$2,200 Merit Poker Cup Day 3 | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-30-2024 13:21 UTC+3

Hanna Coolers Korkmaz to the Rail

David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Three-handed on a board of 7♥5♥3♣5♣, Koray Korkmaz bet 40,000 from the big blind and O I called under the gun. Georges Hanna then raised to 110,000 in the small blind.

Korkmaz moved all in for 163,000 and O I tanked for a minute before folding. Hanna, though, snap-called.

Korkmaz showed 6♥4♥ for a straight, but Hanna had 3♠3♥ for a full house and Korkmaz was already drawing dead going to the 2♠ river. Hanna took the pot while Korkmaz, runner-up in this event last year, was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
O I	800,000 -93,000	-93,000
Georges Hanna	550,000 214,000	214,000
Koray Korkmaz	Busted

Tags: Georges Hanna Koray Korkmaz

03-30-2024 13:32 UTC+3

Tekin Spikes the River on Rafikov; Ercan Coolers Vlasov

David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Toni Kaukua raised to 16,000 in early position before Mesut Tekin three-bet to 45,000 in middle position. Danil Rafikov then moved all in for 205,000 in the big blind and Kaukua quickly folded. Tekin, though, tanked for nearly five minutes until Rafikov called the clock. Tekin allowed the timer to nearly reach zero before calling.

Danil Rafikov: A♠K♦ All in
Mesut Tekin: A♥Q♥

Rafikov had Tekin dominated as both players hit an ace on the 8♦A♣7♠ flop. The turn was the J♦, but the river was the Q♠ and Tekin spiked two pair to send Rafikov to the rail.

At the same time at another table, Mustafa Ercan and Denis Vlasov were heads-up on a board of 2♦9♣3♥6♥A♥ when Ercan bet 30,000 from the small blind.

Vlasov then raised to 150,000 on the button and Ercan tanked for several minutes before moving all in for 370,000. Vlasov also took a few minutes before calling.

Ercan showed K♥10♥ for the nut flush and Vlasov mucked J♥4♥ as he handed over the big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	870,000 451,000	451,000
Mesut Tekin	750,000 428,000	428,000
Denis Vlasov	130,000 -108,000	-108,000
Danil Rafikov	Busted

Tags: Danil Rafikov Denis Vlasov Mesut Tekin Mustafa Ercan

03-30-2024 13:39 UTC+3

Zavoloka Spikes an Ace to Bust Abdo

Ryan Lashmar

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Ivan Zabiiakin opened to 16,000 from early position before Mikhail Zavoloka three-bet to 50,000 from middle position. Naji Abdo then four-bet shoved for 174,000 from the big blind. Zabiiakin folded and after a brief tank Zavoloka made the call to put Abdo at risk.

Naji Abdo: 10♣10♥ All in
Mikhail Zavoloka: A♣7♣

Zabiiakin mentioned he had folded pocket jacks before the dealer fanned a flop of A♦7♦4♥ to give Zavoloka the lead with aces up. Abdo couldn't catch a ten on the 9♦ turn or 6♣ river and was sent to the rail while Zavoloka took down a healthy pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mikhail Zavoloka	835,000 219,000	219,000
Naji Abdo	Busted

Tags: Ivan Zabiiakin Mikhail Zavoloka Naji Abdo

03-30-2024 13:54 UTC+3

Ozyurt Sends Out Hasanli

David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Elvin Hasanli got his last 100,000 in the middle from the big blind against Murat Ozyurt in early position.

Elvin Hasanli: 8♠8♦ All in
Murat Ozyurt: K♦J♣

The flop came 7♦2♥K♣ and Ozyurt took the lead with a pair of kings. The rest of the board ran out 7♥2♣ and Hasanli was sent to the rail.

Nan Zhu, Bogdan Jontulovic, Andrey Pateychuk, and Amir Sonsino were also recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Murat Ozyurt	540,000 173,000	173,000
Nan Zhu	Busted
Bogdan Jontulovic	Busted
Andrey Pateychuk	Busted

Amir Sonsino	Busted
Elvin Hasanli	Busted

Tags: Elvin Hasanli Murat Ozyurt

03-30-2024 14:01 UTC+3

Spasov Fills Up to Bust Zelenkin

David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Simeon Spasov raised to 17,000 from early position and Mustafa Gulal called in the cutoff. Denis Zelenkin then three-bet to 65,000 on the button and Spasov four-bet to 113,000. Gulal got out of the way, while Zelenkin moved all in for around 220,000 and Spasov quickly called.

