2009 Lebanese Poker Championship

$10,000 Championship Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2009 Lebanese Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
98
Prize
$606,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,925,100
Entries
207
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Kamar Increases, Merhej Does the Opposite

On a flop of {9-Spades} {5-Clubs} {10-Hearts}, Fadi Kamar checked, and Chady Merhej made an over bet of 45,000 into a pot of about 35,000. Without much delay, Kamar raised enough to put Merhej all in, about 120,000 total. After much deliberation and staring at the time clock and payout schedule, Merhej called all in for his tournament life.

Showdown
Kamar: {Q-Clubs} {Q-Hearts}
Merhej: {8-Clubs} {8-Hearts}

The all-in player was in bad shape with one foot already out the door. The turn came the {3-Clubs}, and a useless {9-Hearts} filled out the board. Queens hold for Kamar, earning him the knockout and chipping him up to just at 400,000.

Tags: Chady MerhejFadi Kamar

Zakhem Zeros Out an Opponent

With three limpers in the pot in front of him, a player in the big blind moved all in for just over 40,000. Two of the limpers ducked out, but Nicolas Zakhem forcefully announced a call and with a boisterous, "Let's race!" he slapped {2-Diamonds} {2-Hearts}. The big blind tabled {A-Clubs} {9-Hearts}, drawing a repeat, "Let's race, baby!" from Zakhem.

The board was a big sweat but ultimately useless as it ran out {J-Diamonds} {8-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} {10-Spades} {6-Clubs}. With his lowly deuces holding up, Nicolas Zakhem has knocked off another player, putting us down to 40 remaining.

Matta Surges

Nabil Matta soaring
Nabil Matta soaring
Catching the action on the flop of {10-Clubs}{K-Hearts}{A-Clubs} Nabil Matta moved all in, and was called by an opponent for his tournament life.

Matta: {A-Diamonds}{A-Hearts}
Opponent: {10-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}

The turn and river fell the {2-Spades} and {7-Diamonds} to see Matta send his opponent to the rail, while climbing to 410,000 in chips.

Tags: Nabil Matta

Chris Karagulleyan Eliminated

Chris Karagulleyan sent packing
Chris Karagulleyan sent packing
Chris Karagulleyan pushed his last 21,200 into the middle and found one call in Ziad Hany before another opponent pushed all in over the top. Hany folded and the cards were tabled.

Karagulleyan: {A-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}
Opponent: {A-Clubs}{A-Spades}

The board ran out {7-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}{6-Diamonds} to see Karagulleyan hit the rail short of what many expected him to finish.

Tags: Chris Karagulleyan

Level: 16

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 400

Khoury KO'd

We pick up the action on a flop of {6-Diamonds} {9-Hearts} {2-Diamonds} with about 14,000 chips in the pot. Action was on Sejaan Saadeh, and he led out with a bet of 10,000. Next door, Maged Khoury moved all in for a total of 41,400, sending Saadeh deep into the tank. A few quick words were exchanged in Arabic, and in the end, the covering player announced a call and slapped his {3-Hearts} {3-Clubs} onto the table. He would soon find out what a good call it was as Khoury showed up {K-Clubs} {Q-Clubs}.

"Hold!" yelled Saadeh. The turn brought a bit of help to Khoury as the {10-Spades} gave him a gutterball straight draw to add four more outs to the win. "Valet!" he screamed, pleading for a jack. He would brick off though as the river brought a useless {10-Hearts} and the end of Khoury's day.

Tags: Maged KhourySejaan Saadeh

Keirouz And Allam Breathe Sigh Of Relief

Carlos Keirouz opened to 7,000 under the gun before Jules Allam made it 22,000 to go.

With the action on the big blind, Keirouz spoke out of turn and announced his intentions to move all in.

The big blind ummed and ahhed for nearly three minutes before folding pocket sevens.

Keirouz moved all in and Allam made the call to see both players table the same hand in {A-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds} and {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs} respectively.

The board ran out {7-Clubs}{A-Hearts}{K-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{4-Clubs} to see Keirouz and Allam chop it - much to the thanks for the big blind folding!

Tags: Carlos KeirouzJules Allam

Heybelian's Mission

The action up until the turn isn't exactly clear, but what we do know was that a flop of {9-Hearts} {5-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} drew a bet from chip leader Sherif Zacca. He found action only from Sevag Heybelian who came along with the call.

The turn card came the {4-Hearts}, and Zacca fired another 27,000 at the pot. Instantly, Heybelian moved all in, and Zacca asked for a count. As soon as he could eyeball the remainder, he made the quick call to put Heybelian at risk.

Showdown
Zacca: {Q-Spades} {5-Clubs}
Heybelian: {9-Spades} {9-Diamonds}

"Sorry, Zacca," said Heybelian, quickly adding, "No queen!" The dealer obliged with a blank {7-Clubs} on the river notching a second consecutive double up for Heybelian. "Very sorry, Zacca," he repeated. Heybelian predicted he would win this tournament, even as he was down under 40,000 earlier this level. He's got a much better shot at fulfilling that prophecy with his newfound stack that's approaching 150,000, finally back above average.

Tags: Michel RazzoukSherif Zacca