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

01-20-2024 22:34 UTC+2

Tarmo Tammel Eliminated in 7th Place ($29,200)

Ryan Lashmar

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

Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in from the small blind, covering Tarmo Tammel in the big blind who was down to his last 535,000 chips. Tammel made the call and was at risk.

Tarmo Tammel: K♠5♠
Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♥3♦

Tammel couldn't connect with the 7♠7♥9♦9♣4♠ runout and was forced to settle for fifth place while Kirichenko collected a decent pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	4,485,000 -15,000	-15,000
Aleksandar Tot	3,550,000 555,000	555,000
Bogdan Munteanu	2,705,000 -400,000	-400,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	2,465,000 295,000	295,000

Anatoly Nikitin	1,085,000 -200,000	-200,000
Shuang Luo	1,010,000 -90,000	-90,000
Tarmo Tammel	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Tarmo Tammel

Level: 27

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000

01-20-2024 22:50 UTC+2

Bogdan Munteanu Eliminated in Sixth Place ($35,100)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Aleksandar Tot opened to 200,000 from the cutoff and Bogdan Munteanu moved all in for 1,780,000 from the small blind. Anatoly Nikitin then moved all in for 1,960,000 from the big blind, forcing Tot out of the pot to leave Munteanu at risk.

Bogdan Munteanu: K♣Q♣
Anatoly Nikitin: Q♥Q♠

Nikitin was in excellent shape with pocket queens and remained ahead throughout the 9♣8♠6♠3♦A♥ runout to secure a full double up while sending Munteanu to the rail in sixth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anatoly Nikitin	3,900,000 2,815,000	2,815,000
Bogdan Munteanu	Busted

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Anatoly Nikitin Bogdan Munteanu

01-20-2024 22:56 UTC+2

Tot Folds Cowboys

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Aleksandar Tot opened to 200,000 from the cutoff with K♦K♣ and Aleksandr Kirichenko defended from the big blind with A♦9♦.

The flop came 5♠3♣2♣ and Kirichenko check-called a 250,000 continuation bet from Tot.

Both players checked the 4♥ turn, which gave Kirichenko the wheel straight, leading to the 8♥ river. Kirichenko bet 560,000 and after roughly 30 seconds of consideration Tot opted to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	3,000,000 535,000	535,000

Aleksandar Tot	2,700,000 -850,000	-850,000

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Aleksandr Kirichenko

01-20-2024 22:59 UTC+2

Tot Gets it All Back from Kirichenko

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Aleksandar Tot opened to 200,000 from the hijack holding Q♠Q♦ and Aleksandr Kirichenko three-bet to 750,000 from the small blind with A♥3♥. Tot moved all in, covering Kirichenko who had 2,200,000 behind and Kirichenko's hand hit the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandar Tot	3,700,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	2,200,000 -800,000	-800,000

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Aleksandr Kirichenko

01-20-2024 23:05 UTC+2

Nikitin puts Luo to the Test

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin opened to 100,000 from the hijack with K♦10♥ and Shuang Luo defended from the big blind with 5♥5♠.

The flop came 9♣6♥3♥ and Shuang check-called a 150,000 continuation bet from Nikitin.

Both players checked the 7♦ turn leading to the 9♦ river. Nikitin moved all in, covering Luo's remaining stack of 960,000. Luo thought for roughly 30 seconds before folding and Nikitin was awarded a nice pot for the succesful bluff.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anatoly Nikitin	4,490,000 590,000	590,000
Maksim Shornikau	4,410,000 -75,000	-75,000
Aleksandar Tot	3,225,000 -475,000	-475,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	2,215,000 15,000	15,000

Shuang Luo	960,000 -50,000	-50,000

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Shuang Luo

Level: 28

Blinds: 60,000/120,000

Ante: 120,000

01-20-2024 23:17 UTC+2

One Street of Value for Tot

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Aleksandar Tot opened to 240,000 from the button with J♥J♦ and Anatoly Nikitin defended from the big blind with A♦J♣.

The flop came 9♦6♠4♠ and Niktin check-called a 330,000 continuation bet from Tot.

Nikitin checked again on the 7♣ turn and Tot bet 500,000. This time Nikitin's ace-high went into the muck and Tot took the pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandar Tot	4,400,000 1,175,000	1,175,000
Anatoly Nikitin	3,100,000 -1,390,000	-1,390,000

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Anatoly Nikitin

01-20-2024 23:31 UTC+2

Shornikau Clicks it Back

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Maksim Shornikau opened to 240,000 from the hijack with J♠J♣ and Aleksandar Tot three-bet to 600,000 from the cutoff with K♦Q♣. Shornikau four-bet to 1,275,000 and Tot, after about 30 seconds, sent his hand into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	5,600,000 1,190,000	1,190,000
Aleksandar Tot	4,950,000 550,000	550,000

Tags: Maksim Shornikau Aleksandar Tot

01-20-2024 23:44 UTC+2

Updated Round of Chip Counts

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Very few pots have gone to a flop over the past 15 minutes. Shuang Luo has moved all in preflop on several occasions and thus far has managed to steal the blinds each time.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Shornikau	5,550,000 -50,000	-50,000
Aleksandar Tot	4,475,000 -475,000	-475,000
Anatoly Nikitin	2,220,000 -880,000	-880,000
Shuang Luo	1,860,000 900,000	900,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	1,195,000 -1,020,000	-1,020,000

Tags: Shuang Luo