$2,200 Warm Up Day 1bc | 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series

11-23-2023 17:47 UTC+2

Haddad Doubles, Then Busts

Ryan Lashmar

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Matthew Davenport opened from the button before Ramez Haddad shoved for roughly 8,000 from the small blind. Joseph Sabe then raised to 17,000 from the big blind, forcing Davenport out of the pot and leaving Haddad at risk.

Ramez Haddad: Q♠Q♥
Joseph Sabe: A♥K♦

It was a classic tournament flip that Haddad caught the better end of on the J♥8♥5♦ flop. He remained ahead on the 4♦ turn and Q♦ river to secure a full double up.

Haddad still had under 15 big blinds despite the double up and would bust shortly afterwards, with Bulent Sahin claiming the last of his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew Davenport	139,500 98,000	98,000
Joseph Sabe	137,000 -8,000	-8,000
Bulent Sahin	91,000 -13,500	-13,500
Ramez Haddad	Busted

Tags: Bulent Sahin Joseph Sabe Matthew Davenport Ramez Haddad

11-23-2023 17:21 UTC+2

No Kicker? No Problem for Babayev

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

With two players seeing a board of K♦Q♥7♠ and roughly 7,000 already in the middle, Agharazi Babayev checked in the hijack and called a 3,200 bet from Adem Marjanovic on the button.

Babayev check-called another bet from Marjanovic on the 4♠ turn, this time for 23,000.

Both players checked the Q♣ river. Babayev tabled K♥2♥ for top pair and Marjanovic mucked.

Elsewhere in the tournament area, Maxime Chilaud was recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Agharazi Babayev	344,000 40,000	40,000
Adem Marjanovic	117,000 117,000	117,000
Maxime Chilaud	Busted

Tags: Adem Marjanovic Agharazi Babayev

11-23-2023 16:59 UTC+2

Chudapal Triples Up

Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

In a preflop confrontation Zeki Taysi was all in for roughly 45,000 against Siarhei Chudapal, who was all in for roughly 70,000 and Sergey Baranski who was also all in, covering both players.

Zeki Taysi: 10♣10♦
Siarhei Chudapal: A♦K♣
Sergey Baranski: Q♠Q♦

Baranski was ahead on the 4♦9♥3♠ flop but Chudapal took the lead with top pair on the K♠ turn. The A♥ river gave him two pair and nearly a full triple up while Taysi was sent to the rail and Baranski was left with less than half the chips he had before.

Player	Chips	Progress
Siarhei Chudapal	210,300 210,300	210,300
Sergey Baranski	56,000 56,000	56,000
Zeki Taysi	Busted

Tags: Sergey Baranski Siarhei Chudapal Zeki Taysi

11-23-2023 15:23 UTC+2

Lungu Cracks Queens to Double

Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Rudu Lungu opened to 2,500 from the button and Mohammad Milani three-bet to 7,000 from the small blind. Lungu made the call.

The flop came 7♣6♠4♣ and Milani fired a 12,000 continuation bet that was called by Lungu.

On the 10♠ turn Milani bet again for 15,000 and Lungu moved all in for 43,200. Milani made the call with a covering stack to put Lungu at risk.

Radu Lungu: 5♠3♠
Mohammad Milani: Q♠Q♣

Milani had an overpair but was drawing dead on the turn to Lungu who held the third-nut straight and a flush draw. Lungu improved to a flush on the inconsequential 8♠ river and secured a full double up. Milani was left with roughly 38,000 and would bust the following hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Radu Lungu	129,000 29,000	29,000
Mohammad Milani	Busted

Tags: Mohammad Milani Radu Lungu

11-23-2023 14:44 UTC+2

Merhab Scores a Knockout

Ryan Lashmar

Level 3 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Nejat Erman opened to 2,500 from middle position and received calls from Andress Merheb in the cutoff, Mustafa Batum in the small blind and a mysterious player who asked to remain anonymous and only be referred to as "John Doe" in the big blind.

The flop came A♠5♥3♣ and action checked around to Erman who bet 4,000. Merheb and Batum called while Doe got out of the way.

On the 7♠ turn Batum checked, Erman checked and Merheb bet 16,000. Batum called and Erman folded.

The river was the 9♣. Batum checked, Merheb moved all in, covering Batum's remaining stack of roughly 40,000 and Batum made the call.

Batum tabled A♣6♣ for top pair while Merheb showed down A♦5♦ for two pair to take down another nice pot while Batum was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andress Merheb	184,000 56,000	56,000
John Doe	99,000 99,000	99,000
Nejat Erman	59,800 59,800	59,800
Mustafa Batum	Busted

Tags: Andress Merheb John Doe Mustafa Batum Nejat Erman

11-23-2023 14:01 UTC+2

Two Streets of Value for Abdurrezzak

Ryan Lashmar

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With two players seeing a board of K♥5♥4♦ and roughly 7,000 already in the middle, Ghaith Enazeh checked from the big blind and called a 2,400 bet from Cihan Abdurrezzak in middle position.

Both players checked the 6♦ turn leading to the 5♦ river. Enazeh checked, Abdurrezzak bet 8,500 and Enazeh made the call.

Abdurrezzak tabled K♦Q♥ for a flopped top pair which was good enough to take the pot.

Enazeh would be sent to the rail a few hands later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cihan Abdurrezzak	169,000 69,000	69,000
Ghaith Enazeh	Busted

Tags: Cihan Abdurrezzak Ghaith Enazeh

11-23-2023 13:09 UTC+2

Skarparis Fills Up on Nurmuhammedov

Ryan Lashmar

Level 1 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Bakhos Joumaa limped in from the cutoff before Parahat Nurmuhammedov raised to 5,000 from the small blind. Georgios Skarparis put in a three-bet to 12,600 from the big blind, forcing Joumaa out of the pot while Nurmuhammedov made the call.

The flop came A♠K♠3♠ and Nurmuhammedov check-called an 18,000 continuation bet from Skarparis.

Both players checked the 3♣ turn leading to the 7♠ river. Nurmuhammedov checked, Skarparis moved all in for approximately 35,000 and Nurmuhammedov, who covered Skarparis slightly, snap-called to put himself at risk.

Nurmuhammedov tabled Q♠J♠ for the nut-flush on the flop but Skarparis showed down K♦K♣ for a turned full house to score the a full double up and take down a sizable pot.

Nurmuhammedov would bust out the very next hand, committing his final 14,000 chips preflop with 7♥7♣ only to fall to Joumaa who held K♥J♠, hitting a full house on the K♦K♠5♦4♠4♦ runout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgios Skarparis	147,000 47,000	47,000
Bakhos Joumaa	82,000 -18,000	-18,000
Parahat Nurmuhammedov	Busted

Tags: Bakhos Joumaa Georgios Skarparis Parahat Nurmuhammedov