2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$2,200 NL Warmup
Day: 1bcd
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 1bcd
Entries
249
Players Left
123

Kuliberda Smacks the Flop to Double

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Dawid Kuliberda and Joseph Choufani were heads-up on a board of {10-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{j-Clubs}{q-Hearts} when Kuliberda, in middle position, moved all in for 29,000 into the 40,000 chip pot.

Choufani called and Kuliberda turned over {10-Hearts}{9-Hearts} for a flopped full house to earn the double up.

Kuliberda would give some of those chips back the next hand, when he called a three-bet of 12,000 from Ali Moein. Both players checked to the river on a board of {4-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{6-Spades}{q-Hearts}{a-Spades} when Moein, on the button, tossed in a white 25,000 chip.

Kuliberda went into the tank for several minutes as he looked around the room. He eventually gave a deep sigh and released his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Ali Moein ir
Ali Moein
180,000
Dawid Kuliberda pl
Dawid Kuliberda
80,000
-25,000
-25,000
Joseph Choufani lb
Joseph Choufani
75,000

Tags: Ali MoeinDawid KuliberdaJoseph Choufani

Jacks Survive Twice in a Row

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Yuksel Savsa was down to his last 18,000 when he moved all in from early position and was called by Sergey Bobrik to his immediate left.

Yuksel Savsa: {j-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}
Sergey Bobrik: {a-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}

Bobrik was looking for an ace to score the knockout but missed the {8-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{9-Hearts}{6-Spades}{5-Spades} board as Savsa doubled his short stack.

The next hand at this table, it was Basel Khabbazeh who was all in for 45,000 and up against Mustafa Ercan.

Basel Khabbazeh: {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts}
Mustafa Ercan: {j-Hearts}{j-Spades}

Khabbazdeh was racing for his tournament life but fell far behind on the {5-Clubs}{j-Clubs}{3-Spades} flop as Ercan made top set. Khabbazeh was already standing up from his seat by the time the board ran out {7-Spades}{6-Diamonds}, sending him to the exit.

Player Chips Progress
Mustafa Ercan tr
Mustafa Ercan
140,000
140,000
140,000
Sergey Bobrik ru
Sergey Bobrik
110,000
-30,000
-30,000
Yuksel Savsa tr
Yuksel Savsa
40,000
-80,000
-80,000
Basel Khabbazeh ae
Basel Khabbazeh
Busted

Tags: Basel KhabbazehMustafa ErcanSergey BobrikYuksel Savsa

Updated Chip Counts

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante
Player Chips Progress
Katherina Aristotelos cy
Katherina Aristotelos
200,000
110,000
110,000
John Doe
John Doe
190,000
Toni Kaukua fi
Toni Kaukua
185,000
15,000
15,000
Ara Melkisetian lb
Ara Melkisetian
170,000
50,000
50,000
Joseph Khneisser lb
Joseph Khneisser
160,000
-20,000
-20,000
David Hu nl
David Hu
110,000
Arsenii Karmatckii ru
Arsenii Karmatckii
105,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Helmut Phung de
Helmut Phung
100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Martynas Mockevicius lt
Martynas Mockevicius
95,000
-55,000
-55,000
Dmitry Yurasov ru
Dmitry Yurasov
90,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Seref Dursun Anar tr
Seref Dursun Anar
70,000

Karmatckii Wins With Kings on Scary Board as Qasem Makes "Amateur" Call

Level 5 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Arsenii Karmatckii three-bet to 20,000 from the big blind and was called by two opponents, including Mohammad Qasem under the gun.

All three players checked the {9-Hearts}{a-Spades}{7-Spades} flop before Karmatckii led out for 15,000 on the {q-Diamonds} turn. Only Qasem called to the {10-Diamonds} river, when both players again checked.

Karmatckii opened up {k-Clubs}{k-Spades} and Qasem flashed {q-Hearts}{j-Hearts} before mucking.

"What a bad call with queen-jack of hearts. Amateur," a tablemate joked with Qasem after the hand as both players shared a laugh.

