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

01-23-2024 15:04 UTC+2

Kirichenko Cracks Cowboys to Bust Daniliuk

Ryan Lashmar

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

Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in for 69,000 from middle position and Andrei Daniliuk called off with his stack of 58,500 from the big blind to put himself at risk.

Andrei Daniliuk: K♥K♣
Aleksandr Kirichenko: 9♥9♦

The 9♠5♣5♠ flop gave Kirichenko a full house, leaving Daniliuk drawing to just two outs. He could not catch a king on the 3♣ turn or 7♣ river and was sent to the rail while Kirichenko won back all the chips he had lost just a couple hands earlier.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	132,000 65,500	65,500
Andrei Daniliuk	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Andrei Daniliuk

01-23-2024 14:58 UTC+2

Lahav Inflicts a Cooler on Doe S

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David Salituro

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

With around 60,000 in the pot on a board of Q♥Q♠10♦2♣, John Doe S bet 20,500 from the big blind and Tomer Lahav called in the small blind.

The river was the 9♠ and Lahav led out for 45,000. Doe called and Lahav turned over Q♣J♣ for trip queens.

Doe flashed the Q♦ as he mucked and Lahav took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tomer Lahav	450,000
John Doe S	430,000 -250,000	-250,000

Tags: John Doe S Tomer Lahav

01-23-2024 14:45 UTC+2

Zhu Puts Kirichenko to the Test

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Aleksandr Kirichenko opened to 6,500 from the hijack and Nan Zhu three-bet to 18,00 from the cutoff. Kirichenko made the call.

The flop came Q♦6♦5♣. Kirichenko checked, Zhu bet 15,000 and Kirichenko check-raised to 43,000. Zhu very quickly moved all in, covering Kirichenko who had slightly over 100,000 to start the hand. Kirichenko opted to fold and Zhu took down a nice pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nan Zhu	433,000 59,000	59,000
Dzmitry Urbanovich	408,000 261,500	261,500

Aleksandr Kirichenko	66,500 -104,500	-104,500
Andrei Daniliuk	36,000 -46,000	-46,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Nan Zhu

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 14:40 UTC+2

Doebs Hits the Flop to Bust Gadzhiev

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David Salituro

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

Roman Gadzhiev was all in for his last 120,000 from the cutoff and up against John Doebs on the button.

Roman Gadzhiev: A♦K♦
John Doebs: A♣Q♥

Gadzhiev had Doebs dominated and was poised for a double up until the flop brought 6♣Q♣9♠, giving Doebs top pair and the lead. The board ran out 6♥7♥ and Gadzhiev headed for the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doebs	550,000 281,000	281,000
Roman Gadzhiev	Busted

Tags: John Doebs Roman Gadzhiev

01-23-2024 14:35 UTC+2

Tammel Doubles in Five-Way Pot

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David Salituro

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

Five players went to the flop of 4♣3♦9♥ with around 120,000 already in the middle. According to Tarmo Tammel, Recep Aydemir had raised from early position and received calls from Mustafa Ercan, Shuang Luo, and Gang Zhao before Tammel three-bet to 25,500 on the button. All four players called.

Zhao then bet the flop and Tammel moved all in for 62,500. Aydemir, Ercan, and Luo folded, but Zhao called.

Tarmo Tammel: K♠K♣
Gang Zhao: 8♠8♥

"i had eight-eight also," Aydemir told Zhao after the cards were turned over.

"No," Zhao replied, finding he was already drawing dead. The board ran out 7♥A♣ and Tammel took the pot.

"Eights, tens, sixes," Aydemir said after the hand, pointing to Ercan and Luo and revealing that everyone had a pocket pair.

"I could have ace-king there. I think you have to call," Tammel told Zhao.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	540,000 -30,000	-30,000
Tarmo Tammel	250,000 180,000	180,000
Gang Zhao	200,000 -115,000	-115,000
Recep Aydemir	80,000 -50,000	-50,000
Shuang Luo	50,000 -67,000	-67,000

Tags: Gang Zhao Mustafa Ercan Recep Aydemir Shuang Luo Tarmo Tammel

01-23-2024 14:25 UTC+2

Soika Slows Down Yurasov

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Moritz Dietrich opened to 6,000 from middle position and received calls from Hadi Khadra in the hijack and Ihar Soika on the button. Dmitry Yurasov then three-bet to 27,000 from the small blind, forcing Dietrich and Khadra out of the pot while Soika made the call.

The flop came A♣3♣A♦ and Yurasov fired a 15,000 continuation bet that was called by Soika.

Yurasov slowed down with a check on the 9♥ turn and Soika bet 40,000 which was enough to force a fold from Yurasov.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Yurasov	785,500 -33,500	-33,500

Ihar Soika	415,000 349,000	349,000
Moritz Dietrich	138,000 -137,000	-137,000

Hadi Khadra	85,000 -15,000	-15,000

Tags: Dmitry Yurasov Hadi Khadra Ihar Soika Moritz Dietrich

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

01-23-2024 14:23 UTC+2

Martinovic Claims to Fold an Ace

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David Salituro

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

Vedat Yilmaz raised to 5,500 in the hijack before Dragoljub Martinovic three-bet to 23,500 in the small blind. Yilmaz called and they saw a flop of 8♥K♣4♠.

Martinovic continued for 16,500 and Yilmaz called. Both players checked the 3♣ turn.

Martinovic also checked the A♣ river and Yilmaz bet 46,000. Martinovic then tanked for nearly five minutes until he surrendered his hand.

"Queen, queen no good," Yilmaz said.

"How about an ace," Martinovic replied.

"You had an ace? You win," Yilmaz added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vedat Yilmaz	420,000 58,000	58,000

Dragoljub Martinovic	210,000 30,500	30,500

Tags: Dragoljub Martinovic Vedat Yilmaz

01-23-2024 14:16 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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David Salituro

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Michel Habib	880,000 -40,000	-40,000
Fabio Peluso	800,000 100,000	100,000

Roman Hrabec	730,000 350,000	350,000

Razvan Sabau	650,000 167,000	167,000
Maroun Jazzar	520,000 63,000	63,000
Siarhei Chudapal	450,000 44,500	44,500
Benjamin Hamnett	410,000 -17,000	-17,000

Matthew Davenport	410,000 72,000	72,000
Bartlomiej Swieboda	360,000 17,500	17,500
Fahredin Mustafov	350,000
Michael Brown	300,000 -150,000	-150,000
Viliyan Petleshkov	290,000 -90,000	-90,000
Andrea Dato	240,000 -9,500	-9,500

Bakhos Joumaa	230,000 17,000	17,000
Qiang Xu	220,000 -3,500	-3,500

Naji Tannoury	210,000 175,000	175,000
Dmitry Gromov	160,000 -33,500	-33,500

Justus Held	130,000
Simone Andrian	100,000 100,000	100,000

Peng Yang	80,000 -59,000	-59,000
Andrey Pateychuk	50,000 -138,500	-138,500