$3,300 Main Event
Day 1b Started
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
$3,300 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$2,111,400
Entries
765
Level
36
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
218
Players Left
108
New Crop of Players Get Their Turn When Day 1b of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event Begins at Noon
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
| Rank | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roman Gadzhiev | 821,000 | 328 |
| 2 | Denis Kapustin | 577,500 | 231 |
| 3 | Ali Moein | 559,000 | 224 |
| 4 | Recep Aydemir | 554,500 | 222 |
| 5 | Boris Smuskevicius | 538,000 | 215 |
| 6 | Anatoly Korochenskiy | 485,000 | 194 |
| 7 | Aleksandr Ivanov | 480,000 | 192 |
| 8 | Jack Sinclair | 469,500 | 188 |
| 9 | Mehmet Erceylan | 461,000 | 184 |
| 10 | Eli Saad | 432,000 | 173 |
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.
Day 1b Almost Underway
After a slight delay, players on Day 1b are currently taking their seats and action should begin momentarily.
The tournament clock currently shows 51 players registered for this flight.
Level: 1
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
Early Notables
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000 |
Akiki Deep Into the Tank on First Hand, Brovko Shoves on Hadioglu
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Three-handed on a board of 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
140,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
90,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
70,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
Hirs Back Raking In Pots
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
Aliaksandr Hirs won the High Roller event here at the Merit Poker Carmen Series last night, and is back in action today and already taking in big pots.
Heads-up on a board of 
, a player on the button bet 1,700 before Hirs raised to 6,000. His opponent tanked for a moment before tossing in a chip to call.
Hirs opened up 
for trip queens and his opponent mucked as Hirs took the early pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
115,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
Field is Growing
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
The field here on Day 1b is now up to 68 players, with the likes of Gabi Livshitz, Florian Duta, and Ran Koller recently taking their seats in the Main Event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 | |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
100,000 | |
|
||
Skarparis Fires Away at Livshitz
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
A player under the gun raised to 1,500 before Gabi Livshitz three-bet to 4,000 in the cutoff. Action folded to Georgios Skarparis in the small blind, and he reraised to 10,500.
The original raiser folded, but Livshitz called to see the 
flop. Skarparis bet another 8,000 and Livshitz called.
The turn came the 
and Skarparis kept betting, this time firing out 17,000. "Pass," Livshitz said after a brief tank, sending his cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
110,000 | |
|
|
75,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
Kliper Up Early
Level 1
: Blinds 200/500, 500 ante
With around 15,000 in the pot on a board of 
, Arie Kliper bet 12,300 from the small blind and Alexander Zhilinskiy called under the gun.
The 
river put four spades on the board and Kliper slowed down and checked. Zhilinskiy quickly checked back as Kliper showed 
fo a straight.
Zhilinskiy could only shake his head as he mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
75,000
75,000
|
75,000 |