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

03-15-2025 20:31 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya's Busts Another With Cowboys

Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya raised to 40,000 from the small blind and instantly called after the player in big blind shoved for roughly 220,000.

Big Blind: QxQx All in
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: KxKx

It was a brutal cooler that was in Skhulukhiya's favor. The dealer put out the flop of 10♦J♠9♣ which gave the big blind player some additional outs in the form of a straight draw. He hit the dream 8♠ on the turn, giving him the straight and leaving Skhulukhiya needing a two-outer queen on the river to win the hand.

The dealer dropped the Q♠ on the river to improve Skhulukhiya to the king-high straight, sending the big blind player to the rail in horrible fashion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	900,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

03-15-2025 18:39 UTC+2

Zurr's Tournament is Over

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Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Razvan Nicolae Sabau opened with a raise from late position before Shai Zurr shoved for roughly 125,000 from the blinds. Sabau called and the cards were revealed.

Shai Zurr: A♥9♣ All in
Razvan Nicolae Sabau : 10♥10♠

Zurr had ran into the pocket tens of Sabau and needed some help from the dealer to survive. However, the runout of 3♥2♦3♦6♠4♥ didn't improve Zurr, and he was sent to the rail

Player	Chips	Progress
Razvan Nicolae Sabau	1,300,000 300,000	300,000
Shai Zurr	Busted

Tags: Razvan Nicolae Sabau Shai Zurr

03-15-2025 17:32 UTC+2

Sarouphim Misses a Tonne of Outs to Bust

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Tim Baker

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

With around 35,000 in the middle, Philippe Sarouphim led out for 20,000 from the small blind on a flop of 9♦8♠4♠. Zhao Cheng called from the big blind before Nikolay Fal raised to 75,000 from the cutoff. Sarouphim put in the rest of his chips, which amounted to 79,000 total. Cheng folded, and Fal called the extra few thousand to put Sarouphim at risk.

Philippe Sarouphim: Q♠10♠ All in
Nikolay Fal: J♦J♣

Sarouphim had a tonne of outs he could hit to double-up through Fal. However, the rest of the board came 5♦7♦, leaving Sarouphim with just queen-high. He was sent to the rail and Fal dragged in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikolay Fal	370,000 268,000	268,000
Zhao Cheng	350,000 210,000	210,000
Philippe Sarouphim	Busted

Tags: Nikolay Fal Philippe Sarouphim Zhao Cheng

03-15-2025 17:13 UTC+2

Niste's Ladies End Up Second Best to Saab's Big Slick

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Tim Baker

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Mihai Niste started the hand with a raise to 10,000. Imad Saab was next to act and three-bet to 32,000. When it got back to Niste he four-bet shoved for roughly 150,000. Saab called and the cards were revealed.

Mihai Niste: Q♦Q♥ All in
Imad Saab: A♥K♠

Niste was the player at risk, and needed his Ladies to hold if he was to continue his journey in this event. The flop of 10♠2♠2♥ was great for Niste, but the K♣ fell on the turn to catapult Saab into the lead. There was no miracle river for Niste as the 8♦ fell, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Imad Saab	430,000 430,000	430,000
Mihai Niste	Busted

Tags: Imad Saab Mihai Niste

03-15-2025 15:16 UTC+2

Jontulovic Can't Win the Flip

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Tim Baker

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante

After an opening from the hijack player to 7,000, Bogdan Jontulovic three-bet shoved his last 80,000 into the middle from the cutoff. When it folded back to the player in hijack, he called to put Jontulovic at risk.

Bogdan Jontulovic: 10♠9♠ All in
Hijack Player: 7♥7♣

Jontulovic found himself in a flip to survive. The 7♦ in the window was devastating for Jontulovic as his opponent improved to a set. The 10♥K♦ followed on the flop and Jontulovic needed running cards to survive. The rest of the board came Q♠10♦ and Jontulovic headed to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bogdan Jontulovic	Busted

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic

03-15-2025 14:33 UTC+2

Skhulukhiya Sends Two to the Rail

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Elena Yasyuchenya raised to 6,000 from early position before Akin Tuna shoved from the next seat for roughly 40,000. Giorgiy Skhulukhiya called and then snap-called when Yasyuchenya shoved all in for 220,000. The cards were flipped over with Skhulukhiya having the chance to bust two players.

Akin Tuna: J♥J♣ All in
Elena Yasyuchenya: A♠Q♦ All in
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: K♦K♥

Skhulukhiya was ahead with his cowboys and that didn't change on the 9♦10♦2♠ flop. The Q♥ turn improved every player in some way, but the board-pairing 9♠ on the river meant Skhulukhiya scored the double knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	820,000 190,000	190,000

Akin Tuna	Busted
Elena Yasyuchenya	Busted

Tags: Akin Tuna Elena Yasyuchenya Giorgiy Skhulukhiya

03-15-2025 13:32 UTC+2

Tomescu Rivers an Ace to Bust Lotfalizaderhmehraba

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Mahdi Lotfalizaderhmehraba raised to 5,000 from the hijack with Zhao Cheng calling from the cutoff before George Tomescu squeezed it up to 24,500 from the big blind. Both Lotfalizaderhmehraba and Cheng called.

Three-ways to a flop of 9♦7♣8♠ which saw Tomescu check, Lotfalizaderhmehraba bet 25,000, and Cheng fold. Tomescu looked over at Lotfalizaderhmehraba's remaining 25,000 or so chips and check-shoved to put Lotfalizaderhmehraba all in. Lotfalizaderhmehraba called.

Mahdi Lotfalizaderhmehraba: 6♠6♥ All in
George Tomescu: A♠K♠

Lotfalizaderhmehraba was slightly ahead with his pair of sixes, but he had fade the turn and the river to stay alive. The Q♦ turn didn't change anything, but the brutal A♣ on the river gave Tomescu the winner with a pair of aces, sending Lotfalizaderhmehraba to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
George Tomescu	420,000 182,000	182,000
Zhao Cheng	140,000 101,500	101,500
Mahdi Lotfalizaderhmehraba	Busted

Tags: George Tomescu Mahdi Lotfalizaderhmehraba Zhao Cheng

03-15-2025 13:06 UTC+2

Niste Cracks Michaud's Cowboys

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Tim Baker

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Clement Michaud raised to 5,000 from the button before Mihai Niste three-bet to 17,000 out of the small blind. Michaud put in the call to see a flop.

Niste decided to check when the dealer fanned out the 10♦J♠9♦ flop. Michaud bet 12,000, which Niste called.

The 7♠ turn got checked through for the 5♦ to drop on the river. Niste checked again with roughly 44,500 remaining in his stack. Michaud thought about it for a few moments before he put Niste all in. Niste snap-called.

Michaud flipped up K♦K♣ for an overpair to the board, but was second best to the Q♦8♦ of Niste for a flopped straight that improved to a flush on the river. Nitse pulled in the pot and Michaud was left with crumbs.

Michaud was eliminated a few hands later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mihai Niste	160,000 102,500	102,500
Clement Michaud	Busted

Tags: Clement Michaud Mihai Niste