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

01-24-2025 16:11 UTC+2

States Relentless Aggression

Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Adrian State raised to 30,000 from early position and Lyudmil Ivanov three-bet to 75,000 from a few seats over. After the blinds folded, State called.

The flop came down A♠3♠5♦ and State check-called a bet of 40,000 from Ivanov.

The two players checked the 2♦ turn to see the 5♥ hit the river. State looked over at Ivanov's remaining 250,000 before he shoved to put Ivanov all in. Ivanov quickly folded, and State pulled in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	900,000 120,000	120,000
Lyudmil Ivanov	250,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Adrian State Lyudmil Ivanov

01-24-2025 15:58 UTC+2

State Six-Bet Shoves Into Ketzer's Aces

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Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

On the direct bubble, Adrian State raised to 30,000 before Felipe Ketzer three-bet to 55,000. State four-bet to 80,000 and Ketzer five-bet to 105,000 with 75,000 behind. State six-bet shoved to put Ketzer all in, and Ketzer called.

Felipe Ketzer: A♠A♦ All in
Adrian State: A♣K♥

Ketzer was in the perfect spot to double up unless a very unfortunate runout came.

The flop of Q♠2♠Q♦ was great for Ketzer's aces as he could only lose to running cards. The 6♥ turn meant State was drawing dead, as an inconsequential K♦ landed on the river, cementing the double up for Ketzer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	780,000 380,000	380,000
Felipe Ketzer	400,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Adrian State Felipe Ketzer

01-24-2025 15:45 UTC+2

Hand-For-Hand

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Play is now hand-for-hand on the bubble of the Main Event!

01-24-2025 15:45 UTC+2

Boat Over Boat Goes Against Neagoe

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Another big hand played out on the bubble between Darius Neagoe and Andrey Litvinov.

Litvinov recalled that he opened the cutoff and Neagoe defended his big blind.

They went to a flop of 8♠10♠A♣ where Neagoe check-called a bet of 25,000 from Litvinov to the J♥ turn, where again Neagoe went into check-call mode when Litvinov fired 75,000.

When the J♦ landed on the river, Neagoe checked again and Litvinov fired 160,000. Neagoe then shoved, and Litvinov snap-called for his stack of around 750,000.

Neagoe showed J♣10x for a full house, but Litvinov held A♦J♠ for a bigger boat to scoop the pot!

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrey Litvinov	1,750,000 1,394,000	1,394,000
Darius Neagoe	400,000 168,000	168,000

Tags: Andrey Litvinov Darius Neagoe

01-24-2025 15:44 UTC+2

Vaskaboinikau Busts to Yagmaie's Higher Flush

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Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Naryman Yaghmaie raised to 30,000 from the cutoff and Mikalai Vaskaboinikau defended out of the big blind.

After Vaskaboinikau checked the Q♦3♣6♦ flop, Yagmaie bet 25,000. Vaskaboinikau shoved for roughly 120,000 and Yaghmaei called.

Mikalai Vaskaboinikau: 9♦8♦ All in
Naryman Yaghmaie: A♦6♥

Vaskaboinikau had a flush draw against the ace-high of Yaghmaie. The turn came the 5♦ to give Vaskaboinikau the flush, but Yaghmaie had a redraw to a higher flush. The river was the 3♦ which gave Yaghmaie the best hand with the ace-high flush, sending Vaskaboinikau to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Naryman Yaghmaie	850,000 270,000	270,000
Mikalai Vaskaboinikau	Busted

Tags: Mikalai Vaskaboinikau Naryman Yaghmaie

01-24-2025 15:36 UTC+2

Joyce Spikes an Ace Against Skanis' Cowboys

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Philip Joyce risked it all on the bubble and it paid off!

Sergei Varnaev started with a raise from early position and Joyce called on the button, before Renars Skanis three-bet the small blind to 150,000. Varnaev called the 150,000, then Joyce made it 500,000, leaving himself around 150,000 behind. Skanis then shoved, Varnaev folded, and Joyce — after taking a peek at the clock — called.

Philip Joyce: A♣K♣ All in
Renars Skanis: KxKx

It wasn't looking good for Joyce...until an ace dropped on the turn to give him the pot and keep him alive!

Player	Chips	Progress
Philip Joyce	1,500,000 600,000	600,000
Renars Skanis	1,100,000 380,000	380,000

Sergei Varnaev	1,000,000

Tags: Philip Joyce Renars Skanis Sergei Varnaev

01-24-2025 15:33 UTC+2

Molenaar Spikes an Ace to Bust Peluso Just Before the Money

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Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

When it folded to Fabio Peluso on the button he raised to 30,000 with roughly 170,000 behind. Michel Molenaar three-bet to 135,000 from the small blind, and after the big blind folded, Peluso shoved for his remaining chips. Molenaar called to put Peluso at risk of elimination.

Fabio Peluso: K♠K♦ All in
Michel Molenaar: A♥4♥

Peluso was in a great spot to double up right on the right bubble, but he had to avoid an ace or some hearts to do so.

The flop of A♠6♦3♣ was devastating for Peluso as Molenaar took a commanding lead with a pair of aces. The 8♥ hit the turn, which meant Peluso needed to find one of the two remaining kings in the deck to stay alive. The river was the 3♠ and Peluso was sent to the rail empty-handed.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michel Molenaar	500,000
Fabio Peluso	Busted

Tags: Fabio Peluso Michel Molenaar

01-24-2025 15:24 UTC+2

Gromov's Ducks Hold On to Bust Aslan

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Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Dmitry Gromov opened from the cutoff and Kemal Aslan shoved for around 230,000 out of the big blind. Gromov thought for some time before he flicked in the call.

Kemal Aslan: A♦J♦ All in
Dmitry Gromov: 2♣2♦

Aslan was flipping for his tournament life and was only four spots away from a payday of at least $4,450.

The flop of K♥3♣Q♠ improved Aslan to a Broadway draw, and the K♣ turn gave him even more outs as if they board paired, he would scoop the pot by counterfeiting Gromov's deuces. Instead, the 7♥ rolled off, and Aslan was sent on his way.