2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

$2,200 NL Warmup
Day: 4
Event Info

2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k4
Prize
$206,800
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$1,124,240
Entries
611
Level Info
Level
38
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Players Info - Day 4
Entries
21
Players Left
1

Kliper Gets "Super Lucky" on the River

Level 36 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Koray Korkmaz limped in with {8-Hearts}{3-Hearts} and Arie Kliper checked back {q-Hearts}{2-Spades}.

Korkmaz flopped a flush on {5-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{4-Hearts} and called a bet of 900,000. The turn came the {8-Clubs} and Kliper checked to Korkmaz, who bet 1,400,000.

Kliper called as the {7-Hearts} on the river improved him to a higher flush. Both players checked.

"You are so, so lucky. Super lucky," Korkmaz told Kliper upon seeing his cards.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
43,400,000
3,100,000
3,100,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
17,700,000
-3,100,000
-3,100,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Korkmaz Finds New Life on the River

Level 36 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Koray Korkmaz
Koray Korkmaz

As he's done several times already in this heads-up match, Arie Kliper shoved the button but this time Koray Korkmaz called for his last 10,000,000.

Koray Korkmaz: {a-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}
Arie Kliper: {q-Clubs}{j-Spades}

Kliper pulled ahead on the {q-Spades}{10-Hearts}{6-Clubs} flop with a pair of queens, while Korkmaz had two overcards and a straight draw. The turn came the {7-Diamonds} and Korkmaz needed to hit the river to extend the tournament.

"Good luck, my friend. Whatever happens, happens," Kliper said as he walked over to embrace Korkmaz as they awaited the river, which came the {a-Clubs} as Korkmaz made a pair to double up.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
40,300,000
-10,000,000
-10,000,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
20,800,000
10,000,000
10,000,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Finally a Flop Heads-Up

Level 36 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

The first several hands of heads-up play were decided by pre-flop all-ins as Koray Korkmaz blinded down to less than 10,000,000.

Korkmaz then limped in with {q-Spades}{6-Hearts}. "Let's see a flop," Arie Kliper said as he checked back {4-Spades}{2-Diamonds}.

Both players checked to the river on a board of {4-Clubs}{10-Spades}{8-Spades}{9-Clubs}{q-Hearts} when Korkmaz bet 800,000 with his pair of queens and Kliper called with fours as Korkmaz took down the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
50,300,000
2,000,000
2,000,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
10,800,000
-2,000,000
-2,000,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Cenk Nigbolu Eliminated in 3rd Place ($93,300)

Level 36 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Cenk Nigbolu
Cenk Nigbolu

Arie Kliper raised to 1,600,000 from the button, then called when big blind Cenk Nigbolu shoved for 11,000,000.

Cenk Nigbolu: {a-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}
Arie Kliper: {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}

Nigbolu was dominated and got no help on the {j-Clubs}{a-Spades}{q-Spades} board as Kliper was still ahead with his pair of aces, king kicker. The board ran out {8-Hearts}{6-Clubs} and Nigbolu, who began the final table as the short stack with just five big blinds, manage to survive all the way to third place.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
48,300,000
12,500,000
12,500,000
Cenk Nigbolu tr
Cenk Nigbolu
Busted

Tags: Arie KliperCenk Nigbolu

Level: 36

Blinds: 400,000/800,000

Ante: 800,000

Nigbolu Survives a Flip to Double

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Cenk Nigbolu raised to 3,500,000, then called for his last 5,500,000 when big blind Koray Korkmaz shoved.

Cenk Nigbolu: {a-Hearts}{q-Spades}
Koray Korkmaz: {2-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}

Nigbolu jumped into the lead with top pair on the {10-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{a-Clubs} flop and stayed in front as the board ran out {10-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}. He doubled up and the three-handed battle continued.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
14,000,000
-2,800,000
-2,800,000
Cenk Nigbolu tr
Cenk Nigbolu
11,900,000
3,700,000
3,700,000

Tags: Cenk NigboluKoray Korkmaz

Korkmaz Four-Bet Shoves

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Koray Korkmaz raised to 1,200,000 on the button with {j-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} before Cenk Nigbolu reraised to 3,100,000 in the small blind holding {a-Clubs}{4-Spades}.

Korkmaz came back with a four-bet shove and Nigbolu, with 8,200,000 behind, tanked for a few moments before giving up his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
16,800,000
4,000,000
4,000,000
Cenk Nigbolu tr
Cenk Nigbolu
8,200,000
-4,600,000
-4,600,000

Tags: Cenk NigboluKoray Korkmaz

Kliper Gets It Back

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

On the next hand after Koray Korkmaz doubled up, Arie Kliper limped in with {8-Spades}{5-Spades} and Korkmaz checked behind with {6-Clubs}{5-Clubs}.

The {a-Spades}{6-Spades}{k-Clubs} flop gave Korkmaz a pair and Kliper a flush draw, and Kliper led out for 600,000. Korkmaz called as the {2-Clubs} fell on the turn.

Kliper bet another 1,700,000 and Korkmaz, now with his own flush draw, called. The {j-Spades} river completed Kliper's flush and he bet 1,900,000.

Korkmaz now raised to 8,000,000 and Kliper quickly called to take the pot and re-open a big chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
35,800,000
11,500,000
11,500,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
12,800,000
-11,500,000
-11,500,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz

Korkmaz Drills the Turn For Massive Double

Level 35 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Koray Korkmaz
Koray Korkmaz

Koray Korkmaz raised to 1,200,000 from the button and Arie Kliper defended his big blind.

The flop came {q-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{j-Spades} and Korkmaz continued for 700,000. Kliper raised to 2,500,000, Korkmaz jammed for 10,500,000, and Kliper snap-called.

Koray Korkmaz: {a-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds}
Arie Kliper: {q-Hearts}{7-Hearts}

Kliper had flopped two pair and left Korkmaz looking for a ten to complete his straight and stay alive. The {10-Spades} fell on the turn and now it was Kliper looking for help heading to the river.

He didn't get any as the {k-Spades} fell and Korkmaz doubled up. The two players are now virtually even in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Arie Kliper il
Arie Kliper
24,300,000
-12,600,000
-12,600,000
Koray Korkmaz tr
Koray Korkmaz
24,300,000
12,600,000
12,600,000

Tags: Arie KliperKoray Korkmaz