Here Come the Antes
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
The third level of the day has started, the first time the players are forced to put in an ante every hand.
2014 partypoker World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 partypoker World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic
Buy-in
$4,000
Prize Pool
$1,486,720
Entries
404
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
0
Abou Khalil Wins With the Better Full House
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
In the break Antoine Abou Khalil told us two hands that had just happened. In the first, a player doubled with pocket sevens agains ace-seven after an 
board.
Right the next hand, it was Abou Khalil who would be on the lucky side of an coparable situation.
The river made for a lot of action with the board reading 
. His opponent bet out 2,500, Abou Khalil raised it up to 7,500, and the three bet followed to 14,000. Abou Khalil just called with his , afraid of running into for quads.
Luckily for him, his opponent had , and Abou Khalil doubled to almost 55,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
55,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
Good Start for Higgins
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
Simon Higgins, runner up to Jason Lavallee in a £10,000 High Roller in London last year, has the start he wished for this World Poker Tour. He's up to 65,000, with not more than one level of play so far today. If he can keep it up like this, well, the tournament would be over after level 8 or so.
Higgins called a raise with 
from the button, and ended up in a four- or five-way pot.
The flop came 
with one diamond, giving Higgins a well disguised straight draw. The big blind lead out, Sofia Lövgren folded, one more player called, and so did Higgins in position.
The 
on the turn filled up Higgins' straight, and the big blind bet out again. The 2,500 bet was called by the third active player, and Higgins raised it up to 8,000. The big blind called, the third player folded.
The river 
completed the back door flush, but Higgins wasn't perse afraid of that. His opponent checked, and the Brit made a 18,000 bet. The call followed, and so did the muck after Higgins showed his straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
65,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
Gnatenko Busts Ivanov
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
Oleksandr Gnatenko called the all in from shorty Dmitry Ivanov on a 
board. We're not sure how the two ended up with the cards they were holding on the flop, but we are sure Gnatenko was in the lead:
Oleksandr Gnatenko: 
Dmitry Ivanov: 
Gnatenko had flopped two pair, Ivanov was in suspense for a club.
The clubs wouldn't come, the 
and 
were blanks and Ivanov was sent to the rail. Gnatenko, who's a regular here in the Merit casino, is up to almost 40,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
Busted |
(Back) In Action!
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
We just spotted two-time bracelet winner Davidi Kitai on the rail, enjoying his (morning?) coffee. It's 4 o'clock here in Cyprus, but Kitai has just entered the tournament area. He's going to play in a bit.
Fellow French speaking player Paul Tedeschi gave it a try yesterday, but ended up coming short to make it through the nine levels. Tedeschi is back at it right now, having taken his seat on one of the tougher tables in the room with Albert Daher, Andrey Shatilov, and Luca Moschitta.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
||
Bet, Bet, Check
Level 3
: 75/150, 25 ante
We missed the pre flop action, but saw Ilan Boujenah bet out for 800 on 
from the big blind. He got a call, and tried again on the 
-turn. Boujenah bet out 2,200 this time, and again got called.
The 
completed the board, and for a second we thought Boujenah was going to fire that third bullet. He didn't though, checking cautiously. His opponent checked behind.
Boujenah's 
proved not good enough, his opponent tabled 
and took it down.
The number three of Israeli's all time money list is still doing well though, he has just over 40,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,200
10,200
|
10,200 |
Level: 4
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 25
Oh No! Yildiz Busto!
Level 4
: 100/200, 25 ante
From our colleagues at the World Poker Tour blog, we just heard Sevket Yildiz has been eliminated.
From what they reconstructed, there was a raise to 400, Yildiz called, Gabriel Schaucash squeezed to 1,200, a fourth player moved all in for 2,100, the initial raiser five bet to 3,800, and both Yildiz and Schaucash made the call.
The initial raiser checked, Yildiz bet out a mere 1,100, Schaucash made the call, the initial raiser folded.
The 
fell on the turn, and Yildiz moved all in for about 12,000. After several minutes of tanking, Schaucash made the call.
Yildiz showed an unimproved , while Schaucash had 
for the straight- and flush draw. The all in player had 
for the straight and was well in the lead for the main pot.
The river was the 
and Schaucash made his flush, while Yildiz and the all in player busted their stacks.
Yildiz has bought back in, a fresh 30,000 for the Turkish player.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Cautious Lövgren
Level 4
: 100/200, 25 ante
Sofia Lövgren opened under the gun to 400, and Simon Higgins on the button, and both blinds, called.
Action checked to Lövgren on 
, and the Swedish player bet out 900. Just Higgins called, both blinds folded.
The fell on the turn and Lövgren checked. Higgins bet out 1,200, and Lövgren called almost instantly.
The 
fell on the river and Lövgren checked again. Higgins did the same.
Lövgren showed 
, and Higgins mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
49,000
-16,000
|
-16,000 |
|
33,000
2,900
|
2,900 |
Antonio Buonanno Is Here
Level 4
: 100/200, 25 ante
Somehow we kind of missed him, but he's really here. Last year's Monte Carlo winner Antonio Buonanno is participating in this tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |