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

01-21-2024 12:49 UTC+2

Topuz First Out After Massive Cooler

David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

All the chips went in before the flop as Baris Topuz was all in for his last 85,000 from the cutoff against Michael Brown in early position.

Baris Topuz: K♦K♠
Michael Brown: A♦A♥

Topuz had run into the ultimate cooler and watched helplessly as the board ran out 3♠4♦6♠6♦3♠ to make him the first casualty of Day 1b.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Brown	210,000 210,000	210,000
Baris Topuz	Busted

Tags: Baris Topuz Michael Brown

01-21-2024 14:49 UTC+2

Wei Spikes the River For a Bustout

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

A player in the big blind led out for 6,500 on a flop of J♣5♣2♦ and Guoliang Wei called in the hijack.

The turn was the 3♦ and the big blind bet another 6,500. Wei then raised to 80,000, enough to put his opponent all in, and the big blind called after tanking for nearly two minutes.

Wei had Q♣10♣ and needed to hit his flush draw against A♠J♥, and the 2♣ river completed his flush to send his opponent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Guoliang Wei	230,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Guoliang Wei

01-21-2024 14:58 UTC+2

Doe Takes Out Adrianapoulos

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Sakis Adrianapoulos busted yesterday in a massive three-way all in between aces, kings, and queens. His elimination in today's flight was slightly less eventful, as he was down to just 4,500 and moved all in from the big blind after John Doe S.

Sakis Adrianapoulos: J♦6♠
John Doe S: A♦4♦

The board ran out A♥2♦2♣K♦3♠ and Doe finished with two pair to send Adrianapoulos to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doe S	60,000 60,000	60,000

Sakis Adrianapoulos	Busted

Tags: John Doe S Sakis Adrianapoulos

01-21-2024 15:05 UTC+2

Yang Wins a Big Flip to Bust Semeniaka

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Oleksii Semeniaka had a raise to 18,000 in front of him from the big blind before Peng Yang in early position moved all in. Semeniaka called for around 45,000 more.

Oleksii Semeniaka: A♠K♥
Peng Yang: 4♥4♦

The two players were racing as the board came out 9♣7♠10♥J♦3♥. Semeniaka picked up a straight draw to go with his overcards heading to the river but missed everything as he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peng Yang	230,000 140,000	140,000
Oleksii Semeniaka	Busted

Tags: Oleksii Semeniaka Peng Yang

01-21-2024 15:37 UTC+2

Hursoz Makes the Right Call in Massive Three-Way All In

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Razvan Sabau was already all in from the big blind as Qiang Xu and Tugce Hursoz went to the 8♠Q♠4♥ flop with around 70,000 in the pot.

Xu then bet 17,200 from middle position and Hursoz called in early position. The turn was the 10♦ and Xu bet 80,000.

Hursoz tanked for several minutes until another player at the table called the clock. She eventually moved all in and Xu, with only around 20,000 remaining, called.

Sabau had A♥10♣, Xu showed A♠6♠ for a nut flush draw, while Hursoz was ahead with K♣Q♦ for top pair. The river was the 6♥ and Hursoz began pounding on the table in celebration as she took the pot to send both players to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tugce Hursoz	280,000 280,000	280,000
Qiang Xu	Busted

Razvan Sabau	Busted

Tags: Qiang Xu Razvan Sabau Tugce Hursoz

01-21-2024 17:13 UTC+2

Jazzar Hoping For a Flush, Finds a Straight Instead

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David Salituro

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

Maroun Jazzar in the big blind, Yassin Mahmoud in the cutoff, and Ermanno Di Nicola in middle position each got all their chips in the middle on a flop of 8♦4♠9♦. Di Nicola had both players covered and at risk.

Maroun Jazzar: A♦5♦
Yassin Mahmoud: Q♠9♥
Ermanno Di Nicola: 8♠8♣

Di Nicola was in the lead with a set of eights, Mahmoud had top pair, while Jazzar was chasing the nut flush draw. The 3♥ turn kept Di Nicola in the lead, but the 2♥ fell on the river and Jazzar made a running straight. He tripled up for around 60,000, while Mahmoud, who was all in for 85,000, was eliminated by Di Nicola in the side pot.

"That's a good one. I like to gamble," Jazzar said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maroun Jazzar	170,000 40,000	40,000
Ermanno Di Nicola	120,000 15,000	15,000

Yassin Mahmoud	Busted

Tags: Ermanno Di Nicola Yassin Mahmoud Maroun Jazzar

01-21-2024 17:43 UTC+2

Abou Khalil Calls Off to Petleshkov With Deuces

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David Salituro

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

Ghassan Abou Khalil was in the small blind and had a raise of 10,000 in front of him. Viliyan Petleshkov then moved all in from the big blind and Abou Khalil, left with only around 5,000 behind, tanked for a minute before calling.

Ghassan Abou Khalil: 2♦2♠
Viliyan Petleshkov: J♣J♦

Abou Khalil was crushed by Petleshkov's deuces as the 5♣7♦9♠5♦4♦ board left him heading for the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viliyan Petleshkov	150,000
Ghassan Abou Khalil	Busted

Tags: Ghassan Abou Khalil Viliyan Petleshkov

01-21-2024 17:52 UTC+2

Sabau Hits an Ace on Gavrilovich

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David Salituro

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

Razvan Sabau put in a raise of 18,000 from the big blind before small blind Jenya Gavrilovich reraised to 60,000, a bet representing most of his stack. Sabau moved all in and Gavrilovich called for his last few chips.

Jenya Gavrilovich: K♥Q♠
Razvan Sabau: A♠10♣

Gavrilovich was already out of his seat after the 7♠7♣A♣ flop gave Sabau two pair. The board ran out 2♣2♥ and Sabau sent Gavrilovich to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Razvan Sabau	200,000 200,000	200,000
Jenya Gavrilovich	Busted

Tags: Jenya Gavrilovich Razvan Sabau

01-21-2024 18:10 UTC+2

Bochkarev Damages Yaghmai, Kowal Finishes the Job

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David Salituro

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

Nariman Yaghmai raised to 3,500 on the button, Yury Bochkarev three-bet to 12,000 in the small blind, and Yaghmai called.

Bochkarev checked the 2♣2♠5♠ flop and Yaghmai bet 5,200. Bochkarev called, then led out for 12,000 on the 4♠ turn.

Yaghmai called and the 6♠ fell on the river. Bochkarev then moved all in and Yaghmai folded.

Yaghmai was left with 30,700 and moved all in the next hand as Graydon Kowal called to put him at risk.

Nariman Yaghmai: K♥J♥
Graydon Kowal: 7♦7♣

The 9♣10♠6♠4♠10♣ board was no help for Yaghmai and he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yury Bochkarev	130,000 130,000	130,000
Graydon Kowal	90,000 90,000	90,000
Nariman Yaghmai	Busted

Tags: Graydon Kowal Nariman Yaghmai Yury Bochkarev

01-21-2024 18:29 UTC+2

Easy Game For Yang

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David Salituro

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

In a blind versus blind battle, Peng Yang bet 21,000 on a flop of 7♠6♣3♠, Kacper Pyzara moved all in for around 30,000, and Yang snap-called.

Kacper Pyzara: J♠9♠
Peng Yang: 5♥4♣

"Too easy for you," Pyzara said as Yang showed a flopped straight. Pyzara needed to complete his flush draw, but he missed the 3♦ turn and 3♥ river and was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peng Yang	400,000 20,000	20,000
Kacper Pyzara	Busted