$3,300 Main Event Day 1a | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-20-2024 13:27 UTC+2

Qushqar Shoves Into Aces

David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Iulian-Andrei Bleau raised to 1,200 in the cutoff before Morad Qushqar moved all in for 17,500 in the small blind. Vedat Yilmaz called in the big blind, while Bleau got out of the way.

Morad Qushqar: A♠Q♦
Vedat Yilmaz: A♦A♥

Yilmaz had woken up with aces and spiked the last remaining one in the deck on the 7♦4♣A♣ flop to make top set. Qushqar was already drawing dead after the 5♠ turn, while the 10♠ river sealed his early elimination.

Aziz Efe was eliminated shortly after doubling up Antoine Hasbani but immediately jumped back into the field with a fresh stack. Aylar Lie also recently joined the field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Iulian Andrei Bleau	210,000 210,000	210,000
Aziz Efe	100,000 80,000	80,000
Aylar Lie	100,000 100,000	100,000
Vedat Yilmaz	60,000 60,000	60,000

Morad Qushqar	Busted

Tags: Iulian-Andrei Bleau Morad Qushwar Vedat Yilmaz

01-20-2024 14:33 UTC+2

Pankov Calls Off Against Tulepbergenov

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With around 20,000 in the pot on a board of 4♦4♥10♣J♣, Azamat Tulepbergenov led out for 11,000 from the big blind and Vitalii Pankov called in middle position.

The river was the 6♥ and Tulepbergenov moved all in for 53,500. Pankov called and Tulepbergenov showed 7♠4♣ for trip fours. Pankov flashed a ten before mucking.

A count of the stacks showed Tulepbergenov barely had Pankov covered and Pankov made his exit from the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	150,000 150,000	150,000
Vitalii Pankov	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Vitalii Pankov

01-20-2024 14:39 UTC+2

Plant Cracks Dato's Aces

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

More than 40,000 was already in the middle as Andrea Dato and Ryan Plant went heads-up to the 2♥A♦10♠ flop.

Dato then bet 4,500 from middle position and Plant called in the small blind. Both players checked the K♥ turn.

The river was the 4♠ and Plant bet 50,000, enough to put Dato all in. Dato snap-called and turned over A♠A♥ for top set, but Plant had Q♣J♣ for a turned straight to send Dato to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Plant	280,000 70,000	70,000
Andrea Dato	Busted

Tags: Andrea Dato Ryan Plant

01-20-2024 15:03 UTC+2

Nehme Calls Off With Fourth Pair

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Jose Nehme and Parahat Nurmuhammedov had already built a pot of around 45,000 as they went to the river on a completed board of 5♦3♦9♣K♠Q♠.

Nurmuhammedov then moved all in from the hijack, having Nehme's remaining 25,000 covered. Nehme tanked for several minutes until the clock was called.

He didn't wait for a tournament official to arrive and start the countdown before he called. Nurmuhammedov turned over K♣K♥ and Nehme flashed 6♥6♣ as he made his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Parahat Nurmuhammedov	130,000
Jose Nehme	Busted

Tags: Jose Nehme Parahat Nurmuhammedov

01-20-2024 15:25 UTC+2

Yildirim Shoves on Hedley; Akbas Spikes the River on Warde

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Heads-up on a board of 8♠A♠7♣10♥ and around 30,000 in the pot, Arif Yildirim bet 10,000 from the big blind before Andrew Hedley raised to 30,000 in middle position.

Yildirim then moved all in for 82,000 and sent Hedley deep in the tank. "Top set?" Hedley asked after several minutes had gone by before he mucked his hand.

At the same time at another table, Jad Warde was all in for around 42,000 from middle position on a flop of 3♣6♦8♣ with pocket aces and up against Halal Akbas in the cutoff holding 9♠8♦.

Warde remained in the lead on the 10♣ turn, but Akbas hit the 9♦ on the river to make two pair as Warde made a quick exit from the room.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arif Yildirim	150,000 150,000	150,000
Halil Akbas	120,000 120,000	120,000
Andrew Hedley	60,000 -40,000	-40,000
Jad Warde	Busted

Tags: Andrew Hedley Arif Yildirim Halal Akbas Jad Warde

01-20-2024 17:25 UTC+2

Hursoz Runs Into a Higher Pair

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Tugce Hursoz was under the gun and got her last 55,000 in the middle against Cristian David in early position.

