2024 Merit Poker Western Series

$3,300 Main Event
Day: 3
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 3
Entries
129
Players Left
24
All Highlights Social Busted
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Ercan Four-Bet Shoves

Ryan Lashmar
Ryan Lashmar
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Andreas Christoforou opened to 16,000 from under the gun and was called by Mustafa Ercan from the next seat over. Fabio Peluso then raised to to 85,000 from middle position, forcing a fold from Christoforou. Ercan responded by moving all in for just under 1,000,000 and Peluso quickly folded allowing Ercan to take the pot without having to see a flop.

Player Chips Progress
Fabio Peluso it
Fabio Peluso 		1,340,000
-137,000
 -137,000
Day 1B Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Mustafa Ercan tr
Mustafa Ercan 		1,065,000
125,000
 125,000
Andreas Christoforou cy
Andreas Christoforou 		378,000
-22,000
 -22,000

Tags: Andreas ChristoforouFabio PelusoMustafa Ercan

Karami Picks Off Smolka's Big Bluff

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Amine Karami raised to 16,000 in the hijack before Dawid Smolka three-bet to 70,000 in the big blind. Karami called and they saw a flop of 4?10?2?.

Smolka continued for 50,000 and Karami called. The turn was the 6? and Smolka bet 150,000.

Karami again called as the 7? fell on the river. Smolka then bet 320,000. Karami took about 30 seconds before calling and Smolka turned over A?3? for a bluff.

Karami showed 10?9? for top pair as he took the massive pot.

Player Chips Progress
Amine Karami lb
Amine Karami 		1,150,000
440,000
 440,000
Dawid Smolka pl
Dawid Smolka 		120,000
-636,000
 -636,000

Tags: Amine KaramiDawid Smolka

Smolka Doubles Through Tashliyev

Ryan Lashmar
Ryan Lashmar
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Ildar Tashliyev opened to 16,000 from early position and Dawid Smolka moved all in for 128,000 from the button, putting Tashliyev deep into the tank.

Tashliyev separated calling chips from his stack and counted out how much he would have should he lose the pot. After just under four minutes he put in the call to put Smolka at risk.

Dawid Smolka: A?J?
Ildar Tashliyev: A?8?

Smolka was in excellent shape to double up with a dominating ace and was a massive favorite after connecting with the 2?2?J? flop. Tashliyev picked up a flush draw on the 9? turn but the 9? river was a brick and Smolka secured a full double up at Tashliyev's expense.

Player Chips Progress
Ildar Tashliyev ru
Ildar Tashliyev 		520,000
169,000
 169,000
Dawid Smolka pl
Dawid Smolka 		276,000
156,000
 156,000

Tags: Dawid SmolkaIldar Tashliyev

Mokrani Holds On to Double Off Zhu

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Mohamed Mokrani
Mohamed Mokrani

Mohamed Mokrani raised to 18,000 in the cutoff and Mohammadreza Karkan called on the button. Nan Zhu then three-bet to 60,000 and both opponents called.

The flop came J?2?K? and Zhu continued for 40,000. Mokrani raised to 107,000 and Karkan got out of the way, but Zhu moved all in. Mokrani snap-called for his last 370,000.

Mohamed Mokrani: K?J?
Nan Zhu: 7?4?

Mokrani was ahead with top two pair, while Zhu had a flush draw. The 5? turn was no help to Zhu, while the 2? completed the board on the river and secured Mokrani a double up.

Player Chips Progress
Mohamed Mokrani fr
Mohamed Mokrani 		920,000
485,000
 485,000
Mohammadreza Karkan
Mohammadreza Karkan 		600,000
130,000
 130,000
Nan Zhu cn
Nan Zhu 		580,000
-494,000
 -494,000

Tags: Mohamed MokraniMohammadreza KarkanNan Zhu

Ercan Wins a Race to Bust Zhaparov

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Mustafa Ercan
Mustafa Ercan

Mustafa Ercan raised to 17,000 in early position and was called by Vedat Yilmaz and Yiannakis Papapetrou. Dauren Zhaparov then moved all in for 150,000 in the big blind and Ercan called, while the other two opponents got out of the way.

