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

01-24-2024 15:54 UTC+2

Urbanovich Deals Mortal Blow to Swieboda

Ryan Lashmar

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Dzmitry Urbanovich opened to 30,000 from middle position and Bartlomiej Swieboda three-bet to 75,000 from the button. Urbanovich four-bet to 140,000 and Swieboda made the call.

The flop came Q♠8♣J♦ and Urbanovich fired a 105,000 continuation bet that was called by Swieboda.

Urbanovich checked on the Q♦ turn and Swieboda moved all in, coverig Urbanovich who had 167,000 behind. Urbanovich snap-called and was at risk.

Dzmitry Urbanovich: Q♥J♣
Bartlomiej Swieboda: A♠A♥

Swieboda had trapped preflop with aces only for Urbanovich to flop top two pair and fill up on the turn. Swieboda couldn't find an ace on the 8♦ river and was left with just one big blind. Swieboda would bust shortly afterwards on the soft-bubble while Urbanovich secured a massive double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doebs	1,460,000 360,000	360,000
Dzmitry Urbanovich	864,000 310,000	310,000

Bartlomiej Swieboda	Busted

Tags: Bartlomiej Swieboda Dzmitry Urbanovich

01-24-2024 16:26 UTC+2

Haloon Busts Skhulukhiya Two Spots from the Money

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was all in from early position for 114,000 and up against Carmel Haloon in the cutoff who had a covering stack.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: 9♠9♥
Carmel Haloon: J♥J♣

Skhulukhiya took the lead flopping a set on the 10♦9♦Q♣ flop but in a dramatic turn of events Haloon made a straight on the 8♦ turn. Skhulukhiya could not catch up on the 2♦ river and was sent to the rail two spots shy of making the money while Haloon collected the last of his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Carmel Haloon	845,000 145,000	145,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	Busted

Tags: Carmel Haloon Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

01-24-2024 17:25 UTC+2

Maher Achour Bubbles the Main Event

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

It took until the ninth hand of hand-for-hand until there was an all in and a call. Maher Achour moved all in from the button for 380,000 and Gang Zhao tanked for a minute in the small blind before calling.

Maher Achour: 10♦10♥
Gang Zhao: A♣J♦

Achour remained in the lead on the 4♣5♥8♣ flop as he got up from his seat. The turn, though, was the J♥ and Achour threw his arms in the air in frustration as Zhao spiked a pair.

The river was the 7♥ and Zhao won the pot to eliminate Achour on the money bubble. The remaining 80 players are now all in the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gang Zhao	1,600,000 -220,000	-220,000
Maher Achour	Busted

01-24-2024 17:29 UTC+2

Karkan Now 1-1 in Lifetime Poker Tournaments

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Mohammadreza Karkan sneaked into the money in what he says is the first real live tournament he's every played, having earned his seat in a qualifier.

Having guaranteed his payday, he moved all in for 125,000 in early position, Ilia Korliakov reshoved in middle position, and the rest of the table folded.

Mohammadreza Karkan: 9♥6♣
Ilia Korliakov: Q♣Q♠

"How about nine-nine-nine," Karkan said. He caught one nine on the 9♦2♥4♥ flop as a collective "whoa" arose from the table, but he improved no further on the 10♠ turn and 3♣ river as he was sent to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ilia Korliakov	800,000 70,000	70,000
Mohammadreza Karkan	Busted

Tags: Ilia Korliakov Mohammadreza Karkan

01-24-2024 17:42 UTC+2

Hu Flipped to the Rail by Yaghmai

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Nariman Yaghmai raised to 40,000 in middle position, David Hu three-bet to 110,000 in the hijack, and Yaghmai moved all in. Hu called with nearly an identical stack.

David Hu: A♣K♠
Nariman Yaghmai: J♣J♠

The board ran out 8♣Q♥7♣4♣J♦ and Yaghmai finished with a set to earn the pot. The stacks were counted down and Yaghmai had 475,000 remaining, while Hu had 440,000 and was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nariman Yaghmai	950,000 400,000	400,000
David Hu	Busted

Tags: David Hu Nariman Yaghmai

01-24-2024 17:52 UTC+2

Hedley, Tulepbergenov Build a Huge Side Pot; Kamar Takes Out Aoun

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin was already all in as Azamat Tulepbergenov and Andrew Hedley went to a flop of J♣A♣7♠. Hedley bet 50,000 from the button, Tulepbergenov raised to 155,000 in the cutoff, and Hedley called.

The turn was the 10♦ and Tulepbergenov checked to Hedley who bet 385,000. Tulepbergenov tanked for several minutes as he counted out the chips to call and shuffled them in his hand before putting them in the middle.

