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

01-21-2024 18:27 UTC+2

Player	Chips	Progress
Peng Yang	380,000 150,000	150,000
Michael Brown	380,000 100,000	100,000
Tugce Hursoz	340,000 60,000	60,000
Maroun Jazzar	240,000 70,000	70,000
Ermanno Di Nicola	230,000 110,000	110,000

Guoliang Wei	200,000 20,000	20,000

Maxim Lykov	200,000 100,000	100,000

Nicolas Chouity	160,000

Chady Ojelli	140,000
Shuang Luo	130,000 50,000	50,000
Umberto Ruggeri	110,000 100,000	100,000
Nina Krasilnikova	80,000 20,000	20,000
Simone Andrian	70,000 30,000	30,000

Kaan Baser	60,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	60,000 25,000	25,000
Xixiang Luo	40,000

Player	Chips	Progress
Peng Yang	400,000 20,000	20,000
Kacper Pyzara	Busted

Break Time

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Players are now on another 15-minute break.

Level: 7

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

01-21-2024 18:59 UTC+2

Whiskey Helps Haidar Crack Luo's Aces

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Xixiang Luo bet 15,500 from the small blind on a flop of 9♠3♦5♠ and Safi Haidar called in middle position.

The turn was the 10♣ and Luo bet 29,000, leaving one 500 chip behind. "Put it here," Haidar instructed the dealer about the all-in button as Luo tossed his last chip up high up in the air and into the pot.

He showed A♣A♦, while Haidar was behind with 8♥8♣ until the 8♠ fell on the river to give him a set and the knockout.

"Good result. Bad call. It's because of the whiskey. It's because I've been drinking," Haidar said, taking another swig of his drink as he collected the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Safi Haidar	140,000
Xixiang Luo	Busted

Tags: Xixiang Luo Safi Haidar

01-21-2024 19:04 UTC+2

Urbanovich Wakes Up With Kings to Double

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

With around 45,000 in the pot on a flop of 9♦9♠4♥, Dzmitry Urbanovich bet 26,000 from the big blind and Michel Eid moved all in from early position. Urbanovich snap-called for his last 79,000.

Dzmitry Urbanovich: K♣K♥
Michel Eid: Q♠Q♥

Urbanovich was far ahead with his kings as the board ran out 9♥8♥ to earn him a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dzmitry Urbanovich	210,000 110,000	110,000

Michel Eid	130,000 110,000	110,000

Tags: Dzmitry Urbanovich Michel Eid

01-21-2024 19:15 UTC+2

Brown Shoves on El-Siblani in Massive Pot

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Ali El-Siblani raised to 3,000 in early position and Michael Brown called in the hijack.

The flop came A♣K♣6♦ and El-Siblani continued for 12,000. Brown then raised to 35,000 and El-Siblani called.

El-Siblani led out for 25,000 on the K♥ turn and Brown called. The river was the J♥ and El-Eiblani slowed down and checked.

Brown then announced he was all in and El-Siblani, with around 170,000 remaining, snap-folded as Brown took the pot to near 500,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Brown	490,000 110,000	110,000
Ali El-Siblani	170,000 140,000	140,000

Tags: Michael Brown Ali El-Siblani

01-21-2024 19:23 UTC+2

Fal Puts in a Massive Shove on Zhaparov

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

More than 80,000 was already in the middle as Nikolay Fal and Dauren Zhaparov went to the turn on a board of 8♣9♥3♥4♦.

Zhaparov was in the small blind and bet 55,000. Fal then moved all in for 219,000 in the cutoff.

Zhaparov tanked for several minutes until a tablemate pointed at his watch and called the clock. Zhaparov allowed the countdown to reach zero as his hand was declared dead and Fal took the big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikolay Fal	350,000 240,000	240,000

Dauren Zhaparov	260,000 110,000	110,000

Tags: Dauren Zhaparov Nikolay Fal

01-21-2024 19:36 UTC+2

Luo Finds a Miracle Double Up

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Around 80,000 was in the pot as Shuang Luo, Nariman Yaghmai, and Atil Okay in the hijack saw a flop of 3♦7♠4♠. Okay then moved all in for 145,000.

Luo called for her last 130,000 as action went on Yaghmai. "Crazy," tablemate Nina Krasilnikova said. Yaghmai eventually folded.

Shuang Luo: 8♦7♦
Atil Okay: J♣J♥

"What," Krasilnikova said upon seeing Luo's hand. Okay was poised to scoop the massive pot with his pair of jacks until the 8♥ turn improved Luo to two pair. The river was the 5♥ and Okay could only laugh as Luo earned a massive double up.

"You called all in with seven-eight," an incredulous Krasilnikova asked after the hand.

"She put him on sixes, fives, or a flush draw," Andrea Dato replied.

Okay was left on an extreme short stack and was eliminated a few hands later.