Break Time
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The remaining 47 players have been sent on a 10-minute break. They will return to blinds of 8,000/16,000.
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
$5,300 High Roller
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series
Buy-in
$5,300
Entries
187
Level
31
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
187
Players Left
28
Kliper Cannot Find Bluff
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Alexandru Papazian opened to 25,000 from under the gun and was called by Arie Kliper on the button as well as the big blind player.
The big blind checked to Papazian on a flop of 
and he continued for 21,000. Kliper called while the big blind folded to send action heads-up to the turn.
Papazian slowed down following the 
turn, checking to Kliper who took over the betting lead by firing off 50,000. That was not enough to get rid of Papazian who just called.
The 
river saw Papazian check for a second time and, after considerable thought, Kliper checked back before mucking after Papazian turned over 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
735,000 | |
|
||
|
375,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
Iskandarov Surges Ahead
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Rushad Iskandarov opened to 25,000 from under the gun and action folded around to a player in the cutoff who, with a sizable stack behind, moved all in. The button and blinds quickly got out of the way while Iskandarov snapped it off with the covering stack to put his opponent at risk.
Cutoff Player: 
Rushad Iskandarov: 
Iskandarov held a commanding lead over his opponent and looked set to take down a massive pot. The 
flop changed little with the 
turn confirming the at risk player's elimination prior to the inconsequential 
river. As Iskandarov raked in his newly acquired chips, several players at the table exchanged puzzled glances. Whether this was linked to the cutoff player's shove or not can only be inferred.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
990,000 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Wang Sends Mouwad Packing
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Mark D opened to 20,000 from middle position before Chaofei Wang three-bet to 65,000 on the button. Joseph Mouwad called off for his last 28,000 out of the big blind while Mark D got out of the way to put Mouwad at risk.
Joseph Mouwad: 
Chaofei Wang: 
Mouwad's hand was certainly near the bottom of all possible holdings but he did have two live cards that could save him. No help came, however, on the 
runout, sending Mouwad to the rail with nothing to show for his efforts while Wang took down a relatively small pot. Elsewhere, Fausto Tantillo was seen exiting the tournament area.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
425,000 | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Liperis Takes From Sinclair
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Picking up the action on the turn, Yiannis Liperis in middle position was involved in a hand with Jack Sinclair on the button and a player in the small blind. With the board reading 
both the small blind player and Liperis checked to Sinclair who led out for 25,000. That was enough to force the small blind out of the hand but Liperis was not going anywhere just yet, flatting to see a river.
The river completed the board and saw Liperis take over the betting lead, pushing 40,000 into the middle. Sinclair quickly called but mucked just as quickly after Liperis tabled 
for top-top.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
430,000
235,000
|
235,000 |
|
180,000
-65,000
|
-65,000 |
|
||
Level: 17
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
Ustimov Makes Broadway
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
A player opened to 19,000 from under the gun before a player in early position moved all in for their last 84,000. Action folded around to Viktor Ustimov in the small blind who re-jammed with the slightly larger stack. The under the gun player got out of the way to put the early position player officially at risk.
Early Position Player: 
Viktor Ustimov: 
Ustimov was in great shape to score the pot and the knockout, that is until the flop came 
to vault the at risk player into the lead. Nothing changed on the 
turn but the 
river saw Ustimov re-capture the lead by improving to broadway, eliciting an audible groan from his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
230,000 |
Daher Boated Off The Island
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Albert Daher opened to 16,000 from middle position only to see Maher Nouira three-bet to 42,000 one seat over. Action folded back around to Daher who made the call to see a flop.
Daher checked to Nouira on the flop and the three-bettor continued for 16,000. After some thought, Daher decided to respond with a raise to 35,000. Nouira just called to keep action heads-up to the turn.
The 
turn saw Daher once again take some time before announcing he was all in. Nouira could barely get the chips in fast enough with the covering stack to put Daher at risk.
Albert Daher: 
Maher Nouira:
Daher had run straight into Nouira's flopped boat and was drawing dead prior to the meaningless river to send him crashing out of the tournament well short of the money. Nouira, meanwhile, has vaulted to the upper echelons of the leaderboard courtesy of his ladies.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
375,000 | |
|
Busted |
Level: 16
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000