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

11-29-2024 03:53 UTC-12

Pora's Threes Hold Up

Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

The action folded around to Dumitru Pora in the small blind who shoved for 445,000, and Bogdan Jontulovic called in the big blind.

Dumitru Pora: 3♠3♣ All in
Bogdan Jontulovic: A♣J♠

It was a fair flip that went the way of Pora as his pocket threes held up on the 4♠6♦Q♦5♦Q♣ runout, which brought his stack to around 900,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dumitru Pora	900,000 50,000	50,000
Bogdan Jontulovic	850,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Dumitru Pora

11-29-2024 03:22 UTC-12

Zavoloka Heads Home

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

With around 125,000 chips in the middle on a flop of 3♦10♥9♣, Dimitrios Barmpathanasis had checked and Mikhail Zavoloka shoved his last 45,000. Ibrahim Cetiner called then Barmpathanasis made it 180,000. Cetiner quickly folded.

Mikhail Zavoloka: 9♥3♥ All in
Dimitrios Barmpathanasis: J♠J♣

Zavoloka had flopped two pair but was reduced to just a few outs after the 10♦ turn gave Barmpathanasis a better two pair. No help arrived on the 7♥ river, and Zavoloka was out the door.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nichan Khorchidian	3,000,000 125,000	125,000

Dimitrios Barmpathanasis	2,200,000 150,000	150,000
Ibrahim Cetiner	1,200,000 850,000	850,000
Tugce Hursoz	950,000 205,000	205,000
Traian Stanciu	900,000 510,000	510,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	Busted

Tags: Dimitrios Barmpathanasis Ibrahim Cetiner Mikhail Zavoloka

11-29-2024 02:26 UTC-12

Tleuzhanov Eliminates Hutchison to Burst the Money Bubble

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Dean Hutchison opened to 35,000 from the hijack and Assyl Tleuzhanov called from the button.

The flop came K♠10♠3♣ and Hutchison check-called a 75,000 bet from Tleuzhanov.

Hutchison checked the 9♥ turn and Tleuszhanov shoved, covering Hutchison who had around 300,000 behind. Hutchison made the call for his tournament life.

Dean Hutchison: 10♥10♦ All in
Assyl Tleuzhanov: Q♠J♥

Hutchison had flopped a straight only for Tleuszhanov to turn a straight to take the lead. Hutchison was unable to improve on the 2♥ river and he was sent to the rail in brutal fashion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Assyl Tleuzhanov	2,175,000 575,000	575,000

Dean Hutchison	Busted

Tags: Assyl Tleuzhanov Dean Hutchison

11-29-2024 02:12 UTC-12

Chilaud Survives All-In on the Bubble

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Maxime Chilaud shoved for 59,000 from under the gun on the bubble and when the action got to Ali Al-Kubasi in the small blind, he shoved for around 600,000. Evagoras Evagorou was in the big blind with a bigger stack, but elected to fold.

Maxime Chilaud: K♣K♠ All in
Ali Al-Kubasi: A♣10♥

Chilaud was ahead with his Cowboys but needed to fade the runout with the entire room rooting against him. However, even with the backing of 78 other players, Al-Kubasi couldn't improve on the 8♥Q♦6♥6♠2♥ runout, and Chilaud survived.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Al-Kubasi	550,000 350,000	350,000
Maxime Chilaud	150,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Ali Al-Kubasi Evagoras Evagorou Maxime Chilaud

11-29-2024 01:31 UTC-12

Grasso Shows the Bluff

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Daniele Grasso had opened from under the gun and Charbel Salloum called from the hijack before Adrian State made a squeeze from the big blind to 115,000. Grasso called, and Salloum folded.

They went to a flop of Q♦9♦10♥ where State check-called a bet of 73,000 from Grasso to see the 9♠ fall on the turn, which went check-check.

A 6♣ completed the runout and after State checked, Grasso shoved for around 300,000.

"Ay ay ay. This hand, this hand," said State as he tried to piece together the puzzle. Eventually State decided to fold and relinquish the pot to Grasso.

"Show just two," asked State. "Just two?" replied Grasso, who then showed A♦J♦ for a missed combo draw as he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	1,550,000 50,000	50,000
Daniele Grasso	700,000 325,000	325,000
Charbel Salloum	500,000 200,000	200,000
Seref Anar	300,000 270,000	270,000
Damir Zhugralin	Busted
Mehmet Karsli	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Daniele Grasso Charbel Salloum

11-28-2024 23:37 UTC-12

Barmpathanasis Shows a Massive Bluff

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Dimitrios Barmpathanasis opened to 20,000 from the button, Mikhail Zavoloka three-bet to 75,000 from the small blind and Barmpathanasis made the call.