Denis Zelenkin: A♣K♣ All in
Simeon Spasov: J♥J♠

Spasov hit top set on the 10♥2♣J♦ flop, while Zelenkin picked up a straight draw. The turn, though, was the 2♠ and Spasov improved to a full house to leave Zelenkin drawing dead. The river was the 8♥ and Zelenkin headed for the rail while Spasov crossed 1,000,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simeon Spasov	1,100,000 803,000	803,000

Mustafa Gulal	750,000 250,000	250,000
Denis Zelenkin	Busted

Tags: Denis Zelenkin Mustafa Gulal Simeon Spasov

03-30-2024 14:21 UTC+3

Ghadamgahi Holds with Queens

Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Sergei Sokharev opened to 20,000 from early position only for Parham Ghadamgahi to shove for 177,000 from middle position. Sokharev made the call to Ghadamgahi at risk.

Parham Ghadamgahi: Q♦Q♠ All in
Sergei Sokharev: 7♦7♠

Ghadamgahi was in excellent shape to double up with the bigger pocket pair and did just that when his queens held on the 6♦6♠9♥3♦A♦ runout.

Elsewhere in the tournament area, Aleksandar Tot and Jakub Michalak were recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Sokharev	855,000 109,000	109,000
Parham Ghadamgahi	389,000 -148,000	-148,000
Jakub Michalak	Busted
Aleksandar Tot	Busted

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Jakub Michalak Parham Ghadamgahi Sergei Sokharev

03-30-2024 14:24 UTC+3

Hajj Holds On to Bust Hadioglu

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of A♥2♥9♦, Nuri Hadioglu bet 40,000 from early position, Alain Hajj moved all in from middle position, and Hadioglu called for around 180,000.

Nuri Hadioglu: K♥Q♥ All in
Alain Hajj: A♣Q♠

Hajj had top pair and needed to hold against Hadioglu's flush draw. The 5♣ turn was safe, while the river came the K♦ to send Hadioglu to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alain Hajj	670,000 296,000	296,000
Nuri Hadioglu	Busted

Tags: Alain Hajj Nuri Hadioglu

03-30-2024 14:41 UTC+3

Dziubdziela Has the Bigger Ace to Bust Blebea

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Iulian-Remus Blebea raised to 20,000 in early position before Marcin Dziubdziela three-bet to 44,000 on the button. Blebea then moved all in for 178,000 and Dziubdziela called.

Iulian-Remus Blebea: A♠9♦ All in
Marcin Dziubdziela: A♣Q♣

Dziubdziela has Blebea dominated as the flop came A♥5♦6♥, giving both players top pair but keeping Dziubdziela in the lead with his queen-kicker. The rest of the board came K♣8♣ and Dziubdziela took the pot to send Blebea to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marcin Dziubdziela	600,000 393,000	393,000
Iulian-Remus Blebea	Busted

Tags: Iulian-Remus Blebea Marcin Dziubdziela

03-30-2024 14:52 UTC+3

Sibgatova Runs Into Raffoul's Aces

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Razvan Sabau raised to 20,000 on the button before Edgard Raffoul three-bet to 82,000 in the small blind. Alisa Sibgatova then moved all in for around 100,000 in the big blind, Sabau folded, while Raffoul called.

Alisa Sibgatova: A♥Q♦ All in
Edgard Raffoul: A♦A♣

Raffoul had woken up with aces and stayed in the lead through the 5♣6♥6♣J♠7♦ board to send Sibgatova to the rail.

Elsewhere, Halil Tasyurek was eliminated by Damir Gabdullin who moved up to 1,500,000. According to Tasyurek, he flopped two pair with Kx4x against Gabdullin's two aces, but the board paired deuces on the river to give Gabdullin the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Gabdullin	1,500,000 705,000	705,000
Razvan Sabau	920,000 -30,000	-30,000
Edgard Raffoul	700,000 150,000	150,000
Halil Tasyurek	Busted
Alisa Sibgatova	Busted

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Damir Gabdullin Edgard Raffoul Halil Tasyurek Razvan Sabau

03-30-2024 14:54 UTC+3

Saiapin Surpasses One Million

Ryan Lashmar

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Iurii Saiapin opened to 30,000 from early position and Temur Abbosov shoved for a bit over 250,000 from middle position. Saiapin called to put Abbosov at risk.

Temur Abbosov: 10♣10♥ All in
Iurii Saiapin: A♥K♣

Saiapin took the lead on the A♣Q♦6♦ runout and remained ahead on the 4♦ turn and Q♣ river to send Abbosov to the rail and take down a sizable pot.