$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series

11-27-2024 23:45 UTC-12

Zhaparov Flips Moreno to the Rail

Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

In a preflop confrontation Francisco Moreno was all in from under the gun having started the hand with around 165,000. He was up against Dauren Zhaparov who had him covered from the small blind.

Francisco Moreno: A♥K♦ All in
Dauren Zhaparov: J♥J♦

Zhaparov got the best of the preflop race when his jacks held up on the 4♠5♣8♦10♣7♦ runout and he took the pot while Moreno was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dauren Zhaparov	635,000 135,000	135,000
Francisco Moreno	Busted

Tags: Dauren Zhaparov Francisco Moreno

11-27-2024 23:48 UTC-12

Tleuzhanov Hits Half a Milly

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Kai Cocklin

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

The chips were already in the middle on a board of 8♦9♣K♥4♥Q♣ with Salah Assi's two pair holding K♦9♥ were no good against the rivered straight of Assyl Tleuzhanov, who held J♠10♥.

Assi hit the rail and Tleuzhanov, who topped the Day 1d chip counts, now has a stack of around half a million to work with.

Player	Chips	Progress
Assyl Tleuzhanov	500,000 120,500	120,500

Salah Assi	Busted

Tags: Assyl Tleuzhanov Salah Assi

11-27-2024 23:55 UTC-12

Ketzer Spikes the River and Gets Paid

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Felipe Ketzer opened to 5,500 from early position and Arian Kashani three-bet to 17,000 from the cutoff. Ketzer made the call.

The flop came 8♥7♥2♥ and Ketzer check-called an 8,500 bet from Kashani.

Both players checked the J♦ turn leading to the 5♦ river. Ketzer bet 38,500 and Kashani called.

Ketzer tabled a set of fives with 5♠5♣ and Kashani's hand hit the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	675,000 80,000	80,000
Arian Kashani	233,000 204,500	204,500

Tags: Arian Kashani Felipe Ketzer

11-27-2024 23:59 UTC-12

Andrian Over-Bets Turn and Folds River

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Kai Cocklin

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

With around 8,000 in the pot on a board of 8♣3♦2♠K♦, Simone Andrian had overbet 15,000 from the small blind, and Andrei Spataru made the call out of the big blind.

The river brought a 2♣ and Andrian slowed down with a check, then Spataru fired a bet of 12,500. Without much hesitation, Andrian tossed his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sandra Cotescu	550,000 28,500	28,500
Andrei Spataru	300,000 63,000	63,000
Simone Andrian	180,000

Darius Neagoe	45,000 10,500	10,500

Tags: Andrei Spataru Simone Andrian

11-28-2024 00:04 UTC-12

Become a Bigger Part of the Action With MyStack by PokerNews

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Kai Cocklin

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

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11-28-2024 00:13 UTC-12

No Kicker, No Problem for Naall

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Candido Cappiello opened to 5,500 from under the gun and received calls from Ahmad Naall in the cutoff and a player in the big blind.

All three players checked the A♣3♣3♠ flop leading to the 6♦ turn. Action checked around to Naall who bet 6,500 and only the big blind called.

Both players then checked the 10♦ river. Naall had aces up with A♦2♦ and his opponent mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Candido Cappiello	370,000 149,000	149,000
Ahmad Naall	316,000 225,000	225,000

Tags: Ahmad Naall Candido Cappiello

11-28-2024 00:14 UTC-12

Hu Doubles Through Koering

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Kai Cocklin

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

The action was unknown but Zhewen Hu just doubled up against Nemo Koering.

All the chips were already in the middle at showdown on a board of 9♠6♠3♥5♥J♣ and Koering had rivered top pair with K♠J♠, but Hu had the winner as he turned two pair holding 6♥5♠ to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nemo Koering	210,000 124,500	124,500
Zhewen Hu	150,000 150,000	150,000

Tags: Zhewen Hu Nemo Koering

11-28-2024 00:16 UTC-12

Zhugralin Fires Two Barrels

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Damir Zhugralin opened to 5,000 from early position and was called by a player in the big blind.

The flop came A♣K♥4♠ and the big blind check-called a 5,000 continuation-bet from Zhugralin.

Zhugralin bet 20,000 when checked to on the 4♣ turn and this time it was enough to force a fold from his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Zhugralin	375,000 294,500	294,500

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

11-28-2024 00:25 UTC-12

Kapustin Drills the River to Scoop Three-Way All-In

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Chips went flying in on a flop of A♥4♦8♦ between Denis Kapustin, Murat Bayyurt, and Stefanos Kechagias.

Murat Bayyurt: K♦J♦ All in
Stefanos Kechagias: 8♥8♣ All in
Denis Kapustin: A♣4♣

Kapustin had the biggest stack of the trio, but was in the worst shape as his two pair was way behind the set of Kechagias. Bayyurt had the shortest stack and needed to make a flush without the board pairing in order to triple up.

The turn brought a 3♣, which changed nothing, but it was the unlikely A♦ on the river that improved Kapustin to a full house, ending both Bayyurt and Kechagias.

Bayyurt momentarily thought he had won with a flush, but it was soon pointed out that both of his opponents had a full house.

With that pot, Kapustin joins the chip leaders with around 900,000!