$3,300 Main Event Day 1cd | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-23-2024 14:42 UTC+3

Hot Start for Moussa

Ryan Lashmar

Level 3 : 400/800, 800 ante

Bassel Moussa opened to 1,600 from middle position and Agharazi Babayev three-bet to 5,000 from the cutoff. A player on the button then four-bet to 16,000.

Moussa thought for about a minute and asked for an approximate count of his opponent's chip stacks before putting in a five=bet to 41,600. Both opponents got out of the way and Moussa collected a sizable pot without having to see a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bassel Moussa	288,000 288,000	288,000
Agharazi Babayev	89,000 89,000	89,000

Tags: Agharazi Babayev Bassel Moussa

Level: 3

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

03-23-2024 14:26 UTC+3

Celik Fires Two Barrels

Ryan Lashmar

Level 2 : 300/600, 600 ante

Bulut Celik opened to 1,500 from middle position and was called by a player in the big blind.

The flop came A♥K♠5♣. The big blind checked, Celik bet 1,000 and the big blind called.

Celik bet again when checked to on the 4♣ turn for 4,000 and this time it was enough to force a fold from his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bulut Celik	100,600 600	600

Tags: Bulut Celik

03-23-2024 14:13 UTC+3

Phiniotis Rivers the Goods

Ryan Lashmar

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

A player from middle position opened to 1,300 and received a call from Bakhos Joumaa in the cutoff before Chrysi Phiniotis three-bet to 5,500 from the button. The original raiser got out of the way while Joumaa made the call.

The flop came Q♠9♦7♠ and Joumaa check-called a 4,000 continuation bet from Phiniotis.

Both players then checked the 4♣ turn and J♠ river. Joumaa tabled 10♥9♥ for a pair of nines but Phiniotis showed down A♠J♥ for a pair of jacks to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bakhos Joumaa	81,600 81,600	81,600
Chrysi Phiniotis	78,000 78,000	78,000

Tags: Bakhos Joumaa Chrysi Phiniotis

03-23-2024 13:59 UTC+3

Iskandarov Extracts Value

Ryan Lashmar

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya opened to 1,200 from early position and received calls from Rashad Iskandarov from the hijack and Ali El-Siblani in the big blind.

The flop came K♠3♥2♦ and action checked around to Skhulukhiya who fired a 2,500 continuation bet. Iskandarov called while El-Siblani got out of the way.

Skhulukhiya bet again on the 9♠ turn, this time for 4,000. Once again Iskandarov made the call.

On the 5♣ river Skhulukhiya slowed down with a check and Iskandarov bet 11,000. Skhulukhiya called.

Iskandarov tabled K♣J♣ for top pair and Skhulukhiya's cards hit the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali El-Siblani	112,000 112,000	112,000
Rashad Iskandarov	86,000 -14,000	-14,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	74,300 74,300	74,300

Tags: Ali El-Siblani Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Rashad Iskandarov

Level: 2

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

03-23-2024 13:37 UTC+3

Doebs Forces Two Folds

Ryan Lashmar

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Aylar Lie opened to 1,200 from the cutoff and received calls from John Doebs on the button and Antoine Hasbani in the small blind.

The flop came Q♦9♦9♥. Hasbani checked, Lie fired an 1,100 continuation bet, Doebs called and Hasbani called.

Action checked around to Doebs who bet 3,500 on the 4♦ turn. Both Hasbani and Lie opted to fold.

Doebs flashed the 9♠ from his hand as he scoooped the pot.

"I thought you had the queen, not the nine" Lie told Doebs. "I had jacks"

Player	Chips	Progress
John Doebs	103,200 3,200	3,200
Aylar Lie	97,000 -3,000	-3,000
Antoine Hasbani	95,000 -5,000	-5,000

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Aylar Lie John Doebs

03-23-2024 13:25 UTC+3

Gromov Takes One Early

Ryan Lashmar

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Dmitry Gromov opened to 1,200 from the hijack and Rabih El Hachem called from the small blind.

The flop came A♠K♠5♦ and El Hachem check-called a 1,000 continuation bet from Gromov.

Gromov bet again when checked to on the 8♦ turn, this time for 4,100. El Hachem quickly folded allowing Gromov to take the early pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Gromov	102,000 102,000	102,000

Rabih El Hachem	81,500 81,500	81,500

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Rabih El Hachem

03-23-2024 13:09 UTC+3

Some Early Faces in the Field

Ryan Lashmar

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Ivanov	100,000 100,000	100,000
Carmel Haloon	100,000 100,000	100,000
George Phiniotis	100,000 100,000	100,000
Tony Aziz	100,000 100,000	100,000
Aylar Lie	100,000 67,500	67,500
John Doebs	100,000 100,000	100,000
Antoine Hasbani	100,000 100,000	100,000
Rachid El Yaacoubi	100,000 100,000	100,000
Loukiana Vatti	100,000 100,000	100,000
Baris Topuz	100,000 100,000	100,000
Bulut Celik	100,000 100,000	100,000
Tomasz Sczerbinski	100,000
Georges Hanna	100,000 100,000	100,000
Zeki Karali	100,000 100,000	100,000
Vadzim Haiduk	100,000 100,000	100,000
Tulga Bahadir	100,000 100,000	100,000
Anton Markov	100,000 100,000	100,000
Frederico Senno	100,000 100,000	100,000
Rashad Iskandarov	100,000 100,000	100,000
Denis Vlasov	100,000 100,000	100,000
Mustafa Ercan	100,000 100,000	100,000
Eli Saad	100,000 100,000	100,000