Day 3 of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series has wrapped up, leaving just 29 players from the 120 who began the day at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
A total of 614 players coughed up the entry fee, which created a prize pool of $1,694,640, with the eventual champion taking home a cool $307,700.
After eight intense 60-minute levels, Nichan Khorchidian emerged as the chip leader, amassing an impressive stack of 6,900,000 chips, a significant climb from his starting stack of just over a million. Close on his heels is a familiar name, Andrey Pateychuk, who bagged 4,095,000, while Vedat Yilmaz rounds out the top three with 3,175,000.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nichan Khorchidian | Lebanon | 6,900,000 | 138 |
| 2 | Andrey Pateychuk | Russia | 4,095,000 | 82 |
| 3 | Vedat Yilmaz | Turkey | 3,975,000 | 80 |
| 4 | Dmitry Gromov | Russia | 3,780,000 | 76 |
| 5 | Pavel Shchitnikov | Russia | 3,305,000 | 66 |
| 6 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | 3,170,000 | 63 |
| 7 | Adrian State | Romania | 2,800,000 | 56 |
| 8 | Ruslan Bakhtiev | Russia | 2,800,000 | 56 |
| 9 | Assyl Tleuzhanov | Kazakhstan | 2,700,000 | 54 |
| 10 | Iliyas Mukhamedzhanov | Russia | 2,585,000 | 52 |
Khorchidian is no stranger to success at Merit Poker events, boasting an impressive record of nine final table appearances on the tour. Among these highlights is a Turbo event victory in 2018, but his standout achievement came earlier this year when he finished as the runner-up in the Main Event, earning a career-best $292,000.
Pateychuk, another familiar name in the poker world, needs little introduction. Ranked ninth on Russia's all-time money list, Pateychuk has amassed nearly $6,000,000 in lifetime earnings. His Merit Poker resume includes three titles, one of which was a Main Event victory in 2018, where he pocketed $280,643.
One of the most dramatic moments of the day came during the closing level, when Pateychuk played a massive hand against Adrian State. Pateychuk flopped a set of nines and got his chips in as the favorite against State's pocket kings. The turn, however, delivered a king, flipping the lead to State and leaving Pateychuk on the brink of losing the tournament’s biggest pot thus far. But poker is never over until the final card, and a queen on the river brought a straight on board, forcing the two players to chop the pot in a stunning turn of events.
Felipe Ketzer continued his impressive run in the Merit Poker Main Event, bagging 3,170,000 chips as he pursues the title. Earlier this year, Ketzer showcased his consistency by reaching the final table twice: finishing third in January, just behind Khorchidian, and securing the runner-up position in March, narrowly missing the top spot to Elie Farah.
During the penultimate level, Ketzer earned himself a full double-up after flopping two pair and getting the chips in on the turn against Nicolae Paunescu's nut flush draw. The river bricked out, propelling Ketzer to one of the largest stacks by the end of the day.
Other notable players advancing to Day 4 include Tugce Hursoz (2,500,000), Anton Wigg (1,600,000), Dumitru Pora (1,045,000), and short-stacked Yaniv Shushan, who will face an uphill battle with 350,000.
Remaining Payouts
All remaining players are now guaranteed a payout of $10,160, but the ultimate goal remains the $307,700 first-place prize. A spot at the final table ensures a minimum payday of $30,770, adding even more incentive as the competition heats up.
Day 4 of the Main Event kicks off on Saturday, November 30, at 12 p.m. with blinds resuming at Level 26 (25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 big blind ante). The average stack stands at just over 2,100,000, equating to around 42 big blinds at the start of play. The objective for the day is to whittle the field down to the final table of nine players.
As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates throughout the day to find out who will secure a coveted spot at the final table of the Merit Poker Main Event.
