$2,200 NL Warmup
Day 1ab Started
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
$2,200 NL Warmup
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$1,124,240
Entries
611
Level
38
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
125
Players Left
62
Curtain Lifts on the Merit Poker Carmen Series With Day 1a of the $2,200 Warmup at Noon
In 1875, Georges Bizet premiered his opera Carmen, telling the story of Spanish soldier Don Jose and his infatuation with the titular femme fatale gypsy. Now that world of smugglers and bullfighters is being brought back to life along the Mediterranean coast of North Cyprus with the start of the Merit Poker Carmen Series.
The 12-day festival at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino kicks off at 12 p.m. local time with Day 1a of the $2,200 Warmup. This is the first of four starting flights for the five-day tournament with a $700,000 guaranteed prize pool. The surviving players who make it through the day will return for Day 2 on March 24.
Players begin with 100,000 chips and will play eight hour-long levels on Day 1a. Unlimited reentries are allowed, with late registration open until the end of Level 12 on Day 2.
Selahaddin Bedir won this event last year, defeating a field of 409 total entries to earn $158,055. Merit Poker regulars Gabriel Akiki, Nikolay Fal, and rising French star Fabrice Bigot all made deep runs.
Just as Don Jose longs for the love of Carmen, so will the players who descended on this seaside resort have their eyes on capturing the prestigious Merit Poker title. PokerNews will provide live updates until the curtain drops and a new champion is crowned.
Level: 1
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600
Shuffle Up and Deal
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Tournament officials have given the command to shuffle up and deal, and Day 1a of the $2,200 Merit Poker Carmen Series is now underway.
The tournament clock currently shows 49 players registered for this flight.
Notables in the Field
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 |
Akimov Gets Paid in Blind on Blind Battle
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Anatoly Korochenskiy in the small blind and Baurzhan Akimov in the big blind saw the turn on a board of 
when Akimov bet 3,000 and Korochenskiy called.
The river came the 
an Korochenskiy checked over to Akimov, who fired out another 6,000. Korochenskiy quickly called as Akimov turned over 
for flopped trips.
"That's good," Korochenskiy said as he tapped the felt and mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
110,000 | |
|
90,000 |
Brovko Fires the River in Four-Way Pot
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Four players built a pot of around 5,000 heading to a flop of 
when Bozidar Miljkovic bet 3,000 from the cutoff. Maxim Brovko on the button raised to 8,000, forcing out Philippe Souki and Roman Kolotiuk in the blinds.
Miljkovic called when action folded back to him and they saw the 
fall on the turn. Both players checked to the 
river, when Brovko bet another 12,000.
Miljkovic spent about two minutes exchanging some table banter with Brovko before sliding his cards back to the dealer.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
110,000 | |
|
102,000 | |
|
98,000 | |
|
|
95,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
Kurtulus Hits the Flop to Take Down Kings
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
In another four-way pot, Bora Kurtulus bet 3,000 from early position and both Iman Tousi in middle position and Davut Aydemir from under the gun called.
The turn came the 
and Aydemir checked again. Kurtulus bet 6,000 and both opponents stuck around to the 
river.
All three players checked and Aydemir turned over 
. Kurtulus, though, showed 
for the flopped top pair as he dragged in the big pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
130,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
85,000
85,000
|
85,000 |
|
|
75,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
Cinca Can't Get Sammer Off Nines
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Alexandru Cinca and Harald Sammer built a pot of around 15,000 pre-flop as the dealer flipped over the 
flop. Both players checked to the turn.
Sammer, under the gun, checked once more and Cinca fired out 5,300 on the button. Sammer called and both players once again checked the 
river.
Sammer turned over 
to win the pot as Cinca mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
140,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
80,000 |
Field Growing on Level One
Level 1
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
The field has increased to 64 players so far on Level 1. Among the players to take their seats are Toni Kaukua, champion of the Merit Poker Western Series High Roller, and Western Series Main Event runner-up Aleksandr Chernikov.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 |