2025 Merit Poker Western Series

$2,200 Warm Up
Day: 1a
1a1bc234
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Western Series
Final Results
Winner
Prize
$180,200
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$921,840
Total Entries
501
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
55
Players Left
25
Players Left 1 / 501
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Genc Doubles Through Ketzer

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Musa Genc
Musa Genc

There were already around 35,000 chips in the middle on a flop of Q♠2♦Q♥ when Musa Genc check-called a small bet of 4,000 from Felipe Ketzer.

A 2♥ on the turn prompted Genc to shove his stack of around 30,000 into the middle, which Ketzer called.

Musa Genc: 6♣6♠ All in
Felipe Ketzer: A♦K♣

Genc was ahead with his pair of sixes and managed to remain there as the J♥ river didn't bring any help to Ketzer. Ketzer's stack dropped to around 110,000, but Genc doubled up through the 100,000-chip barrier.

Tags: Felipe KetzerMusa Genc

Bekbayev Back in Action

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

After busting earlier, Askar Bekbayev is back in action and opened the cutoff to 3,000. Alexander Sokolovsky then three-bet from the big blind to 13,000, and Bekbayev called.

Sokolovsky then continued for 8,000 on the 7♠A♠6♦ flop, and Bekbayev quickly gave up.

Tags: Alexander SokolovskyAskar Bekbayev

Noja Gets Value from Murcia

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

With around 50,000 chips already in the middle on a board of 9♥10♦Q♠10♣6♣, Danielle Noja had fired 35,000 on the river, which had Remy Murcia in a tricky spot. After thinking it over for some time, Murcia eventually settled on a call.

Noja then flipped K♥J♠ for a straight, and Murcia flashed the 10♥ before he mucked.

Tags: Danielle NojaRemy Murcia

Level: 8

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

Fourie Tangles With Kashani, Loses a Chunk of Chips

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Arian Kashani
Arian Kashani

Arian Kashani opened the cutoff to 3,500 and Azamat Tulepbergenov made it 10,000 from the button. Rudolf Fourie was in the small blind and cold-called, then Kashani four-bet to 33,000. Tulepbergenov folded, but Fourie called.

The flop came 10♠3♣Q♠ and Fourie check-called a bet of 15,500 from Kashani to the 7♠ turn, which went check-check.

A 2♥ dropped on the river and Fourie fired out a bet of 20,000, then after some consideration, Kashani shoved. Fourie had around 75,000 behind, but didn't want to invest another dime into the pocket as he quickly folded, earning Kashani the pot.

Tags: Arian KashaniAzamat TulepbergenovRudolf Fourie

Senno’s Jacks Bite the Dust as Vikayev Wins the Flip

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Adlan Vikayev made it 3,500 to go from under the gun, and Stanislaw Grodek fired back with a three-bet to 10,000 from the hijack. Fredrico Senno wasn’t about to fold his hand quietly, putting in a four-bet to 25,000 from the button. Vikayev, with all guns blazing, then five-bet to a hefty 150,000. Grodek quickly got out of the way with 55,000 behind, but Senno wasn’t backing down and shoved for just over 150,000. Vikayev shrugged and made the call.

Fredrico Senno: J♠J♦
Adlan Vikayev: A♦K♠

Senno’s pocket jacks were holding strong, but he still needed to dodge plenty of outs to avoid getting bucked off this hand. The 2♥4♦Q♦ flop kept him ahead, though the 3♣ on the turn gave Vikayev a wheel draw, making any five good for a straight.

The river was the K♦, and just like that, Vikayev roped in a bigger pair to scoop the biggest pot of the day so far, sending Senno packing.

Tags: Adlan VikayevFredrico SennoStanislaw Grodek

Ketzer Off to a Good Start

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Felipe Ketzer hasn't been seated long but already has his stack up to around 170,000.

In the latest hand involving the Brazilian player, he raised to 3,500 from early position and Ran Ilani made it 14,000 from the big blind. Ketzer then shipped his entire stack into the middle, and Ilani quickly relented.

Tags: Felipe KetzerRan Ilani

Verbruggen Forces Amiri Out on the Turn

Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Ehsan Amiri
Ehsan Amiri

Halil Tasyurek opened from under the gun and Ehsan Amiri called from the small blind. Tom Verbruggen then squeezed to 13,500 from the big blind, which both Tasyurek and Amiri called.

The trio saw a flop of K♦9♥4♥ where Amiri checked and Verbruggen bet 8,000. Tasyurek got out of the way, but Amiri stuck around.

When the A♠ dropped on the turn, Amiri checked once again, then folded to the 27,000-chip bet from Verbruggen.

Tags: Ehsan AmiriHalil TasyurekTom Verbruggen

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Kai Cocklin
Kai Cocklin
Level 7 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

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Level: 7

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

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