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

04-10-2025 17:58 UTC+2

Ojeil Hits Quads to Send Yankov Home

Tim Baker

Level 7 : Blinds 8,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Krasimir Yankov moved all in under the gun for his last 25,000 with Chady Ojeil calling from the next seat. Josef Vogel then raised to 80,000 from the hijack and only Ojeil called.

With Yankov all-in, the dealer fanned out a flop of 6♥Q♠3♣, which saw Ojeil check-call a bet of 90,000 from Vogel.

The board-pairing 3♠ turn checked through for the A♦ to land on the river. Ojeil and Vogel checked again and the cards were revealed.

Krasimir Yankov: A♠J♦ All in
Josef Vogel: K♦Q♦
Chady Ojeil: 3♦3♥

Yankov had a pair of aces, and Vogel had a pair of queens. However, Ojeil had the nuts with quad threes to take down the pot and send Yankov to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chady Ojeil	1,400,000 300,000	300,000
Josef Vogel	850,000 150,000	150,000
Krasimir Yankov	Busted

Tags: Chady Ojeil Josef Vogel Krasimir Yankov

04-10-2025 17:44 UTC+2

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrei Boghean	2,000,000 200,000	200,000
Giorgiy Skhuluhiya	1,900,000 200,000	200,000
Damir Zhugralin	1,700,000 800,000	800,000
Mario Colavita	1,400,000 500,000	500,000
Semen Sorkin	1,300,000 600,000	600,000
Joseph Haddad	1,200,000 600,000	600,000
Chady Ojeil	1,100,000 100,000	100,000
Johnny Lodden	1,000,000 650,000	650,000
Traian Stanciu	850,000 80,000	80,000
Konstantin Voronin	800,000 295,000	295,000
Nikita Kalinin	570,000 30,000	30,000

Vogel Doubles With a Flush

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Tim Baker

Level 7 : Blinds 8,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

WIth around 90,000 in the middle on a flop of A♣Q♠8♠, Krasimir Yankov checked from the small blind and Josef Vogel bet 45,000 from early position. Daniel Shademanpour folded on the button, but Yankov called.

The turn came the 3♠ and Yankov check-called a bet of 100,000 by Vogel. The two players saw the 8♦ land on the river and Yankov checked. Vogel shoved for 295,000, and after a lot of thought, Yankov called.

Vogel showed the king-high flush with K♠10♠, and all Yankov could do is muck his cards and shake his head.

Player	Chips	Progress
Krasimir Yankov	1,300,000 350,000	350,000
Daniel Shademanpour	1,300,000 100,000	100,000

Josef Vogel	1,000,000 350,000	350,000

Tags: Daniel Shademanpour Josef Vogel Krasimir Yankov

Level: 7

Blinds: 8,000/15,000

Ante: 15,000

04-10-2025 17:20 UTC+2

Florida Man Busted for Laundering $800K from Illegal Poker Games | PokerNews Podcast #886

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Chad Holloway

Level 6 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

In the 886th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England discuss the Florida man who was arrested for allegedly laundering $800K from illegal poker games. That led to a larger discussion on policy over such games and whether law enforcement is doing justice by cracking down.

They then share results from Doug Polk's $100K 'Code Doug' Challenge, including a big hand he played against Eric Persson; highlight recent tournament winners such as Shannon Shorr, Francis Anderson, and Missy Bartleme; Jesse Lonis crushing the recently-completed PGT PLO Series; and highlights from Chad's trip to the Eastern Poker Open near Boston.

Plus, get a preview of Alexandra Botez on the Life Outside Poker podcast, Kyna's thoughts on a poker player being on Netflix’s Million Dollar Secret, and remembering Keith Hall & Stan Shrier, who both passed away within the past week.

Finally, they ask the question: Are you excited for the WSOP?

The podcast is sponsored by the #1 free-to-play WSOP app. Remember to use the bonus code "POKERNEWS" if you download and play for an extra 1,000,000 in chips!

A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

04-10-2025 17:16 UTC+2

Petersen's Set of Deuces Help Him Chip Up

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Onur Ozgur raised to 25,000 from middle position before Jan Petersen three-bet to 67,000 from the hijack. Abdullah Alajmi cold-called from the cutoff and Ozgur stuck in the call also.

Ozgur checked the 2♠4♦6♦ flop and Petersen continued with a bet of 59,000. Alajmi called, but Ozgur folded.

Heads-up now to the 9♠ turn. Petersen tossed out a second barrel, this time for 202,000. Alajmi called again.

