$2,200 Merit Poker Cup Day 3 | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Mar 30, 2024

Fal Finds a Miracle to Double

David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Yuri Suvorov raised to 80,000 in middle position before Nikolay Fal three-bet to 600,000 on the button, leaving himself 80,000 back. Suvorov then moved all in and Fal took a few moments before sticking in his last chips.

Nikolay Fal: 9♣9♥ All in
Yuri Suvorov: J♦J♥

Fal was crushed by Suvorov's jacks until the flop came 9♦9♠5♥ to give him quads. Both players took out their phones and snapped photos of the board as the turn and river came 7♦3♣ and Fal doubled up.

Tags: Nikolay Fal Yuri Suvorov

Mar 30, 2024

Tomescu Bets Big on the River

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David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

George Tomescu bet 40,000 from the cutoff on a flop of 3♥4♥A♥ and Marcin Dziubdziela called in the big blind.

The turn was the Q♣ and Tomescu bet another 150,000. Dziubdziela again called.

The J♣ fell on the river and Tomescu bet 600,000 this time. Dziubdziela tanked for several minutes before letting his hand go.

Tags: George Tomescu Marcin Dziubdziela

Mar 30, 2024

Smuskevicius Calls Down Chauskin's Bluff

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David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of A♠9♠3♣, Natan Chauskin bet 85,000 from early position and Boris Smuskevicius called on the button.

The turn was the 8♥ and Chauskin bet another 225,000. Smuskevicius again called and the 7♠ fell on the river.

Both players then checked and Chauskin showed K♠Q♥ for king-high. Smuskevicius turned over A♦J♠ and took the pot with a pair of aces.

Tags: Boris Smuskevicius Natan Chauskin

Mar 30, 2024

3 Table Redraw (full)

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Table	Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	1	George Tomescu	Romania	1,100,000	28
1	2	Mikhail Zavoloka	Russian Federation	1,250,000	31
1	3	Krzysztof Spisak	Poland	400,000	10
1	4	Marcin Dziubdziela	Poland	880,000	22
1	5	Maher Achour	Tunisia	2,940,000	74
1	6	Matthew Davenport	United Kingdom	610,000	15
1	7	Simeon Spasov	Bulgaria	1,100,000	28
1	8	Aleksandr Kirichenko	Russian Federation	1,800,000	45
1	9	Emad Ghadamian	Iran	1,200,000	30

2	1	Simone Andrian	Italy	2,100,000	53
2	2	Milen Bakardjiev	Bulgaria	1,780,000	45
2	3	Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	Georgia	2,000,000	50
2	4	Aleksandr Razinkov	Russian Federation	1,200,000	30
2	5	Toni Kaukua	Finland	3,780,000	95
2	6	Damir Gabdullin	Russian Federation	1,700,000	43
2	7	Edgard Raffoul	Lebanon	1,800,000	45
2	8	Antonio Aversa	Italy	1,950,000	49
2	9	Aleksandr Ivanov Jr.	Russian Federation	1,600,000	40

3	1	Yuri Suvorov	Russian Federation	1,350,000	34
3	2	Ivan Zabiiakin	Russian Federation	3,950,000	99
3	3	Boris Smuskevicius	Lithuania	1,460,000	37
3	4	Nikolay Fal	Russian Federation	605,000	15
3	5	Joseph Mouwad	Lebanon	590,000	15
3	6	Maksim Shornikau	Belarus	2,035,000	51
3	7	Nenad Dukic	Serbia	2,200,000	55
3	8	Aleksandr Ivanov	Russian Federation	615,000	15
3	9	Natan Chauskin	Belarus	1,740,000	44

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Mar 30, 2024

Kolev Runs Into Smuskevicius' Aces

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David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

On the first hand back from break, Yuliyan Kolev moved all in for 420,000 under the gun, Boris Smuskevicius reshoved in middle position, and the rest of the table folded.

Yuliyan Kolev: A♠10♥ All in
Boris Smuskevicius: A♣A♦

Kolev got some hope on the 3♠5♥10♦ flop with a pair, but he couldn't overcome Smuskevicius' aces as the board ran out J♣3♦ to send him to the rail.

The remaining 27 players are now drawing for seats at the final three tables.

Tags: Boris Smuskevicius Yuliyan Kolev

Level: 23

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 40,000

Mar 30, 2024

Recent Eliminations

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Mar 30, 2024

Dinner Break

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

The remaining 28 players are now on a 45-minute dinner break.

Mar 30, 2024

Demirkol, Sokharev Get Their Short Stacks In

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Action folded to Toni Kaukua in the small blind who moved all in. Mehmet Demirkol only had around 80,000 left in the big blind and called for the rest of his stack.

Mehmet Demirkol: 9♠4♥ All in
Toni Kaukua: Q♣2♦

Kaukua was ahead with queen-high as the board ran out 2♠J♦K♥3♣6♠, giving him a pair of deuces while Demirkol couldn't connect and was sent to the rail.

At the same time on another table, Boris Smuskevicius shoved the small blind and Sergei Sokharev called for 280,000 in the big blind.

Sergei Sokharev: K♠Q♠ All in
Boris Smuskevicius: A♥8♣

Sokharev took the lead on the K♦8♦10♥ flop with a pair of kings and stayed in front on the 5♣ turn, but the river was the A♣ to give Smuskevicius a pair of aces as Sokharev headed for the payout desk.

Tags: Boris Smuskevicius Mehmet Demirkol Sergei Sokharev Toni Kaukua

Mar 30, 2024

Ivanov Holds On to Double Off Chauskin

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of A♦5♥4♦, Aleksandr Ivanov got his last 800,000 in from the small blind against Natan Chauskin on the button.

Aleksandr Ivanov: 3♦2♦ All in
Natan Chauskin: 5♦5♠

With his dad looking on from the next table over, Ivanov showed a flopped straight and needed to avoid the board pairing against Chauskin's set of fives. The 3♣ fell on the turn, followed by the Q♠ river as Ivanov Sr. let out a big fist pump as his son doubled up.

Tags: Aleksandr Ivanov Natan Chauskin