He also checked the J♦ river and Hedley checked back this time. Nikitin showed Q♣4♣ and got up from his seat, Tulepbergenov had K♣5♣ for a missed flush draw, while Hedley had K♠Q♠ for a straight to win the pot and send Nikitin to the rail.

At the same time at another table, Carlos Aoun was all in for around 200,000 from the button and up against Fady Kamar under the gun.

Carlos Aoun: 5♥5♦
Fady Kamar: 10♦10♥

The board ran out K♦Q♠9♥A♣7♠ and Kamar's tens sent Aoun and his fives to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Hedley	2,200,000 1,485,000	1,485,000
Azamat Tulepbergenov	1,800,000 -360,000	-360,000
Fady Kamar	800,000 -400,000	-400,000
Anatoly Nikitin	Busted
Carlos Aoun	Busted

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Andrew Hedley Azamat Tulepbergenov Carlos Aoun Fady Kamar

01-24-2024 18:09 UTC+2

Hasbani Stuns Korkmaz on the River

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

With around 150,000 in the pot on a board of Q♣A♦4♥Q♠, Koray Korkmaz bet 75,000 from the big blind before Antoine Hasbani raised to 225,000 from under the gun.

Korkmaz called and the river came the 10♥. Hasbani then moved all in and Korkmaz snap-called.

Hasbani showed K♥J♥ for a rivered straight and Korkmaz angrily tossed Q♥7♥ as well as his last 200,000 in the middle before heading off to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antoine Hasbani	1,400,000 550,000	550,000
Koray Korkmaz	Busted

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Koray Korkmaz

01-24-2024 18:22 UTC+2

Adrianapoulos and Hedley Chop Up Luo

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Sakis Adrianapoulos moved all in from middle position for roughly 200,000 and Andrew Hedley reshoved from the button, covering both players in the blinds. Shuang Luo called off from the big blind with a remaining stack of roughly 240,000 and, along with Adrianapoulos, was at risk.

Sakis Adrianapoulos: A♦J♦
Shuang Luo: K♦J♥
Andrew Hedley: A♠K♠

Hedley seemed poised to score a triple knockout with a dominating hand against both opponents. He remained ahead on the 8♣3♥5♠ flop and by the 4♥ turn Luo was drawing dead. The 2♣ brought in an unlikely wheel straight and the pot was split between Adrianapoulos and Hedley while Luo was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Hedley	2,230,000 30,000	30,000
Sakis Adrianapoulos	280,000 -180,000	-180,000
Shuang Luo	Busted

Tags: Andrew Hedley Sakis Adrianapoulos Shuang Luo

01-24-2024 18:23 UTC+2

Lian Finishes Off Troyanovskiy

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David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

A few hands after taking a bit against Ihar Soika, Vladimir Troyanovskiy pushed all in for 190,000 from the cutoff and Xiang Lian called in the big blind.

Vladimir Troyanovskiy: K♠10♥
Xiang Lian: K♦7♣

Troyanovskiy had Lian dominated as both players hit their king on the K♥5♠9♠ flop. The turn brought the 7♦ and Lian improved to two pair to take the lead.

The river was the 6♥ and Troyanovskiy was sent to the rail. Mihai Tusnea was also recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Xiang Lian	2,600,000 200,000	200,000
Vladimir Troyanovskiy	Busted
Mihai Tusnea	Busted

Tags: Xiang Lian Vladimir Troyanovskiy Mihai Tusnea

01-24-2024 18:47 UTC+2

Urbanovich Goes Out in Style to Christoforou

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David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Before the hand, Ali Nejad came by the table to talk with fellow commentator Andrew Hedley.

"How's he playing," Nejad asked the table.

"I'm the worst here," tablemate Wael Sarkis replied as they began discussing a hand Sarkis had played earlier against Aleksandr Kirichenko on the live stream.

Andreas Christoforou then raised to 60,000 in the cutoff and Dzmitry Urbanovich moved all in for 235,000 on the button. "It's a flip," Christoforou said as he called.

Dzmitry Urbanovich: 6♦6♠
Andreas Christoforou: 9♠9♣

Christoforou unexpectedly found himself well ahead of Urbanovich's sixes as the flop brought 8♦K♥9♥ to give him a set. The board ran out 3♦9♦ and Christoforou hit quads on the river to make Urbanovich's elimination official.

"He shows up on Day 2 and is the chip leader," Sarkis said about Christoforou.

Nazar Buhaiov and Ilia Korliakov were also recently eliminated.