$2,200 Warm Up Day 1a | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-15-2024 21:25 UTC+3

Daban Takes Out Eid But Denied Double Knockout

David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Emrah Daban raised to 6,500 on the button before Maksim Skripkin moved all in for 50,000 in the small blind. Kristoffer Eid called in the big blind, Daban moved all in, and Eid called for around 120,000.

Maksim Skripkin: 8♠8♥
Kristoffer Eid: Q♥Q♦
Emrah Daban: A♦A♠

Daban had both players covered and at risk with his aces as the flop came 3♠9♥K♦. The turn was the 8♦ and Skripkin pulled in the lead with a set.

The 7♦ completed the board and Skripkin tripled up, while Daban sent Eid off to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Emrah Daban	250,000 80,000	80,000
Maksim Skripkin	150,000 95,000	95,000
Kristoffer Eid	Busted

Tags: Emrah Daban Kristoffer Eid Maksim Skripkin

01-15-2024 21:18 UTC+3

Yang Snaps Off Luo in Massive Pot

David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Shuang Luo had a raise to 93,000 in front of her from under the gun, while Peng Yang then reraised to 180,000. According to tablemate Aleksandar Tot, Luo had opened under the gun, Yang three-bet, and Guoliang Wei four-bet. Luo then put in her five-bet and Yang six-bet the pot, forcing out Wei.

Luo, though, moved all in for 280,000 and Yang snap-called.

Shuang Luo: A♣K♥
Peng Yang: A♥A♠

More than 600,000 was in the middle as the two players saw the flop come 6♥3♠J♣. The J♥ turn already left Luo drawing dead and heading for the exit as the 4♥ river locked up the massive pot for Yang to rocket him up into the chip lead near the end of the night.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peng Yang	820,000 540,000	540,000

Guoliang Wei	320,000 -30,000	-30,000

Shuang Luo	Busted

Tags: Guoliang Wei Peng Yang Shuang Luo

01-15-2024 20:51 UTC+3

Khordbin Fills Up to Bust Zhao

David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Cheng Zhao bet 15,000 from the hijack on a flop of K♣K♥6♠ before Hadi Khordbin raised to 50,000 in middle position.

Zhao called and the turn was the 5♥. Khordbin then bet 75,000 and Zhao again called.

Khordbin didn't even wait for the dealer to finish flipping over the 7♣ river before he slid in a stack of chips to put Zhao all in. Zhao tanked for a minute until calling for his last 70,000.

Zhao showed K♠Q♠ for trips, but Khordbin had 6♥6♦ for a flopped full house to win another massive pot and send Zhao to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hadi Khordbin	650,000 100,000	100,000
Cheng Zhao	Busted

Tags: Hadi Khordbin Cheng Zhao

01-15-2024 20:03 UTC+3

Dato Runs Into Luo's Set

David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of 6♥9♣4♥, Andrea Dato bet 3,000 before Shuang Luo raised to 10,000. Dato called and the 8♦ fell on the turn.

Luo then put Dato all in and Dato called for his last 20,000 with A♠K♠. Luo, though, had 6♦6♠ for a set of sixes and Dato was already drawing dead heading to the K♦ river as he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Shuang Luo	320,000 200,000	200,000
Andrea Dato	Busted

Tags: Andrea Dato Shuang Luo

01-15-2024 19:56 UTC+3

"The Witch is Back" as Krasilnikova Busts Sun

David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Nina Krasilnikova and Yunsheng Sun went heads-up to the turn on a board of 7♦A♠J♣8♣ when Krasilnikova bet 40,000 from the small blind. Sun moved all in for around 100,000 more in early position and Krasilnikova snap-called.

Sun showed A♣7♣ for two pair, but Krasilnikova had turned the nut straight with 10♣9♥. The river was the J♠ and Krasilnikova took the pot to send Sun to the rail.

