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

04-09-2025 13:45 UTC+2

Mustafov Hits the River to Send Michael to the Rail

Tim Baker

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

Angelos Michael just told us about his bustout from the tournament.

Michael said he raised to 17,000 from early position with the button calling before Fahredin Mustafov squeezed to around 100,000 from the big blind. Michael four-bet to 250,000, which only Mustafov called.

The two players checked the Q♦9♦9x flop to see the J♦ land on the turn. Mustafov led out for 175,000 and Michael shoved for around 650,000. Mustafov called and the cards were revealed.

Angelos Michael: Q♣J♣ All in
Fahredin Mustafov: AxQx

Michael was ahead right now with the better two pair and just had to fade an ace on the river to double up as Mustafov didn't have a diamond in his hand. A brutal Ax came on the river to give Mustafov the winner with a better two pair, sending Michael to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	1,900,000 700,000	700,000
Angelos Michael	Busted

Tags: Angelos Michael Fahredin Mustafov

Level: 3

Blinds: 3,000/7,000

Ante: 7,000

04-09-2025 13:32 UTC+2

Aslanli Chips Up

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Tim Baker

Level 2 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Paul Runcan opened to 12,000 from the hijack with Rafael Aslanli calling from the small blind and Mario Colavita defending his big blind.

Aslanli checked first when the flop came down 9♣2♠5♠. Colavita fired out a bet of 12,000 and was met by a quick raise to roughly 45,000 by Runcan. Aslanli did some inventory before he three-bet shoved for 374,000. Colavita and Runcan folded, and Aslanli added some much-needed chips to his stack,

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Runcan	1,000,000 100,000	100,000
Mario Colavita	880,000 120,000	120,000
Rafael Aslanli	500,000 570,000	570,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Paul Runcan Rafael Aslanli

04-09-2025 13:19 UTC+2

Ketzer Picks Off Akopyan's Bluff

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Tim Baker

Level 2 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Felipe Ketzer raised to 13,000 under the gun and received four callers, including Sarkis Akopyan and Aleksandr Chernikov out of the blinds.

After it checked to Ketzer on the K♠7♣2♣ flop, he fired a continuation-bet of 26,000. Only Akopyan called from the small blind, and Chernikov from the big blind.

Three-ways to the 5♣ turn which checked through for the 9♥ to land on the river. Akopyan led out for 75,000 and Chernikov quickly got out the way. Ketzer thought about his options for a little while, before throwing in the call. Akopyan showed Ax2x, and lost the pot to Ketzer's 2♦2♥ for a set of deuces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	1,600,000 500,000	500,000
Sarkis Akopyan	1,000,000 100,000	100,000
Aleksandr Chernikov	700,000 700,000	700,000

Tags: Aleksandr Chernikov Felipe Ketzer Sarkis Akopyan

04-09-2025 13:05 UTC+2

Shademanpour is the First to Bust the Tournament

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Tim Baker

Level 2 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Daniel Shademanpour has been the first player to bust the Merit Millions Event at the hands of Oleg Semionov.

According to Semionov, Alessio Isaia raised under the gun, with Semionov calling from the small blind before Shademanpour squeezed to 60,000 from the big blind. Isaia called, but Semionov back-raised to 250,000. Shademanpour shoved for 550,000 and only Semionov called.

Daniel Shademanpour: 9x9x All in
Oleg Semionov: AxQx

Shademanpour was the player at risk with half the starting stack, and unfortunately for the satellite winner, the flip didn't go his way. The runout helped Semionov's ace-queen, and the pot was sent to Semionov, while Shademanpour was the first player to be eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Oleg Semionov	1,850,000 1,850,000	1,850,000

Alessio Isaia	1,000,000 1,000,000	1,000,000

Daniel Shademanpour	Busted

Tags: Alessio Isaia Daniel Shademanpour Oleg Semionov

Level: 2

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

04-09-2025 12:51 UTC+2

Al-Kubasi's River Shove Wins Him the Pot

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Tim Baker

Level 1 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Baltazar Five raised to 8,000 under the gun before Mehmet Samsa three-bet to roughly 35,000 from the next seat. The player in the cutoff four-bet to 93,000 and Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi cold-called from the big blind. Baltazar Five folded, but Samsa called to see a flop.

With around 300,000 already in the middle, the three players saw the dealer fan out a flop of 8♠3♦5♠. Al-Kubasi and Samsa checked, but the cutoff player fired out a bet of 143,000. Only Al-Kubasi called.

Al-Kubasi checked again upon seeing the 4♣ fall on the turn. The cutoff player fired a second barrel of 330,000, which Al-Kubasi called.

After the dealer dropped the 7♥ on the river, Al-Kubasi shoved for 463,000 total. Al-Kubasi's opponent had slightly more chips than Al-Kubasi, and this bet caused him to go deep into the tank. After over a minute of thought, the cutoff player tossed his cards into the muck and Al-Kubasi won the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi	1,650,000 1,650,000	1,650,000
Baltazar Five	1,050,000 1,050,000	1,050,000
Mehmet Samsa	1,000,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Ali Muthana Yassin Al-Kubasi Baltazar Five Mehmet Samsa

04-09-2025 12:36 UTC+2

Mustafov's Overbet Gets Shademanpour to Fold

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Tim Baker

Level 1 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Daniel Shademanpour raised to 10,000 from the hijack and Fahredin Mustafov three-bet to 40,000 from the button. After the blinds folded, Shademanpour called to see a flop.

The flop came down 5♦9♠4♥, and Shademanpour check-called a bet of 35,000 from Mustafov. The A♥ turn checked through to see the Q♦ land on the river. Shademanpour checked again, and Mustafov fired an overbet of 240,000. Shademanpour rechecked his cards before ultimately folding and forfeiting the pot to Mustafov.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	1,200,000 100,000	100,000
Daniel Shademanpour	1,000,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Daniel Shademanpour Fahredin Mustafov

04-09-2025 12:28 UTC+2

Anar Drags in an Early Pot

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Tim Baker

Level 1 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Rafael Aslanli raised to 9,000 from the hijack before Mario Colavita three-bet to 30,000 from the button. Seref Anar called from the big blind and Aslanli stuck in the call also.

Three players saw the flop come down 7♣K♠2♥ and the action checked to Colavita, who put out a continuation-bet of 60,000. Anar called, but Aslanli folded.

The two players checked the 9♥ turn to see the 6♦ land on the river. Anar led out for 125,000, which forced a fold from Colavita.

Player	Chips	Progress
Seref Anar	1,230,000 130,000	130,000
Rafael Aslanli	1,070,000
Mario Colavita	1,000,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Rafael Aslanli Seref Anar

04-09-2025 12:14 UTC+2

Early Entries

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Tim Baker

Level 1 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Oleg Ustinovich	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Mehmet Samsa	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Paul Runcan	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Romans Lihacovs	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Stephen Song	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000

Seref Anar	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Mario Colavita	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Daniel Shademanpour	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000

Alexandr Lakhov	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Fahredin Mustafov	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Nichan Khorchidian	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Bart Lybaert	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Vladas Tamasauskas	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Danesh Zargaran	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Hulya Seckin	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Mehmet Dalkilic	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Rashad Iskandarov	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Damir Gabdullin	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Konstantin Voronin	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Samuel Ju	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Felipe Ketzer	1,100,000
Robert Haigh	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Tobias Duthweiler	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Gurcan Gungoren	1,100,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Sarkis Akopyan	1,100,000

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