Photos by Mickey May/partypoker LIVE
2019 Merit Poker Classic
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
2019 Merit Poker Classic
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$2,990,267
Entries
649
Level
35
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Players Left 1 / 649
Filter
Level 18
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
With 79 players left, the bubble is looming. Here are some of the latest eliminations:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 18
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Just before the end of the previous level, Alexandru Papazian raised from mid-position and was called by the player in the lojack. Pavel Kovalenko three-bet to 90,000 from the hijack and Vlad Darie four-bet to 260,000 in the cutoff. Action folded back to Papazian who folded and so did the lojack. Kovalenko responded with a five-bet to 415,000 which Darie called after thinking for a while.
They both checked through the 
on the flop to the 
on the turn. Kovalenko checked and Darie barreled a bet of 155,000 over the line. Kovalenko glared at the board and then decided to make the call.
The river completed the board with the 
, Kovalenko checked for the last time. Darie took a second before announcing he was all-in, having Kovalenko covered. Kovalenko tanked for about three minutes before the clock was called on him by Papazian. The tournament director gave him 30 seconds to take a decision. When the countdown started, Kovalenko put in some chips for the call.
Darie flipped over 
to play the pair of queens on the board with the ace-kicker. Kovalenko got up and sighed in relief while turning over 
for two pair, kings and queens.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,198,000
1,488,000
|
1,488,000 |
|
||
|
1,760,000
610,000
|
610,000 |
|
883,000
1,332,000
|
1,332,000 |
|
||
|
311,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
||
Level 18
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Fahredin Mustafov has just been eliminated and was kind enough to relate what had happened:
Elvin Sarkarov raised to 24,000 from the early position and Mustafov found 
on the button and decided to three-bet to 90,000. Sarkarov called.
The flop came 
rainbow, Sarkarov checked, Mustafov continued with a bet of 65,000 and Sarkarov raised to 215,000. Mustafov made the call.
The turn was the 
to give Mustafov a backdoor-flush. Sarkarov jammed for 615,000 and Mustafov called. Sarkarov showed 
and hit the straight on the river when the 
fell.
Shortly after, Sarkarov eliminated Mustafov with 
while he held when his last 250,000 went in.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,235,000
1,285,000
|
1,285,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Level: 18
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 16,000
Level 17
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Paul Newey shoved from the button for 274,000 and was called by Pavel Yakobson in the big blind.
Paul Newey: 
Pavel Yakobson: 
Yakobson shook his head when he saw Newey's hand but was a lot happier when the 
came on the flop as he hit a set.
The turn was the 
which now gave Newey some extra outs as he picked up an open-ended straight draw but the river was the 
to not help Newey at all as he was sent to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
700,000
286,500
|
286,500 |
|
Busted |
Level 17
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Manig Loeser raised to 25,000 from the button and Anatoly Filatov shoved from the big blind for 262,000 in total. Loeser called with 
suited while Filatov held 
. No help on the board for Filatov and the partypoker pro made his way out of the tournament area.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,118,000
406,000
|
406,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 17
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Ben Farrell had lost a pot worth around 450,000 earlier with against someone's 
and had now bet 75,000 from the small blind on the 
board. Hadi Khordbin was in the big blind and was contemplating his options. After a while, he opted to fold to let Farrell pick up the pot.
The hand right after, Farrell raised to 27,000 from the button and was called by [Removed:61] in the big blind. The flop came down 
but Youness check-folded to the 30,000 continuation-bet of Farrell.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,430,000
230,000
|
230,000 |
|
||
|
1,290,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
665,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
|
570,000
113,500
|
113,500 |
|
440,000
456,500
|
456,500 |
|
420,000
112,000
|
112,000 |
Level 17
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
Level 17
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Ray Sumon raised to 28,000 from the early position and was called by Nikita Kalinin and Ludovic Geilich in the blinds.
The flop came 
, Kalinin and Geilich both checked. Sumon continued with a bet of 35,000 and Kalinin made the call. Geilich raised to 117,000 and now only Sumon made the call.
The turn was the 
and Geilich bet 198,000. Sumon took a few seconds but then decided to announce he was all-in. Geilich snap-called with 
for the flopped flush while Sumon held 
for the flopped set. Geilich just needed to avoid the board pairing up.
The completed the board on the river for Geilich to hold. Geilich stack was being counted first and the dealer determined he had 844,000 behind. She then started counting Sumon's stack but he had around 670,000 so he was sent to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,800,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
||
|
1,380,000
525,500
|
525,500 |
|
304,000
65,500
|
65,500 |
|
|
Busted | |
