$2,200 Warmup
Day 2 Completed
2023 Merit Poker Western Series
$2,200 Warmup
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2023 Merit Poker Western Series
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$962,320
Entries
523
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
523
Players Left
102
Ryan Mandara, Paul Browne Back Near the Top on Day 2 of the $2,200 Warm Up
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
History repeated itself on Day 2 of the Merit Poker Western Series $2,200 Warm Up.
Paul Browne and Ryan Mandara entered the day as the two top stacks. They finished it right back where they started, near the top of the leaderboard each with 1,200,000 as 102 survivors have made it through to tomorrow's Day 3. They're looking up only at Valeriy Pak, who bagged a chip-leading stack of 1,320,000.
Maxime Chilaud, who won a high roller here at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in November, is also part of the million-chip club after bagging up 1,121,000. He is joined by Andrew Hulme (1,068,000) and Jamie Nixon (1,002,000) as the top stacks heading into Day 3.
Top 10 chip counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valeriy Pak | Belarus | 1,320,000 | 132 |
| 2 | Ryan Mandara | United Kingdom | 1,200,000 | 120 |
| 3 | Paul Browne | United Kingdom | 1,200,000 | 120 |
| 4 | Maxime Chilaud | France | 1,121,000 | 112 |
| 5 | Andrew Hulme | United Kingdom | 1,068,000 | 107 |
| 6 | Valentin Tsoy | Uzbekistan | 1,021,000 | 102 |
| 7 | Zaid Al-Khashab | Iran | 1,002,000 | 100 |
| 8 | Jamie Nixon | United Kingdom | 1,002,000 | 100 |
| 9 | Nariman Yaghmai | Iran | 993,000 | 99 |
| 10 | Arie Kliper | Israel | 934,000 | 93 |
Other notable players still alive in the tournament include Bartlomiej Swieboda (881,000), Day 1b chip leader Ermanno Di Nicola (847,000), and Michael Lech (425,000). Katherina Aristotelos was the beneficiary of a fortunate runout when she hit a running full house to crack a set and double up, finishing the day with 627,000. Some of the players who weren't as lucky to survive Day 2 include Uri Reichenstein, Joseph Hebert, and Ugur Secilmis.
A total of 523 entries into the event generated a prize pool of $962,320. Only the top 62 players will finish in the money, so plenty of unhappy players will head home with nothing when play resumes tomorrow at noon local time.
PokerNews will be on hand throughout Day 3 as the field reaches the money bubble and plays onward to the final table and the eventual crowning of a new champion in North Cyprus.
End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,320,000 | 720,000 |
|
1,200,000 | 100,000 |
|
1,200,000 | 400,000 |
|
1,121,000 | -79,000 |
|
1,068,000 | 18,000 |
|
1,021,000 | 321,000 |
|
1,002,000 | 1,002,000 |
|
1,002,000 | 152,000 |
|
993,000 | 93,000 |
|
934,000 | 284,000 |
|
921,000 | 216,000 |
|
910,000 | 170,000 |
|
887,000 | 738,500 |
|
881,000 | 11,000 |
|
861,000 | 581,000 |
|
847,000 | 47,000 |
|
846,000 | 646,000 |
|
813,000 | 595,500 |
|
790,000 | 790,000 |
|
790,000 | -10,000 |
|
765,000 | 587,500 |
|
762,000 | -78,000 |
|
|
762,000 | 554,500 |
|
750,000 | 449,000 |
|
|
744,000 | 346,000 |
Three More Hands
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Tournament officials have announced that there will be three more hands played at each table before players bag up their chips for Day 3.
Aydemir Winds Up With the Nuts Playing Blind
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Recep Aydemir and Ermanno Di Nicola went to a flop of 
.
"25," Aydemir announced, betting 25,000. Di Nicola called as the turn came 
.
"25," Aydemir said again, repeating the bet. Di Nicola again called the see the 
. Aydemir paused for a moment before announcing "25" yet again. Di Nicola called.
Aydemir turned over the 
, followed by Di Nicola showing the 
. "Nine good. Four good," Aydemir said.
"Show really fast," Di Nicola said as Aydemir flipped over his other card, exposing the 
for the nut straight. The table burst out laughing as Di Nicola showed the 
.
"We're playing bingo," Di Nicola said after the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
800,000 | 310,000 |
|
600,000 | 430,000 |
Chilaud, Hulme Near the Top
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,200,000 | 350,000 |
|
|
1,050,000 | 130,000 |
|
|
870,000 | 170,000 |
|
|
800,000 | -650,000 |
|
|
800,000 | -20,000 |
|
670,000 | |
|
550,000 | -10,000 |
|
420,000 | 10,000 |
|
370,000 | 100,000 |
|
300,000 | 119,500 |
Nixon Snaps the River
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Jamie Nixon three-bet to 60,000 from the button and was called by an opponent in the hijack.
The flop came 
an Nixon continued for 45,000. His opponent called as both players checked the 
turn.
The river came the 
and the hijack led out for 75,000. Nixon snap-called as he was shown 
. Nixon, though, turned over 
to take the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
850,000 | -50,000 |
Pankov Finds Himself Dominated by Yaghmai
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Nariman Yaghmai raised to 17,000 from the hijack before Vitalii Pankov shoved from the button for 203,000. Yaghmai quickly threw in a chip to call and turned over , dominating the 
of Pankov.
The board ran out 
and Pankov became the latest player to hit the rail on the last level of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
900,000 | 150,000 |
|
Busted |
Munteanu Calls Off Against Margolin
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With around 80,000 in the pot, Bogdan-Andrei Munteanu bet 36,000 from the button on a flop of 
. Timur Margolin, in middle position, then shoved all in for 172,000.
Munteanu spent several minutes in the tank before he threw in a chip signifying a call, turning over 
for top pair. Margolin showed and Munteanu needed help to survive.
The board ran out 
and Munteanu, who was barely covered, was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
420,000 | 205,000 |
|
Busted |
Blebea Doubles With Quads
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Iulian-Remus Blebea was all in for around 160,000 and up against Sergey Baranski.
Iulian-Remus Blebea: 
Sergey Baranski:
The 
flop gave Blebea top set and Baranski a straight draw. As Blebea began filming the action with his phone, the appeared on the turn to give him quads and leave Baranski drawing dead.
The appeared on the river, completing Baranski's straight, but it was too late as Blebea doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
320,000 | 178,000 |
|
200,000 | -50,000 |