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

01-19-2025 21:48 UTC+2

Achour Makes the Correct Hero Call to Leave Arda on Fumes

Tim Baker

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

With around 400,000 in the middle on a board of 10♣6♥9♣9♦2♣, Ozgur Arda bet 370,000 out of the big blind with just 30,000 behind. Maher Achour went deep into the tank, thinking for a few minutes before he eventually carved out the call.

Arda turned over J♥7♦ for just jack-high. Achour flipped over ace-high with A♠4♠ to take down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	3,700,000 1,250,000	1,250,000
Ozgur Arda	30,000 470,000	470,000

Tags: Maher Achour Ozgur Arda

01-19-2025 21:56 UTC+2

Ozgur Arda Eliminated in 13th Place ($11,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Ozgur Arda committed his last 30,000 into the middle from the cutoff and Maher Achour made the call to try and bust him.

Ozgur Arda: Q♣2♠ All in
Maher Achour: K♣Q♦

Arda was dominated and couldn't find any help on the 4♥9♣7♣9♥4♠ runout, meaning he was headed to the cashier's desk in thirteenth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	3,800,000 100,000	100,000
Ozgur Arda	Busted

Tags: Maher Achour Ozgur Arda

Level: 24

Blinds: 25,000/50,000

Ante: 50,000

01-19-2025 22:09 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts From Table #2

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Tim Baker

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	3,900,000 100,000	100,000
Dmitry Gromov	1,800,000 475,000	475,000

Maxime Chilaud	1,400,000 400,000	400,000
Bogdan Jontulovic	1,200,000 750,000	750,000
Xin Tang	1,000,000 200,000	200,000
Mehmet Demirkol	750,000 230,000	230,000

01-19-2025 22:20 UTC+2

Chilaud Puts Jontulovic to the Test

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Tim Baker

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Heads-up to a turn of a board that read 6♥K♠K♣6♠. Bogdan Jontulovic checked from the small blind and Maxime Chilaud bet 170,000 from the big blind. Jontulovic called.

The river came the 3♣ and Jontulovic checked to Chilaud again. Chilaud shoved for Jontulovic's remaining 650,000, and after going through two of his time extension cards, Jontulovic folded his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Chilaud	1,700,000 300,000	300,000
Bogdan Jontulovic	650,000 550,000	550,000

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Maxime Chilaud

01-19-2025 22:33 UTC+2

Jontulovic Stays Alive With a Double Up

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Tim Baker

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Maher Achour raised to 105,000 under the gun and Bogdan Jontulovic shoved for 515,000 from the small blind. Achour thought it over for a few moments before making the call.

Bogdan Jontulovic: K♥Q♦ All in
Maher Achour: K♣J♦

Jontulovic was in a prime position to double-up. The flop of Q♥4♠3♦ put him firmly in the lead with top pair. The 10♥ turn gave Achour a straight draw, but the 10♦ didn't help Achour and Jontulovic doubled up with a pair of queens.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maher Achour	2,500,000 1,400,000	1,400,000
Bogdan Jontulovic	1,100,000 450,000	450,000

Tags: Bogdan Jontulovic Maher Achour

01-19-2025 22:36 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts From Table #1

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Tim Baker

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	2,600,000 250,000	250,000
Ludovic Uzan	1,900,000 700,000	700,000
Lyudmil Ivanov	1,750,000 625,000	625,000

Aliaksandr Hirs	575,000 405,000	405,000
Hala Karam	550,000 50,000	50,000
Sachin Joshi	425,000 265,000	265,000

Level: 25

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 60,000

01-19-2025 22:54 UTC+2

Aliaksandr Hirs Eliminated in 12th Place ($14,000)

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Tim Baker

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Lyudmil Ivanov raised to 120,000 from the hijack and Aliaksandr Hirs defended his big blind.

The two players checked the 10♠4♣7♠ flop to see the A♦ hit the turn. Hirs checked again and Ivanov bet 135,000. Hirs called.

Hirs checked again when the 3♦ fell on the river and Ivanov bet enough to put him all in. The bet was for Hirs' remaining 390,000 and after burning through a few of his time bank cards, Hirs called.

Aliaksandr Hirs; K♦10♥ All in
Lyudmil Ivanov: A♣Q♠

Hirs had a pair of tens but was second best to the turned pair of aces for Ivanov. The pot was pushed over to Ivanov and Hirs was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lyudmil Ivanov	2,300,000 550,000	550,000

Aliaksandr Hirs	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Lyudmil Ivanov

01-19-2025 23:09 UTC+2

Joshi Doubles Through Varnaev

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Tim Baker

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Sergei Varnaev raised the button to 120,000, and Sachin Joshi shoved for 465,00 out of the big blind. Varnaev thought it over before making the call.

Sachin Joshi: A♦4♥ All in
Sergei Varnaev: K♦9♣

Joshi was the shortest stack in the tournament and had found a good spot to double-up. The runout of A♥8♥5♦Q♥6♣ offered no sweat for Joshi as he flopped top pair and had Varnaev drawing dead by the turn. Joshi doubled up and still eleven players remained.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergei Varnaev	1,500,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Sachin Joshi	1,000,000 575,000	575,000

Tags: Sachin Joshi Sergei Varnaev