2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$3,300 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k4
Prize
$376,800
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$2,111,400
Entries
765
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
218
Players Left
108

Gromov Wakes Up With Big Blind Special

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

Dmitry Gromov was in the big blind and bet 10,000 on a board of {3-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{6-Spades}. Asaf Groofi, in middle position, then raised to 21,000 and Gromov stuck around with a call.

The river came the {a-Diamonds} and Gromov checked. Groofi threw in 27,000 and Gromov took only a few seconds before flicking in the chips to call.

Groofi showed {k-Hearts}{q-Spades} for a bluff and Gromov took the pot with {9-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds} after hitting a flush on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Asaf Groofi il
Asaf Groofi
330,000
-10,000
-10,000
Dmitry Gromov ru
Dmitry Gromov
160,000
40,000
40,000
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Asaf GroofiDmitry Gromov

Chilaud Finds a Double Off Khabbazeh

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

With around 50,000 in the pot on a board of {4-Clubs}{3-Hearts}{a-Clubs}{3-Spades}, Basel Khabbazeh bet 36,000 from the small blind and Maxime Chilaud called in middle position.

The river came the {j-Spades} and Khabbazeh moved all in. Chilaud snap-called for his last 50,800 with {a-Hearts}{4-Hearts} for two pair, while Khabbazeh could only show {a-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds} and was left paying off his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Maxime Chilaud fr
Maxime Chilaud
245,000
245,000
245,000
Basel Khabbazeh ae
Basel Khabbazeh
80,000
-30,000
-30,000

Tags: Basel KhabbazehMaxime Chilaud

Bindel Snaps Off Michalak

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

With 22,000 in the pot on a flop of {2-Hearts}{2-Spades}{3-Spades}, Jakub Michalak bet 7,000 from the hijack and was called by Luc Bindel in middle position.

The turn came the {k-Spades} and Michalak bet another 17,000. Bindel again called to see the {10-Hearts} river, where Michalak put his last 55,000 in the middle.

Bindel snap-called with {a-Spades}{j-Spades} for the nut flush and Michalak showed {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts} on his way to the exit.

Player Chips Progress
Luc Bindel fr
Luc Bindel
225,000
120,000
120,000
Jakub Michalak pl
Jakub Michalak
Busted

Tags: Jakub MichalakLuc Bindel

Groofi Cracks Top Set For Massive Double

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

Ondrej Drozd, Asaf Groofi, and Cenk Nigbolu went to the turn on a board of {9-Spades}{5-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} when Groofi and Drozd got the rest of Groofi's 99,700 chips in the middle, while Nigbolu got out of the way.

Drozd showed {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs} for top set, but Groofi had {7-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} for a turned straight. Drozd needed the board to pair to avoid handing over a big chunk of his stack, but he got no help on the {q-Clubs} river as Groofi doubled up.

"So many big turn cards for you today," a tablemate told Groofi after the hand.

"I had aces," Nigbolu admitted.

Player Chips Progress
Asaf Groofi il
Asaf Groofi
340,000
340,000
340,000
Cenk Nigbolu tr
Cenk Nigbolu
120,000
-70,000
-70,000
Ondrej Drozd cz
Ondrej Drozd
57,000
-113,000
-113,000

Tags: Asaf GroofiCenk NigboluOndrej Drozd

Dursun Anar Hits the Turn For a Massive Pot

Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Aldo Raffo
Aldo Raffo

A massive pile of chips was in the middle with the board showing {4-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{7-Clubs}{j-Spades}{9-Clubs} in a pot between Aldo Raffo and Seref Dursun Anar.

Dursun Anar had shoved on the turn and Raffo called with {q-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}. Dursun Anar, though, had {j-Hearts}{j-Clubs} for the turned full house. The river came the {9-Clubs} and Raffo was sent to the rail in a more than 300,000-chip pot.

"If he moves all in on the flop do you call," a tablemate asked Dursun Anar, who nodded his head that he would've.

Player Chips Progress
Seref Dursun Anar tr
Seref Dursun Anar
350,000
350,000
350,000
Aldo Raffo ie
Aldo Raffo
Busted

Tags: Aldo RaffoSeref Dursun Anar

Khabbazeh Misses the Board and Heads to the Rail

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Ran Koller
Ran Koller

Basel Khabbazeh bet 7,500 on a flop of {k-Clubs}{7-Spades}{6-Spades} before Murat Altunok, in the big blind, raised to 28,000. Ran Koller then moved all in from early position, having both his opponents covered.

