Fahredin Mustafov opened to 100,000 from early position and Angelos Michael shoved for around 500,000 from the small blind. Once the big blind folded, Mustafov quickly called.
Angelos Michael: K♦9♦
Fahredin Mustafov: K♣Q♦
Michael, who began the final table as the chip leader, now faced the grim prospect of elimination. The flop came down 5♣Q♠4♥, leaving Mustafov firmly in the lead. The K♥ on the turn ended any hope for Michael, as he was drawing dead. The 4♠ river was a mere formality, and Michael exited the tournament, his final table run abruptly cut short.
On a board of 8♥K♥9♥6♦, there were already around 400,000 chips in the pot when Fahredin Mustafov checked it over to Angelos Michael, who made an overbet of 600,000. Mustafov then shoved for just under 1,200,000, and after careful consideration, Michael called.
Fahredin Mustafov: 10♣7♣
Angelos Michael: J♠10♥
Michael had a redraw to a higher straight and a flush draw, but it was Mustafov who was in the driver's seat with one card to come. All eyes were locked on the board when the dealer put out the A♣ on the river, which meant Mustafov took the huge pot, and Michael become one of the short stacks.
Fahredin Mustafov opened from under the gun and Elie Saad shoved for 295,000 from middle position. When the action got back to Mustafov, he quickly called.
Elie Saad: 6♣6♠
Fahredin Mustafov: Q♥Q♠
Saad wouldn't have liked to see the overpair of his opponent and didn't find any help on the 4♣J♦4♠ flop. The 10♠ didn't change anything, and neither did the 8♣ river, which meant Saad was out in eighth.
Aleksandr Chernikov shoved from the cutoff for 505,000 and Angelos Michael called in the small blind.
Aleksandr Chernikov: A♦10♦
Angelos Michael: J♣J♦
Chernikov was in trouble and didn't find much to work with on the Q♠9♥3♣ flop. The 3♦ turn prompted Chernikov to stand up in preparation for his departure, but he soon sat back down again when the A♣ landed on the river, which earned him a last-gasp double-up.
Angelos Michael raised from under the gun to 85,000 and Zhen Chen called from the next seat.
The action checked to the river on the K♥10♣4♥J♦2♥ board where Michael led out for a min-bet of 40,000, and Chen made a raise and put 300,000 in front of him. After thinking it over, Michael decided to call.
Chen then showed Q♠Q♥ for a pair of queens, and Michael mucked. With that pot, Chen takes the chip lead!
Mehmet Demirkol shoved his last 205,000 into the middle from middle position and Simone Andrian called in the cutoff.
Mehmet Demirkol: 10♦10♥
Simone Andrian: Q♣Q♠
Demirkol found a great hand to get his chips in with, but was unfortunate to run into the overpair of Andrian. The runout of 8♥J♦7♣6♠A♥ didn't change anything, and Demirkol hit the rail in ninth.
The stage is set for an epic conclusion to the $5,300 High Roller at the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series, where just nine players remain from the original 103-entry field. After a quick-paced Day 3, it took less than six 40-minute levels to carve the field from 31 players down to the final table at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. Leading the way is Angelos Michael of Cyprus, who dominated the action to bag a towering stack of 2,975,000 chips heading into Day 4.
This final table showcases the global appeal of the Merit Poker Series, with players from nine different nations represented. The event attracts competitors from all corners of the world, highlighting its reputation as a premier destination for high-stakes poker. From local talent to international stars, the diverse lineup underscores the prestige of this event.
Final Table Chip Counts
Place
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Angelos Michael
Cyprus
2,975,000
99
2
Zhen Chen
China
2,345,000
78
3
Simone Andrian
Italy
1,470,000
49
4
Felipe Ketzer
Brazil
875,000
29
5
Fahredin Mustafov
Bulgaria
820,000
27
6
Aleksandr Chernikov
Russia
605,000
20
7
Adrian State
Romania
530,000
18
8
Elie Saad
Lebanon
490,000
16
9
Mehmet Demirkol
Turkey
205,000
7
Michael leads the pack after a stellar Day 3 performance, followed by Zhen Chen of China, who amassed 2,345,000 chips and played a pivotal role in bursting the final table bubble. Italy's Simone Andrian continues his strong run at the series with 1,470,000 chips, building on his success earlier this year when he won the $2,200 Warm-Up in January for an impressive $165,000. Brazil's Felipe Ketzer and Bulgaria’s Fahredin Mustafov, with 875,000 and 820,000 chips respectively, will both look to use their vast experience to climb the leaderboard.
Further down the counts, Aleksandr Chernikov of Russia brings 605,000 chips to the table, while Elie Saad, a former Merit Main Event champion from Lebanon, enters with 490,000 chips, drawing on his familiarity with this venue and high-stakes pressure. Romania's Adrian State will begin with 530,000 chips, and Mehmet Demirkol of Turkey rounds out the field with 205,000 chips, looking for an early double-up to get back in contention.
Aleksandr Chernikov
Play gets underway at 1 p.m. and blinds resume at Level 22 (15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 big blind ante), with just under 10 minutes remaining. The players are competing for their share of the $473,800 prize pool, with the champion set to take home $132,300, while the ninth-place finisher secures $13,100.
Remaining Payouts
Place
Prize
1
$132,300
2
$91,500
3
$58,800
4
$43,600
5
$32,000
6
$26,000
7
$21,400
8
$17,100
9
$13,100
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live coverage as nine players from across the globe battle for the trophy, the top prize, and their place in Merit Poker history!
