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

01-24-2025 18:14 UTC+2

More Bustouts

Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Fata	Busted
Ehsan Amiri	Busted

Dawid Smolka	Busted
Maxime Chilaud	Busted
Muhammed Hakim	Busted
Ruslan Bakhtiev	Busted
Aliaksei Boika	Busted

Ihar Soika	Busted
Stanislav Tishkevich	Busted
Michel Habib	Busted
Marco Leonzio	Busted
Tobias Peters	Busted

Ran Ilani	Busted
Ali El-Siblani	Busted
Zhen Chen	Busted

01-24-2025 18:14 UTC+2

Supreme Count Attorney a Secret High-Stakes Poker Player? | PokerNews Podcast #875

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Chad Holloway

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

In the 875th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which has been nominated for 'Podcast of the Year' at the Global Poker Awards, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Mike Holtz dive into the wild story of a Supreme Court attorney who is in hot water over poker taxes. What makes the tale of Tom Goldstein so interesting is that the sums he played for were astronomical with him having reportedly won $50 million only to lose it all plus another $14 million.

While his name might not be familiar to the poker masses, you may have either heard about or seen him before as he was written about in The Setup, which was written by his friend Dan Bilzerian, and he also appeared on the Hustler Casino Live (HCL) $1,000,000 Cash Game last year as the mysterious, masked "Thomas" where he mucked the winning hand at showdown in a pot worth $540,000!

The crew then chat about Leon Tsoukernik awakening from a 40-hour coma after a Propofol overdose, with his future very much up in the air. They also get into a bad poker promotion that almost ran at a Las Vegas casino on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, highlight the upcoming 2025 Leaf Metal Poker trading card set, and discuss popular ARIA dealer Clyde “Snack Attack” Gaskins appearing on Netflix's Queer Eye.

Finally, they wrap things up by recapping some big winners including Pamela Belote setting the new women's record for most WSOP Circuit rings, Martins Adeniya taking down the 2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship, and Andrew Lichtenberger defeating Nick Schulman in the latest PGT event.

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!

01-24-2025 18:14 UTC+2

Gromov With the Bullets

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Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

With the board showing 10♠3♥J♥6♦7♦ and with roughly 400,000 in he middle, Motokatsu Uhara checked from the big blind and Dmitry Gromov bet 300,000 from the button.

Uhara thought it over for quite some time before making the call. Gromov flipped over A♥A♦ for a pair of aces and Uhara mucked his cards. With that pot, Gromov moved over the four million chip mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Gromov	4,200,000 250,000	250,000

Motokatsu Uhara	350,000 450,000	450,000

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Motokatsu Uhara

Level: 23

Blinds: 15,000/25,000

Ante: 25,000

01-24-2025 18:27 UTC+2

Gadzhiev Stays Alive with Pocket Fives

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Tim Baker

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♣ All in
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
Adrian State	2,600,000 700,000	700,000
Roman Gadzhiev	600,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Adrian State Roman Gadzhiev

01-24-2025 18:31 UTC+2

Kashani Cracks Two Million

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Kai Cocklin

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
Arian Kashani	2,300,000 400,000	400,000
Ionut-Alexandru Moldovan	1,100,000 400,000	400,000

Tags: Arian Kashani Ionut-Alexandru Moldovan

01-24-2025 18:36 UTC+2

Skarparis' Straight Eliminates Golan

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Kai Cocklin

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♠ All in
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
Georgios Skarparis	1,750,000 50,000	50,000

Navot Golan	Busted

Tags: Georgios Skarparis Navot Golan

01-24-2025 18:42 UTC+2

Kamel Takes From Ruggeri

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Tim Baker

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
Tamer Kamel	2,200,000 600,000	600,000
Umberto Ruggeri	1,000,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Tamer Kamel Umberto Ruggeri

01-24-2025 18:49 UTC+2

Jreige Quadruples Up

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Kai Cocklin

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♥ All in
Joseph Chemaly: A♥J♣ All in
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
Nichan Khorchidian	1,200,000 600,000	600,000
Joseph Chemaly	800,000 20,000	20,000
Marwan Salamoun	700,000 406,000	406,000
Pierre Jreige	670,000 372,000	372,000

Tags: Joseph Chemaly Marwan Salamoun Nichan Khorchidian Pierre Jreige

01-24-2025 18:57 UTC+2

Aksu Doulbes Through Gromov

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Tim Baker

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♠ All in
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
Dmitry Gromov	5,400,000 1,200,000	1,200,000

Osman Aksu	950,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Osman Aksu Dmitry Gromov