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

01-24-2024 14:40 UTC+2

Ketzer Flips Shornikau to the Rail

David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau got his last 220,000 in the middle from under the gun as Felipe Ketzer had him at risk from the button.

Maksim Shornikau: 8♠8♦
Felipe Ketzer: A♦K♠

Shornikau was flipping for his tournament life but fell behind on the K♣5♣10♦ flop as Ketzer hit top pair. The board ran out 6♥K♥ and Ketzer finished with trips to send the High Roller champion to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	800,000 595,000	595,000
Maksim Shornikau	Busted

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Maksim Shornikau

01-24-2024 14:50 UTC+2

Yurasov Snap-Calls Hrabec

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Dmitry Yurasov opened to 26,000 from the button and received calls from Roman Hrabec in the small blind and Giuliano Boellis in the big blind.

The flop came Q♣3♦2♠ and action checked around to Yurasov who fired a 30,000 continuation bet. Hrabec called while Boellis got out of the way.

Both players checked the J♥ turn leading to the K♥ river. Hrabec checked, Yurasov bet 108,000 and Hrabec moved all in, covering Yurasov who had 280,000 behind. Yurasov nearly beat him into the pot.

Hrabec could only show A♠9♠ for a bluff while Yurasov showed down A♣10♣ for the nut-straight to score a massive double up through Hrabec.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giuliano Boellis	2,975,000 1,321,000	1,321,000

Roman Hrabec	1,610,000 224,000	224,000

Dmitry Yurasov	926,000 126,000	126,000

Tags: Dmitry Yurasov Giuliano Boellis Roman Hrabec

01-24-2024 14:54 UTC+2

Fryda Hits the River on Mokrani

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David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Victor Fryda raised to 25,000 in early position before Mohamed Mokrani three-bet to 80,000 on the button. Fryda called and they saw a flop of 2♠Q♦9♥.

Both players checked and the turn was the Q♣. Fryda then led out for 105,000 and Mokrani came back with a raise to 250,000.

Fryda spent nearly two minutes in the tank before calling as the J♠ fell on the river. He checked over to Mokrani, who slowed down and checked back.

Fryda turned over J♥10♥ for two pair and Mokrani shook his head and mucked.

At the same time at another table, Candido Cappiello and Feng Qu were on the river of a ten-high board when Cappiello moved all in. Qu snap-called for his last 188,000 with a pair of fours holding K♣4♠ while Cappiello was forced to show queen-high.

"Guy's got heart," tablemate Georges Hanna said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Victor Fryda	1,200,000 560,000	560,000
Mohamed Mokrani	950,000 -200,000	-200,000
Feng Qu	680,000 210,000	210,000
Candido Cappiello	550,000 -450,000	-450,000

Tags: Candido Cappiello Feng Qu Mohamed Mokrani Victor Fryda

01-24-2024 15:01 UTC+2

Di Nicola's Turn to Raise Out Yilmaz

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David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Vedat Yilmaz bet 20,000 on a flop of 2♣7♠9♦ before big blind Ermanno Di Nicola raised to 75,000. Yilmaz called in the cutoff.

The turn was the 8♠ and Di Nicola led out for 100,000. Yilmaz called and the J♥ fell on the river.

Di Nicola slowed down and checked as Yilmaz came out with a bet of 250,000. Di Nicola then moved all in for 575,000 and Yilmaz shook his head and began muttering to himself before folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ermanno Di Nicola	1,100,000 580,000	580,000

Vedat Yilmaz	460,000 -440,000	-440,000

Tags: Ermanno Di Nicola Vedat Yilmaz

01-24-2024 15:06 UTC+2

Lin Four-Bets Dato

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Jianwei Lin opened to 25,000 from middle position only for Andrea Dato to four-bet to 85,000 from the button. Lin thought for about 45 seconds before putting in a four-bet to 220,000 and Dato snap-folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doebs	1,100,000 380,000	380,000
Andrea Dato	815,000 240,000	240,000

Jianwei Lin	795,000 -5,000	-5,000

Tags: Andrea Dato Jianwei Lin

01-24-2024 15:09 UTC+2

Hrabec Fires Two Barrels

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Ceyhan Tezcan opened to 26,000 from early position and Roman Hrabec three-bet to 100,000 from the small blind. Tezcan made the call.

