2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$3,300 Main Event
Day: 2
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 2
Entries
765
Players Left
142

Papazian Takes Out Steinbrenner, Approaching One Million

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante
Alexandru Papazian
Alexandru Papazian

Alexandru Papazian and Justin Steinbrenner built a pot of around 120,000 on a board of {9-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{q-Diamonds}{7-Spades} when Steinbrenner, in the hijack, moved all in for 110,000.

"Feels like kings," Papazian said as he asked for a count. He eventually called with {a-Hearts}{q-Spades} fo top pair. Steinbrenner didn't have kings, instead showing {a-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} for a flush draw.

The river came the {k-Hearts} and Steinbrenner was eliminated.

"Sorry for the slow roll," Papazian told Steinbrenner, who took the loss in stride and was still smiling when he shook Papazian's hand on his way to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Alexandru Papazian ro
Alexandru Papazian
950,000
185,000
185,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Justin Steinbrenner de
Justin Steinbrenner
Busted

Tags: Alexandru PapazianJustin Steinbrenner

Tulepbergenov Picks Off Mandara

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/3,500, 3,500 ante
Azamat Tulepbergenov
Azamat Tulepbergenov

Ryan Mandara bet 13,000 from under the gun on a flop of {j-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{9-Clubs} and Azamat Tulepbergenov called in the big blind.

The turn came the {4-Spades} and Tulepbergenov checked to Mandara, who moved all in for 110,000. Tulepbergenov quickly threw in two chips to signify a call as Mandara turned over {q-Spades}{10-Spades} for a straight draw.

Tulepbergenov had {k-Diamonds}{j-Clubs} for top pair and the {7-Clubs} river was no help to Mandara, who quickly took a sip of his coffee that had just arrived before leaving the table.

Player Chips Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov kz
Azamat Tulepbergenov
670,000
140,000
140,000
Ryan Mandara gb
Ryan Mandara
Busted

Tags: Azamat TulepbergenovRyan Mandara

Elharar Picks Off Korkmaz

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,500, 3,500 ante
Rafi Elharar
Rafi Elharar

Rafi Elharar bet 15,000 on a flop of {a-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}{j-Diamonds} from the small blind before Koray Korkmaz, under the gun, raised enough to 79,000, enough to put Elharar all in.

Elharar committed the rest of his chips and turned over {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs} for top pair. Korkmaz could only show {2-Hearts}{2-Spades} and was left paying off Elharar in the big pot when the board ran out {9-Diamonds}{5-Spades}.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
570,000
163,000
163,000
Rafi Elharar il
Rafi Elharar
350,000
191,000
191,000

Tags: Koray KorkmazRafi Elharar

Etim Wins a Flip to Survive

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Terence Etim
Terence Etim

Terence Etim, who began the day on a healthy stack of 373,500, was down to his last 85,000 when he moved all in from the hijack and was up against Oleg Tsoy in the big blind.

Terence Etim: {a-Clubs}{k-Spades}
Oleg Tsoy: {q-Clubs}{q-Hearts}

Etim picked up a straight draw on the {2-Hearts}{j-Spades}{10-Clubs} flop, while he hit a pair on the {a-Diamonds} turn to take the lead over Tsoy's queens. The {a-Spades} river improved Etim to trips and he doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Oleg Tsoy kz
Oleg Tsoy
200,000
40,000
40,000
Terence Etim gb
Terence Etim
170,000
-45,000
-45,000

Tags: Oleg TsoyTerence Etim

One Bustout, One Double Up

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Barak Wisbrod
Barak Wisbrod

Alexey Losev was down to around 30,000 when he pushed all in from the cutoff. Julian Selinger, on the button, reraised and the rest of the table got out of the way.

Alexey Losev: {6-Clubs}{4-Clubs}
Julian Selinger: {9-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}

Losev was far behind Selinger's tens as the board came {5-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{10-Clubs}, sending him to the rail early on Day 2.

At the same time on another table, Barak Wisbrod was all in for 60,000 and up against Alper Kerim.

