2024 Merit Poker Western Series

$3,300 Main Event
Day: 1a
1a1b1cd234
Event Info

2024 Merit Poker Western Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
9♦9♣
Prize
$342,500
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,300
Prize Pool
$1,854,720
Entries
672
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
200,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
188
Players Left
71
All Highlights Busted
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Kaukua Shows Down a King

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 2 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Toni Kaukua and Igor Pihela built a pot of around 14,000 as they went heads-up to the 5?K?9? flop. Pihela then bet from the big blind before Kaukua raised to 12,000 in early position.

Pihela called and the 4? fell on the turn. Kaukua then bet another 20,000 and Pihela again called.

Pihela checked over to Kaukua on the 9? river and Kaukua this time checked back. Pihela then showed Q?Q?, but Kaukua had A?K? for top pair to win the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Toni Kaukua fi
Toni Kaukua 		130,000
30,000
 30,000
Igor Pihela ee
Igor Pihela 		65,000

Tags: Toni KaukuaIgor Pihela

Level: 3

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

Pankov Calls Off Against Tulepbergenov

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Vitalii Pankov
Vitalii Pankov

With around 20,000 in the pot on a board of 4?4?10?J?, Azamat Tulepbergenov led out for 11,000 from the big blind and Vitalii Pankov called in middle position.

The river was the 6? and Tulepbergenov moved all in for 53,500. Pankov called and Tulepbergenov showed 7?4? for trip fours. Pankov flashed a ten before mucking.

A count of the stacks showed Tulepbergenov barely had Pankov covered and Pankov made his exit from the table.

Player Chips Progress
Azamat Tulepbergenov kz
Azamat Tulepbergenov 		150,000
150,000
 150,000
Vitalii Pankov ru
Vitalii Pankov 		Busted

Tags: Azamat TulepbergenovVitalii Pankov

Plant Cracks Dato's Aces

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Andrea Dato
Andrea Dato

More than 40,000 was already in the middle as Andrea Dato and Ryan Plant went heads-up to the 2?A?10? flop.

Dato then bet 4,500 from middle position and Plant called in the small blind. Both players checked the K? turn.

The river was the 4? and Plant bet 50,000, enough to put Dato all in. Dato snap-called and turned over A?A? for top set, but Plant had Q?J? for a turned straight to send Dato to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Plant gb
Ryan Plant 		280,000
70,000
 70,000
Andrea Dato it
Andrea Dato 		Busted
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Andrea DatoRyan Plant

Lian Raises Out Hasbani

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Four players went to a flop of 4?4?10? as action checked to Antoine Hasbani who bet 3,000 from the button. Iurii Saiapin called under the gun, as did Xiang Lian in early position.

The turn was the 10? and Hasbani bet another 7,500. Saiapin folded this time, but Lian put in a raise to 30,000. Hasbani quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
Antoine Hasbani lb
Antoine Hasbani 		190,000
20,000
 20,000
Xiang Lian cn
Xiang Lian 		120,000
Iurii Saiapin ru
Iurii Saiapin 		50,000

Tags: Antoine HasbaniIurii SaiapinXiang Lian

Bonnant Hits the River on Kaukua

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Clement Bonnant three-bet to 6,500 on the button and Toni Kaukua called in the cutoff.

The flop came 9?8?K? and Bonnant continued for 5,000. Kaukua then raised to 12,000 and Bonnant called.

The 5? fell on the turn and Kaukua bet 20,000. Bonnant again called and the Q? fell on the river. Kaukua then moved all in and Bonnant snap-called for 45,000.

Bonnant turned over Q?Q? for a rivered set and Kaukua's cards quickly hit the muck as Bonnant doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Clement Bonnant fr
Clement Bonnant 		170,000
Toni Kaukua fi
Toni Kaukua 		35,000
-95,000
 -95,000

Tags: Clement BonnantToni Kaukua

Nehme Calls Off With Fourth Pair

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Jose Nehme and Parahat Nurmuhammedov had already built a pot of around 45,000 as they went to the river on a completed board of 5?3?9?K?Q?.

Nurmuhammedov then moved all in from the hijack, having Nehme's remaining 25,000 covered. Nehme tanked for several minutes until the clock was called.

He didn't wait for a tournament official to arrive and start the countdown before he called. Nurmuhammedov turned over K?K? and Nehme flashed 6?6? as he made his way to the exit.

Player Chips Progress
Parahat Nurmuhammedov tm
Parahat Nurmuhammedov 		130,000
Jose Nehme lb
Jose Nehme 		Busted

Tags: Jose NehmeParahat Nurmuhammedov

Giliazetdinov Beats Zhao Without a Showdown

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 3 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Heads-up on a board of 5?Q?A?3?, Gang Zhao bet 12,000 from the hijack and Vasil Giliazetdinov called in middle position.

The river was the A? and Zhao bet another 31,000. Giliazetdinov took his time before calling and Zhao instantly mucked, allowing Giliazetdinov to take the pot without a showdown.

Player Chips Progress
Vasil Giliazetdinov ru
Vasil Giliazetdinov
130,000
65,000
 65,000
Gang Zhao cn
Gang Zhao 		50,000