$2,200 Warm Up
Day 4 Completed
$2,200 Warm Up
Day 4 Completed
Ivan Govorov has been enjoying a stellar showing at the 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. Just three days ago he took down the $770 Hyper Turbo Deepstack for $11,136. Today, he emerged victorious over a 453-entrant field to capture a second Merit Poker Gangster Series title in the $2,200 Warm up, last defeating Day 2 chip leader Andrei Daniliuk to capture the title and $167,500 for a career-best tournament cash.
Govorov started the day near the middle of the pack but quickly picked up momentum in the first half of the day, entering the final table with the second-largest stack. The Russian player had $92,019 in career tournament earnings, a number that is nearly tripled after winning the top prize in today's event, which is nearly four times as large as his next best tournament cash of $44,440.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ivan Govorov | Russian Federation | $167,500 |
2 | Andrei Daniliuk | Russian Federation | $123,300 |
3 | Ankit Ahuja | India | $75,500 |
4 | Yunsheng Sun | China | $55,850 |
5 | Martynas Vitkauskas | Lithuania | $41,900 |
6 | Bernard Boutboul | France | $33,600 |
7 | Tugce Hursoz | Turkey | $28,000 |
8 | Feyzullah Karaarslan | Turkey | $22,350 |
9 | Hadi Khadra | Lebanon | $16,760 |
There were 16 players left in the field to start the day's event. Yunsheng Sun began the day as the chip leader but lost 80% of his stack in the first level after running into the pocket queens of Hadi Khadra, who enjoyed the chip lead for much of the early parts of the day. Comparatively, Leonid Sidelkovskiy, Giorgiy Skhulukhiya and Day 1b chip leader Dmitry Yurasov were unable to find any momentum early on and would ultimately become the first three to be eliminated today.
Govorov began accumulating chips towards the end of the second level of play today, beginning with the elimination of Sultan Meirbekov who ran his top pair into Govorov's pocket aces. Immediately after, he picked off a bluff from Khadra to put himself among the chip leaders.
Harout Ghazarian, Bakhos Joumaa and Damir Gabdullin were next to fall, with two of those three eliminations coming at the hands of Ankit Ahuja who came into the final table with the third-largest stack. Ahuja would also claim the first final table knockout by eliminating Khadra with pocket kings.
Feyzullah Karaarslan was next to hit the rail at the hands of Sun, who had begun to make a remarkable comeback after losing most of his stack in the first few hands of the day. Not long after, Tugce Hursoz ran her top pair into Govorov's two pair and bowed out in seventh place.
France's Bernard Boutboul and Lithuania's Martynas Vitkauskas were the next players to exit the tournament area which would set up a lengthy four-handed battle between Govorov, Daniliuk, Ahuja and Sun that would last more than two and a half hours, with Ahuja, Govorov and Daniliuk swapping the chip lead multiple times during this period. Sun's run would finally come to an end in fourth place after running pocket sixes into Govorov's pocket tens to set up three-handed play.
Govorov entered the three-handed battle with nearly half the chips in play, and after eliminating Ahuja with two pair he then entered heads up play with roughly two thirds of the total chips.
The heads up duel between Govorov and Daniliuk was short but action-packed. Daniliuk quickly took the chip lead after making a flush to crack Govorov's two pair but Govorov would soon return the favor, rivering a flush to crack Daniliuk's two pair to reclaim all the chips he had lost.
The final hand of the night saw Daniliuk flop top pair only for Govorov to flop two pair. The two got all the chips in on the turn and Daniliuk was forced to settle for second place after failing to improve.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but make sure to stay tuned for our continuing coverage of the $5,300 Gangster Series High Roller as well as the $3,300 main event set to begin on November 28.
Ivan Govorov has shipped the 2023 Gangster Series $2,200 Warm Up, last defeating Andrei Daniliuk in heads up play to take home the trophy and $167,500.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action that will follow shortly.
Andrei Daniliuk raised to 1,250,000 from the small blind and Ivan Govorov defended from the big blind.
The flop came J♦5♥3♣. Govorov checked, Daniliuk bet 1,000,000 and Govorov raised to 3,000,000. Daniliuk made the call.
On the Q♣ turn Govorov checked and Daniliuk bet 7,000,000, leaving only 3,000,000 behind. Govorov moved all in and Daniliuk made the call to put himself at risk.
Andrei Daniliuk: J♥10♥
Ivan Govorov: J♣5♣
Daniliuk's pair of jacks was in bad shape against Govorov's two pair, jacks and fives. The A♠ river was clean for Govorov and the two players shook hands after Govorov took down the final pot of the tournament.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ivan Govorov |
45,300,000
15,200,000
|
15,200,000 |
Andrei Daniliuk | Busted | |
|
Andrei Daniliuk raised to 1,250,000 from the button with A♥10♣ and Ivan Govorov defended from the big blind with 6♠4♠.
The flop came J♠3♠J♥ and Govorov check-called a 1,000,000 continuation bet from Daniliuk.
Daniliuk bet again for just 500,000 when checked to on the A♦ turn and once again Govorov called.
Govorov hit his flush on the 9♠ river and lead out with a bet of 8,000,000. Daniliuk called only to see the bad news as another large pot was pushed in Govorov's direction.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ivan Govorov |
30,100,000
12,000,000
|
12,000,000 |
Andrei Daniliuk |
15,200,000
-12,000,000
|
-12,000,000 |
|
Andrei Daniliuk limped in from the small blind with 9♦8♥ and Ivan Govorov raised to 1,500,000 with K♣J♠. Daniliuk made the call.
The flop came 4♥9♠J♥ and Govorov fired a 1,500,000 continuation bet that was called by Daniliuk.
Govorov bet again for 2,500,000 after making two pair on the K♥ turn. Once again Daniliuk made the call.
The 9♥ river improved Daniliuk to a flush to crack Govorov's two pair. Govorov bet 5,000,000 and Daniliuk called to take down a massive pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Andrei Daniliuk |
27,200,000
14,900,000
|
14,900,000 |
|
||
Ivan Govorov |
18,100,000
-14,900,000
|
-14,900,000 |
Ivan Govorov raised to 1,200,000 from the button with Q♦2♦ and Andrei Daniliuk defended from the big blind with J♥10♥.
Both players connected with the Q♥10♣6♣ flop. Govorov fired a 700,000 continuation bet with his top pair and Daniliuk made the call with his second pair and backdoor draws.
On the 8♦ turn, Daniliuk checked and Govorov bet again for 2,500,000. Daniliuk called.
The river came the 6♥. Both players checked and Govorov took a sizable chunk out of Daniliuk's stack.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ivan Govorov |
33,000,000
4,800,000
|
4,800,000 |
Andrei Daniliuk |
12,300,000
-4,800,000
|
-4,800,000 |
|
Andrei Danilkuk limped in from the small blind and Ivan Govorov checked his option in the big blind.
The flop came 10♦5♣2♣ and Govorov check-called a 400,000 bet from Daniliuk.
Both players checked the 3♥ turn leading to the 10♥ river. Govorov checked and Daniliuk bet 1,200,000. Govorov made the call only to see the bad news when Daniliuk tabled a better two pair for the winner.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ivan Govorov |
28,200,000
-1,600,000
|
-1,600,000 |
Andrei Daniliuk |
17,100,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
The action has resumed for the final two players in the $2,200 warm up.
Level: 34
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000