$2,200 Merit Poker Cup Day 1bc | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-28-2024 16:55 UTC+3

More for Skhulukhiya, Less for Pateychuk

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With two players seeing a final board of 5♣Q♦4♣Q♥4♦ and roughly 95,000 in the middle, Andrey Pateychuk checked from the cutoff and Giorgiy Skhulukhiya checked behind from the button.

Pateychuk tabled K♣8♣ for a missed flush draw while Skhulukhiya showed down K♠K♦ for kings up to take the pot and continue accumulating chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	320,000 120,000	120,000
Andrey Pateychuk	72,000 -31,100	-31,100

Tags: Andrey Pateychuk Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

03-28-2024 17:19 UTC+3

Gromov Falls to Saiapin

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

A player from early position opened to 2,500 and received calls from Dmitry Gromov in middle position, Andrei Daniliuk in the small blind and Iurii Saiapin in the big blind.

The flop came J♠7♦5♦. Daniliuk checked and Saiapin bet 3,000. The original raiser bumped it up to 7,000 before Gromov raised to 17,000. Daniliuk got out of the way before Saiapin moved all in, covering both remaining players. Gromov made the call to put himself at risk.

Dmitry Gromov: J♦8♦
Iurii Saiapin: 7♠5♠

Both players had connected with the board; Gromov had made top pair with a flush draw while Saiapin had bottom two pair. Gromov couldn't improve on the 10♣ turn or 4♣ river and was eliminated by Saiapin who dragged in a sizable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Iurii Saiapin	279,000 199,000	199,000
Andrei Daniliuk	105,000
Dmitry Gromov	Busted

Tags: Andrei Daniliuk Dmitry Gromov Iurii Saiapin

03-28-2024 17:22 UTC+3

Break

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Players are now on their second 15-minute break of the day. The field has grown to 118 total entrants of which 91 players remain.

Level: 5

Blinds: 700/1,500

Ante: 1,500

03-28-2024 17:47 UTC+3

Assorted Chip Counts After Second Break

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	356,000
Sergei Sokharev	307,000
Dmitrii Astratov	262,600
Ali Zebarjad	236,000
Candido Cappiello	208,000
Georges Hanna	200,600
Jenya Gavrilovich	180,300
Alisa Sibgatova	168,000
Vadim Volkhonskiy	160,000
Sinead Priestley	123,000
Matthew Davenport	106,000

03-28-2024 18:03 UTC+3

Tasyurek Snaps Off Buta

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

With two players seeing a board of A♠3♠3♦9♣ and roughly 55,000 in the middle, Raul Buta bet 20,000 from the small blind and was called by Halil Tasyurek in middle position.

Buta shoved on the 6♣ river for roughly 100,000 and Tasyurek snap-called. Buta tabled A♥K♣ for aces up but Tasyurek turned over A♣A♦ for aces full to knock out Buta and scoop a colossal pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Halil Tasyurek	392,500 279,500	279,500
Raul Buta	Busted

Tags: Halil Tasyurek

03-28-2024 18:21 UTC+3

PokerNews Podcast: Nik Airball 20-Minute Tank, Pet Peeves & Corey Eyring's Quest for $1,000,000

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

In the 822nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by WPT Global, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz & Kyna England come to you from Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas to discuss the latest poker news, stories, and gossip.

That includes Nik Airball's 20-minute tank in a big hand on The Lodge Poker Live Stream, which prompted Doug Polk to take action. That led to a discussion on pet peeves at the table, and in Mike's case, the pet part is quite literal.

The crew also plays the first edition of PokerNews Plinko, discusses Chad's poker thrift store "Tweet of the Week," and talks about the current state of poker given Bitcoin is at an all-time high. From there, they dive into the wild journey of poker vlogger Corey Eyring, who is risking his entire net worth in an attempt to win $500,000 by the end of the year. Whatever amount he ends up with, the plan is to place it all on a single roulette bet of either red or black. Chad chatted with Eyring about his crazy quest and highlighted various clips throughout the episode.

Finally, the crew once again touches on Kevin Martin's 24/7 stream while attempting to win $5,000 playing online, which came to an unceremonius end.

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

Did you know the PokerNews Podcast is no longer just audio? That's right, we've added a video show as well that you can view on the PokerNews YouTube Channel.

Level: 6

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 1,600

03-28-2024 18:38 UTC+3

Menicanin Takes from Ivanov

Ryan Lashmar

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

With three players seeing a board of 10♠6♥2♠ and roughly 15,000 in the middle, Mario Menicanin checked from the small blind and Lyudmil Ivanov bet 5,100 from under the gun. Dmitrii Kuzin folded from the hijack before Menicanin put in a check-raise to 17,000. Ivanov made the call.

Menicanin bet 47,000 on the 9♣ turn and this time it was enough to force a fold from Ivanov.

Despite taking the hit Ivanov's stack of just over 400,000 is well ahead of any other player in the room at this time.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lyudmil Ivanov	404,000 277,000	277,000
Mario Menicanin	227,000 227,000	227,000
Dmitrii Kuzin	202,500 202,500	202,500

Tags: Dmitrii Kuzin Lyudmil Ivanov Mario Menicanin

03-28-2024 18:59 UTC+3

Death by Quads for Babayev

Ryan Lashmar

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

In a preflop confrontation, Agharazi Babayev was all in for roughly 50,000 and up against Georges Hanna who covered him.

Agharazi Babayev: AxQx All in
Georges Hanna: 6x6x

The 6x5x6x flop gave Hanna quad sixes leaving Babayev drawing dead. After the Ax turn and 5x river were dealt he made his exit from the tournament area while Hanna collected the last of his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georges Hanna	198,000 -2,600	-2,600
Agharazi Babayev	Busted

Tags: Agharazi Babayev Georges Hanna