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

Two Barrels Good For Hirs

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

Aliaksandr Hirs, fresh off a victory in Event #13: $5,300 High Roller, opened to 6,000 from the cutoff and was called by a player on the button as well as the big blind.

The big blind checked following the {2-Spades}{7-Hearts}{j-Hearts} flop and Hirs continued for 7,500. The button called while the big blind folded to send action heads-up to the turn.

The {6-Diamonds} turn saw Hirs fire a second barrel, this time making it 14,000 to go. That was enough to convince his opponent to lay down their hand and keep the Belarusian chipping up. "Seven not enough for you" joked the button player as Hirs raked in his newly acquired chips. "No, not enough" responded Hirs with a grin.

Player Chips Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs by
Aliaksandr Hirs
335,000
15,000
15,000

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs

Tulepbergenov Scores Double Knockout

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

Picking up the action partway through the hand, Jean Mikhail in the big blind had all of his chips in the middle as did a player in late position. Azamat Tulepbergenov in the small blind had a bet of 16,000 in front of him and was considering his decision. Eventually he called it off with the covering stack to put both of his opponents at risk.

Jean Mikhail: {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}
Late Position Player: {9-Spades}{9-Diamonds}
Azamat Tulepbergenov: {8-Clubs}{8-Hearts}

Both Mikhail and the late position player were in a good spot, close to flipping for more than a double. That all changed after the flop came {8-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{3-Diamonds} to propel Tulepbergenov into a commanding lead with the {q-Clubs} turn confirming Mikhail's exit. No miracle river came for the late position player with the {4-Clubs} completing the board to hand Tulepbergenov the double knockout and a massive pot.

Player Chips Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov kz
Azamat Tulepbergenov
530,000
70,000
70,000

Tags: Azamat TulepbergenovJean Mikhail

A Round of Chip Counts

Level 11 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Player Chips Progress
Roman Gadzhiev ru
Roman Gadzhiev
760,000
-61,000
-61,000
Denis Kapustin ru
Denis Kapustin
730,000
152,500
152,500
Recep Aydemir tr
Recep Aydemir
700,000
145,500
145,500
Asaf Groofi il
Asaf Groofi
620,000
220,000
220,000
Ran Koller il
Ran Koller
460,000
-98,500
-98,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Jack Sinclair gb
Jack Sinclair
420,000
-49,500
-49,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Andrei Kaigorodtcev ru
Andrei Kaigorodtcev
400,000
-158,500
-158,500
Fausto Tantillo it
Fausto Tantillo
340,000
5,500
5,500
Aliaksandr Hirs by
Aliaksandr Hirs
320,000
247,000
247,000
Ran Ilani il
Ran Ilani
300,000
-75,000
-75,000
Mounir Habib ae
Mounir Habib
290,000
40,500
40,500
Eduard Barsegian ru
Eduard Barsegian
280,000
-118,500
-118,500
Paul Browne gb
Paul Browne
250,000
-2,000
-2,000
Dmitry Gromov ru
Dmitry Gromov
180,000
-39,000
-39,000
WPT 1X Winner
Ara Melkisetian lb
Ara Melkisetian
160,000
-90,000
-90,000

Soyirgaz Bets Big on the River

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

With the board showing {5-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{2-Hearts}, [Removed:422] bet 18,500 from early position and was called by Farrukh Akhmedzhanov called in the big blind.

The river came the {q-Spades} and Akhmedzhanov checked over to Soyirgaz again, who this time fired out 60,500.

Akhmedzhanov spent several minutes in the tank before he called for most of the rest of his chips. Soyirgaz turned over {7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} and Akhmedzhanov mucked as Soyirgaz raked in the big pot.

Player Chips Progress
[Removed:422]
[Removed:422]
300,000
Farrukh Akhmedzhanov
Farrukh Akhmedzhanov
20,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Farrukh Akhmedzhanov

Samavati Extracts Value From Kliper

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

Arie Kliper opened to 6,500 on the button and Navid Samavati defended out of the big blind.

The flop came {10-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{q-Diamonds} and Samavati checked to Kliper who continued for 4,000. It did not take long for Samavati to make the call to send the two players to the turn.

Samavati checked for a second time following the {3-Clubs} turn and then raised to 27,000 after Kliper fired a second barrel of 10,500. Kliper did make the call to see a river.

The {6-Diamonds} rolled off the deck on the river and Samavati continued his aggression from the previous street with a bet of 32,000. Kliper appeared uncomfortable with the situation but did commit calling chips only for Samavati to turn over {a-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}, a hand that Kliper could not beat.

Player Chips Progress
Navid Samavati ir
Navid Samavati
253,000
147,000
147,000
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
142,000
-93,500
-93,500

Tags: Arie KliperNavid Samavati

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

Jianu Runs Into a Flopped Flush

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

Heads-up on a flop of {j-Spades}{3-Spades}{10-Spades}, Azamat Tulepbergenov bet enough from the big blind to put Claudiu Florin Jianu all in, and Jianu called for his last 70,000 on the button.

Claudiu Florin Jianu: {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}
Azamat Tulepbergenov: {8-Spades}{5-Spades}

Jianu had the nut flush draw, but Tulepbergenov already had the flush off the flop. The {9-Hearts} on the turn was no help to Jianu, while he was heading for the exit by the time the {j-Clubs} fell on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov kz
Azamat Tulepbergenov
460,000
240,000
240,000
Claudiu Florin Jianu
Claudiu Florin Jianu
Busted

Tags: Azamat TulepbergenovClaudiu Florin Jianu

Chisu Doubles With Rockets

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

Danut Chisu on the button got all of his chips in preflop against a player in middle position with both players having roughly even stacks.

Danut Chisu: {a-Clubs}{a-Hearts}
Middle Position Player: {j-}{j-}

Chisu, though at risk, was in a great spot to secure a full double early in the day and did just that after the board ran out {10-Spades}{2-Clubs}{9-Clubs}{4-Clubs}{2-Hearts} to leave his opponent with less than a big blind.

Player Chips Progress
Danut Chisu ro
Danut Chisu
129,000
9,000
9,000

Tags: Danut Chisu

Level: 11

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

Lahmani Has the Higher Straight

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

Heads-up on a board of {5-Hearts}{4-Spades}{10-Spades}{2-Spades}, Itay Rokni bet 25,500 from the button and was called by Oshri Lahmani in early position.

The river came the {3-Diamonds} and Lahmani led out with an all-in shove. Rokni quickly called for his last 55,000 as Lahmani turned over {6-Spades}{6-Clubs} for the rivered straight.

Rokni let out a sigh as he showed {a-Clubs}{k-Diamonds} for a lower straight and was sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Oshri Lahmani il
Oshri Lahmani
280,000
65,000
65,000
Itay Rokni
Itay Rokni
Busted

Tags: Itay RokniOshri Lahmani