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

01-23-2024 15:53 UTC+2

Pankov Bests Gromov With Queen-High

David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a flop of 3♣10♣4♥, Dmitry Gromov bet 10,000 from early position and Vitalii Pankov called on the button.

The turn was the 9♥ and Gromov checked. Pankov then bet 26,000 and Gromov called.

The 10♦ fell on the river and Gromov again checked. Pankov checked back and Gromov showed 6♠5♠ for a missed straight draw. Pankov had Q♦J♣ for his own busted straight but took the pot with his queen-high.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vitalii Pankov	340,000 110,000	110,000
Dmitry Gromov	220,000 60,000	60,000

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Vitalii Pankov

01-23-2024 15:56 UTC+2

Lin Gets Paid on Massive River Bet

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David Salituro

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

Helmut Phung raised to 7,500 on the button before Jianwei Lin three-bet to 23,000 in the big blind. Phung called and they saw a flop of 9♣5♠8♠.

Lin continued for 16,500 and Phung called. The turn was the J♦ and Lin bet another 45,000. Phung again called and the 8♥ fell on the river.

Lin then bet 125,000 and Phung spent several minutes in the tank before tossing in a chip to signify a call. Lin turned over J♥J♠ for a set and Phung mucked.

This table, which also includes start-of-day chip leader Samy Barka, Monika Zukowicz, and Stanislav Tishkevich, had spent the early part of the day on the main feature stage before moving back into the main tournament area at the break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jianwei Lin	850,000 231,000	231,000
Vladimir Malyarchuk	750,000 420,500	420,500
Samy Barka	300,000 -483,000	-483,000

Stanislav Tishkevich	290,000 131,000	131,000
Monika Zukowicz	220,000 -41,500	-41,500
Helmut Phung	100,000 -188,000	-188,000

Tags: Helmut Phung Jianwei Lin

01-23-2024 16:03 UTC+2

Khordbin Fires Two Barrels

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Hadi Khordbin opened to 7,000 from under the gun and received a call from Ihar Soika in the cutoff before a player in the small blind three-bet to 21,000. Khordbin made the call while Soika got out of the way.

The flop came 9♣7♠2♦. The small blind made a continuation bet of 21,000 that was called by Khordbin.

The small blind checked on the 3♠ turn and Khordbin bet 20,000. The small blind made the call.

Khordbin bet again for 70,000 when checked to on the 9♥ turn and this time it was enough to force a fold from his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hadi Khordbin	335,000 114,500	114,500
Ihar Soika	204,000 -211,000	-211,000

Tags: Hadi Khordbin Ihar Soika

01-23-2024 16:06 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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David Salituro

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Yurasov	770,000 -15,500	-15,500

Yassin Mahmoud	650,000 650,000	650,000
Wael Sarkis	600,000 66,500	66,500
Robert Heidorn	570,000 302,000	302,000
Hadi Khordbin	350,000 15,000	15,000
Maxime Chilaud	320,000 29,000	29,000
David Hu	300,000 184,000	184,000
Toni Kaukua	260,000 174,000	174,000
Adrian State	250,000 100,000	100,000
Nils Pudel	250,000 188,000	188,000
Antoine Hasbani	240,000 33,500	33,500
Candido Cappiello	220,000 -256,500	-256,500
Samuel Dray	200,000 20,000	20,000
Andrew Hedley	180,000 -100,000	-100,000
Ramez Haddad	150,000 -37,500	-37,500
Christophe Panetti	150,000 -40,000	-40,000
Vincent Meli	140,000 -107,000	-107,000

01-23-2024 16:10 UTC+2

Mustafov Saved From a Cooler on the River

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David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a board of J♥8♠J♣7♥, Daniel Henriques bet 25,000 from the button before Fahredin Mustafov raised to 60,000 in the hijack.

Henriques called and the 7♣ fell on the river. Mustafov then bet 140,000 and Henriques snap-called.

Henriques showed K♦J♦ for a full house, while Mustafov had the same full house with J♠9♠ as he survived with a chop on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Henriques	470,000 30,000	30,000
Fahredin Mustafov	370,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Daniel Henriques Fahredin Mustafov

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

01-23-2024 16:32 UTC+2

Hu Shows Hasbani the Nuts

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David Salituro

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

Heads-up on a flop of Q♣A♦9♦, David Hu bet 18,000 from the cutoff and Antoine Hasbani called in early position.

Both players checked the A♠ turn before Hasbani led out for 18,000 on the K♥ river.

Hu then raised to 95,000 and Hasbani called. Hu showed A♣K♠ for a full house and Hasbani mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Hu	500,000 200,000	200,000
Ryan Plant	450,000 135,000	135,000
Nuri Hadioglu	380,000 46,000	46,000
Baurzhan Akimov	250,000 68,500	68,500
Antoine Hasbani	180,000 -60,000	-60,000

Tags: Antoine Hasbani David Hu

Level: 14

Blinds: 2,000/3,500

Ante: 3,500

01-23-2024 16:45 UTC+2

Barka Leaves Tishkevich Short after Brutal Turn

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 14 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

Monika Zukowicz opened to 7,000 from early position and Stanislav Tishkevich three-bet to 21,000 from middle position. Samy Barka called in late position and Zukowicz got out of the way.

Tishkevich fired an 18,000 continuation bet on the A♦8♥6♦ flop that was called by Barka.

On the 9♠ turn Tishkevich checked and Barka bet 100,000 into the 90,000 pot. Tishkevich moved all in for roughly 225,000 and Barka, who was slightly covered, made the call.

Samy Barka: 9♣9♥
Stanislav Tishkevich: A♦K♠

Tishkevich had flopped top pair but Barka had turned a set of nines leaving Tishkevich drawing dead. The 10♦ river was a formality after which Barka scored a full double up through Tishkevich who was left with under ten big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Samy Barka	473,000 173,000	173,000

Monika Zukowicz	217,000 -3,000	-3,000
Stanislav Tishkevich	29,000 -261,000	-261,000

Tags: Monika Zukowicz Samy Barka Stanislav Tishkevich