$2,200 Warm Up | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-18-2025 13:05 UTC+2

Fata Survives Rollercoaster Runout

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Kai Cocklin

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Philipp Wood shoved form the button and Mario Fata called off his stack of just under a million from the big blind.

Mario Fata: A♦3♥ All in
Philipp Wood: Q♦J♦

Fata was marginally in the lead and stayed there through the 5♦7♦3♣ flop, though Wood did pick up a lot more outs. The 3♦ turn gave Fata trips, but also completed the flush of Wood, which meant Fata was one card from elimination.

However, the A♠ on the river gave Fata a full house, and he managed to survive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philipp Wood	7,000,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Mario Fata	2,000,000 900,000	900,000

Tags: Mario Fata Philipp Wood

01-18-2025 13:09 UTC+2

Aliaksandr Hirs Eliminated in 9th Place ($18,020)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Ali Zebarjad raised from the button to 500,000 and Aliaksandr Hirs shoved from the big blind for around 3,000,000. Zebarjad had a slightly covering stack and after a few seconds, he made the call.

Aliaksandr Hirs: K♥10♣ All in
Ali Zebarjad: A♠6♥

Hirs needed to find a little help from the runout but didn't find much to work with on the 6♣5♣2♥ flop as Zebarjad paired his six. An 8♣ on the turn did give Hirs a flush draw, but the 4♥ river was a brick, and he was out in 9th.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Zebarjad	6,500,000 2,500,000	2,500,000
Aliaksandr Hirs	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Ali Zebarjad

01-18-2025 13:18 UTC+2

Wood Puts Rodin to the Test

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Kai Cocklin

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Grigorii Rodin raised to 500,000 from the button and Philipp Wood called out of the big blind.

Both checked the 10♥6♠8♦ flop to the 8♠ turn, where Wood fired out a bet of 500,000, which Rodin called.

When the 3♥ dropped on the turn, Wood moved all in, and Rodin had a decision for his remaining 2,300,000. After thinking it over, Rodin elected to fold, and Wood was pushed the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philipp Wood	9,300,000 2,300,000	2,300,000
Grigorii Rodin	2,300,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Grigorii Rodin Philipp Wood

01-18-2025 13:24 UTC+2

Rodin Doubles With Bullets

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Kai Cocklin

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Zhen Chen made it 500,000 to go from under the gun and Grigorii Rodin three-bet to 1,500,000 from the hijack, leaving himself around 800,000 behind. When it got back to Chen, he used some extra time before he shoved, and Rodin snap-called,

Grigorii Rodin: A♠A♣ All in
Zhen Chen: A♥J♦

Rodin was in a great spot to double up and took a huge leap towards doing so on the 6♥3♠K♥ flop. The 9♣ on the turn sealed the deal for Rodin, with a meaningless 2♥ dropping on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zhen Chen	8,500,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Grigorii Rodin	5,200,000 2,900,000	2,900,000

Tags: Grigorii Rodin Zhen Chen

Level: 33

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

01-18-2025 13:26 UTC+2

Mario Fata Eliminated in 8th Place ($24,025)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 33 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

The action folded around to Mario Fata in the small blind, who shoved for around 2,000,000. Zhen Chen in the big blind took one peek at his cards and quickly called.

Mario Fata: 9♠8♣ All in
Zhen Chen: A♠Q♦

Fata had already survived an all-in earlier, but lightning didn't strike twice for the Frenchman as the K♦3♦5♠J♣J♦ runout meant he was the second player to depart the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zhen Chen	10,500,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Mario Fata	Busted

Tags: Mario Fata Zhen Chen

01-18-2025 13:32 UTC+2

Noja Gets a Three-Bet Through

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Kai Cocklin

Level 33 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Danielle Noja has been pretty quiet so far, but just got a timely three-bet through to boost his stack.

Georgios Skarparis raised the button to 600,000 and Noja made it 1,600,000 from the small blind. Skarparis thought for a few moments, but ultimately decided to pass, and Noja padded out his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgios Skarparis	9,800,000

Danielle Noja	6,700,000 1,600,000	1,600,000

Tags: Danielle Noja Georgios Skarparis

01-18-2025 13:46 UTC+2

Grigorii Rodin Eliminated in 7th Place ($30,035)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 33 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Zhen Chen opened from the cutoff to 625,000 and Georgios Skarparis made it 1,800,000 from the button. Grigorii Rodin then shoved for around 3,000,000 from the big blind, which got Chen to fold, and Skarparis quickly called.

Grigorii Rodin: A♥Q♣ All in
Georgios Skarparis: 10♥10♠

Rodin was flipping for his tournament life and caught no piece of the 5♥J♥6♣ flop. Skarparis took a huge step toward scooping the pot on the 10♦ turn as he made a set, which left Rodin with just four outs to Broadway. However, the 7♣ river wasn't what he needed, and Rodin was out in 7th.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgios Skarparis	14,000,000 4,200,000	4,200,000

Zhen Chen	11,500,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Grigorii Rodin	Busted

Tags: Georgios Skarparis Grigorii Rodin Zhen Chen

01-18-2025 14:00 UTC+2

Chen Makes Noja Fold the River

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Kai Cocklin

Level 33 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Zhen Chen made it 600,000 from the button and Danielle Noja called in the big blind.

Both players knuckled the table on the 7♠2♣4♥ flop to see the J♠ on the turn, where Noja bet 400,000 and Chen called.

When the K♣ landed on the river, Noja checked it over to Chen, who bet 1,500,000. After some time, Noja decided to give it up, and Chen took down another pot.

"Did you get there on the river?" asked Noja. Chen didn't reply but just let out a smile.