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

Jan 24, 2024

Hedley, Tulepbergenov Build a Huge Side Pot; Kamar Takes Out Aoun

David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin was already all in as Azamat Tulepbergenov and Andrew Hedley went to a flop of J♣A♣7♠. Hedley bet 50,000 from the button, Tulepbergenov raised to 155,000 in the cutoff, and Hedley called.

The turn was the 10♦ and Tulepbergenov checked to Hedley who bet 385,000. Tulepbergenov tanked for several minutes as he counted out the chips to call and shuffled them in his hand before putting them in the middle.

He also checked the J♦ river and Hedley checked back this time. Nikitin showed Q♣4♣ and got up from his seat, Tulepbergenov had K♣5♣ for a missed flush draw, while Hedley had K♠Q♠ for a straight to win the pot and send Nikitin to the rail.

At the same time at another table, Carlos Aoun was all in for around 200,000 from the button and up against Fady Kamar under the gun.

Carlos Aoun: 5♥5♦
Fady Kamar: 10♦10♥

The board ran out K♦Q♠9♥A♣7♠ and Kamar's tens sent Aoun and his fives to the rail.

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Andrew Hedley Azamat Tulepbergenov Carlos Aoun Fady Kamar

Jan 24, 2024

Hu Flipped to the Rail by Yaghmai

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Nariman Yaghmai raised to 40,000 in middle position, David Hu three-bet to 110,000 in the hijack, and Yaghmai moved all in. Hu called with nearly an identical stack.

David Hu: A♣K♠
Nariman Yaghmai: J♣J♠

The board ran out 8♣Q♥7♣4♣J♦ and Yaghmai finished with a set to earn the pot. The stacks were counted down and Yaghmai had 475,000 remaining, while Hu had 440,000 and was eliminated.

Tags: David Hu Nariman Yaghmai

Jan 24, 2024

Hedley Fades Everything

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Andrew Hedley opened to 40,000 from middle position and received a call from Shuang Luo in the hijack.

The flop came J♠7♥5♥ and Hedley check-called a 45,000 bet from Luo.

Both players checked through the K♠ turn and 5♠ river. Hedley turned over 8♣8♠ for a pair of eights while Luo turned over A♥10♥ for just ace-high, despite having a flush draw, a straight draw and two live overcards by the turn.

Luo joked about having too many outs and Hedley agreed as he scooped the pot.

Tags: Andrew Hedley Shuang Luo

Jan 24, 2024

Christoforou Comes From Behind to Double

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Andreas Christoforou moved all in for 230,000 under the gun and Fabio Peluso called in middle position. Vedat Yilmaz tanked in the cutoff before folding, while the blinds also got out of the way.

Andreas Christoforou: Q♦J♥
Fabio Peluso: A♥J♣

Yilmaz looked away from the table after the two players exposed their hands. Peluso had Christoforou dominated heading to the K♦8♥9♥ flop, but Christoforou made a straight on the 10♠ turn. The river was the J♠ and he doubled up.

Aleksandar Tot, Daniel Henriques, Guoliang Wei, and Hassain Hashim weren't so lucky as they busted shortly after the bubble burst.

Tags: Aleksandar Tot Andreas Christoforou Daniel Henriques Fabio Peluso Guoliang Wei Vedat Yilmaz

Jan 24, 2024

Karkan Now 1-1 in Lifetime Poker Tournaments

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Mohammadreza Karkan sneaked into the money in what he says is the first real live tournament he's every played, having earned his seat in a qualifier.

Having guaranteed his payday, he moved all in for 125,000 in early position, Ilia Korliakov reshoved in middle position, and the rest of the table folded.

Mohammadreza Karkan: 9♥6♣
Ilia Korliakov: Q♣Q♠

"How about nine-nine-nine," Karkan said. He caught one nine on the 9♦2♥4♥ flop as a collective "whoa" arose from the table, but he improved no further on the 10♠ turn and 3♣ river as he was sent to the payout desk.

Tags: Ilia Korliakov Mohammadreza Karkan

Jan 24, 2024

Maher Achour Bubbles the Main Event

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

It took until the ninth hand of hand-for-hand until there was an all in and a call. Maher Achour moved all in from the button for 380,000 and Gang Zhao tanked for a minute in the small blind before calling.

Maher Achour: 10♦10♥
Gang Zhao: A♣J♦

Achour remained in the lead on the 4♣5♥8♣ flop as he got up from his seat. The turn, though, was the J♥ and Achour threw his arms in the air in frustration as Zhao spiked a pair.

The river was the 7♥ and Zhao won the pot to eliminate Achour on the money bubble. The remaining 80 players are now all in the money.

Jan 24, 2024

Davenport Applies Bubble Pressure

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

With two players seeing a board of 5♠4♣3♦A♠ and roughly 140,000 in the middle, Michel Habib checked in the small blind. Matthew Davenport bet 85,000 from the hijack and took down a decent pot without showdown after getting a fold from Habib.