$5,300 High Roller Dia 1 | 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series

2024-03-26 04:12 UTC+3

Dawid Smolka Shines Brightest on Day 1 of the Merit Poker Carmen Series High Roller

Nível 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Four players rode big pocket pairs to the top of the chip counts on Day 1 of the Merit Poker Carmen Series High Roller.

Marcin Dziubdziela (314,000) hit a set of queens to bust Roman Gadzhiev on one of the last hands of the night. Toni Kaukua (308,000), who won the High Roller at the Merit Poker Western Series in 2023, doubled up off Mustafa Biz with pocket tens then knocked him out a few hands later in a preflop coin flip. Darko Svesko, meanwhile, who earlier had doubled up with aces against ace-king, took out Jovan Kenjic and Milos Skrbic with pocket queens late in the night as last year’s Merit Poker Retro Series champion ended the day with 344,000.

But they and the rest of the 42 players who survived the day are all looking up at Dawid Smolka. Smolka’s pocket aces busted Saro Tekyildiz earlier in the day as he ended up as chip leader with 423,000.

Day 1 Top 10 Chip Stacks

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Dawid Smolka	Poland	423,000	282
2	Darko Svesko	Serbia	344,500	230
3	Marcin Dziubdziela	Poland	314,000	209
4	Toni Kaukua	Finland	308,000	205
5	Daniel Kyosev	Bulgaria	300,000	200
6	Behrooz Sheibani	Iran	278,500	186
7	Roman Stoica	Romania	263,000	175
8	Daniel Henriques	Portugal	262,500	175
9	Lyudmil Ivanov	Bulgaria	207,000	138
10	Andrei Spataru	Romania	206,500	138

Other top stacks to make it through Day 1 include Daniel Henriques (262,500), Boris Angelov (190,500), and Kacper Pyzara (180,000), while Aylar Lie (137,000), Renan Bruschi (118,000), and Alexandru Papazian (113,000) will also be back for Day 2 at 8 p.m. tomorrow.

Day 1 attracted 65 total entries, but that number will surely grow substantially as late registration remains open until the end of Level 12 on Day 2. With blinds picking up at 1,000-1,500 and a 1,500 big blind ante to start the day, a starting stack is still worth more than 60 big blinds. Play on Day 2 is scheduled to go down to the money, with the champion being crowned on March 27.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the live updates throughout the remainder of the tournament.

Tags: Alexandru Papazian Aylar Lie Boris Angelov Daniel Henriques Darko Svesko Dawid Smolka Jovan Kenjic Kacper Pyzara Marcin Dziubdziela Milos Skrbic Mustafa Biz Renan Bruschi Roman Gadzhiev Saro Tekyildiz Toni Kaukua

2024-03-26 03:33 UTC+3

Gadzhiev Runs Into Dziubdziela's Set

Nível 8 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

With around 50,000 in the pot on a board of 6♦J♠7♣Q♣, Roman Gadzhiev moved all in for around 40,000 from the cutoff and Marcin Dziubdziela snap-called in the small blind.

Gadzhiev shot out of his seat as he turned over 7♠5♠ for a pair of sevens. Dziubdziela had Q♦Q♠ for top set and Gadzhiev was already drawing dead before the 9♣ river and on his way to the exit.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Marcin Dziubdziela	320,000 170,000	170,000
Roman Gadzhiev	Eliminado

Tags: Marcin Dziubdziela Roman Gadzhiev

2024-03-26 02:17 UTC+3

Tekyildiz Fails to Crack Smolka's Aces

Nível 6 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With nearly 30,000 in the pot on a flop of 10♦J♠K♣, Saro Tekyildiz bet 7,000 from under the gun and Dawid Smolka called in the cutoff, while Milos Petakovic folded in early position.

Tekyildiz checked the 2♦ turn and Smolka bet 100,000, enough to put Tekyildiz all in. Tekyildiz called for his last 50,000 and turned over Q♥J♥ for a pair and straight draw, while Smolka had A♠A♥.

Tekyildiz failed to connect with the 3♠ river and was sent to the rail while Smolka took the big pot.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Dawid Smolka	340,000 90,000	90,000

Milos Petakovic	55,000 -30,000	-30,000
Saro Tekyildiz	Eliminado

Tags: Dawid Smolka Milos Petakovic Saro Tekyildiz

2024-03-26 01:51 UTC+3

Papazian Comes to Regret His Raise and River Bet

Nível 6 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Daniel Henriques limped in from the small blind and the dealer began to gather the chips into the flop. "I haven't checked yet," Alexandru Papazian said in the big blind before he raised to 4,200. Henriques called.

"I'm going to regret it," Papazian said as the flop came 3♣Q♣K♣. He continued for 2,500 and Henriques called.

The turn was the 10♣ and Papazian bet 3,600. Henriques again called and the 10♠ fell on the river.

Papazian bet another 7,500, but this time Henriques raised to 30,000. "I should've checked the river," Papazian said as he tanked for more than a minute before calling.

Henriques showed A♣8♥ for the nut flush and Papazian mucked.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Daniel Henriques	220,000 60,000	60,000
Alexandru Papazian	160,000

Tags: Alexandru Papazian Daniel Henriques

2024-03-26 01:25 UTC+3

Kenjic Picks Off a Player

Nível 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The rest of the field had already left on break when a player bet 10,000 from middle position on a board of 3♣A♥10♦7♥ and Jovan Kenjic called in the small blind.

