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

Nov 23, 2023

Matta Gets Value on Wet Board

Ryan Lashmar

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

Boris Smuskevicius opened to 2,600 from under the gun and Nabil Matta three-bet to 6,000 from middle position. Smuskevicius made the call.

Both players checked the 10♥9♥8♥ flop leading to the K♥ on the turn. Smuskevicius bet 7,100 and Matta called.

Smuskevicius bet again for 5,000 on the K♦ river and Matta raised it to 15,000. Smuskevicius quickly called and tabled A♦Q♥ for the second-highest possible flush. Matta showed down A♥Q♣ for the nut-flush to take down a healthy pot.

Tags: Boris Smuskevicius Nabil Matta

Nov 23, 2023

Break Time

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Players are now on their second 10-minute break of the day. The field has grown to 151 total entrants, of which 116 players remain.

Level: 5

Blinds: 700/1,500

Ante: 1,500

Nov 23, 2023

Angelos Takes from Babayev

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Agharazi Babayev opened to 3,000 from under the gun and Angelos Michael three-bet to 10,000 from early position. Babayev made the call.

The flop came 10♦2♥2♠ and Michael check-called a 5,000 continuation bet from Angelos.

Michael bet again for 25,000 when checked to on the 7♥ turn which was enough to force a fold from Babayev.

Tags: Agharazi Babayev Angelos Michael

Nov 23, 2023

Chudapal Triples Up

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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.

Tags: Sergey Baranski Siarhei Chudapal Zeki Taysi

Nov 23, 2023

No Kicker? No Problem for Babayev

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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.

Tags: Adem Marjanovic Agharazi Babayev

Level: 6

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 1,600

Nov 23, 2023

Sabe Fires Two Barrels

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Joseph Sabe opened to 3,200 from under the gun and was called by Nejat Erman in the cutoff and Ramez Haddad in the big blind.

The flop came 10♠7♠4♥. Haddad checked, Sabe bet 3,000, Erman called and Haddad folded.

Sabe bet again for 7,500 on the A♠ turn and this time Erman opted to fold.

Tags: Joseph Sabe Nejat Erman Ramez Haddad

Nov 23, 2023

Haddad Doubles, Then Busts

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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.

Tags: Bulent Sahin Joseph Sabe Matthew Davenport Ramez Haddad

Nov 23, 2023

Michael Battles Babayev

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Agharazi Babayev opened to 3,500 from the button and Angelos Michael called from the small blind.

Both players checked the flop and turn leading to a final board of Q♠J♥7♣10♣6♠. Michael bet 3,000 and Babayev raised to 10,000. Michael thought for about a minute before raising to 35,000.

Babayev thought about his decision for about a minute before making the call. Michael tabled 6♣6♥ for bottom set made on the river and a visibly frustrated Babayev threw his cards into the muck.

Tags: Agharazi Babayev Angelos Michael