The Q♣ landed on the river and Petersen meticulously carved out a bet of 560,000. Alajmi took a few moments before making the call. Petersen showed a set of deuces with 2♥2♦ to take down the pot as Alajmi showed 10♦9♦ for just a pair of nines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jan Petersen	3,600,000 900,000	900,000
Onur Ozgur	1,400,000 100,000	100,000
Abdullah Alajmi	1,300,000 800,000	800,000

Tags: Abdullah Alajmi Jan Petersen Onur Ozgur

04-10-2025 17:10 UTC+2

Zhugralin Sniffs Out Nouira's Bluff

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Damir Zhugralin came in with a raise to 24,000 under the gun before Maher Nouira three-bet to 72,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Zhugralin, he called to see a flop.

Both players checked the 8♦5♥J♥ flop to see the A♠ land on the turn. Zhugralin checked, and Nouira fired out a bet of approximately 150,000. Zhugralin took a few moments before making the call.

Zhugralin checked again when the 7♦ landed on the river and Nouira shoved for 579,000. Zhugralin lent back in his chair and pondered for a while before throwing in one chip to indicate call.

Nouira immediately stood up and showed K♠5♠ for bottom pair, as he knew he would be headed to rebuy. Zhugralin had that beat with A♣Q♦ for top pair and the pot was sent to him, while Nouira went to enter again.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damir Zhugralin	2,500,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Maher Nouira	1,000,000

Tags: Damir Zhugralin Maher Nouira

04-10-2025 16:58 UTC+2

Lodden Wins a Race to Leave Smolka on Crumbs

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

After Dawid Smolka had to squeezed to 162,000 from the big blind over a Johnny Lodden middle position open and a call, Lodden four-bet shoved for 740,000. Smolka had Lodden covered and after getting an exact count from the dealer, made the call.

Johnny Lodden: K♦Q♠ All in
Dawid Smolka: 10♠10♣

Lodden found himself in a race for his tournament life. The board ran out K♣3♦3♠7♠A♣ to give Lodden the winner with a pair of kings on the flop. Lodden moved up to over 1,600,000, while Smolka was left on fumes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Johnny Lodden	1,650,000 900,000	900,000
Dawid Smolka	130,000 620,000	620,000

Tags: Dawid Smolka Johnny Lodden

04-10-2025 16:46 UTC+2

Petersen's Cowboys End Gromov's Tournament

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Jan Petersen just relayed back how he had busted Dmitry Gromov before the break.

Petersen said that Gromov raised to 25,000 under the gun with the button and cutoff calling before he squeezed to 185,000 from the small blind. Gromov called, but the other two opponents folded.

Petersen continued with a bet of 110,000 on the monotone flop of 9♦8♦5♦. Gromov called to see turn.

The 2♠ landed on the turn and Petersen checked. Gromov bet 300,000 and Petersen shoved for roughly 1,000,000. Gromov called with slightly fewer chips than Petersen and the cards were revealed.

Dmitry Gromov: Q♦Qx All in
Jan Petersen: K♦Kx

Both players had overpairs with flush draws, but it was Petersen who had the better of both. A brick landed on the river and Gromov was sent to the rail at the hands of Petersen.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jan Petersen	2,700,000
Dmitry Gromov	Busted

Tags: Jan Petersen Dmitry Gromov

04-10-2025 16:43 UTC+2

$1.4M Madness! Alan Keating’s Huge Pot & Doug Polk’s Code Doug Heater | PokerNews Podcast #885

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Tim Baker

Level 6 : 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

In the 885th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England discuss the biggest pot in High Stakes Poker history, a $1.4 million monster won by Alan Keating. That led to a bigger discussion on the state of televised poker and the game's modern vs. old-school characters.

The crew also discusses the report that Phil Hellmuth apparently missed out on an $80 million payday after declining to invest $15,000 into a company, the status of Doug Polk's "Code Doug" challenge, and recent tournament winners including Daniel Negreanu and Chino Rheem. Oh, they also took a look at some of the best April Fools' Day pranks from the poker world, including one from PokerNews featuring Nik Airball.

Chad then offers a glimpse into his recent run in the MSPT Riverside. Everyone shares their thoughts on the 2025 Wynn Summer Classic schedule. In a new round of Collusion Mind Meld, Mike and Kyna try to get on the same page. Despite some early struggles, they do manage to hit their stride.

The podcast is sponsored by the #1 free-to-play WSOP app. Remember to use bonus code "POKERNEWS" if you download and play for an extra 1,000,000 in chips!

A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!