$2,200 Warm Up Day 3 | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-18-2024 23:06 UTC+3

Mateusz Wozniak Eliminated in 18th Place ($8,450)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Azamat Tulepbergenov raised to 100,000 in the hijack and Mateusz Wozniak defended his big blind, leaving just 55,000 behind.

The flop was Q♣9♣Q♥ and Wozniak got his last chips in the middle as Tulepbergenov called to put him at risk.

Mateusz Wozniak: J♠3♥
Azamat Tulepbergenov: A♠8♣

Tulepbergenov was ahead with ace-high as the board ran out 9♦A♦, giving. him two pair and sending Wozniak to the rail right before the end of the night.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	2,000,000 -155,000	-155,000
Mateusz Wozniak	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Mateusz Wozniak

01-18-2024 22:44 UTC+3

Xiang Lian Eliminated in 19th Place ($7,390)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Guoliang Wei raised to 110,000 before Simone Andrian again three-bet to 440,000 in the small blind. Xiang Lian moved all in for 770,000 in the big blind, Wei folded, but Andrian went for another knockout and called.

Xiang Lian: A♠K♥
Simone Andrian: A♥K♦

Both players were poised for a chop as the board came 4♣Q♦7♦9♦. The river, though, was the 6♦ and Andrian continued his spectacular run through the feature table by making a flush to bust Lian in 19th place.

The remaining 18 players are now drawing for seats at the final two tables.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	9,500,000 1,000,000	1,000,000

Guoliang Wei	3,000,000 -200,000	-200,000

Xiang Lian	Busted

Tags: Guoliang Wei Simone Andrian Xiang Lian

01-18-2024 22:35 UTC+3

Yasen Dichev Eliminated in 20th Place ($7,390)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Yasen Dichev moved all in for 550,000 under the gun, Adrian State reshoved from the button, and the rest of the table folded.

Yasen Dichev: A♣8♣
Adrian State: Q♣Q♦

Dichev was looking for help against State's queens but found none on the 10♣4♥10♦6♠3♦ board as he was eliminated in 20th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	3,000,000 100,000	100,000
Yasen Dichev	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Yasen Dichev

01-18-2024 22:34 UTC+3

Gang Zhao Eliminated in 21st Place ($7,390)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Gang Zhao raised to 110,000 under the gun as action folded to big blind Simone Andrian who three-bet to 400,000. Zhao then moved all in for 1,955,000 and Andrian called.

Gang Zhao: Q♦Q♣
Simone Andrian: A♣A♥

Zhao had run right into aces as Andrian was poised for another knockout to add to his chip lead. The board ran out 8♠J♦8♥3♥9♥ and Zhao couldn't find any miracles as he was sent to the rail in 21st place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	8,500,000 1,900,000	1,900,000

Gang Zhao	Busted

Tags: Gang Zhao Simone Andrian

01-18-2024 22:20 UTC+3

Ildar Tashliyev Eliminated in 22rd Place ($6,650)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

In a blind versus blind battle, Ildar Tashliyev got his last 200,000 in the middle against Sari Haddad.

Ildar Tashliyev: A♥7♥
Sari Haddad: J♠3♥

Haddad flopped two pair on the J♣3♦4♠A♣5♥ board and Tashliyev didn't improve beyond his turned pair of aces as he headed off to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sari Haddad	2,400,000 650,000	650,000
Ildar Tashliyev	Busted

Tags: Ildar Tashliyev Sari Haddad

01-18-2024 22:20 UTC+3

Ramez Haddad Eliminated in 23rd Place ($6,650)

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Simone Andrian raised to 100,000 in early position and was called by Ramez Haddad on the button and big blind Mateusz Wozniak.

The flop came J♠7♥3♣ and action checked to Haddad who bet 240,000. Andrian called, while Wozniak got out of the way.

Both players checked the 6♥ turn and the 3♠ fell on the river. Andrian then moved all in and Haddad lowered his head on to the rail of the table before calling for his last 900,000.

He showed 10♦10♠, but Andrian had K♠J♣ for two pair to send Haddad to the rail in 23rd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	6,600,000 960,000	960,000

Mateusz Wozniak	835,000 -765,000	-765,000
Ramez Haddad	Busted

Tags: Mateusz Wozniak Ramez Haddad Simone Andrian

01-18-2024 21:40 UTC+3

Eren Eroglu Eliminated in 24th Place ($6,650); Emrah Daban Eliminated in 25th Place ($5,815)

David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Guoliang Wei raised to 80,000 in early position before Emrah Daban moved all in for 200,000 in the cutoff. Eren Eroglu called on the button, Qusai Albakeer reshoved in the small blind, and Wei folded. Eroglu, though, called for 680,000.

Emrah Daban: 4♥4♦
Eren Eroglu: Q♠Q♣
Qusai Albakeer: K♦K♠

Albakeer had woken up with kings and was poised for a double knockout as the board ran out 10♣5♦10♦3♦J♠, sending both Daban and Eroglu to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Qusai Albakeer	2,100,000 995,000	995,000
Eren Eroglu	Busted
Emrah Daban	Busted

Tags: Emrah Daban Eren Eroglu Qusai Albakeer

01-18-2024 21:20 UTC+3

Justus Held Eliminated in 26th Place ($5,815)

David Salituro

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Abdullah Alajmi again limped in and Ermanno Di Nicola raised to 140,000 in middle position. Justus Held called in the cutoff, while Alajmi also called.

The flop came 8♦K♠K♣ and Di Nicola bet 130,000. Held called, but Alajmi raised to 475,000.

Di Nicola folded and Held called to see the 6♠ turn. Alajmi then bet 600,000, Held moved all in for 700,000, and Alajmi snap-called with K♥8♥ for a flopped full house.

Held showed K♦Q♣ and couldn't find any help on the 5♣ river as he was eliminated in 26th place.

"It's your tournament, my friend. Running unbelievable," Di Nicola told Alajmi.

Player	Chips	Progress
Abdullah Alajmi	6,200,000 2,400,000	2,400,000

Ermanno Di Nicola	1,200,000 100,000	100,000

Justus Held	Busted

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Ermanno Di Nicola Justus Held

01-18-2024 20:41 UTC+3

Matthew Davenport Eliminated in 27th Place ($5,090)

David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Matthew Davenport raised to 60,000 in early position and Mateusz Wozniak called on the button.

The flop came A♦5♠2♠ and Davenport continued for 60,000. Wozniak called and the A♠ fell on the turn.

Davenport checked to Wozniak who bet 100,000. Davenport tanked for a minute before raising to 355,000, leaving himself one 5,000 chip back. Wozniak then moved all in.

Davenport burned through several of his time banks as he waited for hands to finish on the other tables before calling with A♥8♥ for trips. Wozniak, though, had K♠Q♠ for a flush.

The river was the 9♥ and Davenport was eliminated in 27th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mateusz Wozniak	1,600,000 585,000	585,000
Matthew Davenport	Busted

Tags: Mateusz Wozniak Matthew Davenport

01-18-2024 19:47 UTC+3

Akimov Puts a Massive Cooler on Budak

David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Four players went to a flop of 5♠9♣7♣ where Erkan Budak bet 115,000 from the cutoff. Only Baurzhan Akimov called on the button.

Both players checked the 5♣ turn before Budak bet 215,000 on the 10♠ river. Akimov took his time before moving all in, and Budak snap-called for his last 200,000.

Budak showed 7♦7♥ for a flopped set that improved to a full house on the turn, but Akimov had 9♥9♦ for a higher full house to send Budak to the rail.

The remaining 27 players are now drawing for seats at the final three tables.