$5,300 High Roller | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-20-2024 20:52 UTC+2

Maher Achour Eliminated in 9th Place ($17,500)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Maher Achour moved all in for 120,000 from early position and Anatoly Nikitin called off from the big blind to put Maher at risk.

Maher Achour: J♦9♦
Anatoly Nikitin: 3♣2♣

The board ran out 10♠2♠K♠2♦A♦. Nikitin had turned trips to take the pot while Achour became the first casualty of the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anatoly Nikitin	2,000,000 110,000	110,000
Maher Achour	Busted

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Maher Achour

01-20-2024 20:57 UTC+2

Guo Liang Wei Eliminated in 8th Place ($23,400)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in from the small blind for 685,000 and Guoliang Wei called off from the big blind for his last 340,000 to put himself at risk.

Guoliang Wei: A♣9♠
Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♥J♦

Wei was drawing dead by the turn on the J♣4♥10♦5♥K♦ runout and was forced to settle for eighth-place while Kirichenko scored nearly a full double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	1,100,000 315,000	315,000

Guoliang Wei	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Guoliang Wei

Level: 25

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 60,000

01-20-2024 21:21 UTC+2

Munteanu Plays it Safe

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Aleksandar Tot opened to 120,000 from the button with A♥3♣ and Bogdan Munteanu defended from the big blind with Q♠2♠.

Both players checked the 5♣4♥6♦ flop leading to the 6♠ turn. Munteanu bet 165,000 and Tot made the call.

Munteanu took the lead on the Q♥ river and checked. Tot checked behind and Munteanu took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bogdan Munteanu	3,100,000 980,000	980,000
Aleksandar Tot	2,800,000 -80,000	-80,000

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Bogdan Munteanu

01-20-2024 21:31 UTC+2

Two Streets of Value for Shornikau

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau opened to 125,000 from early position with A♦5♦ and Aleksandr Kirichenko defended from the big blind with J♠6♠.

Both players connected with the A♥J♥3♣ flop. Kirichenko check-called a 70,000 continuation bet from Shornikau.

On the 7♣ turn Shornikau bet 275,000. Once again Kirichenko called.

The river was the 9♥. Shornikau's ace was good at showdown and he took down a nice pot, extending his lead over the rest of the field in the process.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	4,300,000 750,000	750,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	1,000,000 -100,000	-100,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Maksim Shornikau

01-20-2024 21:33 UTC+2

Updated Round of Chip Counts

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	4,250,000 -50,000	-50,000
Bogdan Munteanu	3,105,000 5,000	5,000
Aleksandar Tot	2,995,000 195,000	195,000
Tarmo Tammel	1,780,000 -565,000	-565,000
Anatoly Nikitin	1,285,000 -715,000	-715,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	1,045,000 45,000	45,000

Shuang Luo	840,000 -305,000	-305,000

Level: 26

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 80,000

01-20-2024 21:48 UTC+2

Luo Doubles Through the Chip Leader

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau opened to 180,000 from the button and Shuang Luo defended from the big blind.

The flop came K♣K♦J♥. Luo checked, Shornikau bet 80,000 and Luo called.

Both players checked the J♣ turn leading to the 6♦ river. Luo moved all in for 500,000 and after using one time extension Shornikau made the call.

Shornikau tabled A♠3♦ for ace-high while Luo showed down K♠9♥ for kings full of jacks to score a full double up through Shornikau.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	3,300,000 -950,000	-950,000
Shuang Luo	1,600,000 760,000	760,000

Tags: Maksim Shornikau Shuang Luo

01-20-2024 21:59 UTC+2

Kirichenko Outflips Tammel

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in from the button for 1,005,000. Tarmo Tammel then moved all in for 1,420,000 from the small blind, folding out the big blind to leave Kirichenko at risk.

Aleksandr Kirichenko: 4♠4♦
Tarmo Tammel: A♣Q♥

Kirichenko got the better of the 2♣J♠6♦ flop and remained ahead on the 5♣ turn. The 6♣ river was also a brick and Kirichneko scored a full double up while Tammel was left with just over five big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	2,170,000 1,125,000	1,125,000

Tarmo Tammel	415,000 -1,365,000	-1,365,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Tarmo Tammel

01-20-2024 22:10 UTC+2

Shornikau Spikes the River

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau opened to 160,000 from the button with A♦10♠ and Shuang Luo defended from the big blind with J♣3♣.

The flop came Q♠J♥4♠. Luo checked, Shornikau fired a 135,000 continuation bet and Luo called.

Shornikau bet again for 375,000 when checked to on the 6♦ turn and once again Luo called with second pair.

The river was the K♣ giving Shornikau the nut-straight. Luo checked and Shornikau moved all in, covering Luo's remaining stack of 1,100,000. Luo opted to fold and Shornikau took down a decent pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	4,500,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Shuang Luo	1,100,000 -500,000	-500,000

Tags: Maksim Shornikau Shuang Luo