$5,300 High Roller | 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series

11-29-2023 01:46 UTC+2

Aleksandr Kirichenko Eliminated in 2nd Place ($104,500)

Jeremy Geist

Level 29 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko moved all in from the button for his last 1,800,000 after a few orbits of Giorgiy Skhulukhiya laying down the hammer and accumulating chips.

Skhulukhiya tanked for a moment then called off to put Kirichenko at risk.

Aleksandr Kirichenko: A♦8♥
Giorgiy Skhulukhiyam: K♠7♦

No sweat for Skhulukhiyam who hit top pair on the 4♦K♥J♣ board. The 5♠ turn and 7♣ river would not bring the help that Kirichenko needed and Skhulukhiyam sent Kirichenko to the rail to officially be crowned the Merit Poker $5,300 High Roller champion for $149,200.

Full Recap coming soon.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	12,100,000 7,400,000	7,400,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Giorgiy Skhulukhiyam

11-29-2023 00:06 UTC+2

Dawid Smolka Eliminated in 3rd Place ($67,200)

Jeremy Geist

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya opened the button to 325,000 before the action was on Dawid Smolka in the small blind who wasted little time before moving all in. Aleksandr Kirichenko folded from the big blind and Skhulukhiya snap called to put Smolka at risk.

Dawid Smolka: 4♠4♥
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: A♥10♠

The full board ran out Q♠2♥A♠2♠9♠ and Smolka fell at the hands of Skhulukhiya.

Skhulukhiya and Kirichenko are now taking a short break before the heads up match begins.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	6,350,000 2,725,000	2,725,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	5,750,000 650,000	650,000
Dawid Smolka	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Dawid Smolka Dawid Smolka Eliminated Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

11-28-2023 22:53 UTC+2

Guo Liang Wei Eliminated in 4th Place ($49,750)

Jeremy Geist

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko opened the small blind to 350,000 before the action was on Guo Liang Wei in the big blind. He thought it over and flicked in a chip.

The 10♦10♣5♣ flop landed and Kirichenko continued for 300,000. Wei wasted little time before raising small to 675,000. Kirichenko took a moment and then piled his chips in. Wei snap called to put his tournament life at risk.

Guo Liang Wei: 10♠8♦
Aleksandr Kirichenko: 8♣8♠

Wei was in prime position to double but the dealer brought in a sweat in the form of a flush draw with the Q♣ turn. The 3♣ river would bring in the gross runner-runner flush and Wei would hit the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	5,000,000 2,200,000	2,200,000
Guo Liang Wei	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Guo Liang Wei

11-28-2023 22:14 UTC+2

Natan Chauskin Eliminated in 5th Place ($37,300)

Jeremy Geist

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Natan Chauskin limped from the small blind for 80,000 before action was on Giorgiy Skhulukhiya in the big blind who raised to 180,000. Action was back on Chauskin who took a moment and then announced he was all in. Skhulukhiya snap called.

Natan Chauskin: A♠J♦
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: K♠K♦

Chauskin was in rough shape but lucky for him there was an ace right in the window and another when the A♦8♥A♣ flop was fanned out. Skhulukhiya sat back down to count out the chips until the dealer burned and turned the K♣ and Skhulukhiya jumped back into the lead. Chauskin wasn't drawing dead but the 3♠ river would not bring the help he needed. He made his exit as Skhulukhiya dragged the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	5,000,000 1,400,000	1,400,000
Natan Chauskin	Busted

Tags: Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Natan Chauskin Natan Chauskin Eliminated

11-28-2023 21:19 UTC+2

Huseyin Akgul Eliminated in 8th Place ($19,850)

Jeremy Geist

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko opened the button to 120,000 before action was on Huseyin Akgul in the big blind who took a moment and then moved all in for 555,000. Kirichenko snap called.

Huseyin Akgul: A♣4♣
Aleksandr Kirichenko: J♠J♣

The full board ran out 8♣2♣8♦3♥6♠ and Akgul hit the rail after an impressive showing.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	3,800,000 500,000	500,000
Huseyin Akgul	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Huseyin Akgul

11-28-2023 20:06 UTC+2

Leonid Sidelkovskiy Eliminated in 9th Place ($14,900)

Jeremy Geist

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Leonid Sidelkovskiy raised to 400,000 from early position with 80,000 left behind and action folded to Huseyin Akgul in the cutoff who burned a timebank before moving all in for 930,000. Natan Chauskin was in the small blind and burned through three of his own timebanks before eventually finding a fold. Sidelkovskiy put in the last of his chips and the cards hit their backs.

Leonid Sidelkovskiy: A♥J♦
Huseyin Akgul: A♠Q♣

The full board ran out 6♦6♥7♦8♥5♥ and Sidelkovskiy hit the rail in 9th place.

It is worth noting that Chauskin was tanking in the small blind with pocket jacks and let them go. He would have gotten more than a double had he put in the call.

Player	Chips	Progress
Huseyin Akgul	1,500,000 570,000	570,000
Natan Chauskin	880,000 -100,000	-100,000
Leonid Sidelkovskiy	Busted

Tags: Huseyin Akgul Natan Chauskin

11-28-2023 18:50 UTC+2

Halil Tasyurek Eliminated in 11th Place ($10,850)

Jeremy Geist

Level 23 : 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Halil Tasyurek opened the button before Guo Liang Wei defended his big blind.

The 6♠7♠4♠ flop hit the felt and action checked to Tasyurek who continued for 125,000. Wei took a moment before putting in a check-raise to 300,000. Tasyurek thought over his options for a few moments before he moved all in and Wei snap called.

Halil Tasyurek: A♣A♠
Guo Liang Wei: 5♥3♥

Tasyurek was in rough shape but still had outs in the form of a spade. The K♦ turn and 7♥ river would not bring the help he needed and he made his exit from the feature table at the hands of a cold deck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Guo Liang Wei	2,400,000 900,000	900,000

Halil Tasyurek	Busted

Tags: Halil Tasyurek

11-28-2023 18:29 UTC+2

Maxime Chilaud Eliminated in 12th Place ($10,850)

Jeremy Geist

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya opened the cutoff to 70,000 before the action folded to Halil Tasyurek in the small blind who cold-called and then Maxime Chilaud defended his big blind.

The 8♠9♣8♣ flop landed and action checked to Chilaud who moved all in for his last 165,000. Skhulukhiya got out of the way but after a short tank Tasyurek flicked in a call to put Chilaud at risk.

Maxime Chilaud: J♣6♣
Halil Tasyurek: K♠Q♠

The 7♥ turn brought in a few more outs for Chilaud but the 4♠ river would make the king high of Tasyurek good enough to scoop the pot. Chilaud made his exit in 12th Place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Halil Tasyurek	1,100,000 100,000	100,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	1,045,000 485,000	485,000
Maxime Chilaud	Busted

Tags: Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Halil Tasyurek Maxime Chilaud

11-28-2023 18:27 UTC+2

Jakub Michalak Eliminated in 13th Place ($8,900)

Jeremy Geist

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Dawid Smolka opened the cutoff to 70,000 before the action moved to in the big blind who moved all in for 265,000. Smolka sat in the tank for a moment but eventually he flicked in a chip.

Jakub Michalak: A♠7♦
Dawid Smolka: A♣5♠

The 3♥J♣J♦ flop was safe for Michalak. The 4♥ turn would bring in a small sweat in the form of a gutter for Smolka and then the 2♣ river would nail said draw giving Smolka the wheel and sending Michalak to the rail.