$10,400 Merit Millions Day 1a | 2025 Merit Millions

04-09-2025 15:36 UTC+2

Cankurtaranli's Cowboys Secure Him the Double Up

Tim Baker

Level 5 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

With roughly 220,000 in the middle and with the flop showing 3♣J♠6♦, Antoine Hasbani checked from the small blind and faced a bet of 70,000 by Tahsin Cankurtaranli out of the hijack. Hasbani check-raised to 225,000, which Cankurtaranli called.

The turn came the 2♦ and after a few moments, Hasbani shoved for Cankurtaranli's remaining 670,000. Cankurtaranli snap-called.

Tahsin Cankurtaranli: K♥K♦ All in
Antoine Hasbani: A♦K♣

Cankurtaranli was ahead with his overpair and needed to avoid an ace on the river to double-up. A clean 8♦ hit the river and Cankurtaranli took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tahsin Cankurtaranli	1,850,000 1,850,000	1,850,000
Antoine Hasbani	650,000 650,000	650,000

Tags: Antoine Hasbani Tahsin Cankurtaranli

Level: 5

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

04-09-2025 15:23 UTC+2

Miracle Runout Helps Nashar to Triple Up

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Tim Baker

Level 4 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

An insane hand unfolded over on table #2, with Hassan Nashar emerging as the unlikely winner in dramatic fashion.

As reported back to PokerNews, Nashar shoved all in for around 1,000,000 from early position, having only seen one card. Nichan Khorchidian quickly followed suit, moving all in over the top with roughly the same amount. Robert Haigh, holding the covering stack, called to put both of his opponents at risk.

Hassan Nashar: 4♣2♣ All in
Nichan Khorchidian: KxKx All in
Robert Haigh: AxKx

It looked like a dream scenario for Khorchidian, who had pocket kings, and he was poised for a potential triple-up. Meanwhile, Nashar was in dire need of a miracle to stay alive.

The flop came down 5♠2♥8♠, giving Nashar a sliver of hope as he paired his deuce. Haigh, holding Big Slick, was looking for an ace to eliminate both players. But the turn was the 2♦, pairing the board and giving Nashar trip deuces, putting him in the lead. Khorchidian's only chance was now to hit a one-outer king on the river.

The river brought the 2♠, giving Nashar quads and sealing the improbable triple-up. The table erupted in disbelief at Nashar’s stroke of luck. Nashar’s stack surged to around 3,000,000, Khorchidian was eliminated, and Haigh was left with a mere 100,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hassan Nashar	3,000,000 3,000,000	3,000,000
Robert Haigh	100,000 1,550,000	1,550,000
Nichan Khorchidian	Busted

Tags: Hassan Nashar Nichan Khorchidian Robert Haigh

04-09-2025 15:01 UTC+2

Al-Kubasi's Turns Broadway to Crack Yankov's Set of Aces

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Tim Baker

Level 4 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi raised to 19,000 from middle position and Fahredin Mustafov called from the small blind. Krasimir Yankov squeezed to 90,000 from big blind, and only Al-Kubasi called.

Yankov continued with a bet of 42,000 on the 10♣A♦5♣ flop and Al-Kubasi quickly called.

The turn came the Q♥ and Yankov fired a second barrel, this time for 125,000. Al-Kubasi pondered briefly before carving out the call.

The 6♦ landed on the river and Yankov shoved for around 350,000. Al-Kubasi snap-called and flipped over K♥J♥ for the nut straight. Yankov showed A♠A♣ for a set of aces, as all of his chips were sent over to Al-Kubasi.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	2,300,000 200,000	200,000
Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi	2,200,000 600,000	600,000
Krasimir Yankov	Busted

Tags: Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi Fahredin Mustafov Krasimir Yankov

04-09-2025 14:46 UTC+2

Voronin Hits Quads in a Multi-Way Pot

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Tim Baker

Level 4 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Samuel Ju raised to 16,000 from early position and received four callers.

