$3,300 Main Event | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-26-2025 16:17 UTC+2

Colavita Stuns Skanis to Take the Chip Lead

Kai Cocklin

Level 36 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Renars Skanis raised to 1,000,000 from middle position and Mario Colavita called from the big blind.

They went to a flop of Q♦7♠2♦ where Colavita check-called a bet of 1,000,000 from Skanis to see the 9♦ drop on the turn. Again Colavita checked, Skanis fired 2,000,000, and Colavita slid forward a stack of calling chips.

A board-pairing 9♥ fell on the river and Colavita checked for a third time, then Skanis shoved. Colavita had 4,700,000 behind and was burning through his time banks. Eventually, after using three, Colavita tossed in a chip to signify a call.

"Good call," said Skanis as he rolled over A♣6♣. Colavita flipped K♠Q♣ for a pair of queens, and took the chip lead with that huge call!

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	17,200,000 7,800,000	7,800,000
Renars Skanis	3,400,000 7,600,000	7,600,000

Tags: Renars Skanis Mario Colavita

01-26-2025 16:04 UTC+2

Sokolovsky Gets Out of Jail

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Kai Cocklin

Level 36 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Alexander Sokolovsky made it 3,500,000 from under the gun and Xiaosheng Zheng shoved for over 11,000,000 from the next seat. The action folded back to Sokolovsky, who immediately called for his remaining 2,500,000.

Alexander Sokolovsky: A♥K♠ All in
Xiaosheng Zheng: A♠A♦

Sokolovsky was in a deep, dark hole and didn't get much help on the 8♠5♦4♣ flop. However, an opportunity to escape elimination came on the 3♠ turn as both players picked up a gutshot.

"Deuce!" shouted Muhtar Taysi.

Taysi must be able to see the future as the 2♣ rolled off on the river, which meant the pot was chopped and Sokolovsky escaped elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Xiaosheng Zheng	11,600,000 500,000	500,000
Alexander Sokolovsky	6,500,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Alexander Sokolovsky Muhtar Taysi Xiaosheng Zheng

Level: 36

Blinds: 250,000/500,000

Ante: 500,000

01-26-2025 15:41 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Muhtar Taysi	15,000,000 5,500,000	5,500,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	11,100,000 2,900,000	2,900,000
Renars Skanis	11,000,000 500,000	500,000

Mario Colavita	9,400,000 3,100,000	3,100,000
Umberto Ruggeri	9,200,000 100,000	100,000
Mihai Niste	7,900,000
Ryan Mandara	6,100,000 1,900,000	1,900,000

Alexander Sokolovsky	6,000,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Edward Quinn	3,200,000 1,300,000	1,300,000

01-26-2025 15:39 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Players are on a 15-minute break.

01-26-2025 15:26 UTC+2

Ruggeri's Ace Good at Showdown

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Mario Colavita raised the button to 900,000 and Umberto Ruggeri called from the big blind.

On the A♦2♠6♣ flop, Ruggeri check-called a bet of 400,000 from Colavita to the 3♥ turn, where Ruggeri again check-called when Colavita bet 800,000.

A Q♦ on the river went check-check, and Ruggeri's A♣9♠ was good for the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Umberto Ruggeri	9,300,000 1,900,000	1,900,000
Mario Colavita	6,300,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Umberto Ruggeri

01-26-2025 15:18 UTC+2

Skanis Tries to Trap With Cowboys

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Mario Colavita raised to 800,000 from early position and Renars Skanis called in the hijack.

Both checked the A♦J♥3♥ flop to the 4♣ turn, where Colavita check-called a bet of 600,000.

The 7♣ river also went check-check and Skanis took the pot with K♠K♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Renars Skanis	11,500,000

Mario Colavita	6,800,000 1,700,000	1,700,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Renars Skanis

01-26-2025 15:09 UTC+2

Ruggeri Survives a Scary Sweat

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Muhtar Taysi raised the cutoff to 800,000 and Umberto Ruggeri shoved from the button for almost 7,000,000. The blinds folded, and after some thought, Taysi elected to call.

Umberto Ruggeri: A♣K♥ All in
Muhtar Taysi: A♥K♠

"Chop, chop," said both players, who shared a warm embrace upon seeing that they had the same hand.

However, the deck seemed to have other ideas as the 3♠4♠A♠ flop gave Taysi a freeroll to win the pot. However, despite the extra equity, the 7♣10♣ runout was clean, and the two chopped the pot.

What a sweat for Ruggeri!

Player	Chips	Progress
Muhtar Taysi	9,500,000 500,000	500,000
Umberto Ruggeri	7,400,000 400,000	400,000

Tags: Muhtar Taysi Umberto Ruggeri

01-26-2025 15:04 UTC+2

Skanis Puts Pressure on Ruggeri

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

The action folded around to Umberto Ruggeri in the small blind, who limped in. Renars Skanis was in the big blind and checked his option.

They saw a flop of 4♣J♣6♥ where Ruggeri threw out a green chip, worth 500,000, and Skanis called.

A Q♦ on the turn drew another bet out of Ruggeri, this time for 1,400,000. Again, Skanis called.

When the 8♥ dropped on the river, Ruggeri checked and after some time, Skanis bet 2,200,000. Ruggeri had a decision, but after around 30 seconds of thinking, he laid his hand down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Renars Skanis	11,500,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

Umberto Ruggeri	7,000,000 3,800,000	3,800,000

Tags: Renars Skanis Umberto Ruggeri

01-26-2025 14:53 UTC+2

Zheng Surges Into the Lead

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Kai Cocklin

Level 35 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante

Muhtar Taysi raised from under the gun to 800,000 and got a call from Xiaosheng Zheng on the button. Mario Colavita also called from the big blind.

When the flop came A♣2♠5♣, Colavita checked and Taysi bet 500,000. Zheng then raised to 1,500,000, Colavita folded, and Taysi put in the call.

Both then tapped the table on the 4♥ turn and K♦ river, where Taysi showed 7♥7♣ for a pair of sevens. Zheng, however, had the winner as he showed A♥Q♣ for a pair of aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Xiaosheng Zheng	14,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000
Muhtar Taysi	9,000,000 2,300,000	2,300,000
Mario Colavita	8,500,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Muhtar Taysi Xiaosheng Zheng