$3,300 Main Event | 2023 Merit Poker Western Series

01-25-2023 21:59 UTC+3

Matta Cracks Aces to Double

David Salituro

Level 34 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Ernestas Degtiariovas raised to 800,000 from under the gun with and Serge Matta called in the cutoff with , leaving himself just 1,800,000 behind.

The flop came and Degtiariovas bet 700,000. Matta shoved all in with his two pair and Degtiariovas snap-called.

Degtiariovas was incredulous after seeing Matta's holding as the board ran out , securing Matta a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ernestas Degtiariovas	12,300,000 -2,600,000	-2,600,000
Serge Matta	6,300,000 2,675,000	2,675,000

Tags: Ernestas Degtiariovas Serge Matta

01-25-2023 21:50 UTC+3

Dominik Panka Eliminated in 8th Place ($49,600)

David Salituro

Level 34 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Eduard Barsegian raised to 900,000 from early position before Dominik Panka, in the big blind, shoved all in for 4,750,000. Barsegian gave it some thought before calling.

Dominik Panka:
Eduard Barsegian:

Panka picked up a straight draw on the flop, but he failed to connect with the turn or river and went around the table shaking the hands of his former tablemates before heading to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eduard Barsegian	20,300,000 6,200,000	6,200,000
Dominik Panka	Busted

Tags: Eduard Barsegian Dominik Panka

01-25-2023 21:07 UTC+3

Vladislav Doroshkov Eliminated in 9th Place ($37,300)

David Salituro

Level 33 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Vladislav Doroshkov moved all in for 2,125,000 in the hijack and Aleksandr Chernikov called in the small blind.

Vladislav Doroshkov:
Aleksandr Chernikov:

Doroshkov was dominated and fell further behind as Chernikov made top pair on the flop. The board ran out and Chernikov finished with a flush to send Doroshkov to the rail with a ninth-place finish and $37,300 the prize for his first-ever live tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	16,300,000 700,000	700,000

Vladislav Doroshkov	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Vladislav Doroshkov

01-25-2023 19:44 UTC+3

Doroshkov Finds Queens on the First Hand

David Salituro

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

On the first hand of the final table, Vladislav Doroshkov moved all in for 2,675,000 from early position and Aleksandr Chernikov called in the hijack.

Vladislav Doroshkov:
Aleksandr Chernikov:

Doroshkov was flipping for his tournament life as the flop came . Chernikov picked up the nut flush draw to go with his overcards, but he couldn't connect with the turn or river as Doroshkov stayed alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	9,500,000 -2,675,000	-2,675,000

Vladislav Doroshkov	5,950,000 3,275,000	3,275,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Vladislav Doroshkov

01-25-2023 16:42 UTC+3

Held Wakes Up With Aces

David Salituro

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Vladislav Doroshkov raised to 500,000 from the cutoff before Justus Held, in the small blind, moved all in for 1,600,000. Doroshkov confirmed the amount before he called after tanking for about a minute.

Justus Held:
Vladislav Doroshkov:

Doroshkov had run right into Held's aces as the flop came . The on the turn gave Doroshkov a straight draw, but he missed the river as Held doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vladislav Doroshkov	4,500,000 -3,000,000	-3,000,000
Justus Held	3,200,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Justus Held Vladislav Doroshkov

01-25-2023 16:35 UTC+3

Orthodoxou Holds On as Chernikov Smacks the Flop

David Salituro

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Orthodoxos Orthodoxou raised to 600,000 from under the gun as action folded around to Aleksandr Chernikov, who called from the big blind.

The flop came and Orthodoxou continued for 2,000,000. Chernikov shoved to put Orthodoxou all in, and Orthodoxou snap-called for his last 1,200,000.

Orthodoxos Orthodoxou:
Aleksandr Chernikov:

Orthodoxou had the overpair of kings, but Chernikov had made top pair with a flush draw. The turn didn't improve Chernikov, while the on the river sealed the double up for Orthodoxou as he began rapidly pumping his fist.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	9,300,000 -2,100,000	-2,100,000

Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	8,000,000 6,625,000	6,625,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Orthodoxos Orthodoxou

01-25-2023 15:50 UTC+3

Matta Has Chernikov Dominated

David Salituro

Level 31 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Aleksandr Chernikov raised to 525,000 from the button before Serge Matta moved all in for 4,300,000 in the big blind. Chernikov quickly called.

Serge Matta:
Aleksandr Chernikov:

Chernikov was dominated as the board ran out . Both players ended up with a pair of aces, but Matta's queen-kicker played to earn him the massive double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	11,400,000 -5,200,000	-5,200,000

Serge Matta	9,200,000 5,700,000	5,700,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Serge Matta

01-25-2023 15:33 UTC+3

Bakhos Joumaa Eliminated in 11th Place ($27,600)

David Salituro

Level 31 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

The action folded to Bakhos Joumaa in the small blind who shoved all in for around 1,500,000. Dominik Panka in the big blind asked for a count before he called.

Bakhos Joumaa;
Dominik Panka:

Joumaa was dominated and got no help on the board as Panka finished with two pair to bust Joumaa in 11th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominik Panka	11,000,000

Bakhos Joumaa	Busted

Tags: Bakhos Joumaa Dominik Panka

01-25-2023 15:17 UTC+3

Edgard Raffoul Eliminated in 12th Place ($27,600)

David Salituro

Level 31 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Aleksandr Chernikov raised to 325,000 from under the gun and Edgard Raffoul defended his big blind.

Both players checked the flop before Raffoul led out for 275,000 on the turn.

Chernikov called to the river as Raffoul slowed down and checked. Chernikov fired out 450,000 and Raffoul raised to 1,050,000.

Chernikov then moved all in and Raffoul, with 1,700,000 remaining, tanked for around two minutes before he called with for trips.

Chernikov, though, turned over for a full house as he raised his arms in the air. Raffoul went around the table to shake the hand of all his former opponents before heading to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	16,600,000 3,000,000	3,000,000

Edgard Raffoul	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Edgard Raffoul

01-25-2023 15:10 UTC+3

Maroun Jazzar Eliminated in 13th Place ($22,040)

David Salituro

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Maroun Jazzar raised all in from early position as action folded around to Edgard Raffoul, who called for his last 1,300,000.

Edgard Raffoul:
Maroun Jazzar:

The flop gave Raffoul top pair and the lead in the hand. "I'm a believer," Jazzar said as the fell on the turn.

Jazzar pointed out that he thought it was a nine. "It's black," Raffoul reminded him. The river was the and Raffoul doubled up.

Left with just 125,000, Jazzar was forced all in from the big blind a few hands later and was up against Serge Matta.

Maroun Jazzar:
Serge Matta:

The board ran out and Matta's two pair, jacks and kings, were enough to beat Jazzar's kings and nines and send him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Serge Matta	3,500,000 325,000	325,000
Edgard Raffoul	3,200,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Maroun Jazzar	Busted

Tags: Maroun Jazzar Edgard Raffoul Serge Matta