All five players checked the 3♠3♥K♠ flop to see the 3♣ land on the turn. After both blinds checked, Ju put out a delayed continuation-bet of 27,000. Anar called from the next position before Voronin check-raised to 200,000 out of the small blind. Only Anar called.

Voronin checked the 2♠ river and Anar was happy to check behind. Voronin turned over 4♦3♦ for quad threes to take down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Konstantin Voronin	1,300,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Samuel Ju	1,000,000 100,000	100,000
Seref Anar	700,000 530,000	530,000

Tags: Konstantin Voronin Samuel Ju Seref Anar

04-09-2025 14:33 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

Level 4 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	2,500,000 600,000	600,000
Bart Lybaert	2,200,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Rashad Iskandarov	1,900,000 800,000	800,000
Damir Gabdullin	1,800,000 700,000	700,000
Alexandr Lakhov	1,750,000 650,000	650,000
Danesh Zargaran	1,700,000 200,000	200,000
Felipe Ketzer	1,650,000 50,000	50,000
Robert Haigh	1,650,000 550,000	550,000
Kirill Shcherbakov	1,600,000 1,600,000	1,600,000
Dmitry Kataev	1,600,000 200,000	200,000
Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi	1,600,000 50,000	50,000
Oleg Semionov	1,550,000 300,000	300,000

Mark Steven Smith	1,500,000 1,500,000	1,500,000
Paul Runcan	1,300,000 300,000	300,000
Joseph Sabe	1,200,000
Oleg Ustinovich	1,000,000 100,000	100,000
Hulya Seckin	1,000,000 100,000	100,000
Nichan Khorchidian	880,000 220,000	220,000
Mario Colavita	850,000 30,000	30,000
Stephen Song	800,000 300,000	300,000

Vladas Tamasauskas	800,000 300,000	300,000
Tobias Duthweiler	650,000 450,000	450,000

Level: 4

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

04-09-2025 14:13 UTC+2

Break Time

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Tim Baker

Level 3 : Blinds 3,000/7,000, 7,000 ante

The players are now on a 20-minute break

04-09-2025 14:10 UTC+2

Chernikov Takes Down a Multi-Way Pot

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Tim Baker

Level 3 : Blinds 3,000/7,000, 7,000 ante

Joseph Sabe raised to 20,000 from early position with Dmitry Kataev calling from the hijack and Aleksandr Chernikov calling from the blinds.

All three players chose to check the 8♥A♣4♠ flop to see the 5♣ land on the turn. The action checked to Kataev and he bet 44,000, which both Chernikov and Sabe called.

The 6♠ dropped on the river and all three players checked. Chernikov was first to show, and he flipped over 8♦6♦ for two pair. Sabe and Kataev mucked, and Chernikov took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Kataev	1,400,000 1,400,000	1,400,000
Joseph Sabe	1,200,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Aleksandr Chernikov	1,150,000 450,000	450,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Dmitry Kataev Joseph Sabe

04-09-2025 13:59 UTC+2

Zargaran Leaves Voronin on Fumes

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Tim Baker

Level 3 : Blinds 3,000/7,000, 7,000 ante

Danesh Zargaran raised to 19,000 under the gun and only Konstantin Voronin defended out of the big blind.

Voronin checked the K♣8♦6♣ flop and Zargaran slid out a bet of 25,000. Voronin quickly check-raised to 125,000, which Zargaran called.

Voronin continued the aggression on the 10♣ turn, putting out a bet of 275,000. Zargaran made the call again.

When the board-pairing 10♥ landed on the river, Voronin tossed out a bet of 495,000. Zargaran had roughly 600,000 remaining in his stack, and after a bit of deliberation, he made the call.

Voronin reluctantly showed 8♣6♠ for a flopped two pair that got counterfeited on the river. Zargaran turned over 4♣3♣ for a baby flush to win the pot, and leave Voronin ith crumbs.

Player	Chips	Progress
Danesh Zargaran	1,900,000 800,000	800,000
Konstantin Voronin	100,000 1,000,000	1,000,000

Tags: Danesh Zargaran Konstantin Voronin