Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Players are on their final 15-minute break.
2025 Merit Poker Western Series
$3,300 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 Merit Poker Western Series
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$2,183,160
Entries
791
Level
39
Blinds
500,000 / 1,000,000
Ante
1,000,000
Entries
157
Players Left
39
Players Left 1 / 791
Filter
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Ludovic Uzan got the last of his chips into the middle preflop from early position with Mihai Niste making the call from the button to try and bust him.
Ludovic Uzan: 6♦6♥ 
Mihai Niste: A♠J♥
Since the bubble burst, Uzan had been in survival mode. Now, he was in a race for his tournament life.
The runout of 5♦2♠J♠8♦Q♣ was great for Niste as he flopped a pair of jacks to secure the pot, and sent Uzan to the cashier's desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,800,000
1,150,000
|
1,150,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Xiaosheng Zheng raised the button to 50,000 and Lachezar Petkov defended out of the big blind.
The flop came down 7♣3♥4♥ and Petkov led out for 40,000. Zheng made the call.
The 3♣ turn checked through for the K♥ to land on the river. Petkov checked, and Zheng bet 160,000. Petkov rechecked his cards before tossing them in the muck, surrendering the pot to Zheng.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,300,000
706,000
|
706,000 |
|
||
|
1,200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
When it folded to Osman Aksu on the button he shoved for 435,000 with just the blinds to get through. The small blind folded, but Dmitry Gromov called from the big blind.
Osman Aksu: A♦J♠
Dmitry Gromov: A♥9♦
Aksu had Gromov dominated and would double up if he could fade a nine. The board ran out 7♥5♦10♠K♥A♣, which meant Aksu's jack-kicker would play, earning him the double up at Gromov's expense.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,400,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
||
|
950,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Marwan Salamoun opened from under the gun to 50,000 and Nichan Khorchidian called in the next seat. Joseph Chemaly called from the hijack, then Pierre Jreige shoved for 155,000 from the small blind. Salamoun and Khorchidian both called, then Chemaly shoved for around 650,000. Salamoun folded, but Khorchidian called to put two players at risk.
Pierre Jreige: A♦Q♥
Joseph Chemaly: A♥J♣
Nichan Khorchidian: A♠10♠
Jreige had the best of it and stayed in the lead through the 5♠9♦9♥ flop as his kicker played.
"Five or a ten," shouted Khorchidian, who was hoping to scoop the pot. However, neither the 4♦ turn nor A♣ river changed the outcome of the hand. Jreige quadrupled up, and Chemaly took the side pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,200,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
800,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
700,000
406,000
|
406,000 |
|
670,000
372,000
|
372,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Umberto Ruggeri raised to 50,000 from the hijack with only Tamer Kamel calling from the button.
The two players saw the dealer fan out a flop of 7♦7♥6♠. Ruggeri checked, and Kamel bet 30,000. Ruggeri check-raised to 155,000, which Kamel called.
Ruggeri continued the aggression on the 3♥ turn, firing out 235,000. Kamel called again.
When the 4♥ dropped on the river Ruggeri slowed down and checked. Kamel now bet out for 680,000, and after a few moments, Ruggeri let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,200,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
1,000,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
The action folded to Georgios Skarparis in the small blind, who made it 55,000 to go. Navot Golan in the big blind then three-bet to around 400,000, leaving himself just 20,000 behind. Skarparis shoved, and after a short tank to try and make a pay jump, Golan called.
Navot Golan: K♣Q♠
Georgios Skarparis: 6♥6♣
Golan was probably in better shape than he thought and just needed to win a flip to stay alive. However, the board of 3♣5♥A♠4♣7♣ ended up giving Skarparis a straight, which meant Golan was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,750,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Arian Kashani opened from the cutoff and Ionut-Alexandru Moldovan called from the big blind.
They went to a flop of 3♠9♥K♥ where Moldovan checked, Kashani bet 30,000, Moldovan raised to 110,000, and Kashani called.
On the 9♠ turn, Moldovan led out for a sizing of 220,000, and again Kashani stuck around to see the 5♣ land on the river. Both players quickly knuckled the table, and Moldovan showed Q♠4♠ for a busted turned flush draw. Kashani, though, held the winner as his 10♥10♠ was good for the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,300,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
1,100,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
Level 23
: Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Adrian State opened to 50,000 from late position, which was called by a player in the cutoff before Roman Gadzhiev three-bet to 200,000 with just 25,000 behind. State folded, but the middle position player called.
The middle position player bet enough to put Gadzhiev all in on the 10♦10♣9♣ flop. Gadzhiev called and the cards were revealed.
Roman Gadzhiev: 5♦5♣
Middle Position: K♠8♠
Gadzhiev was slightly ahead with his pocket fives. The rest of the board ran out 3♣3♠ to give Gadzhiev the winner with two fives, earning him the much-needed double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,600,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
600,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Level: 23
Blinds: 15,000/25,000
Ante: 25,000