Dauren Zhaparov: A?J?
Mustafa Ercan: 7?7?

Zhaparov needed to win the race to stay alive in the tournament but found no help on the 3?10?2?3?8? board as he was sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Mustafa Ercan tr
Mustafa Ercan 		1,550,000
485,000
 485,000
Vedat Yilmaz tr
Vedat Yilmaz 		450,000
150,000
 150,000
Day 1D Chip Leader
Yiannakis Papapetrou cy
Yiannakis Papapetrou 		110,000
-275,000
 -275,000
Dauren Zhaparov kz
Dauren Zhaparov 		Busted

Tags: Dauren ZhaparovMustafa ErcanVedat YilmazYiannakis Papapetrou

Skripkin Almost Cracks Dato's Aces

Ryan Lashmar
Ryan Lashmar
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Andrea Dato
Andrea Dato

In a preflop confrontation Andrea Dato was all in from the hijack with a stack of 128,000 and up against Maksim Skripkin in the big blind who covered.

Andrea Dato: A?A?
Maksim Skripkin: K?Q?

Skripkin took a massive lead with top two pair on the K?Q?9? flop. The 8? turn changed nothing for either player but the 8? river paired the board to give Dato aces up and he scored a full double up through Skripkin who was left with just 15 big blinds.

Player Chips Progress
Andrea Dato it
Andrea Dato 		268,000
120,000
 120,000
WPT 1X Winner
Maksim Skripkin ru
Maksim Skripkin 		120,000
-77,000
 -77,000

Tags: Andrea DatoMaksim Skripkin

Kometiani Wins a Flip to Double

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Antoine Hasbani raised to 17,000 in middle position, then called when Vazha Kometiani moved all in for 146,000 in the hijack.

Vazha Kometiani: A?J?
Antoine Hasbani: 6?6?

Kometiani smacked the J?4?J? flop as he made trips, leaving Hasbani with just two outs heading to the turn. The board ran out 9?2? and Kometiani doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Antoine Hasbani lb
Antoine Hasbani 		460,000
-154,000
 -154,000
Vazha Kometiani ge
Vazha Kometiani 		300,000
300,000
 300,000

Tags: Antoine HasbaniVazha Kometiani

Level: 19

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 10,000

Munteanu Goes Runner-Runner For the Nuts

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Xiang Lian raised to 21,000 in middle position before Bogdan Munteanu three-bet to 80,000 in the small blind. Lian called and the flop came 9?2?4?.

Both players checked the flop and the 7? turn before Munteanu led out for 22,000 on the 2? river. Lian quickly called.

Munteanu then showed A?K? for the nut flush and Lian mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Xiang Lian cn
Xiang Lian 		1,220,000
-133,000
 -133,000
Bogdan Munteanu ro
Bogdan Munteanu 		640,000
143,000
 143,000

Tags: Bogdan MunteanuXiang Lian

Skripkin's Turn to Double on the River

David Salituro
David Salituro
Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Hady El Asmar raised to 20,000 in the hijack and John Doe S called in the cutoff. Maksim Skripkin then moved all in for 106,000 in the small blind, El Asmar called, and Doe folded.

Maksim Skripkin: 5?5?
Hady El Asmar: A?Q?

The flop came K?Q?7? to give El Asmar a pair and the lead, while the Q? turn improved him to trips as Skripkin was already up out of his seat prepared to exit the tournament.

Instead, the 5? fell on the river and the table let out a loud gasp as Skripkin sat back down with a miracle double up.

Player Chips Progress
John Doe S
John Doe S 		400,000
-225,000
 -225,000
Day 1C Chip Leader
Hady El Asmar lb
Hady El Asmar 		350,000
-18,000
 -18,000
Maksim Skripkin ru
Maksim Skripkin 		230,000
110,000
 110,000

Tags: Hady El AsmarJohn Doe SMaksim Skripkin