Player Chips Progress
Mohammad Qasem kw
Mohammad Qasem
150,000
Arsenii Karmatckii ru
Arsenii Karmatckii
130,000
25,000
25,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Arsenii KarmatckiiMohammad Qasem

Level: 6

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 1,600

Moein Gets His Opponent Off Top Pair

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

With 30,000 in the middle on a board of {8-Spades}{k-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}{6-Hearts}, a player in early position bet 5,000 and was called by Federico Macori on the button. Ali Moein, in the big blind, then raised to 35,000 and the early position player called after tanking for a few minutes.

Macori also went into the tank before the early position player called the clock. "You took more than me," Macori protested before he folded.

The river came the {5-Hearts} and Moein moved all in. His opponent, with around 50,000 remaining, flashed the {k-Hearts} before mucking. Moein showed the {j-Spades} as he took the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Ali Moein ir
Ali Moein
210,000
30,000
30,000
Federico Macori it
Federico Macori
120,000

Tags: Federico MacoriAli Moein

"I Love This Game"; Salloum Wins With Kings to Cross 300,000

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Charbel Salloum
Charbel Salloum

"Yes. I love this game," Charbel Salloum yelled as a massive pot worth around 150,000 was being pushed in his direction.

Salloum had {k-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} on a board of {4-Hearts}{j-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{10-Clubs} and was up against two opponents with {8-Clubs}{6-Spades} and {8-Hearts}{6-Hearts}. Salloum's kings stayed in front to beat both players and push him up toward the top of the chip leaderboard.

Player Chips Progress
Charbel Salloum lb
Charbel Salloum
320,000
210,000
210,000

Tags: Charbel Salloum

Kapalas Runs Into Hu's Aces

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Georgios Kapalas was all in for around 35,000 from the cutoff and was up against David Hu on the button.

Georgios Kapalas: {a-Spades}{j-Hearts}
David Hu: {a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}

Kapalas picked up a pair on the {10-Clubs}{j-Spades}{k-Spades} flop as well as a straight draw to chop, but improved no further on the {6-Clubs} turn or {k-Diamonds} river and was sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
David Hu nl
David Hu
120,000
10,000
10,000
Georgios Kapalas gr
Georgios Kapalas
Busted

Tags: Georgios KapalasDavid Hu

Mehreb's Turn to Run Into Aces

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Andre Mehreb
Andre Mehreb

Eduard Barsegian three-bet to 20,000 from the small blind and was called by Andre Mehreb in middle position as they went heads-up to the {7-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{4-Hearts} flop.

Barsegian continued for 17,500 and Mehreb immediately moved all in for around 40,000. Barsegian called just as quickly with {a-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}, while Mehreb had {q-Clubs}{q-Diamonds}.

The board ran out {j-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} and Barsegian sent Mehreb to the rail. "Thank you, everyone," Mehreb told his former tablemates on his way out.

Player Chips Progress
Eduard Barsegian ru
Eduard Barsegian
280,000
229,000
229,000
Andre Mehreb lb
Andre Mehreb
Busted

Tags: Andre MehrebEduard Barsegian

Kuliberda Calls Off Against Traboulsy

Level 6 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Dawid Kuliberda
Dawid Kuliberda

Dawid Kuliberda three-bet to 14,000 from the small blind as action went back to Maged Traboulsy in the cutoff, who moved all in. Kuliberda, with around 110,000 remaining, tanked for several minutes before he called.

Dawid Kuliberda: {a-Spades}{q-Hearts}
Maged Traboulsy: {a-Hearts}{a-Clubs}

Kuliberda tossed his cards across the table and got up from his seat at the sight of Traboulsy's aces. The board ran out {7-Clubs}{5-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{8-Hearts} and he was sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Maged Traboulsy ae
Maged Traboulsy
260,000
Dawid Kuliberda pl
Dawid Kuliberda
Busted

Tags: Dawid KuliberdaMaged Traboulsy