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

01-24-2024 19:06 UTC+2

Yilmaz Picks Off Arakelian With Sixes

David Salituro

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

Candido Cappiello raised to 50,000 in early position before Artem Arakelian moved all in for 680,000 in the small blind. Vedat Yilmaz in the big blind asked for a count and tanked for a minute before calling, while Cappiello got out of the way.

Artem Arakelian: A♥J♦
Vedat Yilmaz: 6♠6♦

Arakelian was racing for his tournament life but couldn't catch up on the 7♠K♠2♣3♥7♣ board to hit the rail.

"He saved you. I win," Cappiello said, saying he folded ace-queen.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vedat Yilmaz	2,700,000 2,240,000	2,240,000

Candido Cappiello	1,200,000 650,000	650,000
Artem Arakelian	Busted

Tags: Artem Arakelian Candido Cappiello Vedat Yilmaz

01-24-2024 19:47 UTC+2

Warde Runs Into Queens

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Jad Warde got around 300,000 in the middle from the cutoff as Mustafa Ercan put him at risk from early position.

Jad Warde: A♣2♣
Mustafa Ercan: Q♥Q♠

The board ran out 8♠K♣K♠7♠6♦ and Ercan's queens held up to send Warde to the rail just as this table was about to break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	230,000 -870,000	-870,000
Jad Warde	Busted

Tags: Jad Warde Mustafa Ercan

01-24-2024 20:25 UTC+2

Kirichenko Comes From Behind to Bust Munteanu; El Khazen Also Falls

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Bogdan Munteanu was all in for around 200,000 from middle position and up against Aleksandr Kirichenko under the gun.

Bogdan Munteanu: A♥J♥
Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♣10♣

Munteanu had Kirichenko dominated until the flop brought 7♣6♦10♦, giving Kirichenko top pair. The board ran out Q♣7♥ and Munteanu was sent to the rail.

A few hands later at this table, Youssef El Khazen put in his last 600,000 from the cutoff on a flop of 9♣7♥5♠ and Ihar Soika called in middle position.

Youssef El Khazen: A♥Q♣
Ihar Soika: 5♣5♥

Soika had flopped a set and was a massive against El Khazen's ace-high. The board ran out 10♠2♠ and El Khazen was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ihar Soika	2,400,000 900,000	900,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	950,000 350,000	350,000
Bogdan Munteanu	Busted
Youssef El Khazen	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Bogdan Munteanu Ihar Soika Youssef El Khazen

01-24-2024 20:48 UTC+2

Deuces Don't Lose For Zebarjad Against Dato

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David Salituro

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Andrea Dato moved all in from the big blind and Ali Zebarjad snap-called in early position.

Andrea Dato: A♥Q♠
Ali Zebarjad: 2♦2♥

The two players were racing with nearly even stacks as the board came 4♣6♣5♦2♠8♥. Zebarjad made a set on the turn to leave Dato drawing only to a straight on the river, but he failed to connect as Zebarjad claimed the pot.

The stacks were counted down and Zebarjad had 680,000 behind. He barely had Dato covered and Dato headed for the payout desk.

"Snap-called. Played deuces like aces," tablemate Antoine Hasbani said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Zebarjad	1,300,000 700,000	700,000
Andrea Dato	Busted

Tags: Andrea Dato Ali Zebarjad

01-24-2024 20:53 UTC+2

El Asmar Sees an Ace, Then a Lucky Seven

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David Salituro

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Hady El Asmar moved all in for 300,000 on the button and Ihar Soika called in the small blind.

Hady El Asmar: 7♣7♥
Ihar Soika: A♣5♥

The A♦ fell in the window and El Asmar turned around prepared to get out of his seat, but it was followed by 7♦10♦ as he made a set. The 10♥ turn improved him to a full house, while the 8♥ completed the board and secured his double up.

At the same time at another table, Fady Kamar was eliminated when his set of aces was cracked by the 7♥6♥ flush of Gang Zhao. Jean Mikhael was also recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ihar Soika	2,700,000 300,000	300,000
Gang Zhao	1,700,000 100,000	100,000
Hady El Asmar	650,000 300,000	300,000
Fady Kamar	Busted
Jean Mikhael	Busted

Tags: Fady Kamar Gang Zhao Hady El Asmar Ihar Soika Jean Mikhael

01-24-2024 21:21 UTC+2

Mokrani Takes From Hrabec; Takes Out Doebs

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David Salituro

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Heads-up on a board of 10♥6♥Q♠A♦, Mohamed Mokrani bet 175,000 from the button before Roman Hrabec raised to 600,000 in the big blind.

Mokrani called and the 8♥ fell on the river. Hrabec took his time before checking, while Mokrani also tanked for a minute and checked back. Hrabec showed J♣6♦ for a pair of sixes and Mokrani took the pot with A♠J♥.

The next hand, Mokrani made it 100,000, then called when John Doebs pushed all in for 500,000 from the big blind.

John Doebs: J♠10♠
Mohamed Mokrani: A♥8♣

Mokrani hit his ace on the A♠Q♣10♦ flop, while Doebs picked up a flush draw on the 9♠ turn. The Q♦ on the river was no help and Doebs was eliminated right before dinner.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed Mokrani	3,700,000 1,125,000	1,125,000
Roman Hrabec	1,500,000 -750,000	-750,000

John Doebs	Busted

Tags: John Doebs Mohamed Mokrani Roman Hrabec

01-24-2024 22:37 UTC+2

El Asmar Shot Down by Cowboys

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

With two players seeing a board of A♣Q♣7♥ and roughly 800,000 in the middle, Hady El Asmar was all in for his last 210,000 from early position and called by Ermanno Di Nicola, who held a covering stack in the next seat over.

Hady El Asmar: 9♣8♣
Ermanno Di Nicola" K♣K♠

Di Nicola was in the lead with pocket-kings but El-Asmar made a flush on the 7♣ turn. The J♣ river brought in a bigger flush for Di Nicola to send El-Asmar to the rail while Di Nicola took down a sizable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ermanno Di Nicola	3,550,000 1,690,000	1,690,000

Hady El Asmar	Busted

Tags: Ermanno Di Nicola Hady El-Asmar

01-24-2024 22:42 UTC+2

Lian Flipped to the Rail by Christoforou

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David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Andreas Christoforou raised to 125,000 on the button, then called when small blind Xiang Lian moved all in for around 800,000.

Xiang Lian: 5♣5♠
Andreas Christoforou: A♣K♥

Christoforou took the lead on the K♦7♥7♣ flop with two pair, and Lian couldn't catch up on the J♠ turn or A♥ river as Christoforou sent him off to collect his payout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andreas Christoforou	4,000,000 470,000	470,000
Xiang Lian	Busted

Tags: Andreas Christoforou Xiang Lian

01-24-2024 22:53 UTC+2

Ketzer Picks Off Zebarjad With Kings

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David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Ali Zebarjad moved all in for 1,300,000 in the hijack, Felipe Ketzer reshoved on the button, and big blind Mustafa Ercan tanked for a minute before getting out of the way.

Ali Zebarjad: 10♥10♠
Felipe Ketzer: K♥K♠

Ketzer had woken up with kings and the board ran out A♥4♥4♦K♦6♦, giving him a full house and sending Zebarjad to the rail. Ercan admitted after the hand he folded two jacks.

Gang Zhao and Xixiang Luo have also recently been eliminated.