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

01-21-2025 20:39 UTC+2

Sibgatova Fades Foggin's Combo Draw

Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

On a flop of 3♣7♥6♣ with around 65,000 in the pot, the small blind checked and Alisa Sibgatova fired out 55,000. Marc Foggin then put in a raise that covered both of his opponents, which got the small blind to fold. Sibgatova, however, made the call for her stack of just over 90,000.

Alisa Sibgatova: 9♥9♦ All in
Marc Foggin: 10♣8♣

Foggin had a huge draw and an overcard he could hit, but couldn't find it on the 5♥ turn. Sibgatova only needed to fade one more card to earn herself a double-up, and managed to do it as the 2♥ river was a brick.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alisa Sibgatova	240,000 70,000	70,000
Marc Foggin	110,000 130,000	130,000

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Marc Foggin

01-21-2025 20:48 UTC+2

Charlton Gets One Back From Habib

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

With 11,000 in the pot on a J♣7♦3♦ flop, Walid Bou Habib checked from the big blind and Daniel Charlton fired out 7,000 on the button. Habib called.

On the 5♠ turn, Habib checked again and then folded after Charlton fired out 20,000. The game of getting the dealer to show a card was still going on and Charlton's 9♦ was exposed as he dragged the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Walid Bou Habib	270,000
Daniel Charlton	100,000

Tags: Daniel Charlton Walid Bou Habib

01-21-2025 20:51 UTC+2

Break Time

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Players are heading on their final 15-minute break of the night.

When they return, one more level will be played before they bag up for the evening.

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/2,500

Ante: 2,500

01-21-2025 21:06 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts at the Last Break

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ehsan Amiri	912,000

Philip Joyce	580,000 30,000	30,000
Dmitry Gromov	570,000 320,000	320,000

Kirill Shcherbakov	475,000 175,000	175,000
Lyudmil Ivanov	450,000 150,000	150,000
Zhen Chen	420,000 5,000	5,000

Michel Habib	400,000 400,000	400,000
Mustafa Biz	400,000
Charbel Salloum	375,000
Andrey Litvinov	350,000 200,000	200,000
Milad Souderjani	340,000 340,000	340,000
Wim Verhaegen	325,000 55,000	55,000

Hassan Sey	325,000 45,000	45,000
Milad Langar	300,000
Joseph Houayek	300,000 130,000	130,000
Walid Bou Habib	275,000 5,000	5,000

01-21-2025 21:14 UTC+2

Hellmuth’s New Sponsorship & Ausmus Dominates PGT | PokerNews Podcast #874

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

In the 874th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Mike Holtz talk about Phil Hellmuth's new poker sponsorship with Bet Rivers. That means he joins a team that includes another Phil in Phil Galfond.

They then look at some in the poker world impacted by the fires in Los Angeles, an 11-way chop in a massive event at Minnesota's Canterbury Park, and how "Crazy" Carl Carodenuto got the best of it. Other stories covered include Jeremy Ausmus winning both the 2024 PokerGO Tour Player of the Year and the $1,000,000 PGT Championship, Shannon Shorr and Martin Zamani claiming PGT Last Chance titles, and Vanessa Rousso making a rare appearance in the poker world.

Chad then sits down for a one-on-one talk with Joris Dekker, the creator of a new, high-end luxury coffee-table book — The Las Vegas Book — that has captured the history and elegance of Sin City. Find out how it came to be, what it took to bring it to life, and some fun stories along the way.

Finally, it's your final opportunity to win your way to Las Vegas as part of the "Vegas Vacation Sweepstakes" being held by the WSOP Free-to-Play App.

The podcast is sponsored by the #1 free-to-play WSOP app. Remember to use bonus code "POKERNEWS" if you download and play for an extra 1,000,000 in chips!

A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Friday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Listen to the New PokerNews Podcast Here!

01-21-2025 21:21 UTC+2

Sahyoun Triples Through Amiri and State

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

On a flop of 9♦9♣8♣, Fares Sahyoun checked from the big blind and Ehsan Amiri fired out 7,000 from the hijack. Adrian State called on the button, and Sahyoun also called.

They saw the 4♥ land on the turn and again Sahyoun checked, then Amiri put out a chunky bet of 50,000. State called, then Sahyoun shoved for around 85,000. Both Amiri and State called.

A 6♠ completed the board and Amiri put out a bet of 50,000, which got a quick fold out of State.

Amiri then showed trips with J♣9♥, but Sahyoun had a boat holding 8♠8♦ to scoop the pot and triple up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ehsan Amiri	810,000 102,000	102,000

Fares Sahyoun	280,000 175,000	175,000
Adrian State	130,000 130,000	130,000

Tags: Adrian State Ehsan Amiri Fares Sahyoun

01-21-2025 21:33 UTC+2

Habib Stacks Duta in the Last Level

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Florian Duta was seen walking away from his table and all his 100,000-chip stack was being pushed in Walid Bou Habib's direction.

The full board read 10♥Q♠4♣4♦3♥ and Duta's K♠J♠ missed an open-ended straight draw, which meant Habib's A♠A♣ was more than enough to scoop in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Walid Bou Habib	370,000 95,000	95,000
Florian Duta	Busted

Tags: Florian Duta Walid Bou Habib

01-21-2025 21:45 UTC+2

Amiri Checks Back Top Set

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Kai Cocklin

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

On a board of 8♣4♣J♠3♦, there were already around 80,000 chips in the pot when Lyudmil Ivanov checked from the small blind and Ehsan Amiri fired 42,000 out of the big blind. Ivanov called.

Ivanov tapped the table when the 6♣ landed on the river, then Amiri went into the tank for a while. After some time, he checked back.

Ivanov then revealed 9♥9♣, but Amiri checked back top set with J♦J♣ to take the pot.