$5,300 High Roller
Day 1 Started
2023 Merit Poker Western Series
$5,300 High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2023 Merit Poker Western Series
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$676,200
Entries
147
Level
31
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
95
Players Left
69
Day 1 of $5,300 High Roller Gets Underway at 8 p.m.
Welcome to Day 1 of the Merit Poker Western Series $5,300 High Roller. It will be some late night wild west action as play gets underway under the cover of dark at 8 p.m. local time.
This tournament has a $250,000 guarantee and is expected to attract some familiar names who have been battling throughout the entire series here at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
This will be a three-day event with 40-minute levels. The $5,300 buy-in will give each entry a stack of 100,000. Re-entry is unlimited and open all the way through Level 12, which is into Day 2. Day 1 will be a breezy affair as the schedule calls for only eight levels of action before the players bag up for Day 2.
As has been the case throughout the series, PokerNews will be on cite to bring you all of the action.
Level: 1
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 400
Shuffle Up and Deal
Level 1
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Play has begin in the High Roller with 39 players at the start of play.
Dashti Gets Immediate Big Pot With Boat
Level 1
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Action was joined on a flop of 
. Gokhan Ozbek made a bet and was called by Ghanim Dashti.
The turn was the 
. Ozbek bet again, this time for 2,700. Dashti came along again with a call.
The river was the 
. Ozbek fired out 5,100. Dashti played with his stack before tossing in a large raise to 38,300. Ozbek sighed and rolled his eyes but called quickly.
Dashti tabled the 
for the full boat which cracked the 
of Ozbek which was turned over in frustration.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
144,000
144,000
|
144,000 |
|
56,000
56,000
|
56,000 |
Players in the Field
Level 1
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
M'Hiri Raises Zhugralin
Level 1
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
The flop came down 
. Damir Zhugralin bet 2,200 into a pot of about 3,000. Chakib M'Hiri raised to 6,000.
Zhurgalin folded after a few seconds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
109,000
109,000
|
109,000 |
|
|
93,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
Sadat Collects With Nut Flush
Level 1
: Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
On the river the board read 
. Jamie Nixon bet 5,100 from the cutoff into a pot of about 6,000.
Reza Sadat was in early position and raised it up to 12,200. Nixon called quickly. Sadat showed the 
for the nut flush and gathered in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
119,000
19,000
|
19,000 |
|
81,000
81,000
|
81,000 |
|
||
Level: 2
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600
Mandara Calls Surprising Bluff
Level 2
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Action was on the river with the board reading 
as Ryan Madara had made a bet of about 22,000. He was raised by Amer Kasbo to about 48,000.
Mandara took a few moments before he called. Kasbo said "ace high". Mandara tabled the 
set for the winner.
"My hand was too good to fold but I definitely didn't expect a bluff" said Mandara, discussing the hand as he collected the chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
130,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
46,000
46,000
|
46,000 |