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

01-19-2024 19:45 UTC+3

State Can't Get Value From Kings

David Salituro

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

Andrea Dato raised to 250,000 in early position before Adrian State three-bet to 600,000 on the button holding K♣K♥. Abdullah Alajmi called in the big blind, while Dato folded A♣J♥.

The flop came 6♠6♥4♣ and Alajmi checked to State who bet 425,000. Alajmi gave it some thought but ultimately mucked Q♠J♠.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	13,700,000 -700,000	-700,000

Adrian State	4,500,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Andrea Dato	2,600,000 -800,000	-800,000

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

01-19-2024 19:38 UTC+3

Andrian Hangs Around With Trips

David Salituro

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

Adrian State raised to 250,000 in early position and received calls from Simone Andrian on the button and big blind Andrei Daniliuk.

The flop came J♣6♣J♦ and action checked to Andrian who bet 200,000. Only State called.

The 3♥ fell on the turn and Andrian bet 350,000. State came back with a raise to 1,000,000 and Andrian called to see the 9♣ river.

State checked and Andrian checked back as he showed J♠10♠ for trip jacks. State mucked 7♠7♥ and Andrian took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrei Daniliuk	6,400,000 -700,000	-700,000
Simone Andrian	6,000,000 1,300,000	1,300,000

Adrian State	4,500,000 -1,500,000	-1,500,000

Tags: Adrian State Andrei Daniliuk Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 19:31 UTC+3

Panagides Shoves the Turn

David Salituro

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

Andrea Dato raised to 250,000 in early position with A♣J♠, Abdullah Alajmi called in the small blind with 10♣10♥, while George Panagides defended K♦8♠.

The flop came K♣5♣3♣ and Panagides bet 350,000 with top pair. Both Dato and Alajmi called and the Q♦ fell on the turn.

Panagides then moved all in for 1,900,000 and both opponents quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	12,600,000 -800,000	-800,000

George Panagides	3,800,000 1,350,000	1,350,000
Andrea Dato	3,400,000 -1,100,000	-1,100,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Andrea Dato George Panagides

01-19-2024 19:27 UTC+3

Alajmi Keeps Limping

David Salituro

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

Abdullah Alajmi limped in from early position and Fahredin Mustafov checked back K♦6♥ in the big blind.

Both players checked the 8♦4♥8♥ flop and Mustafov led out for 250,000 on the 7♦ turn. Alajmi quickly folded Q♠10♠.

Alajmi limped again the next hand, this time with A♥10♦, as Mustafov and Adrian State came along from the blinds.

Action checked to Alajmi on the 10♣9♦8♠ flop and he bet 225,000 with top pair. Mustafov got rid of his own pair holding K♣9♠, while State tanked for a moment before folding Q♠3♥.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	13,400,000 625,000	625,000

Adrian State	6,000,000 -275,000	-275,000
Fahredin Mustafov	4,900,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Adrian State Fahredin Mustafov

01-19-2024 19:16 UTC+3

Qusai Albakeer Eliminated in 9th Place ($16,500)

David Salituro

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

On the second hand of the final table, Andrei Daniliuk raised to 275,000 under the gun before Qusai Albakeer moved all in for 2,525,000 next to act. Daniliuk asked for a count then called to put Albakeer at risk.

Qusai Albakeer: A♣Q♦
Andrei Daniliuk: A♥K♥

Albakeer found himself dominated heading to the 10♣9♦6♥ flop. The K♣ turn gave Daniliuk top pair, while Albakeer picked up a straight draw, but the Jordanian missed the 3♣ river and became the first casualty of the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrei Daniliuk	7,100,000 2,825,000	2,825,000
Qusai Albakeer	Busted

Tags: Andrei Daniliuk Qusai Albakeer

01-19-2024 19:07 UTC+3

Final Table

David Salituro

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

Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Fahredin Mustafov	Bulgaria	4,875,000	39
2	Adrian State	Romania	6,275,000	50
3	Baurzhan Akimov	Kazakhstan	2,250,000	18
4	Abdullah Alajmi	Kuwait	12,775,000	102
5	George Panagides	Cyprus	2,450,000	20
6	Simone Andrian	Italy	4,700,000	38
7	Andrea Dato	Italy	4,500,000	36
8	Andrei Daniliuk	Russia	4,275,000	34
9	Qusai Albakeer	Jordan	2,525,000	20

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	12,775,000 75,000	75,000

Adrian State	6,275,000 -25,000	-25,000
Fahredin Mustafov	4,875,000 -125,000	-125,000
Simone Andrian	4,700,000 -400,000	-400,000

Andrea Dato	4,500,000 900,000	900,000

Andrei Daniliuk	4,275,000 775,000	775,000
Qusai Albakeer	2,525,000 25,000	25,000
George Panagides	2,450,000 -350,000	-350,000
Baurzhan Akimov	2,250,000 750,000	750,000

01-19-2024 19:00 UTC+3

Final Table Introductions Underway

David Salituro

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

The final nine players are currently being introduced and taking their seats at the final table, and action should resume momentarily.

01-19-2024 17:52 UTC+3

Guoliang Wei Eliminated in 10th Place ($12,060)

David Salituro

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

At the same time as Sari Haddad was all in on the feature table, Guoliang Wei and Abdullah Alajmi went heads-up on a flop of J♦J♠4♠, Wei bet 250,000 from the small blind and Alajmi called under the gun.

The turn was the K♠ and Wei checked to Alajmi who moved all in. Wei confirmed that Alamji had shoved before calling for his last 2,000,000.

Wei showed Q♣Q♠, but Alamji turned over 8♠7♠ for a flush. The river was the 5♦ and Alajmi took the pot to send Wei to the rail in 10th place.

The remaining nine players are drawing for seats at the final table and are taking a 40-minute break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	12,700,000 4,200,000	4,200,000

Guoliang Wei	Busted

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Guoliang Wei

01-19-2024 17:51 UTC+3

Sari Haddad Eliminated in 11th Place ($12,060)

David Salituro

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

Action folded to Adrian State in the small blind who moved all in. Sari Haddad quickly called for his last 975,000 in the big blind.

Sari Haddad: K♠Q♦
Adrian State: K♣8♦

Haddad had State dominated and was poised for a double up on the final table bubble until the flop brought 8♠2♠8♣, giving State trips. The A♠ turn gave Haddad some hope with a flush draw, but he missed the Q♥ river and was sent to the rail in 11th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	6,300,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Sari Haddad	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Sari Haddad