$3,300 Main Event Day 3 | 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Mar 22, 2025

Mukhamedaminov Flops a Set Against Geilich

Kai Cocklin

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

Ludovic Geilich opened to 40,000 from the small blind and Timur Mukhamedaminov three-bet to 120,000 out of the big blind. Geilich called.

They went to a flop of 10♥J♣5♠ where Geilich check-called a bet of 80,000 from Mukhamedaminov to see the 6♦ drop on the turn. Again Geilich checked, and again Mukhamedaminov fired, this time for 225,000. Geilich rechecked his cards and decided to let them go.

"One or two?" Mukhamedaminov asked to Geilich, referencing how many cards he wanted to see. Before a reply could come, Mukhamedaminov showed a set with J♦J♠ as he raked in the pot.

Tags: Ludovic Geilich Timur Mukhamedaminov

Mar 22, 2025

Flashback: Umberto Ruggeri Wrangles Record-Breaking Victory in Merit Western Series Main Event

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Tim Baker

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Back in January, the $3,300 Main Event of the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series saw Umberto Ruggeri crowned the champion after overcoming a record-breaking field of 791 inside the stunning Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.

The Italian player battled through countless emotional highs and challenging moments to claim the coveted trophy after cutting an undisclosed deal with Mihai Niste and Muhtar Taysi when three players remained.

Ruggeri expressed his joy after the victory, stating, "I’m very enthusiastic, and I think I played very well in key spots." The final table was not without its difficulties, as Ruggeri acknowledged, "It was very hard. A single moment can change everything, but in the end, it all went very well."

2025 Merit Poker Western Series Main Event Final Table Results

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Umberto Ruggeri	Italy	$377,500
2	Mihai Niste	Romania	$251,000
3	Muhtar Taysi	Turkey	$180,300
4	Mario Colavita	Italy	$130,200
5	Xiaosheng Zheng	China	$94,600
6	Alexander Sokolovsky	Serbia	$75,900
7	Ryan Mandara	United Kingdom	$63,200
8	Renars Skanis	Latvia	$50,500
9	Edward Quinn	Jersey	$37,950

Read the Full Recap Here

Mar 22, 2025

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

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

Level: 21

Blinds: 10,000/15,000

Ante: 15,000

Mar 22, 2025

Break Time

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Tim Baker

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

The remaining 129 players are now on a 15-minute break.

Mar 22, 2025

Leonid Orman

1,023,000 23,000

Table 4Seat 6

Mar 22, 2025

Achour Turns Top Pair

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Tim Baker

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Vladas Tamasauska opened the cutoff to 24,000 and Maher Achour defended his big blind.

Achour started with a check on the Q♣3♦7♠ flop and Tamasauska bet 20,000. Achour made the call.

The turn came the A♣, and Achour checked for a second time. Tamasauska fired a second barrel, this time for 70,000. Achour called again.

The 6♦ river checked through and Achour turned over A♦J♣ for a turned pair of aces. Tamasauska mucked his cards, and Achour took down the pot.

Tags: Maher Achour Vladas Tamasauska

Mar 22, 2025

Estrada Keeps Building

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Kai Cocklin

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Soraya Estrada keeps building and her stack is now around 1,650,000 after just getting a river value bet paid off.

The full board of 4♦7♠10♠8♦8♥ was out and Estrada had fired 55,000 into the pot of around 100,000. The player in the cutoff called and then mucked when Estrada showed top pair with K♣10♥.

Tags: Soraya Estrada

Mar 22, 2025

Ghassan Gone

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Kai Cocklin

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Ibrahim Ghassan is no more in the Main Event as he just called off his remaining stack and was shown the nuts!

The board read 8♣J♠8♦9♦K♦ and Sergey Tikhonov had bet enough to put Ghassan all-in. After some deliberation, he decided to call with A♣K♣ for top pair, but he was shown bad news as Tikhonov had A♦J♦ for the nuts!

Tags: Ibrahim Ghassan Sergey Tikhonov

Mar 22, 2025

Senno Check-Shoves into Orman's Trips

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Tim Baker

Level 20 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Three players went to a flop of 8♣K♦9♦. Fredrico Senno checked first from the big blind, Leonid Orman bet 30,000 from early position, and Akin Tuna called from the cutoff. Senno then check-shoved all in for 200,000 total. Orman called, while Tuna quickly folded.

Fredrico Senno: K♠4♦ All in
Leonid Orman: A♠8♠

Senno had top pair but found himself trailing Orman's trip eights. The Q♠ turn and A♣ river improved Orman further to full house, securing him the pot and eliminating Senno.

Tags: Akin Tuna Fredrico Senno Leonid Orman