$3,300 Main Event Day 1a | 2024 Merit Poker Western Series

01-20-2024 17:15 UTC+2

Tantillo Holds On to Double

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Gang Zhao raised to 2,500 under the gun, Fausto Tantillo three-bet to 8,000 in middle position, and Zhao called.

Both players checked the K♣6♣4♣ flop and Zhao also checked the 5♠ turn. Tantillo then bet 7,000 and Zhao came back with a raise to 75,000, covering Tantillo's remaining stack.

Tantillo called for his last 65,000 with J♦J♥, while Zhao had Q♠7♠ for a straight draw. The river was the 10♥ and Tantillo doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fausto Tantillo	140,000 45,000	45,000
Gang Zhao	30,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Fausto Tantillo Gang Zhao

01-20-2024 17:05 UTC+2

Pankov Can't Get Rid of Peralta

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Three-handed on a flop of K♥9♠3♠, Eugenio Peralta bet 3,000 from early position and Vitalii Pankov called in middle position, as did Mustafa Ercan on the button.

The turn was the 5♣ and action checked to Pankov who bet 11,000. Ercan quickly called, while Peralta tanked for a minute before also calling.

Peralta again checked on the 10♥ river and Pankov checked back. Ercan also checked and Peralta turned over K♦J♦ for two pair to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustafa Ercan	260,000
Eugenio Peralta	85,000
Vitalii Pankov	60,000 60,000	60,000

Tags: Eugenio Peralta Mustafa Ercan Vitalii Pankov

01-20-2024 16:50 UTC+2

Hedley Takes Four-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Four players went to the J♥9♦4♣ flop where Arif Yildirim bet 5,000 from middle position. Nina Krasilnikova called in the cutoff, Andrew Hedley called on the button, and Alisa Sibgatova came along from the big blind.

The turn was the K♠ and action checked to Hedley. He bet 8,500 and Yildirim and Krasilnikova both called.

Yildirim and Krasilnikova also checked the 5♣ river, and Hedley checked back this time. Yildirim showed A♣9♣ for a pair of nines, Krasilnikova had K♦8♦ for kings, while Hedley had K♥Q♠ and took the pot with his queen-kicker.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alisa Sibgatova	210,000 20,000	20,000
Arif Yildirim	130,000 20,000	20,000
Andrew Hedley	95,000 35,000	35,000
Nina Krasilnikova	60,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Andrew Hedley Arif Yildirim Nina Krasilnikova

01-20-2024 16:43 UTC+2

Fal Fires Every Street

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Heads-up on a flop of 7♠7♣6♥, Nikolay Fal bet 2,500 from under the gun and Herodotos Partakkis called in the small blind.

The turn was the 9♥ and Fal bet another 10,000. Partakkis again called and the J♠ fell on the river. Fal then bet 19,000.

Partakkis quickly folded this time and Fal took the pot. Maxim Lykov is also at this table, while Antoine Hasbani has accumulated a stack of more than 300,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antoine Hasbani	320,000 130,000	130,000
Maxim Lykov	150,000

Herodotos Partakkis	130,000
Nikolay Fal	105,000

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Maxim Lykov Nikolay Fal Herodotos Partakkis

Level: 5

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

01-20-2024 16:22 UTC+2

Break Time

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Players are now on another 15-minute break.

01-20-2024 16:18 UTC+2

Dato Loses With Aces Again

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Andrea Dato bet 5,000 on a flop of 7♦10♥5♥ from early position and Vedat Mutlu called under the gun.

The turn was the 8♣ and Mutlu led out for 10,000. Dato then raised to 30,000, Mutlu moved all in for 52,000, and Dato snap-called.

Dato showed A♣A♠, but Mutlu turned over J♠9♠ for the turned straight. The river was the 5♣ and Dato handed over the double up, losing his second all-in pot of the day holding two aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vedat Mutlu	130,000
Andrea Dato	30,000 70,000	70,000

Tags: Andrea Dato Vedat Mutlu

01-20-2024 16:07 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Plant	330,000 50,000	50,000
Frederico Senno	290,000
Naji Azar	230,000
Alisa Sibgatova	230,000 130,000	130,000
Ara Melkisetian	160,000
Can Miral	160,000
Iulian Andrei Bleau	150,000 60,000	60,000
David Hu	130,000 30,000	30,000
Dawid Smolka	110,000
Fausto Tantillo	95,000 20,000	20,000
Giorgiy Skhulukihiya	90,000
Koray Korkmaz	80,000 15,000	15,000
Benjamin Hamnett	80,000 20,000	20,000

Aylar Lie	80,000 20,000	20,000
Maxime Chilaud	55,000 45,000	45,000
Eduard Norel	55,000 60,000	60,000
Toni Kaukua	15,000 20,000	20,000

01-20-2024 16:03 UTC+2

Aydemir Survives a Flip

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

A player in the cutoff moved all in and Recep Aydemir called for his last 81,400.

Recep Aydemir: 10♥10♦
Opponent: A♦K♥

The two players were flipping heading to the 3♥4♥6♦ flop, which kept Aydemir's tens in the lead. The board ran out J♣3♣ and Aydemir survived to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Recep Aydemir	165,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: Recep Aydemir

01-20-2024 15:56 UTC+2

Lin Makes a Big Fold to Adrianapoulos

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Jianwei Lin and Sakis Adrianapoulos were already on the river with the board showing A♠K♥8♠K♣6♦ when Lin bet 16,000 from middle position.

Adrianapoulos then raised to 75,000 under the gun, sending Lin deep into the tank. He eventually folded K♦J♦ for trip kings and Adrianapoulos returned the favor, turning over A♣A♥ for a full house as he took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jianwei Lin	175,000 175,000	175,000
Sakis Adrianapoulos	170,000 170,000	170,000

Tags: Jianwei Lin Sakis Adrianapoulos