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

01-25-2023 18:44 UTC+2

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 18:36 UTC+2

Final Table Underway

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David Salituro

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

The players have been introduced and Ali Nejad has given the command of "shuffle up and deal," and the final table of the Merit Poker Western Series Main Event is now underway.

01-25-2023 17:06 UTC+2

Updates on a Delay

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David Salituro

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

With the start of the final table, updates will be on a 60-minute delay to match the Merit Poker live stream.

Stay tuned for all the action.

01-25-2023 16:08 UTC+2

Final Table Seat Draw

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David Salituro

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

Seat	Player	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Serge Matta	6,025,000	24
2	Eduard Barsegian	16,725,000	67
3	Aleksandr Chernikov	12,175,000	49
4	Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	9,500,000	38
5	Ernestas Degtiariovas	4,075,000	16
6	Ara Melkisetian	7,250,000	29
7	Justus Held	8,350,000	33
8	Dominik Panka	8,900,000	36
9	Vladislav Doroshkov	2,675,000	11

Player	Chips	Progress
Eduard Barsegian	16,725,000 125,000	125,000
Aleksandr Chernikov	12,175,000 2,875,000	2,875,000

Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	9,500,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Dominik Panka	8,900,000 900,000	900,000

Justus Held	8,350,000 350,000	350,000
Ara Melkisetian	7,250,000 2,950,000	2,950,000

Serge Matta	6,025,000 3,175,000	3,175,000
Ernestas Degtiariovas	4,075,000 525,000	525,000
Vladislav Doroshkov	2,675,000 1,825,000	1,825,000

01-25-2023 16:04 UTC+2

Maciej Komorowski Eliminated in 10th Place ($27,600)

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David Salituro

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

Maciej Komorowski moved all in for 2,775,000 from the cutoff and Aleksandr Chernikov called on the button.

Maciej Komorowski:
Aleksandr Chernikov;

Racing for his tournament life on the final table bubble, Komorowski saw the board come and keep Chernikov's eights in front to send him to the rail in 10th place.

The remaining nine players are now drawing for seats at the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	12,200,000 2,900,000	2,900,000

Maciej Komorowski	Busted

Tags: Maciej Komorowski Aleksandr Chernikov

01-25-2023 16:02 UTC+2

Held Keeps His Foot on the Gas

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David Salituro

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

Justus Held raised again from the button, this time for 700,000 as both blinds got out of the way.

The next hand, Held raised to 600,000 and once more took down the blinds and antes. He then raised for the third straight time, making it 500,000 as once again the rest of the table folded while Held added nearly 2,000,000 to his stack without seeing a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justus Held	8,000,000 2,800,000	2,800,000

Tags: Justus Held

01-25-2023 15:53 UTC+2

Held Four-Bet Shoves

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David Salituro

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

Justus Held raised to 500,000 from the button before Ernestas Degtiariovas, from the big blind, three-bet to 1,200,000.

Held then moved all in for 4,900,000 and Degtiariovas asked for a count, using two time banks before he folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justus Held	6,200,000 3,000,000	3,000,000
Ernestas Degtiariovas	4,600,000 600,000	600,000

Tags: Ernestas Degtiariovas Justus Held

01-25-2023 15:42 UTC+2

Held Wakes Up With Aces

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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 15:35 UTC+2

Orthodoxou Holds On as Chernikov Smacks the Flop

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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.