$5,300 Main Event Day 1c | 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party

05-10-2025 15:59 UTC+2

Paniak Jams Into Quads

Frank Visser

Level 7 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Pascal Vos opened to 16,000 in the cutoff, and Arsen Grigoryan called on the button. Maksim Paniak then three-bet to 75,000 in the small blind, folding out Vos.

Grigoryan made the call to the J♥3♠J♦ flop, however, where Paniak continued for 75,000. Girgoryan called to the J♣ turn, where Paniak fired 140,000, leaving only 5,000 behind.

Grigoryan quickly called, after which Paniak's final chips flew in on the 7♥ river. Paniak tabled 10♥10♦ for a full house, but it was no good against the Q♠J♠ of Grigoryan, who had turned quads to eliminate his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arsen Grigoryan	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Pascal Vos	450,000 50,000	50,000
Maksim Paniak	Busted

Tags: Arsen Grigoryan Maksim Paniak Pascal Vos

05-10-2025 15:53 UTC+2

Jafari Doubles Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Jalal Jafari's stack was heading in the wrong direction but he just got a double-up to give him around 275,000 to play with.

On a flop of 5♠7♦8♥, Jafari got the rest of his chips in and was put at risk.

Jalal Jafari: K♦8♦ All in
Opponent: 7♣6♥

Jafari had to dodge a lot of outs but managed to do so as the K♥10♣ runout gave him two pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jalal Jafari	275,000

Tags: Jalal Jafari

Level: 7

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

05-10-2025 15:41 UTC+2

Poker Cheat DQ’ed, Dwan Update & Hawk Tuah Returns | PokerNews Podcast #890

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

In the 890th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England talk about admitted poker cheat Ali Imsirovic being DQ'ed mid-tournament from an event in Florida. Was it the right thing to do?

It was a highly debated development, and the crew dove headfirst into the drama by discussing a poker black list, what bestbet Jacksonville could've done differently, and if poker pariahs could even be welcomed back to the game.

They then give an update on Tom Dwan, whose recent social media posts really concerned the poker community, and then Connor Richards headed to PokerGO Studio to chat with the controversial Haliey “Hawk Tuah Girl” Welch and others at the Celebrity Poker Tour (CPT) Game Night VI.

From there, it's highlights from the Hustler Casino Live (HCL) Million Dollar Game III, such as old-school player Erick Lindgren satelliting his way in, Texas Mike's wild ride, and an interview with Steve! Oh, and we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about that epic hand between Alan Keating and Peter.

Mike then talks about making a final table at the Venetian and playing with Batman at a recent Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event, Brad Gafford and John Juanda both win tournaments, and poker media veteran Paul Oresteen talks about his new Substack, which you can subscribe to here.

Finally, PokerStars North America has introduced a dozen new "Throwables" and the PokerNews Podcast crew not only shares their favorites, but they also offer fans of the show an opportunity to win some just by either listening to or watching the podcast.

Listen to the New PokerNews Podcast Here!

05-10-2025 15:25 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Players are being sent on a 20-minute break.

Level 6 is in the books which is the half-way point of the day. Six more levels will be played today before the survivors bag up their chips for tomorrow's Day 2, which now begins at 6 p.m.

05-10-2025 15:22 UTC+2

Assorted Stacks and Their Owners

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuhang Chen	840,000 432,000	432,000
Yassin Mahmoud	705,000 405,000	405,000
John Duthie	501,000 271,000	271,000
Rehman Kassam	445,000 445,000	445,000
Cassandra Yong	385,000 55,000	55,000
Recep Aydemir	265,000 135,000	135,000
Tobias Peters	240,000 260,000	260,000

Gytis Lazauninkas	212,000 98,000	98,000
Florian Duta	165,000 105,000	105,000
Samuel Ju	Busted

05-10-2025 15:18 UTC+2

Ozyurt Plays It Careful

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Yilu Yuan opened to 12,000 from middle position before Murat Ozyurt made it 40,000 to go in the cutoff. Yuan came along to a flop of 3♥Q♠Q♦, where he check-called the 22,000 Ozyurt put in.

The 8♣ turn saw Ozyurt size up to 65,000, which Yuan check-called again. The 9♠ river then went check-check, with Yuan revealing 6♠6♥ at showdown.

Ozyurt had that royally bested with his K♥Q♣ for trip queens, and he was consequently awarded the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kemal Aslan	870,000 870,000	870,000
Murat Ozyurt	460,000 460,000	460,000
Sergei Kim	380,000 20,000	20,000
Yilu Yuan	305,000 95,000	95,000
Samuel Ju	300,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Murat Ozyurt Yilu Yuan

05-10-2025 15:17 UTC+2

Gabdullin Five-Bet Jams

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

There was a raise from early position to 12,000 and Damir Gabdullin three-bet from middle position to 32,000. A four-bet came in from the cutoff to 75,000, which got the initial raiser to fold.

Gabdullin took some time before he grabbed a stack of his big chips and put them into the pot, which earned him the pot as his opponent folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Gabdullin	800,000 490,000	490,000

Tags: Damir Gabdullin

05-10-2025 15:03 UTC+2

Kose Rivers Khorchidian

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Nichan Khorchidian was not happy with the river card in a hand he just played.

The board read 3♣K♥4♥7♠ and with around 70,000 in the middle, Khorchidian bet 35,000 and Bulent Kose called.

"Deuce!" shouted Khorchidian before the A♠ hit the river. After a few seconds, Khorchidian checked and Kose took the opportunity to fire out 60,000.

Khorchidian did not seem happy and counted out his stack of over 400,000 and eventually called.

Kose then showed A♦5♣ for a rivered pair of aces, and Khorchidian angrily mucked his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bulent Kose	625,000 20,000	20,000
Nichan Khorchidian	375,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Bulent Kose Nichan Khorchidian

05-10-2025 15:01 UTC+2

Lamov Folds Set as Biz Shows Bluff

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

The 8♦A♥2♦9♦ board was dealt up until the turn, with around 185,000 chips already in the middle. Azamat Lamkov in the hijack then fired a bet of 60,000, after which Mustafa Biz went all in for 230,000 in total on the button.

Lamkov went deep into the tank, eventually slamming his 8♠8♣ into the muck face-up. Biz proudly showed him the 10♣, meaning Lamkov had folded the best hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Biz	475,000
Azamat Lamkov	280,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Azamat Lamkov Mustafa Biz