The flop came 4♣10♥K♥. Zavoloka fired a 60,000 continuation-bet that Barmpathanasis called.

Zavoloka continued for 190,000 on the K♠ turn and was again called by Barmpathanasis.

On the 4♥ river Zavoloka bet 255,000. Barmpathanasis raised 600,000 and Zavoloka quickly folded. Barmpathanasis showed that he had A♦5♣ for just an ace-kicker to the two pair on the board before dragging in a sizable pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dimitrios Barmpathanasis	1,750,000 635,000	635,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	900,000 642,000	642,000

Tags: Dimitrios Barmpathanasis Mikhail Zavoloka

11-28-2024 23:16 UTC-12

Norouzian Shoves With a 'Shoving Hand'

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Kai Cocklin

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Shahin Norouzian shoved for around 215,000 in the cutoff and Evagoras Evagorou flicked in the call from the big blind.

Shahin Norouzian: 9♠8♠ All in
Evagoras Evagorou: 8♣8♦

Norouzian was way behind but did pick up some extra outs on the Q♦2♥10♠ flop as any jack would complete his straight. More outs arrived on the Q♣ turn as any ten would counterfeit the Snowmen of Evagorou, who was still firmly in the driving site.

However, Norouzian got his double-up on the 10♥ river as his nine played, which boosted his stack to around 440,000. A celebratory dance was performed as Norouzian raked in the pot, and he had some words to justify his shove.

"Nine-eight suited, it's a shoving hand you know. It's 2024!" he said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Shahin Norouzian	440,000 225,000	225,000
Evagoras Evagorou	425,000 171,000	171,000

Tags: Evagoras Evagorou Shahin Norouzian

11-28-2024 23:02 UTC-12

Flush Over Flush Goes Against Grasso, Naall Benefits

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Kai Cocklin

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Daniele Grasso raised from the early position to 17,000 and Ahmad Rami Naall called from the button.

They saw a flop of Q♥7♠4♠ where Grasso checked it over to Naall, who fired 17,000. Grasso then put in the check-raise to 54,000, and Naall called.

A J♠ on the turn completed the front door flush draw and Grasso bet out 69,000, which Naall quickly called.

When they got to the 5♦ river, Grasso slid a stack of white chips, worth 25,000 each, into the middle, and Naall immediately called off his remaining 205,000 chips.

Grasso then flipped a flush with 10♠6♠, but Naall had the winner with A♠5♠ for the nut flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniele Grasso	775,000 46,000	46,000
Ahmad Rami Naall	700,000 299,000	299,000

Tags: Ahmad Rami Naall Daniele Grasso

11-28-2024 22:45 UTC-12

Shchitnikov Hits a Milly

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Kai Cocklin

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

There were already around 125,000 chips in the pot on a flop of J♥A♠A♥ when Pavel Shchitnikov and Shahin Norouzian checked it over to Andreas Christoforou, who bet 40,000. Shchitnikov called, then Norouzian made it 160,000. Christoforou made the fold, and Shchitnikov called.

A 2♣ dropped on the turn and Shchitnikov immediately moved all-in, which put Norouzian to the test for his remaining stack of around 215,000. After thinking for around two minutes, he decided to fold.

After the hand, the two were discussing the pot.

"Did you fold an ace?" asked Shchitnikov. "If you tell me what you had, I will tell you my second card," he added as he exposed the A♣.

Norouzian didn't say what he had but mentioned "If you shove the flop I would call," before his cards went into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pavel Shchitnikov	1,000,000 134,000	134,000
Andreas Christoforou	340,000 118,000	118,000
Shahin Norouzian	215,000 197,000	197,000

Tags: Andreas Christoforou Pavel Shchitnikov Shahin Norouzian

11-28-2024 22:33 UTC-12

Ketzer Takes from Chen in Four-Bet Pot

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Bogdan Munteanu opened to 16,000 from middle position and Felipe Ketzer three-bet to 42,000 from the hijack. Zhen Chen four-bet to 86,000 from the cutoff, Munteanu folded and Ketzer called.

The flop came K♦9♠7♠ and Ketzer check-called a 55,000 bet from Chen.

Chen bet 160,000 when checked to on the 4♣ turn and one again Ketzer called.

Both players checked the 6♥ river. Ketzer turned over 7♣6♣ for two pair and Chen mucked.