The flop came A♥9♦5♥ and Hrabec fired a 45,000 continuation bet that was called by Tezcan

Hrabec bet again on the 3♣ turn, this time for 200,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Hrabec	1,810,000 200,000	200,000

Ceyhan Tezcan	535,000 49,000	49,000

Tags: Ceyhan Tezcan Roman Hrabec

01-24-2024 15:10 UTC+2

Tulepbergenov Snaps Off Karam

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David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

According to tablemate Shuang Luo, Azamat Tulepbergenov had three-bet from the cutoff and Hala Karam called in middle position. Both players then checked the 9♣3♣5♠ flop.

The turn was the 2♠ and Karam moved all in for around 200,000. Tulepbergenov snap-called and Karam let out a loud sigh as she showed 8♥8♦. Tulepbergenov turned over A♥4♣ for the turned straight.

The river was the 4♠ and Tulepbergenov sent Karam to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	1,600,000 450,000	450,000
David Hu	1,100,000 150,000	150,000
Mehmet Demirkol	700,000 583,000	583,000
Shuang Luo	560,000 86,000	86,000
Nariman Yaghmai	550,000 78,000	78,000
Andrew Hedley	530,000 119,000	119,000
Sakis Adrianapoulos	460,000 164,000	164,000
Anatoly Nikitin	320,000 -184,000	-184,000
Hala Karam	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Hala Karam

01-24-2024 15:22 UTC+2

Zebarjad Makes a Massive Hero Call

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David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Ali Zebarjad raised to 25,000 in the hijack before Jianwei Lin three-bet to 75,000 in the cutoff.

Zebarjad called to see the 7♣4♦2♥ flop, where Lin continued for 80,000. Zebarjad called.

The turn was the Q♠ and Lin bet another 180,000. "Big hand," Zebarjad asked as he took around two minutes before calling.

Zebarjad checked over to Lin again on the Q♣ river and Lin moved all in for around 320,000. Zebarjad had around the same amount remaining and again went deep into the tank.

"Sorry guys," he eventually said to the table.

"Take your time. Tough spot," Andrea Dato replied.

Around five minutes came off the clock as Zebarjad continued to ponder the decision for his tournament life. "You're nervous. That's the only reason I want to call," he told Lin, who let out a laugh and turned around to take a sip of his drink.

Zebarjad eventually stood up and leaned over the table before sitting back down and slamming in the chips to call. Lin showed A♦8♥ for ace-high, while Zebarjad turned over 5♣5♠ to win the pot and double up.

"Sorry. That was a good bluff. But I'm a doctor and I know when you're bluffing," Zebarjad said as Lin was left on an extreme short stack near the bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Zebarjad	1,270,000 1,064,000	1,064,000
Jianwei Lin	40,000 -755,000	-755,000

Tags: Ali Zebarjad Jianwei Lin

01-24-2024 15:28 UTC+2

Lin Not Going Down Without a Fight

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Dmitry Gromov opened to 30,000 from middle position and Jianwei Lin defended from the big blind, leaving himself just 58,000 behind.

The flop came A♣8♣9♠. Lin checked, Gromov bet 15,000, Lin moved all in and Gromov called to put him at risk.

Jianwei Lin: A♠6♥
Dmitry Gromov: 10♦9♦

"If I win, do I get your tiger?" Gromov joked, referencing Lin's card protector. Gromov picked up a straight draw to go along with his pair of nines on the 7♣ turn but the K♠ river was a brick and Lin secured a much-needed double up through Gromov.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Gromov	520,000 -230,000	-230,000

Jianwei Lin	170,000 130,000	130,000

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Jianwei Lin

01-24-2024 15:33 UTC+2

El Khazen Cracks Aces For a Double Knockout

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David Salituro

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Youssef El Khazen limped in under the gun before Simone Andrian raised to 48,000 in the hijack. Yassin Mahmoud had just 2,000 remaining and tossed it in from the cutoff, while Roman Hrabec three-bet to 165,000 in the small blind.

El Khazen then shoved for 470,000 and Andrian also pushed in his last 380,000. "Ah," Hrabec cried out as he quickly got out of the way.

Yassin Mahmoud: 9♦7♥
Simone Andrian: A♠A♦
Youssef El Khazen: J♣J♥

Andrian woke up with aces and was a big favorite to take the big pot as the flop came 6♣8♦4♣. The turn, though, was the J♠ and El Khazen made a set to take the lead.

The river was the Q♠ and Andrian, who won the Warm Up event earlier in the festival, joined Mahmoud on the rail. Hrabec later admitted he folded two queens.

"You folded queens," El Khazen asked.

"Of course. I knew he had aces," Hrabec replied.