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

03-15-2025 15:16 UTC+2

Jontulovic Can't Win the Flip

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 15:33 UTC+2

Tulepbergenov Chips Up With a Flush

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Tim Baker

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

Azamat Tulepbergenov opened to 7,000 from under the gun and was called by a player in middle position and Dmitry Gromov out of the big blind.

All three checked the 4♥7♥2♦ flop to see the 4♠ land on the turn. Gromov and Tulepbergenov checked once more, but the middle position player bet 14,000. Only Tulepbergenov called.

Tulepbergenov checked for the last time upon seeing the flush completing 6♥ hit the river. The middle position player bet roughly 50,000, and Tulepbergenov snap-called. Tulepbergenov showed Q♥10♥ for a flush to win the pot as his opponent had K♦J♦ for just king-high.

Player	Chips	Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov	250,000 98,000	98,000
Dmitry Gromov	135,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Dmitry Gromov

Level: 15

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 4,000

03-15-2025 15:47 UTC+2

Flashback: Elie Farah Takes Down 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series Main Event

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Last year in the 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event, It took nearly 12 hour-long levels for a winner to emerge from the 41 players who entered the final day at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.

Elie Farah was the last player standing, scoring five final table knockouts and last defeating Felipe Ketzer in heads-up play to take home the title and top prize of $338,500.

Farah notably was down to his last 125,000 chips on the stone bubble during Day 3 aciton, worth just five big blinds at that time. His previous best score before this comes from an eighth-place finish in the 2022 Merit Poker Retro Series Main Event for $30,255. This victory not only exceeds his previous best more than tenfold, it also triples his total live tournament earnings which before this event stood at just under $150,000.

2024 Carmen Series Main Event Final Table Results

Place	Player	Country	Prize (USD)
1	Elie Farah	Lebanon	$338,500
2	Felipe Ketzer	Brazil	$249,200
3	Dinesh Alt	Switzerland	$153,000
4	Bart Lybaert	Belgium	$113,100
5	Dmitry Gromov	Russian Federation	$84,700
6	Tahsin Cankurtaranli	Turkey	$68,400
7	Andrey Litvinov	Russian Federation	$56,600
8	Maher Achour	Tunisia	$45,100
9	Danut Chisu	Romania	$33,900

Read the Full Recap Here

03-15-2025 16:07 UTC+2

Mustafov Four-Bet Folds

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Fahredin Mustafov opened with a raise to 8,000 from the hijack before three-bet to 24,000 by the button player. After the blinds folded, Mustafov four-bet to 41,000. It didn't take long before his opponent five-bet shoved to put Mustafov all in for his last 150,000. Mustafov snap-folded and forfeited the pot to his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	150,000 60,000	60,000

03-15-2025 16:19 UTC+2

Nik Airball is Back and Coming for HCL’s Million Dollar Cash Game | PokerNews Podcast #882

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

In the 882nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Connor Richards discuss the return of Nik Airball to Hustler Casino Live (HCL) after a yearlong casino ban. They also dive into other HCL news such as the announcement of the next Million Dollar Cash Game, GGPoker buying out Nick Vertucci's shares, and Ryan Feldman celebrating his 40th birthday. Speaking of the big 4-0, Chad and Connor also surprise Kyna with decorations and cake for her 40th birthday!

The triumvirate then highlight Ari Engel retaking the lead from Maurice Hawkins in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit all-time ring race with both Josh Reichard and Daniel Lowery staying hot on their heels with recent ring wins of their own. You'll also hear about Chad Eveslage winning the $100K Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games, Bryn Kenney winning another Triton Poker title, and Keith Heine earning his way into the MSPT Hall of Fame.

Plus, an update on the Tom Goldstein high-stakes poker saga and the return of the Bay 101 Shooting Star to the World Poker Tour (WPT) schedule for the first time since 2017!

Finally, you can check out the latest installment of "New Vlogs on the Block" and details on our backpack & hoodie 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!

03-15-2025 16:20 UTC+2

Some Updated Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Bart Lybaert	1,080,000 440,000	440,000
Erdal Gulseven	1,000,000 380,000	380,000
Razvan Nicolae Sabau	1,000,000 425,000	425,000
Michel Molenaar	900,000 150,000	150,000
Adem Marjanovic	850,000 348,000	348,000
Danut Chisu	810,000 625,000	625,000
Hassan Nashar	800,000 100,000	100,000
Iulian-Remus Blebea	790,000 722,500	722,500
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya	700,000 120,000	120,000

Oleh Frantsevych	690,000 272,000	272,000
Tymofii Savkin	620,000 522,500	522,500
Jenya Gavrilovich	600,000 400,000	400,000
Nerses Sargsian	590,000 244,000	244,000
Paul Amsellem	580,000 315,000	315,000
Ludovic Geilich	550,000 360,000	360,000

03-15-2025 16:21 UTC+2

Break Time

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Tim Baker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Players are now on their second 20-minute break of the day. At the end of this break, late registration will close.

Level: 16

Blinds: 2,000/5,000

Ante: 5,000

03-15-2025 16:51 UTC+2

Bezhanyan Back to Picking Up Pots

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Tim Baker

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

Aren Bezhanyan raised to 11,000 from early position with only Bart Lybaert calling from the big blind.

The flop came down 5♣8♠3♦ and Lybaert check-called a bet of 8,000 from Bezhanyan.

Upon seeing the 4♥ land on the turn, Lybaert led out for 17,000. Bezhanyan made the call.

Lybaert slowed down and checked when the 9♣ dropped on the river. Bezhanyan fired out a big bet of 75,000, which caused Lybaert to quickly let go of his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bart Lybaert	1,050,000 30,000	30,000
Aren Bezhanyan	620,000 60,000	60,000

Tags: Aren Bezhanyan Bart Lybaert