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

01-21-2024 14:02 UTC+3

Khordbin Leads the River in Five-Way Pot

David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

EPT champion Joseph Mouawad raised to 1,500 in early position and received four callers as they went five ways to a 5♣Q♠10♠ flop.

Action was checked to the K♦ turn where Hadi Khordbin led out for 6,000 from the small blind. Only Mouawad called and the 2♣ fell on the river.

Khordbin then bet 12,000 and Mouawad again called. Khordbin then showed J♣9♣ for a straight and Mouawad mucked.

This table also includes Umberto Ruggeri, coming off a final table run at EPT Prague last month, and Stanislav Tishkevich. Baris Topuz has also reentered.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hadi Khordbin	140,000 40,000	40,000
Umberto Ruggeri	100,000 100,000	100,000
Stanislav Tishkevich	100,000 100,000	100,000
Baris Topuz	100,000 100,000	100,000
Joseph Mouawad	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Hadi Khordbin Joseph Mouawad Stanislav Tishkevich Umberto Ruggeri

01-21-2024 13:49 UTC+3

Topuz First Out After Massive Cooler

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

All the chips went in before the flop as Baris Topuz was all in for his last 85,000 from the cutoff against Michael Brown in early position.

Baris Topuz: K♦K♠
Michael Brown: A♦A♥

Topuz had run into the ultimate cooler and watched helplessly as the board ran out 3♠4♦6♠6♦3♠ to make him the first casualty of Day 1b.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Brown	210,000 210,000	210,000
Baris Topuz	Busted

Tags: Baris Topuz Michael Brown

01-21-2024 13:43 UTC+3

Malyarchuk Shows a Ten in Four-Bet Pot

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Vladimir Malyarchuk had a three-bet of 6,500 in front of him from the big blind before Antoine Chamba four-bet to 14,500 in the cutoff. Malyarchuk called and they saw a flop of J♦10♣4♣.

Both players checked to the 8♠ turn, where Chamba bet 22,000. Malyarchuk called and the 2♦ river was checked down.

"Ten," Malyarchuk said, turning over A♥10♥ as Chamba mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vladimir Malyarchuk	130,000
Antoine Chamba	60,000

Tags: Antoine Chamba Vladimir Malyarchuk

01-21-2024 13:31 UTC+3

New Arrivals

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Nils Pudel	100,000 100,000	100,000
Guoliang Wei	100,000 100,000	100,000

Aleksandr Kirichenko	100,000
Maxim Lykov	100,000 100,000	100,000

Hadi Khordbin	100,000 100,000	100,000

01-21-2024 13:30 UTC+3

Zhaparov Raises Zhao on the River

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Cheng Zhao and Dauren Zhaparov built a pot of around 12,000 as they headed to a flop of 7♣J♥9♦. Zhao then bet 3,000 from the big blind and Zhaparov called in middle position.

The turn was the 3♦ and Zhao checked. Zhaparov then bet 7,500 and Zhao called.

The 10♠ fell on the river and Zhao led out for 15,000. Zhaparov then raised to 64,000. Zhao leaned over the table and spent about 30 seconds in the tank before folding as Zhaparov took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dauren Zhaparov	150,000
Cheng Zhao	65,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: Cheng Zhao Dauren Zhaparov

01-21-2024 13:22 UTC+3

Third Bet Good Enough For Pyzara

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

In a blind versus blind battle, Kacper Pyzara led out for 1,800 on the 10♥9♠4♦ flop and Traian Stanciu called.

The turn was the 10♣ and Pyzara bet another 3,000. Stanciu called and the 9♥ fell on the river.

Pyzara then fired out 12,000 and Stanciu gave it some thought before sliding his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kacper Pyzara	105,000 5,000	5,000
Traian Stanciu	80,000

Tags: Kacper Pyzara Traian Stanciu

01-21-2024 13:13 UTC+3

Jazzar Whiffs His Draw

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

With around 8,000 in the pot, Maroun Jazzar and Ali Zebarjad went heads-up to a flop of 9♦A♥6♥. Zebarjad then bet 3,500 from under the gun and Jazzar called on the button.

The turn was the Q♣ and Zebarjad checked to Jazzar, who bet 5,000. Zebarjad called, then fired out 15,000 on the 9♣ river.

Jazzar tossed K♥10♥ into the muck as Zebarjad flashed the A♠ while taking in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Zebarjad	115,000 28,500	28,500
Maroun Jazzar	86,000

Tags: Ali Zebarjad Maroun Jazzar

01-21-2024 13:06 UTC+3

Early Notables

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Nina Krasilnikova	100,000 100,000	100,000
Bakhos Joumaa	100,000 100,000	100,000
Kacper Pyzara	100,000 100,000	100,000
Milos Skrbic	100,000 100,000	100,000
Adrian State	100,000 100,000	100,000
Andrea Dato	100,000 100,000	100,000

Koray Korkmaz	100,000 100,000	100,000
Toni Kaukua	100,000 100,000	100,000