$10,500 High Roller
Day 3 Completed
2023 Merit Poker Retro Series
$10,500 High Roller
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 Merit Poker Retro Series
Buy-in
$10,500
Prize Pool
$1,407,600
Entries
153
Level
31
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
22
Players Left
1
Damir Zhugralin Makes A Huge Comeback To Win The $10,500 High Roller
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Damir Zhugralin had less than 20% of the chips when he reached the final duel. But after a few double ups, he managed to take the lead and win the 2023 Merit Poker Retro Series $10,500 High Roller at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
Thanks to his first place out of 153 entrants, Zhugralin wins $350,000. Chipleader of the final table from start to (almost) the end, Uri Reichenstein finishes second for $246,300. Like them, 20 players were in the money, sharing a total prizepool of $1,407,600.
2023 Merit Poker Retro Series $10,500 High Roller Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | COUNTRY | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damir Zhugralin | Kazakhstan | $350,000 |
| 2 | Uri Reichenstein | Israel | $246,300 |
| 3 | Mustafa Biz | Turkey | $158,600 |
| 4 | Milos Petakovic | Serbia | $117,600 |
| 5 | Denis Kapustin | Russia | $88,500 |
| 6 | Maxime Chilaud | France | $70,900 |
| 7 | Sonny Franco | France | $59,100 |
| 8 | Hassan Barakat | Lebanon | $47,500 |
| 9 | Daniel Kyosev | Bulgaria | $35,700 |
Day 4 Highlights
Twenty-two players came back on Day 3 with one main goal: behing in one of the 20 places in the money. Tinay Aksoy wasn't the favorite to do so, as he had only two blinds at the beginning of the day. Thus, it wasn't surprising to see his name as the first player eliminated.
Upon reaching the bubble, Adi Rajkovic tried to be patient to secure a minimum cash prize of $16,500. However, as the bubble dragged on, his stack dwindled. At a some point, he had no choice but to go all in with pocket sevens. The future winner, Damir Zhugralin, called him and hit a pair of kings, making Rajkovic the bubble boy.
After the bubble burst, the field quickly narrowed down to two tables, with short stacks like Jovan Kenjic (17th, $18,700) getting eliminated. It didn't take much longer to reach the final table, as only three and a half hours passed between the "shuffle up and deal" and the elimination of Aleksandr Chernikov. The Russian player finished 10th ($26,300), despite being the chipleader after the bubble. Once again, it was Zhugralin who sent him to the rail.
The final table started with Uri Reichenstein as the chipleader. He utilized his big stack to apply pressure on his opponents. Day 1 chipleader Daniel Kyosev was the first to fall against him (9th, $35,700), followed by Hassan Barakat (8th, $47,500) and Sonny Franco (7th, $59,100). After these eliminations, the remaining six players took a dinner break.
However, Day 2 chipleader Maxime Chilaud (6th, $70,900) didn't stay at the table for long after the break. Reichenstein eliminated him, further increasing his stack. He went on to eliminate all the other players, from Denis Kapustin (5th, $88,500) to Mustafa Biz (3rd, $158,600). Only Milos Petakovic managed to avoid Reichenstein's grasp. But his tournament still came to an end in fourth place for $117,600.
With these eliminations, Reichenstein began the heads up with 12,500,000 chips, while Zhugralin had only 3,000,000 chips. However, Zhugralin managed to double up on the very first hand, and then twice more in a row. The beginning of an impressive comeback. Thanks to his last double up, he even took the lead, which he maintained until the end.
Uri Reichenstein Eliminated In 2nd Place ($246,300)
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
On the button, Damir Zhugralin opened to 600,000. Then in the big blind, Uri Reichenstein moved all in for 5,785,000. Zhugralin snap-called.
Uri Reichenstein: K♣J♠
Damir Zhugralin: Q♣Q♦
A queen came on the flop 2♣Q♦K♦ to give Zhugralin a set, but Reichenstein still had a straight draw. The turn K♦ didn't change anything. Finally, the 4♥ completed the board, and ended the tournament.
After an amazing comeback in heads up, Damir Zhugralin is crowned the winner of the 2023 Merit Poker Retro Series $10,500 High Roller and wins $350,000. Finishing second, Uri Reichenstein goes back home with $246,300.
Stay tuned on PokerNews for the full recap of the event !
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
15,300,000 | 6,700,000 |
|
Busted |
Reichenstein Hero Calls With Ace-High
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
In a limped pot, Uri Reichenstein on the button bet 250,000 on 10♥8♣8♦. But Damir Zhugralin didn’t want to let the pot to his opponent that easly, so he check-raised to 850,000. Reichenstein made the call, and the J♠ landed on the turn.
This time, Zhugralin checked, as did Reichenstein. But on the river J♣, Zhugralin bet 1,400,000, half of Reichenstein’s stack.
With A♠7♠, Reichenstein clearly had a decision. And he eventually called with his ace-high. A successful hero call, because Zhugralin only had 9♠6♠.
After this pot, both stacks are almost even.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,600,000 | -3,500,000 |
|
|
6,700,000 | 3,500,000 |
Nine No Good
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Damir Zhugralin raised to 500,000 on the button and received a call by Uri Reichenstein to see the flop 9♦10♣4♣. Both players checked this first street, so they moved onto the turn J♣.
Zhugralin bet another 500,000, and Uri Reichenstein in front of him kept calling. The Q♠ came on the river, but neither of the two players took the risk to bet.
"Nine" said Uri Reichenstein, who had 9♣5♠. But it wasn't enough because Zhugralin had a pair of jacks with A♣J♠.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,100,000 | 3,000,000 |
|
|
3,200,000 | -3,100,000 |
Another Double Up For Zhugralin
Level 31
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
For the second time in just a few hands, the last two players of this High Roller moved all in, with Damir Zhugralin still at risk for 4,400,000 chips.
Damir Zhugralin: 9♥7♥
Uri Reichenstein: A♦J♥
Reichenstein had the opportunity to end this tournament, but a nine on the flop 6♣5♠9♣ gave the best hand to Zhugralin. It held on the turn 6♠ and the river 5♣, and Zhugralin doubled up again. He is now in the lead with 9,100,000 chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,100,000 | 4,900,000 |
|
|
6,300,000 | -4,900,000 |
Level: 31
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Zhugralin Doubles Up
Level 30
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
On the button, Uri Reichenstein moved all in to put pressure on his opponent. But Damir Zhugralin decided to call with his 1,975,000 chips.
Damir Zhugralin: K♠6♠
Uri Reichenstein: 9♣4♣
Zhugralin hit a pair on 8♥J♦6♠. But Reichenstein still had a lot of outs after the turn 7♦. The river was the K♠, securing Zhugralin's double up to 4,200,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,200,000 | |
|
|
4,200,000 |
Reichenstein Can't Get Value From His Flush
Level 30
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Uri Reichenstein limped from the button, and Damir Zhugralin checked his option. They both checked as well on the flop 6♥9♦4♦. Then, Reichenstein bet 300,000 on the turn 3♦. Reichenstein had checked on the flop, and called on the turn.
However, on the river 7♦, which completed his flush as he held Q♦5♥, Reichenstein waited for Zhugralin's check to bet 1,000,000 chips. With 7♥2♣ for a pair, Zhugralin quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,000,000 | -485,000 |
|
|
3,300,000 | 475,000 |
Level: 30
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000