blind. Khorchidian made the call to put Kirichenko at risk.

Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♥10♦
Nichan Khorchidian: J♠J♥

Khorchidian's pocket-jacks held up on the K♣5♣7♥9♦8♠ runout to eliminate Kirichenko and continue to build a massive stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	9,700,000 1,995,000	1,995,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 15:04 UTC+2

Andreas Christoforou Eliminated in 15th Place ($20,400)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 200,000 from the hijack and Andreas Christoforou moved all in for 1,655,000 from the big blind. Khorchidian called with a covering stack to put Christoforou at risk.

Nichan Khorchidian: A♥6♠
Andreas Christoforou: K♦Q♠

Khorchidian remained ahead on the 2♣5♠3♣7♠8♠ runout to score another knockout, exactly one hand after Khorchidian had eliminated Aleksandr Kirichenko.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	11,500,000 1,800,000	1,800,000
Andreas Christoforou	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Andreas Christoforou Nichan Khorchidian