Tugce Hursoz: 9♠9♥
Cristian David: J♥J♣

Hursoz flung her hand in the air upon seeing she was dominated by David's two jacks. The board ran out 4♣Q♦2♥7♥5♠ and she was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cristian David	230,000
Tugce Hursoz	Busted

Tags: Cristian David Tugce Hursoz

01-20-2024 18:09 UTC+2

Tishkevich Hangs On in Three-Way All In

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Four players went to the 7♥5♣2♥ flop where Rawand Chaychi bet 8,000 from the hijack. Naji Tannoury called in the small blind, while Stanislav Tishkevich moved all in for 55,000 in the big blind.

Chaychi reshoved for his last 60,000 and Tannoury called, having both players covered.

Stanislav Tishkevich: Q♦7♦
Rawand Chaychi: A♣J♦
Naji Tannoury: 6♥5♥

Tishkevich was ahead with his pair of sevens, while Tannouri had a pair and flush draw. The 2♠ turn kept Tishkevich in the lead, while he secured a triple up following the 3♦ river. Tannoury took the side pot to send Chaychi to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stanislav Tishkevich	170,000 70,000	70,000
Naji Tannoury	100,000 100,000	100,000
Rawand Chaychi	Busted

Tags: Naji Tannouri Rawand Chaychi Stanislav Tishkevich

01-20-2024 18:16 UTC+2

Wozniak Picks Up Aces to Take Out Zhao

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Andreas Tomazou raised to 3,500 in early position before Gang Zhao moved all in for his last 9,400 in middle position. Mateusz Wozniak reraised to 20,000 on the button and Tomazou called.

The flop came J♥5♦4♦ and Wozniak bet 14,000, forcing Tomazou out of the pot.

Gang Zhao: A♠7♦
Mateusz Wozniak: A♥A♦

Zhao needed a miracle against Wozniak's aces but none arrived on the J♠ turn or 8♥ river as he headed for the exit.

Warm Up runner-up Abdullah Alajmi has also been eliminated, while Andrea Dato busted his second bullet of the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mateusz Wozniak	320,000 320,000	320,000
Andreas Tomazou	50,000 50,000	50,000
Gang Zhao	Busted
Abdullah Alajmi	Busted
Andrea Dato	Busted

Tags: Andreas Tomazou Gang Zhao Mateusz Wozniak

01-20-2024 18:29 UTC+2

Davenport Runs Into Ace Twice in the Same Hand

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Matthew Davenport was all in for around 90,000 on the button, Yury Bochkarev stuck in his last 45,000 in the small blind, while Vasil Giliazetdinov had both players covered and at risk.

Yury Bochkarev: A♠A♥
Matthew Davenport: K♥K♣
Vasil Giliazetdinov: A♦A♠

Bochkarev and Giliazetdinov had both woken up with aces to leave Davenport needed to hit a king. The board ran out 10♦2♥4♣8♠5♠ and Bochkarev and Giliazetdinov split the side pot, while Giliazetdinov sent Davenport to the rail in the main pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vasil Giliazetdinov	180,000 50,000	50,000
Yury Bochkarev	60,000 -40,000	-40,000
Matthew Davenport	Busted

Tags: Matthew Davenport Vasil Giliazetdinov Yury Bochkarev

01-20-2024 19:00 UTC+2

Habib Building Big Stack After Taking Out Doe

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Heads-up on a flop of K♠2♣10♥, John Doe F put in his last 40,000 from the cutoff and Michel Habib snap-called in the hijack.

John Doe F: K♣9♣
Michel Habib: 2♥2♠

Doe turned over top pair, but Habib showed him the bad news when he flipped over a set of deuces. The board ran out J♥3♥ and Habib scored the knockout to climb up to 400,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michel Habib	400,000
John Doe F	Busted

Tags: John Doe F Michel Habib