$5,300 High Roller Day 3 | 2025 Merit Poker Western Series

01-19-2025 20:17 UTC+2

Nemo Israel Eliminated in 20th Place ($9,000)

Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Nemo Israel had his stack of round 300,000 in the middle preflop, and was put at risk by Maxime Chilaud on his direct left.

Nemo Israel: K♦10♦ All in
Maxime Chilaud: K♥J♥

Israel was in a tough spot and it didn't get any better on the J♦A♥5♥ flop as Chilaud paired his jack and picked up a flush draw. It was all over on the 6♥ turn as Chilaud made his flush, with the meaningless K♣ dropping on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Chilaud	1,000,000 700,000	700,000
Nemo Israel	Busted

Tags: Maxime Chilaud Nemo Israel

01-19-2025 20:13 UTC+2

Mircea Flutur Eliminated in 21st Place ($9,000)

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

On a board of 6♠7♥J♣5♣A♠, Mircea Flutur had his chips in the middle with KxQx, but was unable to beat the hand of Dmitry Gromov, who had turned a straight with 9♦8♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dmitry Gromov	1,400,000 495,000	495,000

Mircea Flutur	Busted

Tags: Dmitry Gromov Mircea Flutur

01-19-2025 20:08 UTC+2

Ihar Soika Eliminated in 22nd Place ($9,000)

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Ihar Soika got the last of his chips in the middle preflop with Gaspare Sposato making the call to try and bust him.

Ihar Soika: Ax10x All in
Gaspare Sposato: A♦5♦

Soika looked poised to earn the much-needed double-up if he could fade a five or some diamonds.

The flop of A♣5♠J♠ was terrible for Soika as Sposato flopped two pair to take the lead. The K♠ turn offered Soika with a lot more outs to stay alive. However, the 8♣ on the river wasn't one of them and Soika was sent to the cashier's desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gaspare Sposato	1,050,000 325,000	325,000
Ihar Soika	Busted

Tags: Gaspare Sposato Ihar Soika

01-19-2025 20:00 UTC+2

Edward Quinn Eliminated in 23rd Place ($9,000)

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Edward Quinn raised from under the gun to 50,000 and Xin Tang three-bet to 140,000 on the button. Bogdan Jontulovic then made a four-bet to 230,000 out of the big blind, and Quinn shoved for 1,135,000. Tang quickly folded, and after some deliberation, Jontulovic called with a slighty covering stack.

Edward Quinn: A♠K♠ All in
Bogdan Jontulovic: Q♣Q♠

It was a huge flip between two of the top stacks in the tournament, and Quinn took a huge leap towards doubling up on the J♥A♥A♦ flop as he made trips. However, Jontulovic binked a full house on the Q♦ turn, which meant Quinn was again behind and needing help on the river.

Unfortunately for Quinn, the 7♠ river wasn't what he needed, and he was the first player heading to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bogdan Jontulovic	2,800,000 1,550,000	1,550,000
Xin Tang	325,000 275,000	275,000
Edward Quinn	Busted

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Edward Quinn Xin Tang

01-19-2025 19:51 UTC+2

Auzoux Bubbles the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series $5,300 High Roller

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Gregoire Auzoux raised to 50,000 under the gun and Maher Achour three-bet the small blind to 200,000. Auzoux instantly shoved for 705,000 and Achour snap-called.

Gregoire Auzoux: 10♠10♥ All in
Maher Achour: K♣K♦

Achour had just one big blind more than Auzoux and if his Cowboys could hold up, he would eliminate the overnight chip leader and send the remaining players into the money.

The flop of A♥2♥2♠ didn't change anything and Achour was still ahead with his pocket kings. The A♠ turn meant only a ten on the river would keep the tournament on the bubble. The river was the J♦ and the remaining players had all made the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	1,500,000 700,000	700,000
Gregoire Auzoux	Busted

Tags: Gregoire Auzoux Maher Achour

01-19-2025 18:36 UTC+2

Demirkol's Stack Continues to Grow

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

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

Kirill Shcherbakov shoved from under the gun for 265,000 and Mehmet Demirkol called him from the small blind with the covering stack.

Kirill Shcherbakov: K♣Q♠ All in
Mehmet Demirkol: 9♥9♠

A classic flip that was crucial for Shcherbakov. The board ran out 3♥J♠6♠5♦3♣ and Demirkol won the pot with pocket nines, busting Shcherbakov.

At another table, Nikolay Ponomarev and Michel Molenaar were seen exiting the tournament and were eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mehmet Demirkol	1,450,000 300,000	300,000
Kirill Shcherbakov	Busted
Nikolay Ponomarev	Busted
Michel Molenaar	Busted

Tags: Kirill Shcherbakov Mehmet Demirkol Nikolay Ponomarev

01-19-2025 18:31 UTC+2

Auzoux Busts Thiriat

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

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

Arthur Thiriart raised to 40,000 under the gun before Gregoire Auzoux three-bet to 90,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Thiriart he shoved for roughly 400,000. Auzoux snap-called.

Arthur Thiriart: 10♠10♥ All in
Gregoire Auzoux: J♠J♥

Auzoux had Thiriart pipped by one and looked likely to be sending him to the rail. A clean runout of 7♥3♦5♥K♥8♠ meant Auzoux's jacks would hold up and all of Thiriart's chips were sent over to him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gregoire Auzoux	1,400,000 580,000	580,000

Arthur Thiriart	Busted

Tags: Arthur Thiriat Gregoire Auzoux

01-19-2025 17:37 UTC+2

Arda's Ladies Send Marsh Home

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

Level 19 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Ozgur Arda opened with ha min-raise from the hijack to 24,000 and Luke Marsh three-bet shoved four roughly 300,000 out of the mall blind. Arda snap-called.

Luke Marsh: A♠J♠ All in
Ozgur Arda: Q♣Q♦

Marsh needed to find an ace or some spades to survive. However, the runout of 8♥5♦2♠7♦J♦ kept Arda's ladies ahead the whole way, sending Marsh out of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ozgur Arda	1,150,000 795,000	795,000
Luke Marsh	Busted

Tags: Luke Marsh Ozgur Arda

01-19-2025 17:27 UTC+2

A Few More Eliminations

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Umberto Ruggeri	Busted
Mikhail Zavoloka	Busted
Natan Chauskin	Busted

01-19-2025 17:07 UTC+2

Sposato Finds a Queen to Bust Sibgatova

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Sachin Joshi opened to 24,000 from early position with Gaspare Sposato calling out of the small blind before Alisa Sibgatova squeezed all in for 98,000 grom the big blind. Joshi folded, but Sposato reluctantly called.

Alisa Sibgatova: A♦J♦ All in
Gaspare Sposato: Q♥10♥

Sibgatova was ahead, but Sposato had live cards that he could hit to end her tournament. The flop of 5♦Q♦7♣ put Sposato in the lead with a pair of queens, though Sibgatova had a flush draw. The rest of the board ran out K♥3♠ and Sibgatova was out of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gaspare Sposato	900,000 399,000	399,000
Sachin Joshi	620,000 120,000	120,000
Alisa Sibgatova	Busted

Tags: Alisa Sibgatova Gaspare Sposato Sachin Joshi