$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-23-2024 12:15 UTC+2

Doe Continues His Rise

David Salituro

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

The anonymous John Doe S, who ended yesterday's Day 1c flight as chip leader, wasted little time adding to his massive stack on the first hand of today by taking out Artem Sadovskii.

Heads-up on a flop of 7♥6♣A♥, Sadovskii bet 6,000 from early position before Doe raised to around 40,000 in the big blind. Sadovskii called and the Q♥ fell on the turn.

Doe then moved all in and Sadovskii called for around 30,000 more with A♠J♣. Doe, though, had 7♣6♠ for two pair and held on the 2♣ river to secure the early knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doe S	680,000 141,500	141,500

Artem Sadovskii	Busted

Tags: Artem Sadovskii John Doe S

01-23-2024 12:29 UTC+2

Peluso Catches Pihela Making a Move

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David Salituro

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

With around 90,000 in the pot on a board of 5♠J♣8♦3♣, Igor Pihela moved all in for 56,000 from the hijack. Fabio Peluso tanked for a minute in the big blind before calling to put Pihela at risk.

Pihela showed A♠9♠ for ace-high, while Peluso had 10♠10♥. The 4♣ river failed to improve Pihela and he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fabio Peluso	700,000 43,000	43,000

Igor Pihela	Busted

Tags: Fabio Peluso Igor Pihela

01-23-2024 12:43 UTC+2

Melkisetian Comes From Behind to Bust Matta

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David Salituro

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Damir Zhugralin raised to 5,500 in the cutoff before Ara Melkisetian three-bet to 15,500 on the button. Serge Matta then moved all in for 45,000 in the small blind and Zhugralin folded. Melkisetian, meanwhile, tanked for about 30 seconds before calling.

Serge Matta: A♣K♠
Ara Melkisetian: A♠7♦

Melkisetian was dominated until the flop brought 7♣5♣2♠, giving him top pair. The board ran out 3♠5♥ and Matta was sent to the exit.

"Saved me. Ace-jack," Zhugralin told Melkisetian after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Zhugralin	300,000 -9,000	-9,000
Ara Melkisetian	200,000 70,500	70,500
Serge Matta	Busted

Tags: Ara Melkisetian Damir Zhugralin Serge Matta

01-23-2024 12:46 UTC+2

Hrabec Spikes Two-Outer to Bust Hursoz

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David Salituro

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Roman Hrabec had a raise of 50,000 in front of him from middle position before Tugce Hursoz stuck in her last 130,000 from the hijack. Hrabec called.

Tugce Hursoz: A♠K♥
Roman Hrabec: Q♦Q♠

It was a classic flip and Hursoz pulled ahead on the 6♠K♠9♦ flop with top pair. The turn 4♦ was safe for Hursoz, but the Q♣ fell on the river as Hrabec spiked a set to send her to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Hrabec	380,000 170,500	170,500

Tugce Hursoz	Busted

Tags: Roman Hrabec Tugce Hursoz

01-23-2024 13:03 UTC+2

Habib Building Massive Stack After Taking Out Wei

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David Salituro

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Guoliang Wei raised to 6,000 on the button before Michel Habib three-bet to 26,000 in the small blind. Wei then moved all in for around 100,000 and Habib snap-called.

Guoliang Wei: A♣5♦
Michel Habib: A♠J♦

Wei found himself dominated and got no help on the Q♠8♦8♣6♠3♠ board as he was sent to the rail. Habib, meanwhile, moved up past 900,000 with that pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michel Habib	920,000 167,000	167,000
Guoliang Wei	Busted

Tags: Guoliang Wei Michel Habib

01-23-2024 13:43 UTC+2

Guven Cracks He's Kings

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David Salituro

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Heads-up on a flop of 7♥3♠6♣, Junjie He bet 15,000 from the big blind and Ege Guven called under the gun.

The turn was the 5♠ and He moved all in for around 30,000 more. Guven snap-called and He immediately turned away from the table in frustration.

"Aces," he asked Guven as he turned over K♣K♠. Guven didn't have aces, but he did show 9♥8♥ for a turned straight. The river was the 7♣ and He was sent to the rail.

