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

Najer Falls Victim to a Flop Cooler

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

Mike Najer and Artem Kazantsev were heads-up on a flop of {2-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{9-Spades} when Najer bet 30,000 from the big blind, then called when Kazantsev raised to 75,000.

The turn came the {k-Diamonds} and Najer moved all in for 125,000. Kazantsev snap-called with {10-Hearts}{9-Hearts} for two pair, while Najer could only show {10-Spades}{2-Diamonds} for a smaller two pair.

Najer asked the dealer for a deuce, but instead he got the {a-Diamonds} as Kazantsev took the pot and sent his opponent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Artem Kazantsev ru
Artem Kazantsev
500,000
164,000
164,000
Mike Najer
Mike Najer
Busted

Tags: Artem KazantsevMike Najer

Reichenstein Calls Down on the River For a Massive Pot

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

A player in the big blind bet 25,000 on a flop of {j-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{7-Hearts} before Uri Reichenstein, in early position, raised to 58,000. The big blind called to see the {j-Clubs} on the turn.

Both players checked this time and the {k-Clubs} fell on the river. The big blind this time led out for 100,000, and Reichenstein took his time before calling.

His opponent showed {a-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds} for trips, but Reichenstein had {7-Clubs}{7-Diamonds} for the flopped set that became a full house on the turn as he raked in the massive pot.

Player Chips Progress
Uri Reichenstein il
Uri Reichenstein
750,000
540,000
540,000

Tags: Uri Reichenstein

Chilaud Cannot Find Fold

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

Picking up the action on the flop, Maxime Chilaud in the cutoff was involved in a hand with a player in late position. With the board reading {k-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}{5-Diamonds} both the late position player and Chilaud checked through to the {j-Hearts} turn. Again, the late position player and Chilaud checked.

The seemingly innocuous {2-Diamonds} hit the felt on the river and saw the late position player check for a third time. At this point Chilaud did put more money in the pot, making it 30,000 to call. His opponent responded with a raise to 125,000 and, after some thought, Chilaud made the call. The late position player turned over {2-Spades}{2-Clubs} for the rivered set to take a healthy chunk out of Chilaud's still big stack.

Player Chips Progress
Maxime Chilaud fr
Maxime Chilaud
610,000
135,000
135,000

Tags: Maxime Chilaud

Romaniuk Tests His Luck

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

Ali Moein raised to 8,000 before Efraim Tavdi three-bet to 20,000 in middle position. Egor Romaniuk put in his last 36,000 in the small blind as action went back to Moein.

Moein asked the dealer whether Tavdi could still raise. "Yes I can. But I will not," Tavdi replied as Moein folded. Tavdi quickly called.

Egor Romaniuk: {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts}
Efraim Tavdi: {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds}

"Let's see my luck," Romaniuk said as the dealer spread the {k-Clubs}{6-Spades}{7-Hearts} flop, giving him top pair. The board ran out {9-Clubs}{6-Hearts} and Romaniuk survived.

"Would you win," Tavdi asked Moein as he paid off Romaniuk.

"I had a pair," Moein replied, shaking his head.

Player Chips Progress
Ali Moein ir
Ali Moein
800,000
241,000
241,000
Efraim Tavdi il
Efraim Tavdi
250,000
250,000
250,000
Egor Romaniuk ca
Egor Romaniuk
100,000
100,000
100,000

Tags: Ali MoeinEfraim TavdiEgor Romaniuk

Tas Holds On to More Than Double

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

Four players, including Axel Hallay, Ismail Tas, and Mounir Habib, put in 7,500 before the flop as action went to Jenya Gavrilovich in the big blind, who three-bet to 36,500.

Hallay quickly folded, but Tas moved all in from the cutoff for 87,000. That got rid of Habib, but Gavrilovich called to put Tas at risk.

Ismail Tas: {7-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}
Jenya Gavrilovich: {a-Hearts}{j-Spades}

Tas had to fade a straight draw after the {k-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{q-Hearts} flop in addition to Gavrilovich's two overcards. The turn came the harmless {4-Clubs}, while Tas made a set on the {7-Spades} river as he more than doubled his stack.

Player Chips Progress
Jenya Gavrilovich by
Jenya Gavrilovich
350,000
220,000
220,000
Mounir Habib ae
Mounir Habib
300,000
10,000
10,000
Ismail Tas tr
Ismail Tas
200,000
200,000
200,000
Axel Hallay fr
Axel Hallay
140,000
67,000
67,000

Tags: Axel HallayIsmail TasJenya GavrilovichMounir Habib

Rezaei On Wrong End Of Cooler

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

Picking up the action on the flop, Daniel Rezaei from under the gun was involved in a hand with a player in middle position as well as a player on the button. With the board reading {2-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{j-Clubs} Rezaei led out for 20,000 only to see the middle position player move all in for 68,000. The button player, after some deliberation, called. Rezaei responded by raising to 135,000 which forced the player on the button out of the hand.

Middle Position Player: {a-Clubs}{3-Clubs}
Daniel Rezaei: {2-Diamonds}{2-Spades}

Rezaei had flopped a set but it was no good as his opponent held the nut flush. Needing the board to pair to score the knockout, Rezaei could not fill up as the {4-Spades} turn and {q-Diamonds} river completed a safe runout for the at risk player.

Player Chips Progress
Daniel Rezaei at
Daniel Rezaei
650,000
244,500
244,500

Tags: Daniel Rezaei

Lereya Gets There on the Flop, Amsalem Folds the Winner

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

Israel Amsalem raised to 7,500 before Leon Lereya, in the cutoff, moved all in for 70,500. Iacopo Brandi called on the button, and Amsalem tanked for a moment before mucking.

Leon Lereya: {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}
Iacopo Brandi: {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

Lereya had run into Brandi's kings and was behind until the {a-Hearts}{10-Hearts}{3-Clubs} flop gave him top pair and the lead. The board ran out {j-Spades}{2-Spades} and Lereya doubled up.

After the hand, Amsalem admitted he folded tens and would've flopped top set.

"Good decision," Brandi told him.

"Bad decision," Amsalem replied.

Player Chips Progress
Iacopo Brandi it
Iacopo Brandi
450,000
368,000
368,000
Israel Amsalem
Israel Amsalem
220,000
-49,000
-49,000
Leon Lereya
Leon Lereya
170,000
124,500
124,500

Tags: Israel AmsalemLeon LereyaIacopo Brandi

Ionel Steadily Building Stack

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

Fausto Tantillo opened to 7,500 from middle position and was called by Anton Ionel on the button as well as the big blind.

Action checked to Tantillo following the {a-Spades}{5-Hearts}{7-Clubs} flop and he continued for 9,000. Ionel called while the big blind folded to generate heads-up action going to the turn.

Both players checked through the {5-Diamonds} turn to the {9-Hearts} river at which point Tantillo checked once more. Ionel was not prepared to go to showdown just yet and tossed 16,000 into the middle. Tantillo wasted little time in folding to send a modest pot over to Ionel who has been steadily adding to his stack throughout the day.

Player Chips Progress
Fausto Tantillo it
Fausto Tantillo
340,000
Anton Ionel ro
Anton Ionel
265,000
265,000
265,000

Tags: Anton IonelFausto Tantillo

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

Level: 13

Blinds: 2,000/3,500

Ante: 3,500