$3,300 Main Event Day 1b | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-21-2025 19:32 UTC+3

Death By Quads For Tulepbergenov

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Azamat Tulepbergenov had high hopes for a double-up when he five-bet shoved from the small blind for around 80,000, and got a call from Razvan Sabau on the button.

Azamat Tulepbergenov: A♥A♠ All in
Razvan Sabau : K♠K♣

Unfortunately for Tulepbergenov, the flop of K♥K♦5♥ all but sealed his fate as Sabau flopped quads! No running aces appeared on the 10♠J♥ runout, and Tulepbergenov was sent to the rail.

What a brutal way to go.

Player	Chips	Progress
Razvan Sabau	170,000 170,000	170,000
Azamat Tulepbergenov	Busted

Tags: Azamat Tulepbergenov Razvan Sabau

01-21-2025 19:24 UTC+3

Tishkevich Gets the Better of Zheng Again

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

It's not been a good few minutes for Xiaosheng Zheng, who has sent over the majority of his stack to Stanislav Tishkevich.

On a board of 6♣Q♦3♦9♥K♠, there were around 40,000 chips in the pot when Tishkevich checked the river and Zheng bet 27,000, leaving himself around 20,000 behind. Tishkevich then shoved, and after a long time in the tank, Zheng elected to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stanislav Tishkevich	250,000 45,000	45,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	20,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Stanislav Tishkevich Xiaosheng Zheng

01-21-2025 19:20 UTC+3

Zheng Five-Bets Into Kings

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Stanislav Tishkevich opened hijack to 3,500 and Xiaosheng Zheng three-bet from the small blind to 14,000. Tishkevich then made a four-bet to 30,000, and Zheng moved all in. Tishkevich quickly called for his full stack of around 100,000.

Stanislav Tishkevich: K♦K♥ All in
Xiaosheng Zheng: K♠Q♣

Zheng was in a a less-than-ideal situation, but did flop some hope when he paired his queen on Q♥5♦4♠. However, neither the 9♦ turn nor 4♣ river could earn him the pot, and Tishkevich doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stanislav Tishkevich	205,000 205,000	205,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	60,000 110,000	110,000

Tags: Stanislav Tishkevich Xiaosheng Zheng

01-21-2025 19:08 UTC+3

Houayek Collects the Last of Skarparis' Stack

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Georgios Skarparis had shipped his stack of around 50,000 into the middle from the small blind and was put at risk by Joseph Houayek.

Georgios Skarparis: A♠9♥ All in
Joseph Houayek: A♦Q♦

Skarparis had started Day 1b well and more than doubled his stack, but couldn't get anything going and was eliminated when the 2♣5♠K♦J♣J♥ runout hit the felt.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Houayek	170,000 80,000	80,000
Georgios Skarparis	Busted

Tags: Georgios Skarparis Joseph Houayek

01-21-2025 19:05 UTC+3

Ehsan Amiri

342,000 46,000

01-21-2025 18:58 UTC+3

Halil Snap-Calls Chen's Bluff

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

On a flop of 4♣J♣8♦, there were already around 50,000 chips in the pot when Zhen Chen checked from the small blind, as did a player in middle position. Hassan Halil was on the button and made it 8,000, which both of his opponents called.

All three checked the 4♦ turn to the 9♥ river, where the action checked to Halil, who fired out 25,000. Chen thought for a while before he made a huge raise to 200,000, which got the player in middle position to fold. However, Halil snap-called for his stack of around 60,000.

Chen showed 10♥10♠, but Halil was never folding his 9♠9♣ as he rivered a set.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hassan Halil	220,000 115,000	115,000
Zhen Chen	150,000 150,000	150,000

Tags: Hassan Halil Zhen Chen

01-21-2025 18:49 UTC+3

Habib Check-Raises Ketzer

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

With around 30,000 chips in the pot on a 3♦9♣J♣J♠7♣ board, Walid Bou Habib checked it over from the small blind and Felipe Ketzer put out a small bet of 6,000.

Habib then put in a check-raise to 15,500, and after rechecking his cards, Ketzer decided to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Walid Bou Habib	180,000 180,000	180,000
Felipe Ketzer	100,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Felipe Ketzer Walid Bou Habib

01-21-2025 18:35 UTC+3

Selected Chip Counts

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Hassan Sey	280,000 5,000	5,000
Dmitry Gromov	250,000

Sergei Varnaev	230,000 30,000	30,000
Philip Joyce	200,000 200,000	200,000
Xiaosheng Zheng	170,000 30,000	30,000

Fabio Peluso	160,000 90,000	90,000

Adrian State	160,000 160,000	160,000
Nichan Khorchidian	140,000 140,000	140,000
Felipe Ketzer	120,000 120,000	120,000
Tom Verbruggen	100,000 30,000	30,000
Daniel Charlton	90,000 40,000	40,000