2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$2,200 NL Warmup
Day: 4
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k4
Prize
$206,800
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$1,124,240
Entries
611
Level Info
Level
38
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Players Info - Day 4
Entries
21
Players Left
1

$2,200 NL Warmup

Day 4 Completed

Arie Kliper Has an Anniversary to Remember at the Merit Poker Carmen Series $2,200 Warmup

Level 38 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Arie Kliper
Arie Kliper

The day was already promising to be a special one for Arie Kliper and his family.

Kliper and his wife were celebrating their wedding anniversary, and Merit Poker even presented them with a cake and confetti to help mark the occasion. All the while, Kliper still had something else to take care of: he was still in the Merit Poker Carmen Series $2,200 Warmup on the final day of the tournament and with a chance to notch the largest score of his poker career.

He did just that, defeating Koray Korkmaz at the end of a grueling, nearly eight-hour-long final table to walk away with the prestigious Merit Poker trophy. Kliper has tournament cashes dating back to 2010, but the $206,800 top prize is more than triple his previous biggest score.

He had his family cheering him on the entire time. His wife was there on the rail at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. His children were filling up the chatbox of the Merit Poker live stream with support for their dad. He had a contingent of fellow Israeli pros ready to celebrate. It all helped propel him to victory.

“I think it’s great. The best,” Kliper said following his victory after winning this tournament on such an important day. “It means everything. When you have support, nothing can stop you.”

Final Table results

PlacePlayerEarnings
1Arie Kliper$206,800
2Koray Korkmaz$152,400
3Cenk Nigbolu$93,300
4Julien Loire$69,000
5Eduard Barsegian$51,800
6Gurcan Gungoren$41,500
7Mikhail Zamyatin$34,600
8Boris Angelov$27,600
9Dmitry Gromov$20,700

Day 4 action

Day 4 began with 21 players remaining out of a starting field of 611 entries. Recep Aydemir (19th), Nicolas Chouity (13th), and Ran Ilani (11th) fell short of the final table, leaving Julien Loire as the overwhelming chip leader with more than a third of the chips in play at the start of the final table.

Kliper began the final table in seventh place with 3,130,000. Despite eliminating Dmitry Gromov in ninth place when he called all in with ace-nine and beat king-jack, his stay there was nearly short-lived. Kliper was all in for his last 3,485,000 with ace-ten but ran into the two kings of Gurcan Gungoren. Kliper was two cards away from elimination, but he spiked the three-outer on the turn and paired his ace to double up.

Kliper doubled up again off Mikhail Zamyatin when he turned a straight in a limped pot and beat Zamyatin’s two pair. From being nearly out the door to now second place in chips, Kliper’s momentous journey through the final table was only just beginning.

In a three-bet pot with Boris Angelov, Kliper turned top pair and a flush draw with jack-nine and called when Angelov shoved with ace-high. Angelov was out in eighth place and Kliper was up near 20,000,000 and atop the chip leaderboard. He also eliminated Zamyatin when he flopped top set with tens to crack Zamyatin’s jacks. Finally, Kliper picked up aces to take out Gungoren, notching his fourth straight knockout at the final table.

Kliper finally took a hit when he tried to bluff-shove Korkmaz on the turn, but Korkmaz called with a pair of jacks to double up. Then, in the biggest pot of the tournament so far, both Kliper and Eduard Barsegian flopped two pair and put nearly 20,000,000 chips in the middle. The Russian somehow didn’t go broke, while Kliper took a commanding chip lead over the remaining five players.

His big lead caused him to change his approach to a more active, aggressive style. “Be more aggressive. You can put pressure on the other players who want to advance in the money. Very simple,” he said.

After playing five-handed for nearly three hours, Barsegian got his last 6,300,000 in with tens but ran into the jacks of Korkmaz to hit the rail. Loire, never able to get anything going at the final table, blinded down to less than five big blinds when he got his last chips in with nines and Kliper called with ace-king. It was Kliper’s day, and sure enough, a king hit on the river to send the former chip leader out in fourth place.

Korkmaz tied Kliper on the leaderboard when he turned the nut straight after Kliper had flopped two pair. Kliper then retook a big lead when he rivered a flush and called an 8,000,000 raise on the river.

Cenk Nigbolu then busted in third place, leaving Kliper and Korkmaz heads-up. Nigbolu began the final table at the bottom of the chip counts with just five big blinds but doubled up six times before finally succumbing to Kliper’s ace-king.

Kliper led Korkmaz 48,300,000 to 12,800,000 at the start of heads-up play, but the theatrics that played out throughout the final table wasn’t about to stop now. First, Korkmaz hit an ace on the river after Kliper paired a queen on the flop to double up. Korkmaz won another all in when he paired his jack on the flop and passed Kliper for the chip lead.

Korkmaz had a chance to win the tournament when he had Kliper all in and dominated with ace-queen to queen-eight, but Kliper flopped a pair and turned a flush to double up. Kliper doubled up again when he had nines and sixes to beat Korkmaz’s eights and sevens.

