Players are being sent on their first 20-minute break of the day.
Players are being sent on their first 20-minute break of the day.
Level: 4
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
210,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
180,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
150,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
150,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
145,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
|
110,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
110,000 | |
|
|
95,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
90,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
80,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
30,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
Last January at the 2024 Merit Poker Western Series, France's Mohamed Mokrani was crowned champion of the $3,300 Main Event, outlasting the 672-entry field and defeating Nichan Khorchidian in a brief heads-up duel to take home the title and top prize of $342,500. The $1,500,000 guarantee was easily eclipsed, with the final prize pool confirmed at $1,854,720.
Mokrani started the final day as the fifth-largest stack and went mostly under the radar before a late-night surge catapulted him ahead of perennial chip leaders Felipe Ketzer and Khorchidian during three-handed play. Mokrani only had $15,211 in recorded lifetime tournament earnings prior to this event, and the win was nearly forty times greater than his previous-best cash of $8,124.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohamed Mokrani | France | $342,500 |
| 2 | Nichan Khorchidian | Lebanon | $252,500 |
| 3 | Felipe Ketzer | Brazil | $155,000 |
| 4 | Christophe Panetti | Switzerland | $114,400 |
| 5 | Damir Zhugralin | Kazakhstan | $85,700 |
| 6 | Mustafa Ercan | Turkey | $69,100 |
| 7 | Antoine Hasbani | Lebanon | $57,300 |
| 8 | Samy Barka | France | $45,600 |
| 9 | Hadi Khordbin | Iran | $34,300 |
On a full board of Q♠6♥3♠10♦A♥, there were around 15,000 chips in the pot when Sergei Varnaev fired 9,000 on the river, and Fredrico Senno snap-called.
Varnaev showed 5♣4♦ for a busted straight draw and just five-high, but Senno held the winner with A♠K♠ after rivering a pair of aces.
Senno bought in late but has quickly more than doubled up his stack and is contesting for the chip lead as Level 4 begins.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
215,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
|
75,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
Halil Tasyurek made it 2,200 to go from middle position and Paul Newey made it 8,000 from the big blind. Tasyurek called.
They saw a flop of 7♣10♣3♠ where Newey announced a bet of 4,500, and Tasyurek wasted no time in flicking the call in.
When the J♠ dropped on the turn, Newey slowed down with a check and then folded after Tasyurek fired 11,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
190,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
100,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
The hand was picked up with Matteo Sarais having 144,300 chips out in front of him from the small blind and Robbie Schiffbauer having made it 40,000 from the button. After thinking for a while, Sarais shoved, and Schiffbauer called for his stack of 141,000.
Robbie Schiffbauer: K♦K♣
Matteo Sarais: Q♥Q♠
Schiffbauer was in the lead and would take the chip lead if his pocket kings held up. Sarais would also march to the top of the counts if he could spike a queen, but he would need to go runner-runner after the 7♦K♥8♠ flop gave Schiffbauer top set. No miracle runout occured as the A♥ turn and 7♥ river meant Schiffbauer improved to a full house, and he doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
285,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
20,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
On a flop of 4♠10♣7♠, Alisa Sibgatova was under the gun and check-called a bet of 4,000 from Atilla Saracoglu, who was on the button.
A Q♦ dropped on the turn and Sibgatova checked again, then Saracoglu fired 10,500.
"How much do you have behind?" asked Sibgatova before she eventually tossed in the call.
The 8♥ completed the board and again Sibgatova checked, then Saracoglu took his time before he fired out 25,000. Sibgatova quickly called.
Saracoglu then showed K♦K♥ for an overpair to the board, and Sibgatova mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
110,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
75,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
Level: 5
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
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