$2,200 Warm Up Day 1a | 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-13-2025 16:24 UTC+2

Start Using PokerNews Emojis Today! 😍

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

PokerNews has been bringing you live reporting from the biggest poker tournaments for almost 20 years, and it's time for our latest addition to the live update product with the launch of PokerNews emojis.

Exciting New Emojis

Ever been scrolling through the PokerNews live updates and thought to yourself "Wow, what a punt!" 🏉

Or been following your favorite player only for them to bust? 💔

Or had to deal with an egregiously long Christoph Vogelsang tank? 🐢

Well, now you can show exactly how you're feeling with the launch of 24 bespoke reaction emojis which are available to be used on every single post in our live reporting.

These allow readers to react to individual hands, conveying emotions, reactions and expressions that were previously confined to Twitter threads, text messages or WhatsApp groups.

From classic Thumbs Up and Heart to poker-specific Fish and Money Bag emojis, we've worked hard to find the ideal selection for you to use while enjoying our updates.

Find More Information Here

03-13-2025 16:31 UTC+2

Trips Good For Bozkhov

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

With 12,000 chips in the pot on a 9♠4♦5♦4♣ board, Leonid Bozhkov checked from the big blind and Daniel Abrahamsson fired out 3,700 from middle position. Edgard Raffoul then raised to 11,500 in the cutoff, and Bozhkov called before Abrahamsson got out of the way.

A 6♠ dropped on the river and Bozhkov checked again, only for Raffoul to check back after thinking for some time.

Bozhkov then showed trips with K♥4♥, and Raffoul mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Abrahamsson	200,000 30,000	30,000
Leonid Bozhkov	120,000 120,000	120,000
Edgard Raffoul	110,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Daniel Abrahamsson Edgard Raffoul Leonid Bozhkov

03-13-2025 16:34 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Players are heading on a second 20-minute break.

Level: 7

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

03-13-2025 16:59 UTC+2

Big Stacks at Break

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Iurii Grigorev	400,000 130,000	130,000
Roman Kolotiuk	320,000 320,000	320,000
Zoran Sesum	300,000 300,000	300,000
Simeon Spasov	300,000 70,000	70,000

Ivan Nikolov	250,000 250,000	250,000
Ramazan Akyel	230,000 230,000	230,000
Lev Margolin	210,000 210,000	210,000
Korhan Aydin	150,000 150,000	150,000

03-13-2025 17:10 UTC+2

Third Place Finisher in WSOP Circuit Main Event Eliminated w/ Best Hand | PokerNews Podcast #881

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

In the 881st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Mike Holtz discuss the controversy out of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit stop in which the third-place finisher actually held the best hand against Maurice Hawkins, who went on to win the tournament for a record-tying 18th gold ring.

The crew also dive into the wild tale of Michigan poker player George Janssen, who last year claimed to have been kidnapped and extorted by the cartel. But now, the FBI is telling a different story, one involving fraud and millions of dollars. Find out what the four-time WSOPC ring winner and MSPT champ allegedly did.

Other stories covered include Fedor Holz saying WSOP bans are coming for online cheaters, GGPoker cancelling their $5M GTD tournament on Day 2, Jeremy Ausmus and others capturing Triton Poker titles, Daniel Negreanu taking down a PGT Mixed Game tournament, and the unfortunate passing of poker player Mark Toulouse during a tournament at Texas Card House Dallas.

Finally, check out our new segment "New Vlogs on the Block", find out who won our giveaway for a copy of The Las Vegas Book, and details on our next giveaway in conjunction with Tilted Compass.

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!

03-13-2025 17:14 UTC+2

Sargsian Turns a Flush to Double Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Nerses Sargsian connected with a flush draw to send his stack north of the 200,000-chip mark.

On a flop of 5♠8♠5♣ with around 30,000 in the pot, a player had bet 17,500 and Sargsian min-raised to 35,000. His opponent then shoved, and Sargsian called off his stack of around 100,000.

Nerses Sargsian: A♠2♠ All in
Opponent: Q♦Q♠

Sargsian got a little 'instant service' as the J♠ hit the turn, which left his opponent drawing slim. A 10♦ completed the runout, and Sarsgian's flush held on to earn himself a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nerses Sargsian	230,000 95,000	95,000

Tags: Nerses Sargsian

03-13-2025 17:25 UTC+2

Xu Pays Off a Big River Bet From Tomescu

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

On a board of 2♦K♠3♦6♠, there were around 30,000 chips in the middle when Michel Molenaar checked from the big blind and Yuan Xu followed suit from under the gun. George Tomescu was sitting in the hijack and made it 17,500, which both Molenaar and Xu called.

A 2♣ paired the board on the river and again the action was checked to Tomescu, who then reached for chips and fired out a chunky bet of 120,000. Molenaar looked at his cards and folded, then Xu asked for a count. With just over 150,000 remaining in his stack, Xu mulled it over for a short while before he flicked in the call.

Tomescu then revealed a full house with 3♠3♥, and Xu was quick to return his cards face down to the dealer.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Tomescu	330,000 330,000	330,000
Michel Molenaar	72,000 72,000	72,000
Yuan Xu	35,000 75,000	75,000

Tags: George Tomescu Michel Molenaar Yuan Xu

Level: 8

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

03-13-2025 17:38 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ludovic Geilich	380,000

Banksy	240,000 240,000	240,000
Fahredin Mustafov	175,000 75,000	75,000
Yucel Eminoglu	170,000 30,000	30,000
Edward Quinn	170,000 90,000	90,000
Konstantin Kvashin	125,000
Grigorii Rodin	120,000 10,000	10,000
Danielle Noja	110,000
Andrey Pateychuk	60,000 80,000	80,000