$5,300 High Roller | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-20-2025 16:38 UTC+2

Lyudmil Ivanov Eliminated in 2nd Place ($134,000)

Tim Baker

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

On the first hand of heads-up, Sergei Varnaev shoved from the button and Lyudmil Ivanov called for his remaining 2,250,000 out of the big blind.

Lyudmil Ivanov; A♥2♥ All in
Sergei Varnaev: J♠10♥

Varnaev had a chance to take it down right now if he could spike a ten or a jack on the runout.

The flop came down 4♣10♠5♣ which put Varnaev ahead with top pair, though Ivanov did have a gutshot straight draw and an ace that he could hit. The 10♣ turn meant he was one card away from winning the tournament.

The river was the 6♥ and Ivanov was out in second, while Varnaev was the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series High Roller Champion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	17,400,000 2,450,000	2,450,000
Lyudmil Ivanov	Busted

Tags: Lyudmil Ivanov Sergei Varnaev

01-20-2025 16:31 UTC+2

Maxime Chilaud Eliminated in 3rd Place ($89,900)

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Tim Baker

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Maxime Chilaud shoved from the small blind for 2,825,000 and Sergei Varnaev called out of the big blind to put him at risk.

Maxime Chilaud: K♠J♦ All in
Sergei Varnaev: Q♠9♠

Chilaud was ahead but Varnaev had two live cards and had been running hot this level. The flop of 9♦2♣A♦ put Varnaev in the lead with a pair of nines. The Q♥ turn gave him two pair and could only lose to a ten on the river to give Chilaud a straight. The river came the 8♦ and Chilaud was out in third.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	14,950,000 3,550,000	3,550,000
Maxime Chilaud	Busted

Tags: Maxime Chilaud Sergei Varnaev

01-20-2025 16:12 UTC+2

Maher Achour Eliminated in 4th Place ($65,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Maher Achour shoved for 1,200,000 from the cutoff and Sergei Varnaev snap-called out of the big blind.

Maher Achour: 10♦9♠ All in
Sergei Varnaev: A♥J♥

Achour would need to come from behind if he wanted to make it to a podium finish in the tournament. The flop came 8♦9♦3♦ to put Achour ahead with a pair of nines. However, the J♣ turn put Varnaev back in the lead with a pair of jacks. The 4♠ hit the river and the pot was pushed to Varnaev, while Achour was out in fourth.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	8,000,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Maher Achour	Busted

Tags: Maher Achour Sergei Varnaev

01-20-2025 16:08 UTC+2

Bogdan Jontulovic Eliminated in 5th Place ($50,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Sergei Varnaev rasiesd to 400,000 from the hijack and Bogdan Jontulovic defended his big blind.

The flop fell J♥3♥J♦ and Jontulovic checked to Varnaev. Varnaev bet 275,000 and was met by a check-raise to 550,000 from Jontulovic. Jontulovic only had 600,000 behind and after a few moments, Varnaev shoved to put Jontulovic all in. Jontulovic called.

Bogdan Jontulovic: 6♥5♥ All in
Sergei Varnaev: K♦K♥

Varanev was ahead with Cowboys but Jontulovic had a flush draw. The A♠ on the turn meant Jontulovic was one card away from elimination. The 7♦ hit the river and Jontulovic was out in fifth.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	6,900,000 1,300,000	1,300,000
Bogdan Jontulovic	Busted

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Sergei Varnaev

01-20-2025 14:46 UTC+2

Mehmet Demirkol Eliminated in 6th Place ($39,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Bogdan Jontulovic opened to 240,000 under the gun and Mehmet Demirkol called from the big blind with 295,000 behind.

When the flop came down 6♠7♣Q♠ Demirkol slid his 295,000 across the line and Jontulovic beat him into the pot.

Mehmet Demirkol: 2♠2♥ All in
Bogdan Jontulovic: 6♥6♦

Demirkol was way behind with deuces to the flopped set of Jontulovic and could only win with running cards. The 7♦ turn left Demirkol drawing dead to the boat of Jontulovic as an inconsequential K♠ landed on the river.

Demirkol managed to ladder up a few spots on the pay ladder but headed to the cashier's desk to collect his sixth-place payout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bogdan Jontulovic	3,600,000 600,000	600,000
Mehmet Demirkol	Busted

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Mehmet Demirkol

01-20-2025 14:23 UTC+2

Ludovic Uzan Eliminated in 7th Place ($30,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Bogdan Jontulovic min-raised the cutoff to 200,000 before Ludovic Uzan three-bet shoved from the big blind for 1,015,000 total. Jontulovic instantly called.

Ludovic Uzan: 10♣9♣ All in
Bogdan Jontulovic: A♣Q♥

Uzan had to find help from the dealer to stay alive. The board ran out Q♠7♦6♥Q♦2♠ to give Jontulovic the winner with trips, while Uzan had just ten-high and would to have settle for a seventh-place finish at this final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bogdan Jontulovic	3,480,000 580,000	580,000
Ludovic Uzan	Busted

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Ludovic Uzan

01-20-2025 14:17 UTC+2

Sachin Joshi Elimianted in 8th Place ($23,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Lyudmil Ivanov raised to 225,000 from early position and Sachin Joshi defended his big blind with 355,000 behind.

When the flop fell 7♥7♣8♣ Joshi jammed his 355,00 into the middle and Ivanov called to put him at risk.

Sachin Joshi: J♥9♥ All in
Lyudmil Ivanov: A♠2♠

Joshi had played the stop & go with two overcards and a gutshot straight draw. He couldn't find the help he needed on the 4♦ turn or A♣ river as Ivanov improved to a pair of aces. Joshi's stack was sent over to Ivanov and he was out in eighth.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lyudmil Ivanov	4,400,000 850,000	850,000

Sachin Joshi	Busted

Tags: Lyudmil Ivanov Sachin Joshi

01-20-2025 14:06 UTC+2

Xin Tang Eliminated in 9th Place ($18,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Xin Tang raised to 800,000 from early position with just 50,000 behind and Maxime Chilaud called on the button.

The flop came down 7♥6♠5♠ and Tang checked over to Chilaud. Chilaud put Tang all in, and Tang called for his final 50,000.

Xin Tang: A♥K♥ All in
Maxime Chilaud: A♠J♦

Tang had Chilaud dominated with the bigger ace and only an unfortunate turn or river would end his tournament. The Q♠ fell on the turn to give Chilaud a flush draw. The K♠ fell on the river to give Chilaud the winner with the nut flush. Chilaud pulled in the pot and Tang was the first eliminated at the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Chilaud	4,000,000 800,000	800,000
Xin Tang	Busted

Tags: Maxime Chilaud Xin Tang