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

01-23-2024 16:22 UTC+2

Bleau Feeling Blue After Busting to Zebarjad

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 16:10 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 16:06 UTC+2

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

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 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 15:53 UTC+2

Pankov Bests Gromov With Queen-High

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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

Level: 13

Blinds: 1,500/3,500

Ante: 3,500

01-23-2024 15:18 UTC+2

Second Break

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David Salituro

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

Level 12 has ended and players are now on the second 15-minute break of the day.

There are two more levels of late registration remaining as the field has moved past 600 total entries.

01-23-2024 15:17 UTC+2

Smolka Flops Trips to Double

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David Salituro

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

John Doebs' massive towers of chips in front of him were just slightly reduced after he tangled in a pot with Dawid Smolka.

Doebs bet 15,000 from the cutoff on a flop of 5♠5♥6♣ and Seref Dursun Anar called in the small blind. Smolka then raised to 36,000 in the big blind.

Doebs moved all in and Anar quickly folded. Smolka, then, snap-called for 90,000. "You have a five, huh," Doebs said as they turned over their cards.

Dawid Smolka: 5♦3♥
John Doebs: 7♣6♠

Smolka had indeed flopped trip fives as the board ran out 9♣K♥ to earn him a double up.

"What a huge comeback. I had 80,000," Doebs later said as he still sat with around 650,000 following the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doebs	650,000 100,000	100,000
Seref Anar	300,000 78,000	78,000
Dawid Smolka	220,000 104,000	104,000

Tags: Dawid Smolka John Doebs Seref Dursun Anar

01-23-2024 15:07 UTC+2

Zhao Smacks the Flop to Double Off Kirichenko

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David Salituro

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

Gang Zhao was all in for his last 93,000 before the flop and up against Aleksandr Kirichenko.

Gang Zhao: 10♣9♣
Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♣10♦

Kirichenko had Zhao dominated as the A♠ fell in the window, but it was followed by 9♦9♠ and Zhao made trips while a collective "wow" arose from the table.

The board ran out Q♠10♠ and Zhao improved to a full house to double up.