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

03-28-2023 18:07 UTC+3

Gulseven Busts to Sinclair With Sevens

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Erdal Gulseven was all in for 93,000 from middle position and up against Jack Sinclair in the cutoff.

Erdal Gulseven:
Jack Sinclair:

Gulseven was way behind and couldn't catch up as the board ran out , sending him to the rail and the pot to Sinclair and his lucky hippo.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jack Sinclair	300,000 165,000	165,000

Erdal Gulseven	Busted

Tags: Erdal Gulseven Jack Sinclair

03-28-2023 18:02 UTC+3

Margolin Puts Most of It In

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Timur Margolin was on the button with the board showing when he bet 35,100 into a pot of around 45,000, leaving just 500 behind.

His opponent, in early position, tanked for several minutes before the clock was eventually called. He decided to fling his cards into the muck and Margolin took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timur Margolin	95,000

Tags: Timur Margolin

03-28-2023 17:52 UTC+3

Gadzhiev Stops Moein's Ascension

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Roman Gadzhiev and Ali Moein built a pot of around 25,000 heading to the flop, when Gadzhiev bet 7,000 from early position. Moein raised to 35,000 from under the gun and Gadzhiev called.

Both players checked the turn before the fell on the river. Moein bet another 35,000 and Gadzhiev quickly called.

Moein showed for a missed straight draw, while Gadzhiev took the pot with for two pair.

"Why not all in? I would've insta-called," Gadzhiev told his tablemate after the hand. Moein lost that pot, but he's still managed to build a massive stack of around 400,000 so far on Day 1a.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Moein	400,000 170,000	170,000
Roman Gadzhiev	250,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Ali Moein Roman Gadzhiev

03-28-2023 17:45 UTC+3

Macori Hits Two-Outer on Duta

David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 700/1,500, 1,500 ante

Recep Aydemir raised to 3,000 from under the gun as action folded around to Federico Macori in the small blind, who moved all in for 85,000. Florian Duta reshoved and Aydemir stood up from his seat pretending he was about to call, but he eventually got out of the way.

Federico Macori: A♦Q♥
Florian Duta: Q♣Q♦

"If I move all in do you call? I had ace-nine," Aydemir asked Macori, revealing he folded one of the other aces in the deck.

The flop still brought the 8♣A♠6♠, giving Macori top pair and leaving Duta one out to avoid handing over most of his stack. He didn't get the miracle on the 8♦3♣ runout and was decimated, while Macori stayed alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Federico Macori	175,000 175,000	175,000
Florian Duta	2,000 -18,000	-18,000

Tags: Federico Macori Florian Duta

Level: 6

Blinds: 700/1,500

Ante: 1,500

03-28-2023 17:36 UTC+3

Erceylan Shows an "Interesting" Card

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With around 30,000 in the pot on a board of , Mehmet Erceylan bet 11,000 from middle position and was called by an opponent in the big blind.

The river came the and Erceylan put out another 15,000. His opponent tanked for about a minute before letting his hand go.

"Show one," he pleaded, and Erceylan obliged and showed the .

"Oh, that's an interesting one," tablemate Luc Bindel said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mehmet Erceylan	150,000

Tags: Mehmet Erceylan

03-28-2023 17:28 UTC+3

Gunes Flops the Nuts on Kabelitz

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Caner Gunes, Mounir Habib, Daniel Henriques, and Samuel Kabelitz each put in 6,000 before the flop as the dealer turned over .

Action checked around to Kabelitz in the hijack who bet 7,500. Only Gunes called to see the turn.

Gunes checked to Kabelitz again, and he moved all in for 28,000. Gunes snap-called and showed for the flopped nut flush. Kabelitz flung his into the middle of the table and prepared to make his exit as the fell on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mounir Habib	240,000 -70,000	-70,000
Caner Gunes	145,000
Daniel Henriques	110,000
Samuel Kabelitz	Busted

Tags: Caner Gunes Daniel Henriques Mounir Habib Samuel Kabelitz

03-28-2023 17:17 UTC+3

Akiki Fills Up on Kiba

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

There was around 45,000 in the pot as Stepan Kiba and Gabriel Akiki went heads-up to the river on a board of .

Akiki, in the cutoff, bet 25,000 and Kiba let out a loud groan as he went into the tank. He eventually tossed in a chip to call and Akiki turned over for a full house to win the pot.

Akiki didn't give off his usual "I love this game" cry after winning a big pot, but he did climb up to almost 300,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gabriel Akiki	290,000
Stepan Kiba	220,000

Tags: Gabriel Akiki Stepan Kiba

03-28-2023 17:15 UTC+3

Sultanem Decimates Guimond

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Boris Angelov raised to 3,000 pre-flop before Georges Sultanem three-bet to 8,000 from the cutoff. Florian Guimond, in the blinds, reraised to 21,000 and Angelov out of the way.

Sultanem, though, stuck around to see the flop, when Guimond bet another 21,000. Sultanem immediately shoved all in for 47,000 and Guimond called.

Georges Sultanem:
Florian Guimond:

Sultanem had Guimond dominated as the board ran out , knocking Guimond down to an extreme short stack.

"Pocket threes no good. If he folds, I go all in and maybe a three comes on the flop," Angelov told Sultanem following the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Georges Sultanem	140,000
Boris Angelov	135,000 -110,000	-110,000
Florian Guimond	15,000

Tags: Boris Angelov Florian Guimond Georges Sultanem

03-28-2023 17:05 UTC+3

Aydemir Calls Melkisetian Light

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Ara Melkisetian three-bet to 12,000 from the big blind before Recep Aydemir four-bet on the button to 42,000.

"Wow. I'm probably going to go all in," Melkisetian said as Aydemir hovered his chips over the table ready to call. Melkisetian spent a few moments shuffling his chips in his card as he considered the decision.

"What do you have, tens?" Aydemir asked.

"I have all in," Melkisetian said, shoving for 98,800.

Aydemir didn't call right away but did eventually commit the chips. "I have nothing, I swear," he reassured Melkisetian.

Ara Melkisetian:
Recep Aydemir:

Melkisetian hit top pair on the board and locked up the pot with the nut flush on the turn. The river was a mere formality and Melkisetian doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ara Melkisetian	190,000
Recep Aydemir	160,000 -70,000	-70,000

Tags: Ara Melkisetian Recep Aydemir