$3,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-23-2025 14:34 UTC+2

Selected Chip Counts

Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Edward Quinn	800,000 115,000	115,000

Philipp Wood	750,000 475,000	475,000
Zhen Chen	500,000 98,500	98,500

Andrey Pateychuk	400,000 30,000	30,000

Mario Fata	350,000 56,500	56,500
Dawid Smolka	325,000 22,000	22,000
Ryan Mandara	210,000 166,000	166,000

Jianfeng Sun	200,000 8,500	8,500
Shankui Li	150,000 70,000	70,000
Tom Verbruggen	110,000 241,000	241,000
Tobias Peters	100,000 53,500	53,500

Rudolf Fourie	80,000 98,500	98,500

01-23-2025 14:34 UTC+2

Ehsan Amiri

700,000 510,000

Table 25Seat 6

01-23-2025 14:42 UTC+2

Rodin Wins a Flip Against Biz

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

After three limps, Grigorii Rodin raised to 18,000 from the button. Alexandru Cinca three-bet out of he big blind to 42,000 which forced two of the limpers to fold, before Mustafa Biz, who limped the cutoff, back-jammed with a stack that covered Rodin and Cinca. Rodin committed his 100,000 into the middle, but Cinca folded.

Grigorii Rodin: Q♣Q♥ All in
Mustafa Biz: A♣K♠

Biz had limped behind two players with Big Slick and found himself in a race against Rodin's pocket queens. The board ran out 5♣10♠9♥8♣Q♠ to give Rodin the winner with a set of queens, earning him more than a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Grigorii Rodin	250,000 213,500	213,500
Mustafa Biz	180,000 216,500	216,500
Alexandru Cinca	100,000 55,500	55,500

Tags: Alexandru Cinca Grigorii Rodin Mustafa Biz

01-23-2025 14:45 UTC+2

Zavoloka Chipping Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

On a flop of 5♠6♠Q♥, there were around 20,000 chips in the pot when Mikhail Zavoloka checked from the big blind and a player in middle position fired out 5,000. Arian Kashani called on the button, then Zavoloka raised to 21,000. Middle position called, and Kashani folded.

A Q♦ paired the board on the turn and a bet of 40,000 from Zavoloka earned him the pot as his opponent folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arian Kashani	500,000 25,000	25,000
Mikhail Zavoloka	380,000 74,500	74,500

Tags: Arian Kashani Mikhail Zavoloka

01-23-2025 14:52 UTC+2

Hirs Takes From Shornikau

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Four-way to a flop of 9♥4♠3♣ with around 25,000 in the pot. Aliaksandr Hirs bet 10,000 from under-the-gun with only Maksim Shornikau calling from the button.

Hirs continued with a bet of 23,000 when the 10♠ fell on the turn. Shornikau called again.

The J♥ river caused both players to check and Hirs took down the pot with 7♣7♥ for just a pair of sevens.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	460,000 260,000	260,000
Maksim Shornikau	240,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Maksim Shornikau

01-23-2025 15:06 UTC+2

Lupuleac Wins a Crucial Flip

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Alexandru Lupuleac raised to 6,000 from early position before Antoine Labaky three-bet to 16.500 from middle position. When it folded back to Lupuleac he four-bet shoved with slightly more chips than Labaky. Labaky thought it over briefly before making the call for his remaining 100,000.

Antoine Labaky: Q♦Q♥ All in
Alexandru Lupuleac: A♥K♥

It was a race that would either eliminate Labaky or leave Lupuleac on fumes. The flop of K♦7♥3♦ propelled Lupuleac into the lead with a pair of kings. The 8♣ turn and 7♦ river didn't change anything, and all of Labaky's chips were sent over to Lupuleac.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexandru Lupuleac	210,000 7,500	7,500
Antoine Labaky	Busted

Tags: Alexandru Lupuleac Antoine Labaky

01-23-2025 15:10 UTC+2

Amiri's Stack Continues to Bleed

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Ehsan Amiri opened to 6,000 from under the and got a call from the hijack. Kemal Aslan also called on the button,.

They went to a flop of 9♣3♣K♠ where Amiri fired out 10,000, and only Aslan called.

When the K♦ landed on the turn, Amiri continued to fire with a bet of 22,000, and again Aslan stuck around.

On the J♣ river, there were around 80,000 chips in the pot when Amiri fired out 26,000. Aslan, after a lengthy pause, made a chunky raise to 137,000.

It was then Amiri's turn to go into the tank and he rechecked his cards several times while thinking, then ultimately decided on a call. Aslan showed a full house with J♥J♠, and Amiri initially mucked then showed his A♣A♥.

"You're a lucky guy," said Amiri. After peaking at around 1,200,000, Amiri's stack has been a downward trend since and now sits at around 540,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ehsan Amiri	540,000 160,000	160,000

Kemal Aslan	500,000 184,000	184,000

Tags: Ehsan Amiri Kemal Aslan

01-23-2025 15:12 UTC+2

Add PokerNews to Your Mobile Home Screen

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The PokerNews desktop and mobile browser websites are as feature-rich as ever, so our tech gurus have decided to call time on the PokerNews mobile app.

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01-23-2025 15:20 UTC+2

Daniliuk's River Bet Forces Kolev to Fold

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Andrei Daniliuk raised to 6,000 from under the gun and Yuliyan Kolev three-bet to 19,000 from the cutoff. After it folded back to Daniliuk he made the call.

The flop came down Q♣4♠J♥ and Daniliuk checked to Kolev, who put out a continuation-bet of 11,000. Daniliuk quickly called.

The two players checked the A♥ turn for the 8♥ to drop on the river. Daniliuk now took the betting lead by firing out for 40,000. Kolev took a few moments before eventually folding and forfeiting the pot to Daniliuk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrei Daniliuk	330,000 250,000	250,000
Yuliyan Kolev	300,000 87,000	87,000

Tags: Andrei Daniliuk Yuliyan Kolev

01-23-2025 15:23 UTC+2

Ghadamian Doubles Through Habib

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Kai Cocklin

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Livia Toderita raised from middle position and Emad Ghadamian three-bet the hijack to 18,000. Michel Habib then put in a cold four-bet from the small blind to 45,000, which got Toderita to fold, but Ghadamian called, leaving himself around 95,000 behind.

The monotone flop of 2♥3♥5♥ was spread across the table and Habib instantly bet enough to put Ghadamian all-in. After thinking it over, Ghadamian called.

Emad Ghadamian: A♠5♠ All in
Michel Habib: A♥Q♣

Ghadamian was ahead with his pair of fives, but had a lot of outs to dodge as Habib had a flush draw and an overcard he could hit. The 3♠ turn didn't change anything, and neither did the 7♠ river, which meant Ghadamian doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michel Habib	300,000
Emad Ghadamian	280,000

Tags: Emad Ghadamian Michel Habib