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

01-24-2023 22:49 UTC+3

Chernikov Uses Aces to Take Massive Chip Lead

Jeff McMillan

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

On the live stream, Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal opened from under the gun with the to 125,000. Aleksandr Chernikov flatted in the cutoff with the , Basel Khabbazeh three-bet from the small blind to 525,000 with the . Sainjargal tanked before just calling.

Chernikov then four-bet to 2,1250,000. Khabbazeh five-bet jammed for 3,600,000. Sainjargal got away from his queens and the cards were revealed.

Khabbazeh was drawing only to an unlikely straight as both his suits were dead and the two other queens folded.

The board ran out and Khabbazeh was eliminated as Chernikov took the huge chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	9,450,000 3,000,000	3,000,000

Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal	1,300,000 -800,000	-800,000
Basel Khabbazeh	Busted

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal Basel Khabbazeh

01-24-2023 22:55 UTC+3

Korkmaz Calls Off to Jazzar

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

In a blind versus blind battle with 400,000 in the pot on a board of , Koray Korkmaz bet 385,000 before Maroun Jazzar shoved all in.

Korkmaz, with around 1,700,000, remaining tanked for several minutes as he chatted with Jazzar. He eventually called with for two pair, but Jazzar had for a straight.

The river came the and Korkmaz was sent to the rail.

The remaining 26 players are now drawing for seats at the final three tables.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maroun Jazzar	5,700,000 2,200,000	2,200,000
Koray Korkmaz	Busted

Tags: Koray Korkmaz Maroun Jazzar

01-24-2023 22:58 UTC+3

Final Three Tables

Jeff McMillan

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Table	Seat	Player	Chip Count
1	1	Vladislav Doroshkov	1,580,000
1	2	Aleksandr Chernikov	8,760,000
1	3	Gabi Livshitz	3,200,000
1	4	Ara Melkisetian	2,150,000
1	5	Sergei Efimov	1,350,000
1	6	Alper Kerim	1,200,000
1	7	Boris Smuskevicius	875,000
1	8	El Khoury Gabriel	4,000,000
1	9	Edgard Raffoul	1,410,000

2	1	Walid Bou Habib	1,950,000
2	2	Luc Bindel	2,055,000
2	3	Justus Held	6,730,000
2	4	--
2	5	Dominik Panka	5,045,000
2	6	Eduard Barsegian	7,415,000
2	7	Maroun Jazzar	5,700,000
2	8	Viktor Ustimov	4,420,000
2	9	Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal	2,160,000

3	1	Matan Krakow	1,200,000
3	2	Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	1,250,000
3	3	Maciej Komorowski	850,000
3	4	Georges Chehade	750,000
3	5	Nikolay Fal	1,200,000
3	6	Serge Matta	3,200,000
3	7	Bakhos Joumaa	1,600,000
3	8	Kassem Hammoud	850,000
3	9	Ernestas Degtiariovas	2,550,000

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	8,760,000 -690,000	-690,000

Eduard Barsegian	7,415,000 915,000	915,000
Justus Held	6,730,000 2,030,000	2,030,000
Maroun Jazzar	5,700,000
Dominik Panka	5,045,000 645,000	645,000

Viktor Ustimov	4,420,000 920,000	920,000
El Khoury Gabriel	4,000,000 -150,000	-150,000
Serge Matta	3,200,000 -600,000	-600,000
Gabi Livshitz	3,200,000 -100,000	-100,000
Ernestas Degtiariovas	2,550,000 -200,000	-200,000
Amarbayasgalan Sainjargal	2,160,000 860,000	860,000
Ara Melkisetian	2,150,000 -170,000	-170,000

Luc Bindel	2,055,000 255,000	255,000
Walid Bou Habib	1,950,000 380,000	380,000
Bakhos Joumaa	1,600,000 600,000	600,000
Vladislav Doroshkov	1,580,000 -920,000	-920,000
Edgard Raffoul	1,410,000 990,000	990,000
Sergei Efimov	1,350,000 -150,000	-150,000
Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	1,250,000 -250,000	-250,000

Matan Krakow	1,200,000 -100,000	-100,000

Nikolay Fal	1,200,000 -420,000	-420,000
Alper Kerim	1,200,000
Boris Smuskevicius	875,000 -175,000	-175,000
Maciej Komorowski	850,000 -350,000	-350,000
Kassem Hammoud	850,000 -750,000	-750,000

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01-24-2023 23:00 UTC+3

Poker Player Busts from WSOP Circuit King's Main Event in a Chop Pot; No One Caught It!