"The witch is back. Get me away from this table," tablemate Christos Leantzis called out after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nina Krasilnikova	320,000 160,000	160,000
Yunsheng Sun	Busted

Tags: Nina Krasilnikova Yunsheng Sun

01-15-2024 19:15 UTC+3

Alajmi Loses One All In, Wins Another

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Heads-up on a board of J♠4♠10♣3♠, Abdullah Alajmi bet 25,000 from the big blind, then called when Simone Andrian moved all in for 58,100 on the button.

Alajmi showed 10♠3♦ for two pair, but Andrian had J♥10♥ for a higher two. pair. Alajmi began calling for a flush on the river, but the dealer turned over a harmless K♣ and Andrian doubled up.

The next hand, Ryan Plant moved all in for 35,000 on the button and Alajmi put him at risk from the small blind.

Ryan Plant: K♣J♥
Abdullah Alajmi: K♦Q♥

Plant picked up a straight draw heading to the river on a board of 7♠10♥5♥Q♠, but he missed the 7♥ and was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	200,000

Simone Andrian	130,000 10,000	10,000

Ryan Plant	Busted

Tags: Simone Andrian Ryan Plant Abdullah Alajmi

01-15-2024 18:54 UTC+3

Akmert Comes From Behind to Bust Saiapin

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Erdem Akmert raised to 3,500 in the cutoff, then called when Iurii Saiapin put in his last 20,000 from the button.

Iurii Saiapin: A♣9♦
Erdem Akmert: A♠7♣

Saiapin had Akmert dominated and was poised for a double up until the flop brought 7♦Q♥4♦, giving Akmert a pair of sevens. The board ran out A♥5♠ and Akmert finished with two pair to send Saiapin to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Erdem Akmert	370,000 260,000	260,000
Iurii Saiapin	Busted

Tags: Erdem Akmert Iurii Saiapin

01-15-2024 18:42 UTC+3

Miral Wakes Up With Queens For Another Knockout

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Mazen Halabi raised to 3,500 under the gun before Can Miral three-bet to 13,000 in middle position. Fedor Burmistrov then moved all in for 30,000 on the button, Halabi folded, but Miral snap-called.

Fedor Burmistrov: J♠J♥
Can Miral: Q♣Q♦

Burmistrov was crushed by Miral's queens and found no help on the 3♦4♦2♥4♠6♥ board as Miral sent another opponent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Can Miral	240,000 100,000	100,000
Mazen Halabi	180,000 180,000	180,000
Fedor Burmistrov	Busted

Tags: Can Miral Fedor Burmistrov Mazen Halabi

01-15-2024 18:05 UTC+3

Miral Spikes an Ace on Kaukua

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Toni Kaukua, whose tournament got off to such a promising start when he doubled up in the first level, found himself down to just 21,400 as he moved all in from the cutoff. Can Miral called under the gun to put him at risk.

Toni Kaukua: K♥K♦
Can Miral: A♠K♠

Kaukua was ahead with his kings until the 4♣A♦J♣ flop gave Miral a pair of aces. The rest of the board came 7♥Q♦ and Kaukua made his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Can Miral	140,000 140,000	140,000
Toni Kaukua	Busted

Tags: Can Miral Toni Kaukua

01-15-2024 17:48 UTC+3

Ojelli Runs Into Wei's Kings

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

A massive pot was already in the middle as Chadi Ojelli and Guoliang Wei went to the river on a board of 2♦6♥6♣10♠5♦. According to tablemate Aleksandar Tot, Wei had three-bet to 12,000 on the button and Ojelli called in the cutoff.

The flop came 2♦6♥6♣ and Wei continued for 7,000. Ojelli called and Wei bet another 17,000 on the 10♠ turn.

Ojelli again called to the 5♦ river where Wei bet enough to put Ojelli all in. Ojelli, with around 20,000 remaining, tanked for a moment before calling.

Wei turned over K♣K♠ and Ojelli mucked on his way to the rail while Wei added to his massive stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Guoliang Wei	350,000

Chadi Ojelli	Busted

Tags: Chadi Ojelli Guoliang Wei