$5,300 High Roller | 2025 Merit Poker Dolce Vita Series

08-02-2025 22:50 UTC+2

Aren Bezhanyan Eliminated in 3rd Plce ($155,000)

Tim Baker

Level 33 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

After the button folded, Aren Bezhanyan jammed from the small blind for 5,500,000 and Mohamed El-Wely called from the big blind with slightly more chips.

Aren Bezhanyan: Q♦8♠ All in
Mohamed El-Wely: A♦9♠

El-Wely was ahead with ace-high, but Bezhanyan had live cards working for him.

The A♣8♥3♠ flop gave both players a pair, with El-Wely still ahead. The rest of the board came 10♥J♦ and Bezhanyan would have to settle for a third-place finish in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed El-Wely	12,200,000 4,200,000	4,200,000
Aren Bezhanyan	Busted

Tags: Aren Bezhanyan Mohamed El-Wely

08-02-2025 22:40 UTC+2

Xuming Qi Eliminated in 4th Place ($111,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 33 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Xuming Qi jammed the cutoff for 4,900,000 and Cedric Schwaederle called from the small blind.

Xuming Qi: A♥6♣ All in
Cedric Schwaederle: A♠K♠

Qi needed to come from behind, or the tournament would be down to the final three.

The board ran out 4♣Q♠3♣J♦7♥, and Schwaederle's ace-king held up, sending Qi to the rail in fourth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cedric Schwaederle	18,000,000 5,600,000	5,600,000
Xuming Qi	Busted

Tags: Cedric Schwaederle Xuming Qi

08-02-2025 22:35 UTC+2

Schwaederle Bets Big on the River

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Tim Baker

Level 33 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

With around 2,300,000 in the pot, Xuming Qi checked the turn from the big blind on a board of 8♠5♠2♠K♣, and Cedric Schwaederle fired 1,400,000 from the button. Qi flicked in the call.

Qi checked again on the 4♠ river, and after a bit of thinking, Schwaederle bet 3,700,000. Qi burned through four of his time bank cards before eventually opting to fold and relinquish the pot to Schwaederle.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cedric Schwaederle	12,400,000 2,800,000	2,800,000
Xuming Qi	5,000,000 4,300,000	4,300,000

Tags: Xuming Qi Cedric Schwaederle

Level: 33

Blinds: 200,000/400,000

Ante: 400,000

08-02-2025 22:26 UTC+2

Schwaederle Fades the River to Double Again

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Tim Baker

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Mohamed El-Wely raised to 925,000 in the small blind and Cedric Schwaederle called out of the big blind.

El-Wely bet 400,000 upon seeing the A♥4♦8♠ flop, and Schwaederle called.

El-Wely slowed down and checked the K♠ turn, prompting Schwaederle to bet 1,300,000. El-Wely instantly jammed for Schwaederle's remaining 3,000,000, and Schwaederle called.

Cedric Schwaederle :A♠9♠ All in
Mohamed El-Wely: 8♦7♣

El-Wely was making a move with third pair, and needed to hit an eight or a seven that wasn't a spade to send Schwaederle home. The 9♥ came on the river to give Schwaederle two pair, and he doubled up again.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cedric Schwaederle	9,600,000 4,200,000	4,200,000
Mohamed El-Wely	8,000,000 3,900,000	3,900,000

Tags: Cedric Schwaederle Mohamed El-Wely

08-02-2025 22:10 UTC+2

El-Wely Wins a Small Battle of the Blinds

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Tim Baker

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Xuming Qi limped the small blind and Mohamed El-Wely raised to 800,000 from the big blind. Qi called to see a flop.

Qi check-called El-Wely's bet of 375,000 on the 5♦6♠K♦ flop.

The turn came the A♦ and Qi check-folded this time to El-Wely's second bet of 900,000. El-Wely turned over just the J♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed El-Wely	11,900,000 100,000	100,000
Xuming Qi	9,300,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Mohamed El-Wely Xuming Qi

08-02-2025 22:04 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed El-Wely	11,800,000 2,300,000	2,300,000
Xuming Qi	9,500,000 500,000	500,000
Aren Bezhanyan	6,000,000 1,800,000	1,800,000
Cedric Schwaederle	5,400,000 225,000	225,000

Level: 32

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

08-02-2025 21:57 UTC+2

El-Wely Doubles Twice Through Aren Bezhanyan

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Tim Baker

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Aren Bezhanyan raised to 500,000 from the cutoff and then called after Mohamed El-Wely jammed for 2,175,000 from the small blind.

Mohamed El-Wely: 10♣10♦ All in
Aren Bezhanyan: Q♥9♥

El-Wely stayed ahead with his tens all the way to the river on the 7♣3♥4♦9♦6♠ runout, and he doubled up.

A few hands later, El-Wely raised to 700,000 from the cutoff and Bezhanyan three-bet to 2,700,000 from the small blind. El-Welly called with just 2,000,000 behind.

Bezhanyan jammed to put El-Wely all in on the 2♦Q♣10♠ flop, and El-Wely snap-called.

Mohamed El-Wely: K♠J♠ All in
Aren Bezhanyan: A♣K♥

Neither had a pair right now, and if two blanks came on the turn and river, El-Wely would be out in fourth. The K♦ turn didn't change anything, but the 9♦ river gave El-Wely a straight, and he doubled up again through Bezhanyan.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed El-Wely	9,500,000 5,100,000	5,100,000
Aren Bezhanyan	7,800,000 5,400,000	5,400,000

Tags: Aren Bezhanyan Mohamed El-Wely

08-02-2025 21:45 UTC+2

Adrian State Eliminated in 5th Place ($81,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Aren Bezhanyan raised the button to 500,000 and Adrian State jammed for roughly 4,000,000 from the big blind. Bezhanyan beat State into the pot with a call.

Adrian State: K♦10♦ All in
Aren Bezhanyan: A♥A♠

State had run into the preflop nuts, and needed the dealer to give him some assistance to double up. The J♥6♥6♦ flop meant State needed running cards to win. The 9♦ turn gave State some hope, but the 6♣ river was no good for him.

Bezhanyan won the pot with a boat, and State headed to the cashier's desk to collect his fifth-place payout.