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

11-28-2023 22:38 UTC+2

Smolka Doubles Again

Jeremy Geist

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

Dawid Smolka moved all in from the cutoff for 970,000 before the action was on Aleksandr Kirichenko on the button who thought over his options and then flat called. The blinds got out of the way and the cards hit their backs.

Dawid Smolka: K♠Q♠
Aleksandr Kirichenko: 8♠8♣

The full board ran out 2♦10♥A♥5♣J♦ and Kirichenko would hand over enough chips to double up Smolka.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	2,800,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000
Dawid Smolka	2,100,000 700,000	700,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Dawid Smolka

Level: 27

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000

11-28-2023 22:25 UTC+2

Smolka Doubles Through Wei

Jeremy Geist

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

Guo Liang Wei opened the button to 160,000 before the action was on Dawid Smolka in the big blind who moved all in. Wei got a count to be sure but he eventually called.

Dawid Smolka: K♦J♠
Guo Liang Wei: 4♣4♠

The full board ran out J♦J♣A♦3♣2♣ and Smolka got the pure double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Guo Liang Wei	2,400,000 -20,000	-20,000

Dawid Smolka	1,400,000 535,000	535,000

Tags: Dawid Smolka 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 22:03 UTC+2

Clement Bonnant Eliminated in 6th Place ($29,850)

Jeremy Geist

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

Clement Bonnant was in the small blind and moved all in over the stack of Giorgiy Skhulukhiya who was in the big blind. He checked his cards and snap called.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: A♦J♠
Clement Bonnant: Q♥10♥

Skhulukhiya was the at risk player and doubled up on the 8♦3♣9♦3♠A♣ board.

Just one hand later Bonnant moved in again, this time as the at-risk player and after a short tank Skhulukhiya rejammed from the small blind before the big blind folded.

Clement Bonnant: Q♦J♥
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: 7♠7♥

The full board ran out 9♥K♣6♦8♣8♦ and Bonnant was eliminated after two straight hands of unfortunate circumstances against Skhulukhiya.

Skhulukhiya now sits at the top of the leaderboard.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	3,600,000 2,655,000	2,655,000
Clement Bonnant	Busted

Tags: Clement Bonnant Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

Level: 26

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 80,000

11-28-2023 21:44 UTC+2

Liwei Sun Eliminated in 7th Place ($24,800)

Jeremy Geist

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

Clement Bonnant opened to 120,000 from early position before the action moved to short stack Liwei Sun in the small blind. He did some accounting of his chips and then took a moment and moved all in. The big blind folded and then Bonnant snap called.

Liwei Sun: K♠Q♠
Clement Bonnant: K♥K♦

The full board ran out 4♦J♠4♥6♠8♦ and Bonnant sent Sun to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Clement Bonnant	2,200,000 390,000	390,000
Liwei Sun	Busted

Tags: Liwei Sun Clement Bonnant

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 21:12 UTC+2

Finally There's Light From Sun

Jeremy Geist

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

Aleksandr Kirichenko opened under the gun to 120,000 before action was on Liwei Sun who has been the short stack for the entire final table thus far. Without wasting any time Sun moved all in for 190,000. It folded all the way back to Kirichenko who called the extra 70,000 and they were off to a full board with Sun at risk for the first time.

Liwei Sun: A♣10♥
Aleksandr Kirichenko: J♠10♠

The full board ran out 2♦7♣5♠Q♣8♦ and Sun earned the pure double. A few hands later he was able to jam again and pick up the blinds and antes.