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

11-28-2024 22:45 UTC-12

Shchitnikov Hits a Milly

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 22:48 UTC-12

Nader Doubles Through Shcherbakov

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Alfred Nader shoved for 129,000 from under the gun and was called by Kirill Shcherbakov, who was seated directly to his left with a covering stack.

Alfred Nader: A♥10♦ All in
Kirill Shcherbakov: A♦K♣

Nader was in rough shape with a dominated ace but he spiked his three-outer on the 10♠4♥5♥ flop to take the lead. He remained ahead when the rest of the board ran out 3♥7♠ to get the double through Shcherbakov.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kirill Shcherbakov	1,580,000 135,000	135,000

Alfred Nader	278,000 125,000	125,000

Tags: Alfred Nader Kirill Shcherbakov

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

Level: 19

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

11-28-2024 23:08 UTC-12

Caliskan Pips Smolka

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Ryan Lashmar

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

With two players seeing a board of J♦2♠K♠5♣ and around 115,000 in the middle, Dawid Smolka checked in the small blind and Baris Caliskan bet 105,000 from the big blind. Smolka made the call.

Both players checked the 9♦ river. Smolka had top pair with K♣Q♠ but Caliskan had top pair, top kicker with A♥K♥ to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Baris Caliskan	1,565,000 373,000	373,000
Dawid Smolka	490,000 140,000	140,000

Tags: Baris Caliskan Dawid Smolka

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 23:20 UTC-12

Pateychuk Gets a Five-Bet Through

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Ryan Lashmar

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

Candido Cappiello opened to 20,000 from middle position and Andrey Pateychuk three-bet to 70,000 from the hijack. Timur Margolin then four-bet to 168,000 from the button and Cappiello got out of the way.

Pateychuk thought for about a minute before pushing forward a 290,000 five-bet. Margolin opted to fold and Pateychuk took down a healthy pot without having to see a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timur Margolin	895,000 24,000	24,000

Andrey Pateychuk	880,000 303,000	303,000

Candido Cappiello	725,000 51,000	51,000

Tags: Andrey Pateychuk Candido Cappiello Timur Margolin

11-28-2024 23:24 UTC-12

Bakhtiev Puts Brockmann to the Test

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Kai Cocklin

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

A full board of J♦6♥4♣9♣2♦ was showing with around 300,000 chips already in the middle when Henrik Brockmann fired out 150,000 on the river. His opponent in the hand, Ruslan Bakhtiev, then shoved for over 1,000,000, which put Brockmann to the test for his remaining stack of around 600,000.

Around a minute passed and Brockmann decided he wasn't going to put any more chips in the pot and folded, which meant Bakhtiev's stack rose to around 1,500,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ruslan Bakhtiev	1,500,000 177,000	177,000
Henrik Brockmann	600,000 90,000	90,000

Tags: Henrik Brockmann Ruslan Bakhtiev

11-28-2024 23:31 UTC-12

Chen Takes a Small Pot, Ketzer Up on the Day

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Kai Cocklin

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

Felipe Ketzer opened up the action to 20,000 from the hijack, which Zhen Chen called in the cutoff and Traian Stanciu called in the big blind.

On the 5♦Q♦8♥ flop, Stanciu and Ketzer checked, then they both folded to the 30,000-chip bet of Chen.

It's been a good start for Ketzer, who is up to around 1,300,000 mid-way through the second level of the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	1,300,000 15,000	15,000
Zhen Chen	675,000 5,000	5,000
Traian Stanciu	300,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Traian Stanciu Zhen Chen

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