$2,200 Merit Poker Cup | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-31-2024 15:49 UTC+2

Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Nenad Dukic	Serbia	1,350,000	11
2	Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	Georgia	5,800,000	46
3	Ivan Zabiiakin	Russia	7,400,000	59
4	Simeon Spasov	Bulgaria	9,200,000	74
5	Aleksandr Ivanov Jr	Russia	2,825,000	23
6	Boris Smuskevicius	Lithuania	4,350,000	35
7	Mikhail Zavoloka	Russia	5,100,000	41
8	Simone Andrian	Italy	3,550,000	28
9	Maher Achour	Tunisia	6,425,000	51

Player	Chips	Progress
Simeon Spasov	9,200,000 700,000	700,000

Ivan Zabiiakin	7,400,000 600,000	600,000

Maher Achour	6,425,000 475,000	475,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	5,800,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	5,100,000 2,500,000	2,500,000
Boris Smuskevicius	4,350,000 650,000	650,000
Simone Andrian	3,550,000 50,000	50,000

Aleksandr Ivanov Jr	2,825,000 1,475,000	1,475,000
Nenad Dukic	1,350,000 375,000	375,000

Final Table Underway

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

The introductions have been made and play at the final table has begun.

There are 41 minutes remaining in Level 28 with blinds of 50,000-125,000 and a 125,000 big blind ante.

03-31-2024 16:56 UTC+2

Zabiiakin Puts Big Stack to Work

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Mikhail Zavoloka raised to 250,000 in early position before Ivan Zabiiakin three-bet to 700,000 on the button. Zavoloka folded.

The next hand, Zabiiakin raised to 250,000 in the cutoff and encountered no resistance as he took another pot to begin the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Zabiiakin	7,800,000 400,000	400,000

Mikhail Zavoloka	4,800,000 300,000	300,000

Tags: Ivan Zabiiakin Mikhail Zavoloka

03-31-2024 17:06 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya Ups the Price

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Aleksandr Ivanov raised to 250,000 in middle position and Maher Achour called on the button. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya then three-bet to 1,125,000 in the big blind.

Ivanov used up nearly his entire clock before folding, while Achour quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	6,400,000 25,000	25,000
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	5,200,000 600,000	600,000
Aleksandr Ivanov Jr	2,400,000 425,000	425,000

Tags: Maher Achour Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Aleksandr Ivanov

03-31-2024 17:20 UTC+2

Boris Smuskevicius Eliminated in 9th Place ($16,900)

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya raised to 250,000 in middle position, Boris Smuskevicius three-bet to 800,000 in the small blind, and Skhulukhiya called.

The flop came 9♥5♣K♣ and Smuskevicius continued for 650,000. Skhulukhiya called.

The turn was the 4♣ and Smuskevicius checked to Skhulukiya, who bet 1,100,000. Smuskevicius called and they saw a river of K♠.

Skhulukhiya then moved all in and Smuskevicius snap-called for 1,700,000 with A♠K♦ for trip kings. Skhulukhiya, though, had 9♦9♣ for a full house to win the massive pot.

Smuskevicius went around the table exchanging fist bumps with his tablemates before heading off to the payout desk in ninth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	11,300,000 6,100,000	6,100,000
Boris Smuskevicius	Busted

Tags: Boris Smuskevicius Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

03-31-2024 17:25 UTC+2

Zabiiakin Shoves on Achour

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Ivan Zabiiakin raised to 250,000 in early position before Maher Achour three-bet to 800,000 in the small blind. Zabiiakin then moved all in.

Achour, with around 5,000,000 remaining, let out a deep sigh and burned a time bank as he stared up at the ceiling for a few moments before folding.

"We had the same hand," he said to Zabiiakin.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Zabiiakin	8,000,000 200,000	200,000

Maher Achour	5,000,000 1,400,000	1,400,000

Tags: Maher Achour Ivan Zabiiakin

03-31-2024 17:27 UTC+2

Nenad Dukic Eliminated in 8th Place ($22,600)

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David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Simone Andrian raised to 250,000 in middle position before Nenad Dukic three-bet to 725,000 in the cutoff. Andrian called and went to turn over his cards thinking Dukic was all in before it was pointed out Dukic still had 375,000 back.

The flop came A♣K♠9♣ and Dukic bet 125,000. Andrian then put him all in and Dukic called off his last chips.

Nenad Dukic: A♥Q♦ All in
Simone Andrian: J♣J♦

Dukic was ahead with his pair of aces as the turn came the K♣. The river was the 7♣ and Andrian spiked a flush to send Dukic to the rail in eighth place.

"Maybe you should fold the flop," Dukic told Andrian.

"I thought about it, but with the club I don't think so," Andrian replied.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	4,700,000 1,150,000	1,150,000

Nenad Dukic	Busted

Tags: Nenad Dukic Simone Andrian

Level: 29

Blinds: 75,000/150,000

Ante: 150,000

03-31-2024 17:40 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya Keeps Climbing

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David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of Q♦8♦6♣. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya bet 225,000 from the hijack and Mikhail Zavoloka called in the big blind.

The turn was the A♥ and Skhulukhiya bet 825,000. Zavoloka folded this time.

Skhulukhiya then went heads-up to the Q♣7♦5♦ flop against Simeon Spasov and bet 425,000 from middle position. Spasov called in the cutoff.

Both players checked the 2♦ turn and the river was the 2♥. Skhulukhiya then bet 1,150,000 and Spasov quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	13,200,000 1,900,000	1,900,000
Simeon Spasov	8,300,000 900,000	900,000

Mikhail Zavoloka	3,300,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Tags: Giorgiy Skhulukhiya Mikhail Zavoloka Simeon Spasov

03-31-2024 17:51 UTC+2

Ivanov Picks Up Queens to Double

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David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya raised to 300,000 in the hijack, Aleksandr Ivanov moved all in for 1,300,000 in the small blind, and Skhulukhiya called.

Aleksandr Ivanov: Q♦Q♥ All in
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: A♥7♥

Ivanov was ahead with his queens as the board came 7♦6♠6♥3♠6♦ to give him a full house and a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	13,100,000 100,000	100,000
Aleksandr Ivanov Jr	2,900,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Aleksandr Ivanov Giorgiy Skhulukhiya