$10,400 Merit Millions | 2025 Merit Millions

04-13-2025 16:21 UTC+2

Kirichenko Puts Al-Kubasi to the Test

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Tim Baker

Level 23 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Ali Al-Kubasi raised the button to 800,000 with only Aleksandr Kirichenko calling from the small blind.

On the 9♥8♦10♦ flop, Kirichenko check-called a bet of 1,100,000 from Al-Kubasi.

Both players checked the 4♣ turn to see the 4♦ hit the river. Kirichenko led out for 675,000 and was met by a raise to 3,600,000 by Al-Kubasi. Kirichenko looked over at Al-Kubasi's remaining 20,000,000 and announced all in. Al-Kubasi didn't take long to fold his cards and Kirichenko flipped over A♦9♠ for just a pair of nines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksandr Kirichenko	45,000,000 11,000,000	11,000,000

Ali Al-Kubasi	20,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Ali Al-Kubasi

04-13-2025 16:08 UTC+2

Pateychuk Cracks Aslanli's Aces

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Tim Baker

Level 23 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Rafael Aslanli made it 800,000 to go from the cutoff and Andrey Pateychuk defended his big blind.

Pateychuk checked the 10♠Q♠6♦ flop and Aslanli bet 800,000. Pateychuk shoved 2,800,000 and Aslanli snap-called.

Andrey Pateychuk: 9♥8♠ All in
Rafael Aslanli: A♣A♥

Aslanli had aces and if he could hold he would send the tournament onto the bubble stage. However, Pateychuk did have outs. The 5♣ turn meant Pateychuk was one card away from elimination. However, the J♠ river was exactly what he was looking for as he improved to a straight to stay alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rafael Aslanli	49,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Andrey Pateychuk	8,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Tags: Andrey Pateychuk Rafael Aslanli

04-13-2025 15:54 UTC+2

Soft Bubble Time

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Tim Baker

Level 23 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Joseph Haddad just hit the rail at the hands of Boris Kolev.

With that, just 11 players are remaining, with only nine making the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Boris Kolev	21,000,000 7,000,000	7,000,000

Joseph Haddad	Busted

Tags: Boris Kolev Joseph Haddad

Level: 23

Blinds: 200,000/400,000

Ante: 400,000

04-13-2025 15:50 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts and Eliminations

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Rafael Aslanli	51,000,000
Aleksandr Kirichenko	34,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Mehdi Chaoui	24,500,000 5,500,000	5,500,000
Ali Al-Kubasi	24,000,000 9,000,000	9,000,000
Oleg Semionov	18,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Boris Kolev	14,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000

Maksim Shornikau	12,500,000 6,700,000	6,700,000
Alexandr Lakhov	12,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Natan Chauskin	11,000,000 500,000	500,000
Romans Lihacovs	10,000,000 5,500,000	5,500,000
Joseph Haddad	6,000,000 500,000	500,000
Andrey Pateychuk	4,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000

Konstantin Voronin	Busted

04-13-2025 15:47 UTC+2

Zhugralin Attempts a Huge Bluff

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

In the last hand before the break, Rafael Aslanli raised from under the gun and Damir Zhugralin three-bet from the next position. After it got back to Aslanli he four-bet and Zhugralin called.

Aslanli continued with a bet of 1,800,000 on the Q♣9♥6♠ flop and was met by a raise to 4,250,000 from Zhugralin. Aslanli called with no time bank cards remaining.

The 7♦ turn checked through for the 10♣ to hit the river. Aslanli checked again and Zhugralin shoved for 9,375,000. Aslanli got a count from the dealer to give himself a few extra seconds, but after thinking for a short time, he slammed in the call.

Damir Zhugralin: A♦4♦ All in
Rafael Aslanli: A♥Q♦

Zhugralin immediately stood up as he knew he was out of the tournament holding just ace-high. Aslanli eliminated him and took down a huge pot with just a pair of queens.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rafael Aslanli	51,000,000 19,000,000	19,000,000
Damir Zhugralin	Busted

Tags: Damir Zhugralin Rafael Aslanli

04-13-2025 15:39 UTC+2

Break TIme

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Players are now on a 15-minute break.

04-13-2025 15:24 UTC+2

Aslanli Picks Off Pateychuk's Huge Bluff

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Andrey Pateychuk raised from the cutoff and Rafael Aslanli called from the small blind.

Aslanli check-called a bet from Pateychuk on the A♣9♣K♥ flop.

The turn came the 7♠, and Aslanlichecked. Pateychuk bet 3,500,000 into a pot of around 4,500,000. After a few moments, Aslanli called to see a river.

Aslanli checked for the last time on the Q♦ river. Pateychuk looked back at his cards and then shoved for Aslanli's remaining 10,425,000. Aslanli went into the tank and burned through two of his time bank cards. In the end, he slammed in the call.

Pateychuk flipped over Q♠10♠ for just thrid pair. Aslanli showed A♦J♥ for just a pair of aces to earn himself a huge double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rafael Aslanli	32,000,000 19,500,000	19,500,000
Andrey Pateychuk	9,000,000 15,000,000	15,000,000

Tags: Andrey Pateychuk Rafael Aslanli

04-13-2025 15:11 UTC+2

Christoforou Busts to Zhugralin and Chaoui

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Damir Zhugralin made it 600,000 to go from middle position with Mehdi Chaoui calling from the hijack. Andreas Christoforou squeezed to 3,175,000 from the small blind with just 125,000 behind. Zhugralin and Chaoui called.

Christoforou put the rest of his chips across the line on the 2♦4♥8♥ flop. Zhugralin and Chaoui called.

With Christoforou all-in, Zhugralin and Chaoui checked the 10♠ turn and 3♣ river down.

Andreas Christoforou: A♥J♥ All in
Mehdi Chaoui: A♦Q♠
Damir Zhugralin: A♠Q♣

Christoforou had a busted flush draw with ace-jack high, and was eliminated as Zhugralin and Chaoui both had ace-queen high, meaning they chopped up Christoforou's chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mehdi Chaoui	19,000,000
Damir Zhugralin	18,500,000 1,500,000	1,500,000
Andreas Christoforou	Busted

Tags: Andreas Christoforou Damir Zhugralin Mehdi Chaoui

04-13-2025 14:59 UTC+2

Christoforou Decides Not to Bluff the River

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Andreas Christoforou raised to 675,000 from early position and Mehdi Chaoui called from the small blind.

On the Q♦10♣3♦ flop, Chaoui check-called a bet of 700,000 from Christoforou.

The turn came the 7♥ and Chaoui check-called another bet from Christoforou, this time for 2,500,000.

After Chaoui checked the 8♠ river, Christoforou went into the tank. He had roughly 4,400,000 remaining in his stack and, after using a few time bank cards, opted to check.

Chaoui showed A♦7♦ for a flush draw that hit a pair of sevens on the turn. This won Chaoui the pot, as Christoforou mucked his cards.