2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$5,300 High Roller
Day: 2
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
109
Prize
$204,700
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,300
Entries
187
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
187
Players Left
28

Level: 16

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

Daher Boated Off The Island

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Maher Nouira
Maher Nouira

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 {j-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{j-Clubs} 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 {8-Spades} 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: {k-Hearts}{10-Hearts}
Maher Nouira: {q-Diamonds}{q-Spades}

Daher had run straight into Nouira's flopped boat and was drawing dead prior to the meaningless {7-Hearts} 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
Profile photo of Maher Nouira tn
Maher Nouira
375,000
Profile photo of Albert Daher lb
Albert Daher
Busted

Tags: Albert DaherMaher Nouira

Ustimov Makes Broadway

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Viktor Ustimov
Viktor Ustimov

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: {a-Spades}{j-Clubs}
Viktor Ustimov: {a-Hearts}{q-Spades}

Ustimov was in great shape to score the pot and the knockout, that is until the flop came {k-Spades}{j-Hearts}{2-Diamonds} to vault the at risk player into the lead. Nothing changed on the {k-Clubs} turn but the {10-Diamonds} river saw Ustimov re-capture the lead by improving to broadway, eliciting an audible groan from his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Viktor Ustimov ru
Viktor Ustimov
230,000

Tags: Viktor Ustimov

Level: 17

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

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 {3-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{j-Spades}{q-Hearts} 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 {7-Diamonds} 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 {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} for top-top.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Yiannis Liperis cy
Yiannis Liperis
430,000
235,000
235,000
Profile photo of Jack Sinclair gb
Jack Sinclair
180,000
-65,000
-65,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Jack SinclairYiannis Liperis

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: {4-Diamonds}{3-Spades}
Chaofei Wang: {k-Spades}{10-Clubs}

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 {7-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} 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
Profile photo of Chaofei Wang cn
Chaofei Wang
425,000
Profile photo of Joseph Mouwad lb
Joseph Mouwad
Busted
Profile photo of Fausto Tantillo it
Fausto Tantillo
Busted

Tags: Chaofei WangFausto TantilloJoseph MouwadMark D

Level: 18

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 12,000

Iskandarov Surges Ahead

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Rashad Iskandarov
Rashad Iskandarov

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: {q-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}
Rushad Iskandarov: {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

Iskandarov held a commanding lead over his opponent and looked set to take down a massive pot. The {2-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{4-Clubs} flop changed little with the {2-Spades} turn confirming the at risk player's elimination prior to the inconsequential {7-Diamonds} 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
Profile photo of Rushad Iskandarov
Rushad Iskandarov
990,000

Tags: Rushad Iskandarov

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 {3-Spades}{q-Clubs}{q-Spades} 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 {2-Hearts} 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 {6-Spades} river saw Papazian check for a second time and, after considerable thought, Kliper checked back before mucking after Papazian turned over {5-}{5-}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Alexandru Papazian ro
Alexandru Papazian
735,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
375,000
195,000
195,000

Tags: Alexandru PapazianArie Kliper