The river was the 10♠ and Kenjic led out for 1,000. His opponent then moved all in for around 65,000 and Kenjic called.

The all-in player tossed J♥8♥ into the muck and Kenjic showed A♦2♦ for two pair as Bojan Berberovic, standing near the table watching, burst out laughing.

"Jovan Kenjic, monster," Nemanja Lukovic, also watching the action, said.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Jovan Kenjic	230,000 170,000	170,000

Tags: Jovan Kenjic

2024-03-26 01:24 UTC+3

Ivanov Scores a Double Knockout

Nível 5 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Three-handed on a flop of A♠10♥Q♥, Dahmani Hassan bet 5,000 from the small blind and Aleksandr Ivanov called in the big blind. Martin Diaz then moved all in for 35,000 from the button, Hassan also shoved for around the same amount, and Ivanov called to put both players at risk.

Martin Diaz: 9♥4♥ All in
Dahmani Hassan: 7♥5♥ All in
Aleksandr Ivanov: K♣J♠

Ivanov had flopped the nut straight, while both Diaz and Hassan were on flush draws. The board ran out Q♠3♠ and Ivanov's hand held up to send both players to the rail.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Aleksandr Ivanov	250,000 145,000	145,000
Martin Diaz	Eliminado
Dahmani Hassan	Eliminado

Tags: Aleksandr Ivanov Dahmani Hassan Martin Diaz

2024-03-26 00:42 UTC+3

Angelov Takes a Big Three-Way Pot...or Does He?

Nível 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Three players went to the river on a board of 7♥7♣A♥5♥5♣ when Damir Gabdullin bet 25,000 from the cutoff. Boris Angelov called on the button, as did Saro Tekyildiz under the gun.

Gabdullin showed 6♦5♦ for a full house and Angelov turned over A♠5♠. Tekyildiz mucked.

The dealer was about to chop the pot before Angelov pointed out he had the higher full house and earned the full pot. Another tablemate then chimed in and said both players had sevens full of fives. "This isn't Omaha," he said.

"He has fives over sevens. I had fives over aces," Angelov corrected. The situation took a few minutes to resolve before the pot was eventually sent to Angelov.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Boris Angelov	160,000 50,000	50,000
Damir Gabdullin	120,000 20,000	20,000
Saro Tekyildiz	40,000 -60,000	-60,000

Tags: Boris Angelov Damir Gabdullin Saro Tekyildiz

2024-03-26 00:30 UTC+3

Spasov Has Talvard Outkicked

Nível 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Simeon Spasov had a raise of 6,500 in front of him from middle position before Antoine Talvard reraised to 13,000 in the cutoff. Spasov called.

The flop came A♥2♠8♥ and Talvard continued for 10,000. Spasov called.

The K♠ fell on the turn and Talvard bet 20,000. Spasov again called and checked the 6♣ river.

Talvard quickly checked back and turned over A♦Q♦. Spasov, though, had A♣K♥ for top two pair to win the pot.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Simeon Spasov	180,000 80,000	80,000

Antoine Talvard	60,000 -40,000	-40,000

Tags: Antoine Talvard Simeon Spasov

2024-03-26 00:17 UTC+3

Smolka Fires At Angelov

Nível 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Action folded to Dawid Smolka who limped in from the small blind. Boris Angelov raised to 5,800, Smolka reraised to 14,000, and Angelov called.

The flop came J♥5♣A♦ and Smolka bet 8,000. Angelov called and the 10♥ fell on the turn.

Smolka then led out for another 25,000 and Angelov folded this time.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Dawid Smolka	150,000 30,000	30,000

Boris Angelov	110,000 -25,000	-25,000

Tags: Boris Angelov Dawid Smolka

2024-03-25 19:27 UTC+3

Spotlight Falls on Big Names When the Merit Poker Carmen Series High Roller Begins at 8 p.m.

One player will get a chance for a grand performance when the 2024 Merit Poker Carmen Series $5,300 High Roller begins at 8 p.m. local time.

This event is for the elite among the players who made the journey to the idyllic Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in North Casino. Aliaksandr Hirs won this event last year, beating Fahredin Mustafov heads-up to earn $204,700 after prevailing over the 187-player field. Other players to make that final table included British pro Ryan Mandara, WSOP bracelet winner Simeon Spasov, and Eduard Barsegyan, part of an incredible streak of four straight final tables for the Russian.

2023 Merit Poker Carmen Series High Roller results

Place	Player	Prize Money
1	Aliaksandr Hirs	$204,700
2	Fahredin Mustafov	$143,800
3	Ryan Mandara	$92,700
4	Simeon Spasov	$68,900
5	Eduard Barsegyan	$51,900
6	Ionel Anton	$41,750
7	Carlos Aoun	$34,800
8	Egor Romaniuk	$28,050
9	Lev Kydatov	$21,250

Players begin the event with a 100,000 starting stack and will play eight 40-minute levels on Day 1. Late registration is open through Level 12 on Day 2, with unlimited reentries allowed during the registration period. The money bubble is scheduled to burst at the end of Day 2 tomorrow, with a champion eventually being crowned on March 27.

Event schedule:

Day 1: March 25, 8 p.m., eight 40-minute levels
Day 2: March 26, 8 p.m., play until the money
Day 3: March 27, noon, play down to a winner

Stay tuned as PokerNews provides all the live updates throughout the day as a star-studded field takes to the felt today in North Cyprus.

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Eduard Barsegyan Fahredin Mustafov Ryan Mandara Simeon Spasov