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

01-19-2024 16:45 UTC+3

Ermanno Di Nicola Eliminated in 14th Place ($9,850)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Ermanno Di Nicola stuck in his last chips from the hijack as Simone Andrian and Abdullah Alajmi came along from the blinds.

Both players checked the 3♥3♣10♠ flop before Alajmi bet 800,000 on the 2♥ turn. Andrian called and the 8♣ river was checked through.

Andrian showed A♥4♥ for missed straight and flush draws, while Alajmi had K♥10♥ for two pair. Di Nicola tossed his cards into the muck and went off to collect his 14th-place payout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	7,800,000 -2,300,000	-2,300,000

Abdullah Alajmi	7,500,000 800,000	800,000

Ermanno Di Nicola	Busted

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Ermanno Di Nicola Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 16:40 UTC+3

John Basta Eliminated in 15th Place ($9,850)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

John Basta moved all in for 600,000 on the button, Adrian State reshoved in the small blind, and the rest of the table folded.

John Basta: Q♠J♥
Adrian State: A♥Q♦

Basta was dominated but picked up a straight draw on the 10♣K♠6♦ flop. The 2♥ turn was no help, while the 7♥ river completed the board and sent him to the exit in 15th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	4,300,000 700,000	700,000
John Basta	Busted

Tags: Adrian State John Basta

01-19-2024 16:38 UTC+3

Nina Krasilnikova Eliminated in 16th Place ($8,450)

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Nina Krasilnikova and George Panagides saw a flop of 7♣4♠10♥ when Krasilnikova put in her last 125,000 from the big blind. Panagides called in middle position.

Nina Krasilnikova: 6♥4♥
George Panagides: A♦7♦

Panagides was ahead with a pair of sevens as the board ran out 9♣Q♠, sending Krasilnikova to the rail in 16th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Panagides	1,300,000 -500,000	-500,000
Nina Krasilnikova	Busted

Tags: George Panagides Nina Krasilnikova

01-19-2024 16:37 UTC+3

Akimov Leaves Di Nicola With Crumbs

David Salituro

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Action folded to Ermanno Di Nicola who moved all in from the small blind. Baurzhan Akimov called in the big blind.

Baurzhan Akimov: Q♥J♦
Ermanno Di Nicola: A♠8♠

Akimov took the lead on the 10♣J♥3♥ flop, while Di Nicola couldn't catch up on the 2♣ turn or 7♦ river. The stacks were counted down and Akimov had 1,300,000 remaining, leaving Di Nicola with just 200,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Baurzhan Akimov	2,600,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Ermanno Di Nicola	200,000 -1,900,000	-1,900,000

Tags: Baurzhan Akimov Ermanno Di Nicola

Level: 27

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000

01-19-2024 16:08 UTC+3

Break Time

David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Players are now on the first 20-minute break of the day.

01-19-2024 16:05 UTC+3

Mustafov Emerges From Classic Flip

David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Yuefan Gu raised to 180,000 in middle position before Fahredin Mustafov three-bet to 525,000 in the big blind. Gu then moved all in and Mustafov called for 2,280,000.

Fahredin Mustafov: Q♥Q♣
Yuefan Gu: A♣K♦

It was a classic flip with more than 4,500,000 at stake as the two players watched the board come J♠5♣8♦3♣J♣. Mustafov ended up on the right side with his queens and doubled up, leaving Gu on a short stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	4,600,000 2,500,000	2,500,000
Yuefan Gu	700,000 -1,800,000	-1,800,000

Tags: Fahredin Mustafov Yuefan Gu

01-19-2024 16:05 UTC+3

Alajmi Fills Up on the River

David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi raised to 160,000 under the gun with K♥Q♥ and Guoliang Wei called on the button, as did Simone Andrian in the big blind with 6♣3♣.

The 8♣K♦K♣ flop gave Alajmi trips and he bet 240,000. Wei folded, but Andrian called with a flush draw.

The 7♣ turn completed Andrian's flush and he checked over to Alajmi, who checked back. The river was the Q♦ and Alajmi improved to a full house.

Andrian led out for 800,000 and Alajmi raised to 1,600,000. Andrian gave up his flush as Alajmi took the big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	6,700,000 1,600,000	1,600,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Guoliang Wei Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 16:01 UTC+3

Andrian Blows Daniliuk Off a Set

David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Simone Andrian raised to 160,000 in early position and Andrei Daniliuk called in the hijack.

The flop came J♠5♠Q♠ and Andrian led out for 100,000. Daniliuk called.

The 9♦ fell on the turn and Andrian bet another 450,000. Daniliuk again called and the A♦ fell on the turn.

Andrian checked over to Daniliuk who bet 1,100,000. Andrian then moved all in. Daniliuk had 3,500,000 remaining and tanked for several minutes before laying down Q♣Q♥. Andrian took the pot with A♠10♦ for a pair of aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	10,100,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

Andrei Daniliuk	3,500,000 -800,000	-800,000

Tags: Andrei Daniliuk Simone Andrian

01-19-2024 15:53 UTC+3

Basta Can't Shake State

David Salituro

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

In a limped pot between the blinds, John Basta led out for 90,000 on a flop of 9♣10♠A♦ and Adrian State called.

The turn was the 5♠ and Basta bet another 155,000. State again called and the 3♥ fell on the river.

Both players then checked and Basta showed Q♠J♣. State had J♦9♥ for a pair of nines to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	3,600,000 100,000	100,000
John Basta	520,000 -270,000	-270,000

Tags: Adrian State John Basta