$5,300 High Roller | 2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

03-28-2023 22:36 UTC+3

Anton Ionel Eliminated in 6th Place ($41,750)

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Anton Ionel moved all in for 1,330,000 from under the gun with before Fahredin Mustafov re-jammed in the cutoff holding . The remaining players released their holdings and Ionel was officially at risk.

Anton Ionel:
Fahredin Mustafov:

It was race and one that Ionel would need to win to stay in the tournament. The immediately propelled Mustafov into the lead with the turn and river changing nothing to send Ionel packing in 6th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	5,300,000 1,775,000	1,775,000
Anton Ionel	Busted

Tags: Anton Ionel Fahredin Mustafov

03-28-2023 22:45 UTC+3

Eduard Barsegian Eliminated in 5th Place ($51,900)

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Eduard Barsegian moved his remaining 1,815,000 into the middle from middle position holding only for the rampant Aliaksandr Hirs to wake up with in the cutoff. Hirs just called while the remaining players folded to put Barsegian at risk.

Eduard Barsegian:
Aliaksandr Hirs:

Barsegian was not in great shape and little changed on the flop. The turn did give him a flush draw to go along with his overcard but the river bricked out to send him to the payout cage in 5th place. Hirs, meanwhile, continues to put distance between himself and the rest of the field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	7,900,000 1,835,000	1,835,000
Eduard Barsegian	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Eduard Barsegian

03-28-2023 23:05 UTC+3

Simeon Spasov Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,900)

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Simeon Spasov moved all in for 450,000 from the cutoff holding and was looked up by Aliaksandr Hirs in the big blind with .

Simeon Spasov:
Aliaksandr Hirs:

Spasov was a marginal favourite to survive, that is until the flop came , pairing up a seemingly unstoppable Hirs. The turn left Spasov needing to hit one of his two overcards on the river to survive but the rolled off the deck instead to oust him from the tournament in 4th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	8,100,000 200,000	200,000
Simeon Spasov	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Simeon Spasov

03-28-2023 23:14 UTC+3

Updated Chip Counts

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	8,070,000 -30,000	-30,000
Fahredin Mustafov	6,135,000 835,000	835,000
Ryan Mandara	4,495,000 2,115,000	2,115,000

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Fahredin Mustafov Ryan Mandara

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

03-28-2023 23:30 UTC+3

Ryan Mandara Eliminated in 3rd Place ($92,700)

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Aliaksandr Hirs opened to 400,000 on the button with and was called by Ryan Mandara in the big blind holding .

The flop connected with both players and saw Mandara check to Hirs who continued for 300,000. Mandara responded by check-raising all in for 3,475,000. Hirs asked for a count before making the call with the covering stack to put Mandara at risk.

Ryan Mandara:
Aliaksandr Hirs:

Hirs was ahead but Mandara was not a big dog, needing to find a spade or jack to survive. The turn changed nothing with the river ending Mandara's impressive run in 3rd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksandr Hirs	11,800,000 3,730,000	3,730,000
Ryan Mandara	Busted

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Ryan Mandara

03-28-2023 23:36 UTC+3

Break Time

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

The two remaining players have taken a short break before returning to battle it out for the $204,700 top prize and the title of Event #13: $5,300 High Roller champion.

03-28-2023 23:41 UTC+3

Blind Levels Shortened

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

With heads-up play about to commence, the blind level length has been reduced to 20-minutes.

03-29-2023 00:05 UTC+3

Mustafov Fights Back

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Fahredin Mustafov struggled to gain momentum early in the heads-up contest and found himself down under the 4,000,000 mark. Mustafov limped on the button holding and Aliaksandr Hirs checked his option out of the big blind with .

The flop spelled trouble for Hirs as he checked to Mustafov who decided to slowplay his trips, checking back.

Both players picked up a flush draw on the turn but Hirs chose not to bet, instead checking to Mustafov for a second time. At this point Mustafov decided it was time to ramp up the action, leading out for 300,000. Hirs responded by raising to 900,000 and Mustafov, not going anywhere, flatted.

The river improved both players to a flush with Hirs opting not to seek value from his holding, checking to Mustafov who pushed a small bet of 700,000 into the middle. That sent Hirs into the tank but eventually he found a disciplined fold to send the pot over to Mustafov.