$2,200 Warm Up | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-19-2024 21:44 UTC+3

Fahredin Mustafov Eliminated in 5th Place ($41,300)

David Salituro

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Fahredin Mustafov moved all in for 2,700,000 on the button and Adrian State called in the small blind.

Fahredin Mustafov: Q♦10♦
Adrian State: A♠Q♠

Mustafov took the lead on the K♠10♣3♣ flop with a pair of tens, but State spiked a straight on the J♣ turn. The river was the K♥ and Mustafov was sent out in fifth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	13,600,000 3,500,000	3,500,000
Fahredin Mustafov	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Fahredin Mustafov

01-19-2024 21:28 UTC+3

Baurzhan Akimov Eliminated in 6th Place ($33,100)

David Salituro

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Baurzhan Akimov raised to 1,150,000 under the gun before Adrian State moved all in from the big blind. Akimov called for his last 1,000,000.

Baurzhan Akimov: A♦Q♣
Adrian State: A♠J♠

Akimov had State dominated until the J♥6♦7♥ flop gave State top pair. Akimov flashed a smile over at State as the 10♥ turn gave him a straight draw, but he missed the A♣ river and was sent to the rail in sixth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	8,000,000 1,375,000	1,375,000
Baurzhan Akimov	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Baurzhan Akimov

01-19-2024 21:19 UTC+3

Andrian Flips His Way to a Double

David Salituro

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Baurzhan Akimov raised to 400,000 on the button, Simone Andrian moved all in for 2,475,000 in the big blind, and Akimov called.

Simone Andrian: A♠K♥
Baurzhan Akimov: Q♣Q♠

It was a classic flip and Andrian hit the A♦ on the flop to take the lead. It was followed by 3♦2♠2♣5♥ and Andrian won the pot to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	5,300,000 2,600,000	2,600,000

Baurzhan Akimov	2,200,000 -2,400,000	-2,400,000

Tags: Baurzhan Akimov Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 20:42 UTC+3

George Panagides Eliminated in 7th Place ($27,500)

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi raised to 300,000 in the cutoff, George Panagides three-bet to 800,000 on the button, and Alajmi called.

The flop came A♥K♣9♦ and Panagides bet 550,000. Alajmi called and the 8♣ fell on the turn.

Panagides then bet another 1,250,000 as Alajmi cut out a stack of his green 500,000 chips and shuffled them for a minute as he burned through three time banks before moving all in. Panagides also tanked for a few seconds until deciding to call for his last 3,600,000.

Panagides showed A♦J♥ for top pair, but Alajmi turned over 9♥8♥, continuing his incredible run by turning two pair. The Q♠ river failed to save Panagides and he became Alajmi's latest victory as the Kuwait native controls nearly half of the chips in play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	20,500,000

George Panagides	Busted

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi George Panagides

01-19-2024 20:25 UTC+3

Andrea Dato Eliminated in 8th Place ($22,000)

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

A hand after doubling up Simone Andrian, Andrea Dato committed most of his stack with a raise to 500,000 in the hijack. Baurzhan Akimov called in the big blind and they saw a flop of 10♦10♠J♦, where Dato tossed in his last 25,000.

Andrea Dato: Q♥7♥
Baurzhan Akimov: 9♣5♥

Dato was ahead following the 6♠ turn, but the 5♦ river gave Akimov two pair and sent Dato to the rail in eighth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Baurzhan Akimov	5,100,000 600,000	600,000
Andrea Dato	Busted

Tags: Andrea Dato Baurzhan Akimov

01-19-2024 20:22 UTC+3

Andrian Spikes the Turn to Leave Dato on Fumes

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi limped in before Simone Andrian raised to 1,300,000 in the hijack, leaving himself 300,000 behind. Andrea Dato called in the cutoff, while Alajmi got out of the way.

The flop came 3♠K♥J♦ and the two players got Andrian's last chips in the middle.

Simone Andrian: J♠10♠
Andrea Dato: A♠K♠

Dato was ahead with his pair of kings until the 10♦ turn gave Andrian two pair. The river was the 6♥ and Andrian doubled up, leaving Dato with less than 1,000,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	13,500,000 -100,000	-100,000

Simone Andrian	3,700,000 2,100,000	2,100,000

Andrea Dato	525,000 -1,975,000	-1,975,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Andrea Dato Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 20:20 UTC+3

Alajmi Bets Small, State Looks Him Up

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Adrian State raised to 300,000 under the gun and Abdullah Alajmi called in early position.

The flop came 8♣3♠2♥ and State continued for 200,000. Alajmi called, then called another bet of 350,000 on the 4♥ turn.

State slowed down and checked the K♣ river as Alajmi bet 275,000. State tanked for a moment before gathering the chips and tossing them toward Alajmi.

Alajmi could only show Q♥J♥ for a missed flush draw as State turned over A♥J♣ for ace-high to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	13,600,000 -1,100,000	-1,100,000

Adrian State	6,100,000 1,600,000	1,600,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Adrian State

01-19-2024 20:15 UTC+3

Panagides Survives a Flip Against Andrian

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

George Panagides raised to 350,000 in the cutoff before Simone Andrian three-bet to 750,000 on the button. Panagides then moved all in for 3,100,000 and Andrian called.

George Panagides: A♦Q♠
Simone Andrian: 9♦9♠

Andrian remained in the lead on the 10♦5♣3♥ flop, but Panagides spiked the A♣ on the turn to move in front. The river was the Q♦ and Panagides doubled up while Andrian, the start-of-day chip leader, was knocked down to the short stack with just ten big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Panagides	6,600,000 2,800,000	2,800,000
Simone Andrian	1,600,000 -3,200,000	-3,200,000

Tags: George Panagides Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 20:05 UTC+3

Akimov Hits the River, Gets Value From Andrian

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Baurzhan Akimov raised to 300,000 in the cutoff with J♥9♥ and Simone Andrian defended 9♦6♠.

Both players checked the Q♦9♠8♦ flop. The turn was the 6♥ and Andrian led out for 700,000 with two pair.

Akimov called and improved to a straight on the 10♥ river. Andrian checked and Akimov then bet 375,000. Andrian paid him off as Akimov raked in another pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	4,800,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000

Baurzhan Akimov	4,500,000 1,900,000	1,900,000

Tags: Baurzhan Akimov Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 19:44 UTC+3

Alajmi Getting Creative

David Salituro

Level 28 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi continued his limping strategy, calling the big blind with K♦J♦ from early position. Fahredin Mustafov also called in the small blind, but big blind Adrian State raised to 600,000.

Alajmi called, while Mustafov got out of the way. The flop came 3♣A♣2♥ and State continued for 325,000. Alajmi then raised to 900,000 with just king-high and State folded 9♥9♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	14,400,000 1,800,000	1,800,000

Fahredin Mustafov	5,000,000 100,000	100,000
Adrian State	3,500,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Adrian State Fahredin Mustafov