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

01-18-2024 16:03 UTC+3

Zhao Runs Into State's Higher Straight

David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

A massive pot of more than 600,000 was already in the middle as Adrian State and Cheng Zhao went heads-up to the river on a board of 10♣8♥9♠2♣4♦.

State, in the hijack, then moved all in and Zhao tanked for a moment before calling for his last 600,000 in the big blind. State turned over Q♠J♥ for the flopped nut straight and Zhao showed 7♣6♥ for a smaller straight before heading for the exit three spots short of the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	2,550,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Cheng Zhao	Busted

Tags: Adrian State Cheng Zhao

01-18-2024 15:45 UTC+3

Bitar Runs Into the Nut Flush

David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

With around 250,000 in the pot on a board of 5♠4♥J♥Q♥, Ghassan Bitar bet 60,000 from under the gun before Ildar Tashliyev raised to 150,000 on the button.

Azamat Tulepbergenov folded the small blind, while Bitar tanked for a few minutes before moving all in for 290,000. Tashliyev snap-called and turned over A♥8♥ for the nut flush.

Bitar slammed Q♣J♣ down on the table and stood up from his seat as the 4♦ completed the board. The stacks were counted down to ensure Tashliyev had Bitar covered before Bitar headed off to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	1,000,000
Ildar Tashliyev	800,000 270,000	270,000
Ghassan Bitar	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Ghassan Bitar Ildar Tashliyev

01-18-2024 15:37 UTC+3

Dichev Hits the River on Sonsino

David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Amir Sonsino came back from break with just 35,000 and moved all in from early position. Simone Andrian then raised to 70,000 in the hijack and Yasen Dichev called in the big blind.

Andrian and Dichev checked the 6♠J♠6♣ flop before Dichev led out for 60,000 on the 9♣ turn. Andrian called and the 7♣ fell on the river.

Dichev then bet 100,000 and Andrian quickly folded. Dichev showed 7♦7♥ for a rivered full house and Sonsino tossed J♣10♦ into the muck as he made his exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	2,300,000 -400,000	-400,000

Yasen Dichev	410,000 -230,000	-230,000
Amir Sonsino	Busted

Tags: Amir Sonsino Simone Andrian Yasen Dichev

01-18-2024 14:38 UTC+3

Zhao Snaps Off Urbanovich

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

With around 150,000 already in the pot on a board of K♣A♣9♦10♦, Gang Zhao bet 75,000 from the big blind before Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 175,000 in early position.

Zhao called and the 3♠ fell on the river. Zhao checked to Urbanovich who moved all in for 340,000. Zhao snap-called and Urbanovich tossed A♠Q♥ into the middle of the table and prepared to get up from his seat, already suspecting he was beat.

His instincts proved correct as Zhao showed A♦9♠ for two pair to win the pot.

"Ace-queen overplayed?" tablemate Xiang Lian asked after Urbanovich had left the table.

"What do you think?" Justus Held replied.

"I think overplayed," Lian added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gang Zhao	1,600,000 824,000	824,000
Dzmitry Urbanovich	Busted

Tags: Dzmitry Urbanovich Gang Zhao

01-18-2024 14:32 UTC+3

Andrian, Yang Tangle in the Pot of the Tournament

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Simone Andrian in the hijack and Peng Yang in the cutoff got into a pre-flop raising war that ended with both players having their massive stacks in the middle.

Simone Andrian: A♣A♥
Peng Yang: K♠K♥

Yang had run into a massive cooler with the tournament chip lead at stake as the flop came Q♣A♠4♥, giving Andrian top set. The turn was the 8♠ and Yang was already drawing dead heading to the 6♦ river.

