$3,300 Main Event Day 1cd | 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series

11-30-2023 15:45 UTC+2

Gungoren Makes a Big Fold

Ryan Lashmar

Level 6 : 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Aleksandr Pak opened to 2,500 from under the gun and received calls from Gurcan Gungoren in middle position, Ondrej Drozd in the small blind and Konstantin Generalov in the big blind.

The flop came K♦10♦J♥ and action checked around to Pak who fired a 2,500 continuation bet. Gungoren raised to 7,500, folding out Drozd and Generalov while Pak made the call.

Pak lead out for 15,400 on the Q♣ turn and Generalov made the call.

On the 7♣ river Pak bet again for 15,000. Generalov revealed the J♦9♦ in his hand for the second-nut straight and Pak dragged in a nice pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gurcan Gungoren	227,000 227,000	227,000
Konstantin Generalov	199,000 199,000	199,000
Aleksandr Pak	143,000 143,000	143,000
Ondrej Drozd	117,000 17,000	17,000

Tags: Aleksandr Pak Gurcan Gungoren Konstantin Generalov Ondrej Drozd

Level: 6

Blinds: 700/1,500

Ante: 1,500

11-30-2023 15:25 UTC+2

Karaliunas Wins the Pot and Then Gets a Gift

Jeremy Geist

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

There was an early position open to 2,500 before a player in late position called and then action was on Simas Karaliunas on the button. After a moment of thought he put in a three-bet to 10,000. The original raiser folded and then the late position player called.

The 7♠4♥A♠ flop landed and action checked to Karaliunas who continued for 15,000 and got called before the 9♦ hit the turn.

It was checked to Karaliunas again and he put out another bet of 20,000. His opppeoont couldnt bring themselves to put in anymore chips and folded.

Karaliunas dragged the pot and a couple hands later he was facing a limp reraise from under the gun with a caller behind. He rejammed and got all the chips after the limp reraiser tabled 7♣2♣ for a stone cold bluff that would gift Karaliunas a nice portion of his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simas Karaliunas	335,000 335,000	335,000

Tags: Simas Karaliunas

11-30-2023 15:23 UTC+2

Schanaa Turns the Goods

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Sarkis Akopian opened to 2,500 from under the gun and received calls from Benjamin Hamnett in middle position, Albert Diwan on the button and Assad Al Schanaa in the big blind.

The flop came 9♠6♦4♠ and Schannaa lead out with a bet of 3,500. Akopian and Hamnett folded while Diwan made the call.

Schanaa fired a second barrel for 10,000 on the J♦ turn which was once again called by Diwan.

On the 8♥ river Schanaa sized down with a bet of 5,000 and Diwan called.

Diwan tabled 10♥9♣ for second pair while Schanaa showed down J♠6♠ for a turned two pair to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Hamnett	189,000 64,500	64,500

Assad Al Schanaa	180,500 99,500	99,500
Sarkis Akopian	94,000 -6,000	-6,000
Albert Diwan	54,000 54,000	54,000

Tags: Albert Diwan Assad Al Schanaa Benjamin Hamnett Sarkis Akopian

Level: 5

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

11-30-2023 14:59 UTC+2

Kirichenko Wins Multiway Pot

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

With three players seeing a board of J♦3♠7♠6♠ and roughly 13,000 already in the middle, Austin Prakesh checked in the small blind and Aleksandr Kirichenko bet 4,700 in the big blind. Mohamad El-Sayed raised to 15,000 from the cutoff and received a call from both Prakesh and Kirichenko.

All three players checked the 10♥ river. El-Sayed quickly mucked, Prakesh tabled 6♦3♦ for two pair and Kirichenko showed down J♥6♥ for a bigger two pair to take down a healthy pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Austin Prakesh	138,000 -61,600	-61,600
Aleksandr Kirichenko	89,000 -21,000	-21,000
Mohamad El-Sayed	88,600 -11,400	-11,400

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Austin Prakesh Mohamad El-Sayed

11-30-2023 14:49 UTC+2

Yurasov Undeterred by Flop Check-Raise

Jeremy Geist

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Dmitry Yurasov opened in middle position to 2,500 and got called in one spot when the big blind defended.

The 7♠7♣9♥ flop landed and action checked to Yurasov who continued for 2,000. The big blind then check-raised to 5,000. Yurasov sat in the tank for a moment but then put in the chips.

The 4♠ rolled off on the turn and the big blind slowed down with a check. Yurasov wasted little time before taking the betting lead back and putting out another 5,000. the big blind called and the A♥ landed on the river.

The big blind checked once more and Yurasov thought over his options before going almost full pot with a bet of 20,500. The big blind tanked for about a minute but it may have just been to save face. Eventually his cards hit the muck and Yurasov scooped.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Yurasov	121,000 10,400	10,400

Tags: Dmitry Yurasov

11-30-2023 14:43 UTC+2

Assorted Chip Counts after First Break

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Austin Prakesh	199,600 29,600	29,600
Ahmet Bicik	190,000 90,000	90,000
Bulut Celik	167,200 59,200	59,200
Tugce Hursoz	154,000 54,000	54,000
Agharazi Babayev	129,000 61,000	61,000
Benjamin Hamnett	124,500 124,500	124,500

Dmitry Yurasov	110,600 110,600	110,600

Oleg Netaliev	77,000 -800	-800

Level: 4

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

11-30-2023 14:05 UTC+2

Break Time

Jeremy Geist

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Players in the Main Event are now on a 15-minute break.