$3,300 Main Event
Day 1cd Completed
2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series
$3,300 Main Event
Day: 1cd
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1cd
2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$1,562,160
Entries
566
Level
36
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Entries
144
Players Left
62
Day 1d Chip Counts
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
708,000
708,000
|
708,000 |
|
||
|
357,000
357,000
|
357,000 |
|
246,000
246,000
|
246,000 |
|
|
235,500
235,500
|
235,500 |
|
|
221,500
221,500
|
221,500 |
|
|
217,500
217,500
|
217,500 |
|
185,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
137,500
137,500
|
137,500 |
|
126,500
126,500
|
126,500 |
|
125,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
95,500
95,500
|
95,500 |
|
|
87,000
87,000
|
87,000 |
|
75,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
|
71,500
71,500
|
71,500 |
|
|
69,000
69,000
|
69,000 |
|
51,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
Simas Karaliunas Bags Big on Day 1c of the Merit Poker Gangster Series Main Event
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Day 1c of the 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series $3,300 Main Event hosted by the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino attracted a total of 114 runners, with late registration still open till the end of level 14 on Day 2.
After nine levels of play, 62 players remained. Among the big stacks sits Simas Karaliunas of Lithuania, who bagged 504,500, along with Damir Gabdullin of Russia with 463,500, with both claiming a spot inside the top three.
Karaliunas found himself in a few interesting spots throughout the day, including a big pot that was won when his opponent limp-back-jammed with seven-duece and was called by the ace-ten of Karaliunas to scoop a massive pot and accumulate a ton of chips.
Later in the day, he would make a huge hero call when Dawid Smolka was caught with his hand in the cookie jar holding an under-pair. Karaliunas tank-called after a player at the table called the clock and he scooped another big pot.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John One | Turkey | 764,500 | 306 |
| 2 | Simas Karaliunas | Lithuania | 504,500 | 202 |
| 3 | Damir Gabdullin | Russia | 463,500 | 185 |
| 4 | Ali El-Siblani | Lebanon | 431,000 | 172 |
| 5 | Mariappan Subramaniam | Singapore | 415,500 | 166 |
| 6 | Kostiantyn Nikulin | Israel | 358,500 | 143 |
| 7 | Amir Sonsino | Israel | 345,000 | 138 |
| 8 | George Alahwal | Jordan | 311,000 | 124 |
| 9 | Anatoly Korochenskiy | Russia | 287,000 | 115 |
| 10 | Nikolay Tyurin | Russia | 280,000 | 112 |
Some other notable names to find a bag on Day 1 include WPT champion Benjamin Hamnett with 95,000, Russian crusher Oleg Netaliev who has finished runner-up in a Merit Poker Main Event in the past with 118,500, and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Dmitry Yurasov with 231,000.
Day 2 of the event is set to begin at 12:00 p.m. local time. Players who qualified on the first day will be returning to level 10. The blinds will be set at 1,000/2,500/2,500, and players are scheduled to play for another nine levels concluding around 9:45 p.m. local time. Each level will last for 60 minutes.
As always, stay tuned into PokerNews for all the updates on the Merit Poker Gangster Series and all the other best events happening around the world!
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
764,500
254,500
|
254,500 |
|
||
|
504,500
167,500
|
167,500 |
|
463,500
13,500
|
13,500 |
|
431,000
431,000
|
431,000 |
|
415,500
240,000
|
240,000 |
|
358,500
158,000
|
158,000 |
|
345,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
311,000
311,000
|
311,000 |
|
287,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
280,000
118,000
|
118,000 |
|
267,000
267,000
|
267,000 |
|
258,000
258,000
|
258,000 |
|
251,000
251,000
|
251,000 |
|
238,000
238,000
|
238,000 |
|
232,000
232,000
|
232,000 |
|
|
231,500
231,500
|
231,500 |
|
231,000
74,500
|
74,500 |
|
||
|
223,000
-114,000
|
-114,000 |
|
|
221,500
127,500
|
127,500 |
|
207,500
82,500
|
82,500 |
|
207,500
40,300
|
40,300 |
|
207,000
207,000
|
207,000 |
|
195,500
195,500
|
195,500 |
|
193,000
-34,000
|
-34,000 |
|
|
189,000
189,000
|
189,000 |
Play Concludes for Day 1c
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The curtain has closed for Day 1c of the 2023 Gangster Series $3,300 Main Event. The day attracted a total of 114 entrants with 62 players advancing to Day 2.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's events including full updated chip counts that will follow shortly.
Saad Snap Calls
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Action was opened in early position to 7,500. The cutoff called, Eli Saad called on the button and the big blind defended.
The 10♠8♠2♠ flop hit the felt and action checked all the way through to an A♦ turn. It then checked through to an 9♦ river where they finally saw some betting.
The original raiser gathered some chips and put out a bet of 17,000. The cutoff folded and then Eli Saad snap called from the button. The big blind got out of the way and the original raiser tapped the table to say "nice hand" as he tabled K♣J♥ for just king-high.
Saad tabled 8♣3♦ for fourth pair. He scooped the pot after making a great river call.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
180,000
-27,000
|
-27,000 |
Karaliunas Makes a Big Call
Level 9
: 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Jihad Yehya opened to 7,000 from the hijack and received calls from Dawid Smolka in on the button and Simas Karaliunas in the small blind.
The flop came A♦4♥9♥ and action checked around to Smolka who bet 8,000. Both opponents made the call.
On the 7♥ turn Smolka bet again when checked to, this time for 23,000. Karaliunas called while Yehya got out of the way.
Karaliunas checked once more on the 10♣ river and Smolka bet 60,000, sending Karaliunas deep into the tank.
After a few minutes a player called the clock and shortly afterwards Karaliunas made the call. Smolka had 5♥5♣ for a small pair turned into a bluff while Karaliunas tabled A♦J♥ for top pair to take down a sizable pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
337,000
337,000
|
337,000 |
|
|
337,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
82,000
-15,500
|
-15,500 |
Gabdullin Triple Barrels
Level 9
: 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
"John One" opened in late position to 5,000 before the action moved to Damir Gabdullin on the button who put in a three-bet to 17,000. "John One" called.
The K♥5♠A♥ landed on the flop and "John One" check-called a 15,000 bet from Gabdullin on their way to a 4♦ turn.
It was checked over to Gabdullin again who sized up to 37,500. "John One" called again.
The 2♠ landed on the river and once more the action was checked to Gabdullin who went for one more bet 90,000.
This time "John One" found the fold. He is still sitting atop the leaderboard despite quite a large pot heading to Gabdullin.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
510,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
450,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
Level: 9
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 2,500
Korochenskiy Bombs the Turn
Level 8
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Eli Saad opened to 4,000 from middle position and received calls from Anatoly Korochenskiy in the hijack and Oladele Kupoluyi on the button.
The flop came Q♥6♣2♣. Kupoliyi checked, Saad fired a 6,000 continuation bet, Korochenskiy called and Kupoluyi called.
On the 9♣ turn action checked around to Korochenskiy who bet 47,000, nearly twice the amount in the pot. Saad and Kupoluyi made the fold and Korochenskiy took down a decent pot without showdown.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
285,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
|
207,000
141,000
|
141,000 |
|
|
77,000
77,000
|
77,000 |