$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2023 Merit Poker Western Series

01-23-2023 16:29 UTC+3

Ustimov, Al-Khasrab Love to Gamble

David Salituro

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

Zaid Al-Khasrab three-bet to 25,000 from the button as action folded back to original raiser Viktor Ustimov, who announced he was all in.

"I love to gamble," Al-Khasrab said.

"I love gamble, too," Ustimov replied as the two players exchanged a fist pump before Al-Khasrab called.

Ustimov showed and was ahead of the of Al-Khasrab. The board ran out and Ustimov's queens were good enough to win the pot.

The stacks were counted down and Ustimov barely had Al-Khasrab's remaining 160,000 covered, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viktor Ustimov	340,000 340,000	340,000
Zaid Al-Khasrab	Busted

Tags: Viktor Ustimov Zaid Al-Khasrab

Level: 13

Blinds: 2,000/3,500

Ante: 3,500

01-23-2023 16:38 UTC+3

Bitar Flips Out Stoyanov

David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

Ghassan Bitar raised to 7,500 from the hijack before Martin Stoyanov shoved all in for 80,500 next to act. Action folded back to Bitar, who snap-called.

Martin Stoyanov:
Ghassan Bitar:

Stoyanov remained ahead on the flop, but Bitar spiked the on the turn to take the lead. The river came the and Bitar slapped the table in celebration while Stoyanov quickly made his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ghassan Bitar	225,000 92,000	92,000
Martin Stoyanov	Busted

Tags: Ghassan Bitar Martin Stoyanov

01-23-2023 16:38 UTC+3

Zhugralin Zooms Up

Jeff McMillan

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

Action was picked up on the river with a board that read . From the button, Denis Matafonov made a half-pot bet of 75,000 into a pot of 150,000.

Damir Zhugralin was on his left in the small blind and went into the tank. After several moments he tossed in the call.

Matafonov tabled the for a bluff while Zhugralin showed down the winner.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Zhugralin	585,000 420,500	420,500
Denis Matafonov	280,000 -250,000	-250,000

Tags: Damir Zhurgalin Denis Matafonov

01-23-2023 16:45 UTC+3

Matafonov Shows Aces to Double

David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

The action was picked up with already around 150,000 in the pot and the board showing . Itai Levy bet 42,000 before Denis Matafonov moved all in for 196,000.

Levy took only a short time before he called as Matafonov turned over .

"Nice hand," Levi said as he mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Denis Matafonov	450,000 170,000	170,000
Itai Levy	200,000 -156,500	-156,500

Tags: Denis Matafonov Itai Levy

01-23-2023 16:53 UTC+3

Player	Chips	Progress
Gabi Livshitz	850,000 470,000	470,000
Jeffrey Hubbell	470,000 -40,000	-40,000
Nikolay Fal	460,000 351,500	351,500
Gokhan Ozbek	400,000 160,000	160,000
Joseph Hebert	380,000 50,000	50,000
Ryan Mandara	220,000 -45,000	-45,000
La Sengphet	210,000 -60,000	-60,000
Matan Krakow	140,000 -100,000	-100,000

Michael Allen	40,000 -244,000	-244,000

Thomas Wakes Up With Aces; Doe Left Steaming

David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

John Doe raised all in from the small blind as action folded back around to Julian Thomas on the button, who snap-called for his last 172,500.

Julian Thomas:
John Doe:

Doe angrily threw his pocket jacks into the middle at the sight of Thomas' aces. Thomas ended up making top set on the board as he doubled up off the Warm Up champion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julian Thomas	350,000 273,000	273,000

John Doe	180,000 -150,000	-150,000

Tags: John Doe Julian Thomas

01-23-2023 16:59 UTC+3

"HMD" Gets Big Pot With Aces

Jeff McMillan

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

There was a flurry of preflop action unfolding as an early position player had opened. Aleksandar Jakovljevic three-bet to 23,000 from the hijack, the cutoff cold called. The player known as "Kassem HMD" four-bet jammed from the small blind. The early position player called and Jakovljevic tanked a while before folding and the cutoff folded face up].

Early position:
Kassem HMD:

The flop came much to the dismay of the cutoff who reacted as he would have hit a set of deuces. The turn was the and the river was the to bust the player holding jacks and give Kassem HMD the big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kassem HMD	660,000 660,000	660,000
Aleksandar Jakovljevic	590,000 -70,000	-70,000

Tags: Aleksandar Jakovljevic Kassem HMD

01-23-2023 17:14 UTC+3

"Cowboy" Kolotiuk Shows Down Trips

David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante

Roman Kolotiuk and Eduard Bagrov were involved in a blind versus blind battle on the turn with the board showing . Kolotiuk bet 22,000 and Bagrov called.

The river came the and Bagrov checked. Kolotiuk, sporting a large cowboy hat, assembled a bet of 61,000 and pushed it into the middle. Bagrov quickly called as Kolotiuk showed for trip eights to win the pot.