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

01-25-2024 16:09 UTC+2

Two Chips and a Chair

Ryan Lashmar

Level 30 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Immediately after losing nearly his entire stack to Hadi Khordbin, Bassel Moussa moved all in from under the gun for 50,000 and received calls from Christophe Panetti in early position, Ermanno Di Nicola in the small blind and Nichan Khorchidian in the big blind.

The flop came K♣6♠5♥ and action checked around to Panetti who bet 200,000, forcing out Di Nicola and Khorchidian to leave Moussa at risk.

Bassel Moussa: J♣6♥
Christophe Panetti: K♦8♦

Moussa turned two pair to take the lead on the J♠ turn and remained ahead on the 2♠ river to take the pot and increase his stack six-fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	10,800,000 -700,000	-700,000
Christophe Panetti	5,350,000 2,945,000	2,945,000
Ermanno Di Nicola	3,600,000 -3,150,000	-3,150,000

Bassel Moussa	325,000 275,000	275,000

Tags: Bassel Moussa Christophe Panetti Ermanno Di Nicola Hadi Khordbin Nichan Khorchidian

01-25-2024 16:07 UTC+2

Khordbin Leaves Moussa with Crumbs

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 30 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Hadi Khordbin was all in from the small blind for 1,550,000 and up against Bassel Moussa in the hijack, with Moussa covering Khordbin very slightly.

Hadi Khordbin: Q♥Q♦
Bassel Moussa: A♥10♦

The board r an out J♠8♦5♥3♠5♦. Khordbin's pocket-queens were good at showdown and he scored a full double up through Moussa, who was left with just two T-25,000 chips, worth exactly one small blind.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hadi Khordbin	3,335,000 85,000	85,000
Bassel Moussa	50,000 -2,035,000	-2,035,000

Tags: Bassel Moussa Hadi Khordbin

Level: 30

Blinds: 50,000/125,000

Ante: 125,000

01-25-2024 15:38 UTC+2

Break

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Ryan Lashmar

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

The final 13 players are now on a 20-minute break.

01-25-2024 15:29 UTC+2

Soika Slows Down Ketzer

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Felipe Ketzer opened to 200,000 from the button and Ihar Soika moved all in for 2,665,000 from the small blind. Ketzer called with a covering stack to put Soika at risk.

Ihar Soika: A♥K♦
Felipe Ketzer: J♥J♣

It was a classic preflop flip that Ketzer pulled ahead of on the 8♠5♣3♥ flop. Things were looking grim for Soika on the Q♠ turn but the K♥ river gave Soika top pair to score a massive double up through Ketzer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	6,400,000 -2,900,000	-2,900,000
Ihar Soika	5,580,000 3,620,000	3,620,000

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Ihar Soika

01-25-2024 15:16 UTC+2

Vedat Yilmaz Eliminated in 14th Place ($20,400)

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Antoine Hasbani opened to 220,000 from the hijack and Vedat Yilmaz moved all in for 900,000 from the button. Hasbani made the call to put Yilmaz at risk.

Vedat Yilmaz: J♥J♦
Antoine Hasbani: A♠7♠

Hasbani spiked an ace on the A♥9♣8♠ flop to take the lead. He remained ahead on the 4♣ turn and 3♠ river to send the Day 1d chip leader to the rail in 14th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antoine Hasbani	3,900,000 870,000	870,000
Vedat Yilmaz	Busted

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Vedat Yilmaz

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

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 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 14:48 UTC+2

Ketzer Gets Max Value

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Ryan Lashmar

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

With two players seeing a board of K♦8♦5♣ and roughly 400,000 already in the middle, Felipe Ketzer checked from the big blind and Clement Bonnant bet 160,000 from under the gun. Ketzer check-raised to 460,000 and Bonnant called.

Ketzer bet again on the 9♥ turn, this time for 700,000. Bonnant made the call.

On the J♥ river Ketzer sized up with a bet of 2,135,000. Once again Bonnant called.

Ketzer tabled 7♦6♥ for a turned straight to take down a colossal pot at Bonnant's expense.