Again with a sizeable advantage, Kliper then moved all in with king-four and Korkmaz called for his last 7,500,000 with ace-queen. Kliper paired his four on the flop and the tournament was finally over.

Kliper's winning moment
Kliper's winning moment

It was a golden anniversary for Kliper and a wonderful present he can share with his wife. It was already a special day. Some aggressive play, good cards, and a little luck helped make it even more special.

That concludes PokerNews’ coverage of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $2,200 Warmup from North Cyprus. Stay tuned for more coverage of the festival at this glittering Mediterranean seaside resort.

Tags: Arie KliperBoris AngelovCenk NigboluDmitry GromovEduard BarsegianGurcan GungorenJulien LoireKoray KorkmazMikhail ZamyatinNicolas ChouityRan IlaniRecep Aydemir

Koray Korkmaz Eliminated in 2nd Place ($152,400)

Level 38 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Koray Korkmaz
Koray Korkmaz

Arie Kliper moved all in and Koray Korkmaz called for his last 7,500,000.

Koray Korkmaz: {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}
Arie Kliper: {k-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}

Korkmaz was a favorite to double up until the {8-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{4-Hearts} flop gave Kliper a pair of fours.

"You win all all-ins. Every all-in," Korkmaz said as the {5-Spades} fell on the turn.

Kliper began pleading for a low card as Korkmaz ran over and pat him on the back heading to the river. The dealer turned over the {10-Clubs} and Kliper won the pot and the title.

"Congratulations," Korkmaz said as the two opponents shook hands at the end of a grueling final table.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
61,100,000 12,300,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
Busted

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Kliper Gets Value From Ace-High

Level 38 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante

Koray Korkmaz picked up {a-Hearts}{q-Hearts} and limped in as Arie Kliper checked back {j-Hearts}{4-Hearts}.

Kliper hit a pair of jacks on the {k-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{j-Spades} flop and check-called a bet of 1,200,000. Both players checked the {8-Spades} turn.

The river came the {5-Hearts} and Kliper led out for 2,500,000. Korkmaz quickly called with his ace-high and mucked as Kliper widened his lead.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
48,800,000 4,800,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
12,300,000 -4,800,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Level: 38

Blinds: 600,000/1,200,000

Ante: 1,200,000

Kliper Doubles as Lead Changes Hands Again

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Arie Kliper
Arie Kliper

Arie Kliper raised to 2,500,000 with {9-Diamonds}{6-Spades} and Koray Korkmaz called with {8-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}.

The flop came {6-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}{8-Spades} and Kliper continued for 1,600,000 with a pair of sixes. Korkmaz called with his pair of eights as the {9-Clubs} fell on the turn.

Kliper, now with two pair, grabbed three towers of chips from his stack and slid them in the middle, a bet of 2,500,000. Korkmaz moved all in and Kliper snap-called.

Korkmaz needed to complete his straight on the river to win the tournament, but he instead got the {7-Hearts} to make an inferior two pair as Kliper retook the chip lead once again in their back-and-forth heads-up match.

"Unbelievable game," Korkmaz said following the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
44,000,000 22,500,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
17,100,000 -22,500,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Korkmaz Picks Off Kliper to Retake Lead

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

Koray Korkmaz raised to 2,000,000 with {a-Clubs}{q-Hearts} and Arie Kliper called holding {9-Spades}{5-Clubs}.

Both players checked the {k-Clubs}{4-Clubs}{q-Spades} flop before Kliper led out for 2,300,000 on the {2-Hearts} turn.

Korkmaz called with his pair of queens as the {3-Hearts} fell on the river. Kliper tried another bet, this time for 6,500,000, and Korkmaz snap-called.

"Nuts," Kliper joked before he mucked as Korkmaz moved back into the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
39,600,000 23,300,000
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
21,500,000 -23,300,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Kliper Comes From Behind to Double Back

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Arie Kliper
Arie Kliper

Arie Kliper moved all in for 21,900,000 and Koray Korkmaz nearly beat him into the pot with a call.

Arie Kliper: {q-Hearts}{8-Hearts}
Koray Korkmaz: {a-Clubs}{q-Spades}

Kliper was dominated and at risk but got a dream flop as the dealer turned over {8-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{2-Hearts}, giving him top pair and a flush draw. The {4-Hearts} on the turn left Korkmaz drawing dead and paying off Kliper as the {k-Spades} fell on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
44,800,000 20,900,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
16,300,000 -20,900,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Korkmaz Doubles Into the Lead

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante
Koray Korkmaz
Koray Korkmaz

Arie Kliper raised to 2,500,000 on the button before Koray Korkmaz moved all in for 18,100,000. "Okay, I call," Kliper said.

Koray Korkmaz: {q-Hearts}{j-Hearts}
Arie Kliper: {a-Hearts}{7-Clubs}

"This is a big one," Korkmaz said heading to the {j-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{6-Spades} flop, which gave him a pair of jacks and the lead. The board ran out {2-Clubs}{8-Spades} and Korkmaz moved into the tournament chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
37,200,000 19,500,000
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
23,900,000 -19,500,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Level: 37

Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000

Ante: 1,000,000