Khabbazeh called for his last 33,400, while Altunok got out of the way. Koller turned over {6-Diamonds}{6-Spades} for a set, while Khabbazeh had {k-Spades}{8-Spades} for top pair and a flush draw.

Khabbazeh failed to connect with the {a-Hearts} turn or {3-Diamonds} river and was sent back to the registration desk to reenter.

Player Chips Progress
Ran Koller il
Ran Koller
180,000
80,000
80,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Murat Altunok
Murat Altunok
95,000
95,000
95,000
Basel Khabbazeh ae
Basel Khabbazeh
Busted

Tags: Basel KhabbazehMurat AltunokRan Koller

Nakhjavani Runs Into Aces

Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Saman Nakhjavani
Saman Nakhjavani

There was already around 70,000 in the middle as Saman Nakhjavani and Cenk Nigbolu went heads-up to the river on a board of {k-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{4-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. Nigbolu, in the hijack, moved all in as action went on Nakhjavani.

Nakhjavani spent several minutes counting out his remaining stack before piling up all his remaining chips and pushing them in the middle. Nigbolu showed {a-Clubs}{a-Diamonds} and Nakhjavani quickly mucked.

The stacks were counted down and Nakhjavani had around 70,000 remaining. Nigbolu had him covered and sent Nakhjavani to the rail early on Day 1b.

Player Chips Progress
Cenk Nigbolu tr
Cenk Nigbolu
190,000
190,000
190,000
Saman Nakhjavani ir
Saman Nakhjavani
Busted

Tags: Cenk NigboluSaman Nakhjavani

Akiki Deep Into the Tank on First Hand, Brovko Shoves on Hadioglu

Level 1 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Maxim Brovko
Maxim Brovko

Three-handed on a board of {10-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{6-Hearts} and 9,500 in the pot, Gabriel Akiki bet 5,000 from the hijack and was called by Maxim Brovko in the cutoff. Nuri Hadioglu, on the button, then raised to 25,000.

"Ah, first hand," Akiki said as he tanked for several minutes, starring down Hadioglu. Another player at the table began laughing at the time Akiki was taking before yet another tablemate called the clock.

Akiki allowed the countdown to reach zero before his hand was declared dead. Brovko still had to act, and he moved all in. Hadioglu quickly mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Maxim Brovko cy
Maxim Brovko
140,000
140,000
140,000
Gabriel Akiki lb
Gabriel Akiki
90,000
-10,000
-10,000
Nuri Hadioglu tr
Nuri Hadioglu
70,000
-30,000
-30,000

Tags: Gabriel AkikiMaxim BrovkoNuri Hadioglu

New Crop of Players Get Their Turn When Day 1b of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event Begins at Noon

Jack Sinclair
Jack Sinclair

A total of 232 players have already taken their shot at capturing the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event. Now another group of new and returning hopefuls will get their chance when Day 1b begins at noon local time.

Roman Gadzhiev set a colossal benchmark they’ll all aim for, finishing the opening flight with 821,000. Other notables among the 106 players already through to Day 2 include Ali Moein (559,000), Jack Sinclair (469,500), Koray Korkmaz (407,000), Philippe Souki (290,500), and Uri Reichenstein (249,000).

Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerChip CountBig Blinds
1Roman Gadzhiev821,000328
2Denis Kapustin577,500231
3Ali Moein559,000224
4Recep Aydemir554,500222
5Boris Smuskevicius538,000215
6Anatoly Korochenskiy485,000194
7Aleksandr Ivanov480,000192
8Jack Sinclair469,500188
9Mehmet Erceylan461,000184
10Eli Saad432,000173

The players who fill up the poker room inside the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino today will try to book their own ticket for Day 2. As on Day 1a, they’ll begin with 100,000 chips and play nine hour-long levels, with a 15-minute break every two levels.

This will be the second of four starting flights into the Main Event. Day 1c begins tomorrow at noon, while there is also a turbo Day 1d flight at 7 p.m. tomorrow night. Players can also register through the end of Level 13 on Day 2, with unlimited reentries allowed. Everyone who survives one of the opening flights will combine for Day 2 on March 31.

They’ll be chasing their share of the $1,500,000 guaranteed prize pool, and PokerNews will be along providing live updates throughout the day and the rest of the tournament until a new champion is crowned.

Tags: Ali MoeinJack SinclairKoray KorkmazPhilippe SoukiRoman GadzhievUri Reichenstein