The final 35 players are now on a 45-minute dinner break.
2024 Merit Poker Western Series
Level: 26
Blinds: 20,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Andreas Christoforou opened to 100,000 from the cutoff and Xiang Lian three-bet to 300,000 from the button. Christoforou made the call.
The flop came 10?8?3? and Christoforou check-called a 150,000 continuation bet from Lian.
Both players checked the 3? turn leading to the 9? river. Christoforou bet 525,000 and Lian's hand hit the muck.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Andreas Christoforou |
3,530,000
1,555,000
|
1,555,000 |
Xiang Lian |
2,110,000
-490,000
|
-490,000 |
Xiang Lian raised to 100,000 in the hijack, Ermanno Di Nicola three-bet to 270,000 in the big blind, and Lian four-bet to 675,000. Di Nicola then moved all in for 1,330,000 and Lian quickly called.
Ermanno Di Nicola: A?A?
Xiang Lian: A?K?
No miracles arrived for Lian on the 9?5?7?5?5? board as Di Nicola finished with a full house to earn the massive double up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Wael Sarkis |
4,300,000
2,700,000
|
2,700,000 |
Ermanno Di Nicola |
2,700,000
840,000
|
840,000 |
|
||
Azamat Tulepbergenov | 1,800,000 | |
Andrew Hedley |
1,300,000
-1,175,000
|
-1,175,000 |
Nariman Yaghmai |
930,000
-440,000
|
-440,000 |
Xiang Lian |
730,000
-1,380,000
|
-1,380,000 |
Bassel Moussa |
400,000
-11,000
|
-11,000 |
Antoine Hasbani raised to 105,000 in the hijack and Roman Hrabec defended his big blind.
The flop came 8?J?10? and Hasbani continued for 80,000. Hrabec called and the J? fell on the turn.
Hasbani then bet 120,000 and Hrabec again called. The river was the 6? and Hasbani fired out 500,000 this time.
Hrabec quickly surrendered his hand as Hasbani took the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Felipe Ketzer |
2,300,000
-175,000
|
-175,000 |
Antoine Hasbani |
2,200,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
Roman Hrabec |
1,100,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |
|
||
Ryan Plant |
520,000
-880,000
|
-880,000 |
With two players seeing a board of A?Q?7? and roughly 800,000 in the middle, Hady El Asmar was all in for his last 210,000 from early position and called by Ermanno Di Nicola, who held a covering stack in the next seat over.
Hady El Asmar: 9?8?
Ermanno Di Nicola" K?K?
Di Nicola was in the lead with pocket-kings but El-Asmar made a flush on the 7? turn. The J? river brought in a bigger flush for Di Nicola to send El-Asmar to the rail while Di Nicola took down a sizable pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ermanno Di Nicola |
3,550,000
1,690,000
|
1,690,000 |
|
||
Hady El Asmar | Busted |
Andreas Christoforou raised to 125,000 on the button, then called when small blind Xiang Lian moved all in for around 800,000.
Xiang Lian: 5?5?
Andreas Christoforou: A?K?
Christoforou took the lead on the K?7?7? flop with two pair, and Lian couldn't catch up on the J? turn or A? river as Christoforou sent him off to collect his payout.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Andreas Christoforou |
4,000,000
470,000
|
470,000 |
Xiang Lian | Busted |
Action folded around to Andrew Hedley in the small blind who moved all in, covering Bassel Moussa in the big blind who had 355,000. Moussa called and was at risk.
Bassel Moussa: Q?7?
Andrew Hedley: A?9?
Both players connected with the 9?7?6? flop but Moussa was ahead with top pair and remained so on the 4? turn and 10? river to secure a full double up at Hedley's expense.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Andrew Hedley |
950,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
Bassel Moussa |
760,000
360,000
|
360,000 |
Ali Zebarjad moved all in for 1,300,000 in the hijack, Felipe Ketzer reshoved on the button, and big blind Mustafa Ercan tanked for a minute before getting out of the way.
Ali Zebarjad: 10?10?
Felipe Ketzer: K?K?
Ketzer had woken up with kings and the board ran out A?4?4?K?6?, giving him a full house and sending Zebarjad to the rail. Ercan admitted after the hand he folded two jacks.
Gang Zhao and Xixiang Luo have also recently been eliminated.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Felipe Ketzer |
4,600,000
2,300,000
|
2,300,000 |
Ali Zebarjad | Busted | |
Gang Zhao | Busted | |
Xixiang Luo | Busted | |
|
Ermanno Di Nicola opened to 100,000 from middle position and Bassel Moussa moved all in for 735,000. Di Nicola made the call with a covering stack to put Moussa at risk.
Bassel Moussa: A?K?
Ermanno Di Nicola: 2?2?
The board ran out K?3?7?J?6?. Moussa's pair of kings were good at showdown and he scored his second full double up in quick succession.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ermanno Di Nicola |
3,015,000
-535,000
|
-535,000 |
|
||
Bassel Moussa |
1,635,000
875,000
|
875,000 |