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

01-26-2025 16:58 UTC+2

Colavita Pulls Away

Kai Cocklin

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

Xiaosheng Zheng raised the hijack to 1,000,000 and Mario Colavita three-bet to 2,300,000 on the button. Zheng then four-bet to 4,100,000, and Colavita called.

Both checked the Q♣Q♠5♥ flop to the 8♥ turn, where Zheng checked, Colavita bet 3,800,000, and Zheng folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	20,000,000 8,500,000	8,500,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	7,500,000 4,100,000	4,100,000

Tags: Xiaosheng Zheng Mario Colavita

Level: 37

Blinds: 300,000/600,000

Ante: 600,000

01-26-2025 17:01 UTC+2

Renars Skanis Eliminated in 8th Place ($50,500)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mario Colavita raised to 1,100,000 from the cutoff and Renars Skanis shoved for around 1,500,000 from the big blind. Colavita called.

Renars Skanis: J♣9♥ All in
Mario Colavita: A♣7♥

Skanis had lost a big pot earlier with the same hand, and this time it would be his last as the 5♦A♠6♣K♠7♦ runout left him drawing dead on the turn.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	22,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Renars Skanis	Busted

Tags: Mario Colavita Renars Skanis

01-26-2025 17:06 UTC+2

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	21,000,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Muhtar Taysi	18,000,000
Umberto Ruggeri	13,500,000 4,750,000	4,750,000
Ryan Mandara	7,600,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Mihai Niste	6,800,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	6,500,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Alexander Sokolovsky	6,000,000 500,000	500,000

Taysi and Colavita Clash

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

The action folded around to Mario Colavita in the small blind, who limped in. Muhtar Taysi checked his option from the big blind.

On the 7♥4♠J♠ flop, Colavita bet 600,000, and Taysi called to see the K♣ turn, where Colavita check-called a bet of 1,100,000 from Taysi.

A 10♠ completed the board and after Colavita checked, Taysi bet 1,700,000. Colavita mulled it over for a while, but eventually settled on a call.

Taysi then showed two pair with J♥10♦, and Colavita mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Muhtar Taysi	22,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000
Mario Colavita	17,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Muhtar Taysi

01-26-2025 17:20 UTC+2

Niste Wins a Big Flip Against Ruggeri

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Umberto Ruggeri raised to 1,300,000 from the hijack and Mihai Niste shoved 7,900,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Ruggeri, he called with a covering stack.

Mihai Niste: 10♠10♥ All in
Umberto Ruggeri: A♠K♥

Niste was flipping for his tournament life and got off to a good start as he made a set on the A♥Q♥10♦ flop, Ruggeri paired his ace, but it was a jack that he was looking for as that would complete Broadway. However, the Q♦ turn gave Niste a boat, which meant Ruggeri needed an ace or a queen on the river.

Niste breathed a sigh of relief when the 5♦ dropped on the river, which meant he doubled and Ruggeri was left short.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mihai Niste	17,000,000 10,200,000	10,200,000
Umberto Ruggeri	3,000,000 10,500,000	10,500,000

Tags: Mihai Niste Umberto Ruggeri

01-26-2025 17:27 UTC+2

Ruggeri Survives

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mario Colavita raised from the button to 1,500,000 and Umberto Ruggeri shoved 2,400,000 from the big blind. Colavita called.

Umberto Ruggeri: J♣9♣ All in
Mario Colavita: A♣J♠

Ruggeri was in a sticky situation, but did pick up some more equity on the 6♣5♥5♣ flop as he gained a flush draw. A 7♣ on the turn completed his flush, but Colavita did have a redraw to a bigger flush. However, the 7♠ wasn't a club, and Ruggeri doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	15,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Umberto Ruggeri	5,400,000 2,400,000	2,400,000

Tags: Mario Colavita Umberto Ruggeri

01-26-2025 17:33 UTC+2

Ryan Mandara Eliminated in 7th Place ($63,200)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Ryan Mandara made it 2,650,000 from middle position and Muhtar Taysi called in the cutoff.

They saw a flop of 6♦4♥6♠, where Mandara shoved for 3,500,000, and Taysi called.

Ryan Mandara: 2♥2♦ All in
Muhtar Taysi: A♠J♣

Mandara was ahead with his ducks and just needed to fade two cards to secure a crucial double-up. A 9♠ on the turn did give Taysi a few more counterfeit outs, but Mandara was still the favorite to win the pot.

However, the 4♦ on the river gave Taysi two pair with a better kicker, which ended Mandara's run in seventh.

Player	Chips	Progress
Muhtar Taysi	25,000,000 3,000,000	3,000,000
Ryan Mandara	Busted

Tags: Muhtar Taysi Ryan Mandara

01-26-2025 17:42 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Colavita	22,000,000 7,000,000	7,000,000
Muhtar Taysi	20,500,000 4,500,000	4,500,000
Mihai Niste	19,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Umberto Ruggeri	7,500,000 2,100,000	2,100,000
Alexander Sokolovsky	5,500,000 500,000	500,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	4,400,000 2,100,000	2,100,000