The stacks were counted down and Andrian had 1,370,000 remaining. Yang's stack was also counted, and he had the exact same 1,370,000 remaining as the Day 1 chip leader stopped to snap a photo of the board before heading for the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simone Andrian	2,700,000 1,320,000	1,320,000

Peng Yang	Busted

Tags: Peng Yang Simone Andrian

01-18-2024 14:17 UTC+3

Panagides Wins a Flip to Bust Nikitin

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin was down to around 80,000 and got his last chips in the middle from early position against George Panagides under the gun.

Anatoly Nikitin: A♦K♦
George Panagides: 10♥10♦

Nikitin was racing for his tournament life but found no help on the 6♥5♦8♠9♥4♠ board as Panagides' tens earned him the pot and sent Nikitin off to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Panagides	750,000 49,000	49,000
Anatoly Nikitin	Busted

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin George Panagides

01-18-2024 14:10 UTC+3

Drokin, Tashliyev Try to Take Out Sahin

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Bulent Sahin limped in from early position before Ildar Tashliyev raised to 30,000 in middle position. Volodymyr Drokin then three-bet to 72,000 in the hijack, Sahin committed his last 40,000, and Tashliyev called.

Drokin and Tashliyev both checked the A♣5♥2♥ flop. The turn was the 2♦ and Drokin bet 38,000. Tashliyev called to create a side pot, and the 10♠ river was also checked down.

Sahin showed K♣10♥ for two pair, Tashliyev had K♥Q♥ for a missed flush draw, while Drokin turned over K♦K♠ to take the pot and sent Sahin to the rail.

Catalin Moraru was also recently eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ildar Tashliyev	530,000 134,000	134,000
Volodymyr Drokin	500,000 -127,000	-127,000
Bulent Sahin	Busted
Catalin Moraru	Busted

Tags: Bulent Sahin Catalin Moraru Ildar Tashliyev Volodymyr Drokin

01-18-2024 13:51 UTC+3

Gu Gets There on the River to Bust Troyanovskiy

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Three-handed on a flop of 9♠5♣7♣, Vladimir Troyanovskiy bet 50,000 from the hijack and Yuefan Gu called on the button, as did big blind Xiang Lian.

The turn was the A♦ and Troyanovskiy bet another 90,000. Only Gu called this time and the 8♦ fell on the river.

Troyanovskiy checked over to Gu who announced he was all in. Troyanovskiy took only a few seconds before calling for around 270,000.

Gu showed J♣10♣ for the rivered straight and Troyanovskiy flashed A♥7♥ for a beaten two pair before heading off to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuefan Gu	1,300,000 380,000	380,000
Xiang Lian	300,000 -172,000	-172,000
Vladimir Troyanovskiy	Busted

Tags: Vladimir Troyanovskiy Xiang Lian Yuefan Gu

01-18-2024 13:29 UTC+3

Albakeer Picks Off Zhaparov

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Ermanno Di Nicola raised to 20,000 in early position before Dauren Zhaparov moved all in for 135,000 on the button. Qusai Albakeer reshoved in the big blind and Di Nicola got out of the way.

Dauren Zhaparov: K♦10♦
Qusai Albakeer: A♥10♥

Both players wound up with top pair on the 4♥7♥9♣10♣6♥ board, but Albakeer's ace-kicker played and Zhaparov joined the list of early Day 3 bustouts.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ermanno Di Nicola	560,000 -34,000	-34,000

Qusai Albakeer	540,000 132,000	132,000
Dauren Zhaparov	Busted

Tags: Dauren Zhaparov Ermanno Di Nicola Qusai Albakeer

01-18-2024 13:23 UTC+3

Qu Runs Into a Higher Queen

David Salituro

Level 17 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of Q♦9♥4♥, Feng Qu bet 12,000 from the button and Koray Korkmaz raised to 60,000 in the big blind. Qu then reraised to 125,000, Korkmaz moved all in, and Qu called for around 70,000 more.

Feng Qu: Q♣7♦
Koray Korkmaz: Q♥10♣

Both players had flopped top pair, but Korkmaz was ahead with his ten-kicker as the board ran out K♣5♠, sending Qu to the rail.