$10,500 High Roller Day 2 | 2023 Merit Poker Retro Series

08-12-2023 02:10 UTC+2

Kamar Hits A Pair

Maxime Taldir

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

In a blind versus blind situation, Fady Kamar limped from the small blind, and Andrey Pateychuk checked his option.

The dealer revealed a flop of J♥Q♣K♥ that both players checked. The 2♣ came on the turn, and Kamar bet 25,000. Pateychuk called to see the river 7♥, where Kamar added 45,000 chips to the pot. Pateychuk called, but mucked his cards after Kamar showed K♠3♣ for a pair of kings.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fady Kamar	650,000
Andrey Pateychuk	330,000 30,000	30,000

08-12-2023 01:56 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

Maxime Taldir

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal	1,150,000 1,010,500	1,010,500
Aleksandr Chernikov	1,100,000 500,000	500,000
Damir Zhugralin	950,000 30,000	30,000
Nikolay Ponomarev	790,000 200,000	200,000
Tinay Aksoy	660,000 574,000	574,000
Mustafa Biz	660,000 -40,000	-40,000
Ravil Khamatgareev	630,000 630,000	630,000
Nicolas Chouity	600,000 200,000	200,000

Daniel Kyosev	580,000 167,000	167,000
Jovan Kenjic	420,000 70,000	70,000
Vlado Banicevic	350,000 153,500	153,500
Andrey Pateychuk	300,000 120,000	120,000

Toni Kaukua	240,000 -170,000	-170,000
Naryman Yaghmaie	160,000 160,000	160,000

Level: 18

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 12,000

08-12-2023 01:36 UTC+2

Last Break Of The Day

Maxime Taldir

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

There are 35 players left at the end of Level 17. They are on a 15-minute break. After that, they'll play two more levels before the end of the day.

08-12-2023 01:33 UTC+2

Chilaud Doubles Through Bartagov

Maxime Taldir

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Everybody folded to Petry Bartagov in the small blind who opened on Maxime Chilaud’s big blind. But the French player decided to go all in for 290,000. Bartagov called.

Maxime Chilaud: 8♦8♥
Petry Bartagov: A♥J♠

The 3♣9♣Q♦K♠2♥ didn’t change anything to the situation, and Chilaud secured a double up to reach 600,000 chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Chilaud	600,000
Petry Bartagov	45,000

Tags: Maxime Chilaud Petry Bartagov

08-12-2023 01:26 UTC+2

Flush Over Flush For Kapustin

Maxime Taldir

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

After reaching Day 4 of the Warmup (15th position, $15,780), Oleg Ustinovich is still in the High Roller. From under the gun, he opened to 16,000, but was raised by Denis Kapustin in the big blind to 65,000. Ustinovich called, and 6♣4♣3♣ came on the flop.

Kapustin bet another 45,000 on this first street. But this time, it was Ustinovich who raised, for all his chips. Kapustin called with fewer chips.

Denis Kapustin: A♣K♣
Oleg Ustinovich: Q♣10♣

In this big setup, Ustinovich couldn't do anything against the nut flush. The 8♦ and the 4♥ completed the board, and Kapustin doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Denis Kapustin	790,000 740,000	740,000
Oleg Ustinovich	170,000 170,000	170,000

08-12-2023 01:03 UTC+2

Small Pot For Guimond

Maxime Taldir

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Both having small stacks, Aziz Efe and Florian Guimond are cautious about taking risks. However, Efe, still in search of more chips, initiated the action by opening from the middle position with a bet of 23,000. Guimond in the big blind opted to call.

On the flop 2♦9♣10♠, Guimond chose to check, and Efe checked too. Seizing the opportunity, Guimond placed a bet of 30,000 when the 8♠ came on the turn.. After a few seconds, Efe decided to fold and let the pot to Guimond, who is back over 20 blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Florian Guimond	220,000
Aziz Efe	135,000

Tags: Aziz Efe Florian Guimond

Level: 17

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

08-12-2023 00:45 UTC+2

Zhugralin Takes The Lead

Maxime Taldir

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Damir Zhugralin was in the cutoff when he raised to 16,000. On the button, Nikolay Ponomarev three-bet to 46,000. Then in the small blind, Kubanychbek Abakirov decided to four-bet all in for 377,000 chips. Zhugralin reshoved, prompting Ponomarev to fold.

Kubanychbek Abakirov: 9♠9♦
Damir Zhugralin: K♠K♣

In this massive pot of more than 900,000 chips, Zhugralin claimed the entire pot with his kings on 3♠7♠5♦2♠J♦. Abakirov was eliminated, and Zhugralin took the tournament's chiplead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Zhugralin	920,000 465,000	465,000
Kubanychbek Abakirov	Busted

Tags: Damir Zhugralin Kubanychbek Abakirov Nikolay Ponomarev

08-12-2023 00:30 UTC+2

$350,000 For The Winner Of The High Roller

Maxime Taldir

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

A total of 153 entrants were registered in this 2023 Merit Poker Retro Series $10,500 High Roller event. It generated a prize pool of $1,407,600. And among all these entrants, only 20 players will finish "in the money" with a minimum cash prize of $16,500.
However, the winner's prize will be significantly larger, as there is a first-place prize of $350,000.

PLACE	PRIZE
1	$350,000
2	$246,300
3	$158,600
4	$117,600
5	$88,500
6	$70,900
7	$59,100
8	$47,500
9	$35,700
10-12	$26,300
13-15	$21,800
16-18	$18,700
19-20	$16,500