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

01-25-2024 20:33 UTC+2

Mustafa Ercan Eliminated in 6th Place ($69,100)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Felipe Ketzer opened to 525,000 from under the gun and Damir Zhugralin moved all in for 5,525,000 from the button. Mustafa Ercan snap-called with his stack of 4,150,000. Ketzer thought for a few moments before folding A♣K♥, leaving Zhugralin at risk.

Mustafa Ercan: A♥J♥
Damir Zhugralin: A♦10♠

Zhugralin was dominated against a bigger ace but he took the lead on the K♦10♥K♠ flop. The 8♥ turn brought in a flush draw for Ercan but the 7♠ river was a brick. Zhugralin dragged in a pot worth over 10,000,000 while Ercan made his exit from the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	21,600,000 -275,000	-275,000
Damir Zhugralin	10,700,000 4,000,000	4,000,000
Mustafa Ercan	Busted

Tags: Damir Zhugralin Felipe Ketzer Mustafa Ercan

01-25-2024 20:30 UTC+2

Antoine Hasbani Eliminated in 7th Place ($57,300)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Antoine Hasbani moved all in for 850,000 and Damir Zhugralin raised all in over the top to 2,650,000. Nichan Khorchidian called from the small blind to leave both players at risk.

Antoine Hasbani: K♦Q♥
Damir Zhugralin: A♥5♣
Nichan Khorchidian: A♦Q♦

Khorchidian had both opponents dominated and seemed poised to score a double knockout until Zhugralin made trips on the 5♥5♠6♥ flop leaving Khorchidian drawing dead and Hasbani drawing only to running kings. The 4♥ turn sealed the pot for Zhugralin and after the 4♣ river scored well over a full double up while Hasbani was sent to the rail in seventh place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	21,600,000 -3,200,000	-3,200,000
Damir Zhugralin	6,700,000 3,900,000	3,900,000
Antoine Hasbani	Busted

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Damir Zhugralin Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 20:15 UTC+2

Mokrani Leaves Hasbani Short

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Antoine Hasbani moved all in from early position for 4,000,000 and Mohamed Mokrani called from the cutoff for his last 3,250,000.

Mohamed Mokrani: A♣K♠
Antoine Hasbani: 9♠9♣

Mokrani took the lead on the K♦Q♣2♦ flop and remained ahead on both the 10♠ turn and Q♦ river to earn a full double up while Hasbani was left with just three big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed Mokrani	7,100,000 3,700,000	3,700,000
Antoine Hasbani	750,000 -2,225,000	-2,225,000

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Mohamed Mokrani

01-25-2024 20:05 UTC+2

Khorchidian Plays it Safe

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 500,000 with A♥K♣ from early position and Damir Zhugralin defended from the big blind with 9♣6♣.

Both players checked the 10♣9♦3♠ leading to the A♣ turn which gave Khorchidian top pair and Zhugralin a flush draw to go along with his pair of nines. Zhugralin checked again and Khorchidian bet 625,000. Zhugralin made the call.

Both players checked the J♦ river and Khorchidian's pair of aces were good enough to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	24,800,000 1,500,000	1,500,000
Damir Zhugralin	2,800,000 -1,350,000	-1,350,000

Tags: Damir Zhugralin Nichan Khorchidian

Level: 33

Blinds: 125,000/250,000

Ante: 250,000

01-25-2024 19:44 UTC+2

Khorchidian Leverages his Stack

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 400,000 with 4♣4♠ from the hijack and received calls from Christophe Panetti in the small blind holding 9♦9♠ and Mohamed Mokrani in the big blind who had 3♣3♠.

The flop came A♠10♠2♠ and action checked around to Khorchidian who bet 450,000, forcing a fold from both opponents.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	23,300,000 3,650,000	3,650,000
Felipe Ketzer	21,875,000 -125,000	-125,000
Christophe Panetti	6,600,000 -1,900,000	-1,900,000
Mustafa Ercan	4,775,000 -500,000	-500,000
Damir Zhugralin	4,150,000 -225,000	-225,000
Mohamed Mokrani	3,400,000 150,000	150,000
Antoine Hasbani	2,975,000 -1,500,000	-1,500,000

Tags: Christophe Panetti Mohamed Mokrani Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 19:30 UTC+2

Samy Barka Eliminated in 8th Place ($45,600)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Samy Barka moved all in for 1,050,000 from under the gun and Christophe Panetti reshoved from the cutoff with a covering stack, folding out all other players to leave Barka at risk.

Samy Barka: A♦4♥
Christophe Panetti: A♠J♥

Barka was dominated by a bigger ace but did pick up a gutshot straight draw on the 2♠10♣3♦. The 7♥ turn and K♦ river were bricks and Bark's deep run came to an end in eight-place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christophe Panetti	8,500,000 -25,000	-25,000
Samy Barka	Busted

Tags: Christophe Panetti Samy Barka

01-25-2024 19:09 UTC+2

Barka Pays Off Ketzer

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Samy Barka opened to 400,000 from under the gun and Felipe Ketzer three-bet to 1,075,000 with A♥3♥ from middle position. Barka made the call.

The flop came 5♣4♦2♥. Barka checked, Ketzer bet 375,000 and Barka called.

Barka checked again on the 9♦ turn and Ketzer bet 1,200,000. Barka check-raised to 2,400,000 and Ketzer called.

On the K♦ river Barka checked. Ketzer bet 1,650,000 and Barka called.

Barka held 10♠10♣ for an overpair until the river while Ketzer showed down A♥3♥ for a flopped wheel straight to take down a gargantuan pot, surpassing twenty-million chips in the process.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	22,000,000 6,900,000	6,900,000
Samy Barka	1,600,000 -5,500,000	-5,500,000

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Samy Barka

01-25-2024 18:57 UTC+2

Hadi Khordbin Eliminated in 9th Place ($34,300)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Samy Barka opened to 425,000 from middle position and Hadi Khordbin moved all in for 1,300,000 from the small blind. Barka called with a covering stack to put Khordbin at risk.

Hadi Khordbin: A♠Q♥
Samy Barka: A♥K♦

Khordbin was pipped by a bigger ace and couldn't catch up on the Q♠6♠K♣J♦5♣ runout , resulting in him becoming the first final table casualty of the day while Barka collected the last of his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Samy Barka	7,100,000 1,425,000	1,425,000

Hadi Khordbin	Busted

Tags: Hadi Khordbin Samy Barka

Level: 32

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000