$3,300 Main Event Day 1a | 2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-28-2023 15:46 UTC+3

Moein Flips Kan to the Rail

David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Daniel Montagnolli three-bet to 18,500 from the small blind and Ali Moein called in early position before Vadim Kan moved all in for 75,000 on the button.

Montagnolli folded, but Moein called after tanking for about a minute.

Vadim Kan:
Ali Moein:

Kan remained in front as the flop came , but Moein hit the on the turn to take the lead. The on the river improved him to a full house and Moein sent Kan to the rail.

"You're welcome," Montagnolli told him after the hand as the table shared a laugh.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Moein	230,000 210,000	210,000
Daniel Montagnolli	130,000 -20,000	-20,000
Vadim Kan	Busted

Tags: Ali Moein Daniel Montagnolli Vadim Kan

03-28-2023 15:34 UTC+3

Zhilinskiy Shoves Into Kings

David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Alexander Zhilinskiy three-bet to 11,200 from the cutoff as action folded back around to Roman Kolotiuk under the gun, who four-bet to 23,500.

Zhilinskiy called as the flop came . Kolotiuk bet 9,000, Zhilinskiy moved all in for 32,000, and Kolotiuk snap-called.

Alexander Zhilinskiy:
Roman Kolotiuk:

Zhilinskiy was far behind Kolotiuk's kings as the board ran out to send him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Kolotiuk	130,000 130,000	130,000
Alexander Zhilinskiy	Busted

Tags: Alexander Zhilinskiy Roman Kolotiuk

03-28-2023 15:27 UTC+3

"Always Sets" as Istomin Wins Big Off Myers

David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Aleksei Istomin was sitting with a bet of 30,000 in front of him in the big blind on a board of as Daniel Myers, in the cutoff, tanked for several minutes.

The clock was eventually called on Myers. "Don't worry. I'm going to take 10 seconds anyway," Myers replied as he called before the tournament floor arrived to start the countdown.

Istomin showed for a set and Myers flashed before mucking.

"Always sets at this table," a tablemate said.

"I wanted to play against you," Istomin told him as they exchanged a fist pump and Istomin began talking into his camera for his vlog.

"Nice hand. I almost shoved," Myers added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksei Istomin	150,000 25,000	25,000
Daniel Myers	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Aleksei Istomin Daniel Myers

03-28-2023 14:09 UTC+3

Beg Gets Kamchibekov to Bluff Off His Stack

David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Three-handed on a flop of , Eimantas Adomavicius bet 5,500 from the cutoff and was called by Daniiar Kamchibekov in middle position before Furkan Beg raise to 15,000.

Both opponents called to the turn as Beg bet another 37,000. Only Kamchibekov called to the river when he moved all in for around 20,000.

Beg snap-called with for a straight as Kamchibekov was forced to show for a pair and missed flush draw on his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Furkan Beg	255,000 255,000	255,000
Eimantas Adomavicius	60,000 60,000	60,000
Daniiar Kamchibekov	Busted

Tags: Daniiar Kamchibekov Eimantas Adomavicius Furkan Beg

03-28-2023 13:45 UTC+3

Atanasov Busts Another on the River

David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Stefan Atanasov has busted his second player through the first two levels of Day 1a, and this time his unfortunate victim was Michel Habib.

Atanasov three-bet to 5,000 from the hijack and both Habib and Joseph Mouwad called. The flop came and Atanasov continued for 7,500.

Mouwad folded, but Habib immediately moved all in for 62,000. Atanasov tanked for about 30 seconds before throwing in a chip to call.

Michel Habib:
Stefan Atanasov:

Habib had flopped top set, while Atanasov had an overpair and straight draw. The on the turn was no help, but the on the river completed Atanasov's straight and sent Habib to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stefan Atanasov	230,000 60,000	60,000
Michel Habib	Busted

Tags: Michel Habib Stefan Atanasov

03-28-2023 12:54 UTC+3

Cinca Struggling Early

David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Alexandru Cinca made a deep run in the Warmup event but he has his work cut out for him if he wants to repeat that performance here in the Main Event, as he's already down to just 20,000.

In his last hand, Cinca bet 5,500 from the small blind on a board of and was called by Anatoly Korochenskiy in early position.

The river came the and Cinca checked over to Korochenskiy, who bet out 10,000. Cinca paused for a moment before calling as Korochenskiy turned over .

"That's good," Cinca replied upon seeing Korochenskiy's rivered set as he mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anatoly Korochenskiy	155,000 155,000	155,000
Alexandru Cinca	20,000 -80,000	-80,000

Tags: Alexandru Cinca Anatoly Korochenskiy

03-28-2023 12:41 UTC+3

Streletskiy Straigtens Out Dadabaev

David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Konstantin Streletskiy bet 1,000 from the hijack on a flop of and was called by a player on the button before Shakir Dadabaev raised to 4,600 in the small blind.

Only Streletskiy called as both players checked the turn. The river came the and Dadabaev checked again.

Streletskiy now bet 6,400 and Dadabaev quickly called. Streletskiy showed for the rivered straight as Dadabaev let out a laugh before mucking.

After the hand, tablemates Elias Abou Saleh and Philippe Souki introduced themselves to each other and began exchanging pleasantries.

"He looks like your son," a tablemate told Abou Saleh.

Player	Chips	Progress
Konstantin Streletskiy	105,000 105,000	105,000
Shakir Dadabaev	85,000 85,000	85,000

Tags: Konstantin Streletskiy Shakir Dadabaev

03-28-2023 12:26 UTC+3

Azar Spikes the River For First Bustout of the Day

David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Georgio Azar and Or Suliman built a pot of around 35,000 heading to the turn on a board of . Suliman, in early position, moved all in for 47,400 as Azar began tanking from the big blind.

Azar thought about the decision for several minutes as he shuffled his chips before tossing in two white 25,000 chips to call. Suliman turned over for a pair of jacks and was ahead of Azar's .

The river brought the , giving Azar trip tens, and Suliman banged his fist on the table and began muttering to himself as he made his way to the exit as the first bustout of the Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgio Azar	160,000 160,000	160,000
Or Suliman	Busted

Tags: Georgio Azar Or Suliman

03-28-2023 10:42 UTC+3

Beautiful Music Will Be Made When the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event Begins at Noon

David Salituro

Merit Poker Western Series champion Orthodoxos Orthodoxou

Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera Carmen is one of the most internationally acclaimed pieces of classical music to come from the 19th century. Its arias “Habanera” and “Toreador Song” are instantly recognizable pieces of the Western canon. And, today inside the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino, one lucky player will begin writing their own grand symphony.

Today marks the start of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event, with Day 1a kicking off at noon local time. Players will begin with 100,000 chips and play nine hour-long levels today.

The last time the poker world was gathered here along the shores of the Mediterranean in North Cyprus, for the Merit Poker Western Series in January, it was native son Orthodoxos Orthodoxou who kept the title in his home country by prevailing over a field of 757 entries to win $372,800.

Those who don’t survive the day will still have several more opportunities to jump back in and try to replicate that achievement. There are three more starting flights, Day 1b on March 29, Day 1c on March 30, and a turbo Day 1d flight. Those who survive their opening flight, as well as any late entrants, will combine for Day 2 on March 31.

The tournament features a guaranteed prize pool of $1,500,000, With late registration and unlimited reentries available through the end of Level 13 on Day 2, a massive field is expected to fill up the poker room inside this seaside resort.

PokerNews will be following the action the entire way and providing live updates and chip counts until the festival concludes with the crowning of another Merit Poker champion.

Tags: Orthodoxos Orthodoxou