2023 Merit Poker Western Series

$2,200 Warmup
Day: 1bc
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Western Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$181,200
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$962,320
Entries
523
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Players Info - Day 1bc
Entries
201
Players Left
99

Matafonov Shoves on Khabbazeh

Level 3 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Basel Khabbazeh three-bet to 6,700 on the button and was called by Denis Matafonov in early position.

The flop came {3-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{8-Clubs} and Khabbazeh continued for 4,000. Matafonov came back with a raise to 16,000 and Khabbazeh called.

Matafonov led out for another 16,000 on the {6-Hearts} turn and Khabbazeh again called. The river came the {7-Hearts} and Matafonov pushed his entire stack forward, a bet of around 26,000. Khabbazeh gave it some thought before deciding to fold.

Player Chips Progress
Denis Matafonov ru
Denis Matafonov
115,000
Basel Khabbazeh ae
Basel Khabbazeh
37,000 37,000

Tags: Basel KhabbazehDenis Matafonov

Generalov Applies Some Pressure

Level 3 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Konstantin Generalov three-bet to 7,000 from the cutoff and received two callers, including Antonis Papadopoulos on the button.

The flop came {a-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{8-Spades} and action checked to Generalov, who continued for 5,500. Only Papadopoulos called to see the {q-Hearts} on the turn.

Genealov kept betting, this time tossing out 12,500. Papadopoulos took one last look back at his cards before sliding them into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Konstantin Generalov ru
Konstantin Generalov
115,000
Antonis Papadopoulos gr
Antonis Papadopoulos
40,000

Tags: Konstantin GeneralovAntonis Papadopoulos

Level: 3

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

Kaukua Sends His Opponent Deep in the Tank

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

There was already around 25,000 in the pot on a board of {2-Spades}{7-Spades}{4-Clubs}{5-Clubs} when a player on the button bet 15,000. Toni Kaukua, in middle position, then raised all in for around 74,500.

His opponent tanked for several minutes, taking a look back at his cards and shaking his head while he pondered the decision. He eventually decided to fold as Kaukua collected the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Toni Kaukua fi
Toni Kaukua
120,000 5,000

Tags: Toni Kaukua

Katymaev Regrets His Check

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Heads-up on a flop of {k-Spades}{2-Spades}{5-Diamonds}, Stanislav Prikhodko bet 3,800 from the button before Evgenii Katymaev raised to 11,000 in the cutoff.

Prikhodko called, then called another bet of 11,500 on the {3-Spades} turn. The river came the {a-Hearts} and Prikhodko again checked.

Katymaev tanked for several moments before tapping the table. Prikhodko showed {a-}{j-} for top pair on the river and Katymaev let out a loud groan as he turned over {k-Clubs}{k-Hearts} for a flopped set.

Player Chips Progress
Evgenii Katymaev ru
Evgenii Katymaev
150,000 150,000
Stanislav Prikhodko ru
Stanislav Prikhodko
75,000 75,000

Tags: Evgeni KatymaevStanislav Prikhodko

Abou Khalil Gets Demirci Off a Set

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Baris Topuz on the button and blinds Hakan Demirci and Ghassan Abou Khalil put in 3,100 on a flop of {7-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{9-Clubs} before all three players checked the {a-Clubs} turn.

The river came the {q-Clubs}, putting four clubs on the board, and Demirci again checked. Abou Khalil bet 3,000 and Topuz quickly folded. Demirci, though, leaned back in his chair and tanked for about a minute.

"Pass," he eventually said, turning over {q-Diamonds}{q-Hearts} for a rivered set and throwing them in the muck as Abou Khalil collected the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Ghassan Abou Khalil lb
Ghassan Abou Khalil
135,000
Hakan Demirci tr
Hakan Demirci
90,000
Baris Topuz tr
Baris Topuz
60,000 -20,000

Tags: Baris TopuzGhassan Abou KhalilHakan Demirci

Doebs Shoves the River

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Heads-up on a board of {q-Hearts}{8-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}, John Doebs bet 7,500 from the cutoff before big blind OndreJ Drozd came back with a raise to 20,000.

Doebs called to see the {3-Spades} river as Drozd slowed down and checked. "All in," Doebs announced as he pushed his stack of around 75,000 in the middle. Drozd quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
John Doebs tr
John Doebs
130,000
Ondrej Drozd cz
Ondrej Drozd
80,000

Tags: OndreJ DrozdJohn Doebs

Tens Good for Baranski

Level 2 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Sergey Baranski and Georges Chehadeh built a pot of around 15,000 on a flop of {9-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}.

The turn came the {7-Spades} and Baranski bet 5,000 from the hijack. Chehadeh came back with a raise from the small blind to 15,500, and Baranski called to see the {3-Hearts} river.

Chehadeh slowed down and checked as Baranski starred down his opponent for a few moments before checking behind. Chehadeh showed {a-Hearts}{q-Clubs} and Baranski turned over {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds} to take the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Sergey Baranski by
Sergey Baranski
130,000
Georges Chehadeh lb
Georges Chehadeh
65,000

Tags: Georges ChehadehSergey Baranski