Chad Holloway

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

You can chalk this one up in the "never seen that before" poker category. Pierre Kauert busted in sixth place in the WSOP Circuit Main Event at King's Casino on...get this...a heads-up chop pot.

Yes, that's right, he became the first player ever, at least on a live stream, to be eliminated from a tournament in a hand he didn't actually lose. No one, not even the announcers, caught the mistake, and by the time it was discovered the pot should have been chopped, it was too late.

"It does fall under player and dealer responsibility and cannot really do anything about it at this point. If it wasn’t live streamed it would never have been realized and so we just move on," World Poker Tour's Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, who was not associated with the event, explained to PokerNews when asked how he would have proceeded.

See how the hand went down here!

01-24-2023 23:15 UTC+3

Nikolay Fal Eliminated in 26th Place ($13,180)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Nikolay Fal moved his last 1,000,000 into the middle and was called by Ernestas Degtiariovas on the button.

Nikolay Fal:
Ernestas Degtiariovas:

Degtiariovas hit top pair on the and Fal tapped the felt and wished the table luck after the turn and river sealed his elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ernestas Degtiariovas	3,200,000 650,000	650,000
Nikolay Fal	Busted

Tags: Ernestas Degtiariovas Nikolay Fal

01-24-2023 23:18 UTC+3

Doroshkov Wakes Up With Aces

Jeff McMillan

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

El Khoury Gabriel raised to 160,000 from the button. Vladislav Doroshkov three-bet jammed out of the big blind for 1,815,000 and Gabriel took a moment before he called.

El Khoury Gabriel:
Vladislav Doroshkov:

The board ran out to give Doroshkov a big double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vladislav Doroshkov	3,630,000 2,050,000	2,050,000
El Khoury Gabriel	2,300,000 -1,700,000	-1,700,000

Tags: Big Double El Khoury Gabriel Vladislav Doroshkov

01-24-2023 23:25 UTC+3

Matan Krakow Eliminated in 25th Place ($13,180)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

The action folded to Matan Krakow on the button who raised to 775,000, leaving himself just 80,000 behind. Orthodoxos Orthodoxou in the small blind then raised enough to put Krakow all in.

Krakow used several time banks before he committed his last chips.

Matan Krakow:
Orthodoxos Orthodoxou:

The flop gave Orthodoxou a pair of queens and the lead, while Krakow didn't get any help on the runout as he was went to the rail in 25th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Orthodoxos Orthodoxou	2,600,000 1,350,000	1,350,000

Matan Krakow	Busted

Tags: Matan Krakow Orthodoxos Orthodoxou

01-24-2023 23:32 UTC+3

Chernikov Carves More Away With Straight

Jeff McMillan

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Action was joined on the turn as the board read . From under the gun, El Khoury Gabriel bet 400,000 and was called by Aleksandr Chernikov from the hijack.

The river came the . Chernikov fired 500,000 after a check. Gabriel called.

Chernikov tabled the for the straight and Gabriel flung his cards into the muck in frustration.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Chernikov	9,850,000 1,090,000	1,090,000

El Khoury Gabriel	820,000 -1,480,000	-1,480,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov El Khoury Gabriel

01-24-2023 23:36 UTC+3

Kassem Hammoud Eliminated in 24th Place ($15,060)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Bakhos Joumaa raised to 190,000 from the small blind before Kassem Hammoud in the big blind moved all in for 740,000. Joumaa used a time bank card before he called.

Kassem Hammoud:
Bakhos Joumaa:

Hammoud hit trips on the flop as Joumaa began counting out the chips to pay him off. The fell on the turn, followed by the on the river as Joumaa made a straight.