Day 2 of the $5,300 High Roller at the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series concluded with 31 players remaining from the 103-entry field that packed the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino today.
The field nearly doubled in size from the 54 entries on Day 1 by the time late registration closed at the end of Level 12. Leading the charge into Day 3 is Elie Saad of Lebanon, who bagged a commanding 795,000 chips — nearly eight starting stacks.
Mehmet Demirkol secured the second spot with 636,000, while Eyal Eshkar rounded out the top three with 586,000 chips..
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elie Saad | Lebanon | 795,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Mehmet Demirkol | Turkey | 636,000 | 64 |
| 3 | Eyal Eshkar | Israel | 586,000 | 59 |
| 4 | Nichan Khorchidian | Lebanon | 541,000 | 54 |
| 5 | Simone Andrian | Italy | 531,000 | 53 |
| 6 | Zhewen Hu | China | 492,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Zhen Chen | China | 484,000 | 48 |
| 8 | Ali Al-Kubasi | Iraq | 471,000 | 47 |
| 9 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 460,000 | 46 |
| 10 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | 373,000 | 37 |
Saad is no stranger to Merit Poker events, having captured the Main Event title in 2018 for $85,000. With six additional Merit final tables on his resume, Saad is a strong contender to watch heading into Day 3.
Demirkol, meanwhile, scored a significant boost late in the day when his pocket aces crushed the pocket kings of Dumitru Pora during a pivotal hand which left the former on the rail.
Simone Andrian became the fifth player to surpass the half-million chip mark, bagging an impressive 531,000 heading into Day 3. The Italian standout already notched a cash in the $2,200 Warm-Up earlier this series and now has his sights set on adding to his bankroll as the High Roller approaches the money bubble.
Other notable stacks include Simone Andrian (531,000), Fahredin Mustafov (460,000), Felipe Ketzer (373,000), Mehdi Chaoui (294,000), Nemo Koering (284,000), and Adrian State (260,000), all of whom remain in contention for the title.
$5,300 High Roller Schedule
| Date | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 24 November | Day 3 | 6:00 p.m. |
| 25 November | Day 4 | 1:00 p.m. |
Day 3 begins at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24, with blinds resuming at Level 17 (5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 big blind ante). The plan is to play down to the final table, but this could change depending on the pace of play.
The tournament boasts a $473,800 prize pool, with the eventual champion taking home $132,300. A min-cash of $9,500 awaits players who finish in 10th–13th place.
Payouts
As always, PokerNews will provide live updates from the tournament floor as players battle it out to secure a spot at the final table and beyond. Stay tuned for all the action!