Barak Wisbrod: {k-Spades}{q-Hearts}
Alper Kerim: {a-Hearts}{6-Hearts}

Wisbrod spiked a queen on the {6-Clubs}{5-Spades}{q-Clubs} flop to take the lead, while the {q-Spades} on the turn gave him trips and left Kerim drawing dead heading to the {5-Diamonds} river, securing Wisbrod's double up.

Player Chips Progress
Julian Selinger de
Julian Selinger
350,000
31,000
31,000
Alper Kerim tr
Alper Kerim
270,000
-32,000
-32,000
Barak Wisbrod il
Barak Wisbrod
120,000
72,000
72,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Alexey Losev ru
Alexey Losev
Busted

Tags: Alexey LosevAlper KerimBarak WisbrodJulian Selinger

Bachar Is "Invincible"

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Seyedahmad Haghgou
Seyedahmad Haghgou

Heads-up on a board of {j-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}, Seyedahmad Haghgou bet 23,000 from the big blind before Guy Bachar, in the cutoff, moved all in. Haghgou quickly called for his last 120,000.

Haghgou had {j-Hearts}{8-Hearts} for top pair and a flush draw, while Bachar showed {k-Diamonds}{j-Spades}. The {a-Diamonds} on the river was no help to Haghgou and he became an early casualty of Day 2.

"You are invincible, my friend," a tablemate told Bachar following the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Guy Bachar
Guy Bachar
300,000
300,000
300,000
Seyedahmad Haghgou
Seyedahmad Haghgou
Busted

Tags: Guy BacharSeyedahmad Haghgou

Roman Gadzhiev Leads as More Than 300 Players Combine on Day 2 of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event

Everyone is chasing Roman Gadzhiev on Day 2
Everyone is chasing Roman Gadzhiev on Day 2

After four starting flights over three days and nine levels, 305 players will pack into the poker room at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino today when Day 2 of the Merit Poker Carmen Series $3,300 Main Event begins at noon local time.

Leading the way by a significant margin is Roman Gadzhiev, who takes a massive stack of 821,000 into Day 2, more than 200,000 ahead than his closest challenger. Gadzhiev's lead is impressive, but there are plenty of notables sprinkled throughout the field still with a chance at claiming the title.

Ran Koller (558,500), Recep Aydemir (554,500), and Maxime Chilaud (522,000) are all in the top 10 heading into the day. Just outside are Toni Kaukua (504,000), Jack Sinclair (469,500), and Koray Korkmaz, who's already finished runner-up in the Warmup event at this series and is poised for another deep run with a stack of 407,000.

Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerChip CountBig Blinds
1Roman Gadzhiev821,000328
2Walid Bou Habib595,000238
3Vitalii Pankov585,000234
4Denis Kapustin577,500231
5Ali Moein559,000224
6Ran Koller558,500223
7Andrei Kaigorodtcev558,500223
8Recep Aydemir554,500222
9Boris Smuskevicius538,000215
10Maxime Chilaud522,000209

Other notables further down the leaderboard include Eduard Barsegian (398,500), Alexandru Papazian (332,000), Ran Ilani (325,000), and Philippe Souki (290,500).

A total of 611 entries have played the tournament over the first four starting flights, already blowing past the $1,500,000 guaranteed prize pool. Late registration and unlimited reentries are still available for the first four hours of today's play, at the end of Level 13 which should come around 5 p.m. local time, so the field should grow substantially larger by the time the prize pool is announced.

Play will pick up on Level 10, with blinds at 1,000-2,500 and a 2,500 big blind ante. The schedule calls for another nine hour-long levels today.

Today the players will find out what they are playing for as they inch their way toward the money. It will be a packed room here in North Cyprus, and PokerNews will be following the action the entire way and providing live updates.

Tags: Alexandru PapazianEduard BarsegianJack SinclairKoray KorkmazMaxime ChilaudPhilippe SoukiRan IlaniRan KollerRecep AydemirRoman GadzhievToni Kaukua