This table also includes the likes of Mustafa Ercan, Tarmo Tammel, and Recep Aydemir.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	570,000 -26,500	-26,500
Ege Guven	250,000 154,500	154,500
Marian-Cristian Cocea	200,000 -27,500	-27,500
Amir Sonsino	135,000 -3,000	-3,000
Recep Aydemir	130,000 -53,000	-53,000
Halil Akbas	130,000 36,000	36,000
Tarmo Tammel	70,000 -13,500	-13,500
Junjie He	Busted

Tags: Ege Guven Junjie He

01-23-2024 13:50 UTC+2

Lykov Scores a Double Knockout

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

In a preflop confrontation, Vladimir Troyanovskiy was all in from the hijack and up against Maxim Lykov in the cutoff and Sorin Marin in the big blind. All three players had similar stacks of just under 100,000 with Lykov slightly covering both opponents.

Vladimir Troyanovskiy: A♥K♠
Sorin Marin: A♣A♦
Maxim Lykov: J♠J♦

Marin was in great shape to triple up and remained ahead on the 8♦7♦5♣ turn. The 10♣ turn was also clean but the 9♣ river gave Lykov a jack-high straight to score nearly a full triple up while sending both Marin and Troyanovskiy to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxim Lykov	296,500 151,500	151,500

Vladimir Troyanovskiy	Busted
Sorin Marin	Busted

Tags: Maxim Lykov Sorin Marin Vladimir Troyanovskiy

01-23-2024 14:44 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya Leaves Akbarpoor with Crumbs

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Abdullah Akbarpoor opened to 8,000 from the cutoff and Giorgiy Skhulukhiya defended from the big blind.

The flop came K♣J♣5♣. Skhulukhiya checked, Akbarpoor moved all in for 51,500 and Skhulukhiya, who was slightly covered, made the call.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: Q♣10♦
Abdullah Akbarpoor: A♦10♣

Akbarpoor was ahead with ace-high but still had to fade Skhulukhiya's flush and straight draws. The J♠ turn was a brick but the straight came in for Skhulukhiya on the 9♠ river and he scored a full double up while Akbarpoor was left with just three big blinds.

Akbarpoor would do an admirable job trying to mount a comeback and did double through Benjamin Hamnett but was ultimatealy eliminated shortly afterwards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Hamnett	427,000 17,000	17,000

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	97,000 20,000	20,000
Abdullah Akbarpoor	Busted

Tags: Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Benjamin Hamnett Abdullah Akbarpoor

01-23-2024 16:22 UTC+2

Bleau Feeling Blue After Busting to Zebarjad

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David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Maroun Jazzar raised to 8,500 in the hijack and Iulian Andrei Bleau called in the cutoff. Ali Zebarjad then three-bet to 30,000 in the big blind and only Bleau called.

The flop came J♠8♥10♦ and Zebarjad checked. Bleau then bet 21,000 and Zebarjad called.

Zebarjad led out for 75,000 on the 7♠ turn and Bleau called to see the 6♣ river. Zebarjad then announced he was all in.

Bleau tanked for a minute before committing the rest of his 220,000. "Straight," Zebarjad said, turning over 9♣9♦. Bleau flashed Q♠Q♣ as he headed off for the exit.

"That's a good story," Zebarjad said with a smile as he raked in the massive pot.

This table also includes big stacks Nazar Buhaiov and Audere, as well as Xixiang Luo.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Zebarjad	700,000 428,500	428,500
Nazar Buhaiov	600,000 233,500	233,500
Audere	550,000 50,000	50,000
Maroun Jazzar	500,000 -20,000	-20,000
Xixiang Luo	300,000 267,500	267,500

Iulian Andrei Bleau	Busted

Tags: Ali Zebarjad Iulian Andrei Bleau

01-23-2024 16:29 UTC+2

Achour Cracks Dziubdziela's Queens

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Marcin Dziubdziela was in the hijack and had three-bet a previous open to 26,000 only for Maher Achour to four-bet to 80,000 from the small blind. All other players got out of the way before Dziubdziela moved all in for 227,000.

Achour thought about the decision for about 90 seconds before calling with a covering stack to put Dziubdziela at risk.

Marcin Dziubdziela: Q♠Q♦
Maher Achour: 9♥9♣

Achour made middle set on the 10♥9♦5♣ flop leaving Dziubdziela drawing to just two outs. The 3♥ turn and 2♥ river changed nothing for either player and Dziubdziela hit the rail while Achour dragged in a pot worth nearly 150 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	721,000 214,500	214,500
Marcin Dziubdziela	Busted

Tags: Maher Achour Marcin Dziubdziela