The remaining 52 players are on the first 15-minute break of the day.
2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series
With two players seeing a board of 9♦6♣2♦ and around 425,000 in the middle, Timur Margolin bet 135,000 from the small blind and Amir Hassan raised to 275,000 from the cutoff. Margolin made the call.
On the 5♥ turn Margolin checked and Hassan bet 275,000. Margolin opted to fold, showing the A♣ as he did so and Hassan took the pot.
In a preflop confrontation Selahaddin Bedir was all in from the small blind for around 350,000 and up against Samuel Dray who covered him in the big blind.
Selahaddin Bedir: A♥A♠
Samuel Dray: Q♦Q♣
Dray pulled ahead with middle set on the Q♥7♥K♠ flop leaving Bedir drawing to just two outs. Bedir picked up a straight draw on the 10♣ turn but the 4♠ river was a brick and Bedir was sent to the rail on the stone bubble while Dray claimed the last of his chips.
Gihad Ismail open-shoved for 160,000 from middle position and Nichan Khorchidian called from the big blind with a covering stack to put him at risk.
Gihad Ismail: A♦A♠
Nichan Khorchidian: 6♦6♥
Despite flopping a straight draw Khorchidian was unable to crack Ismail's aces on the 7♦8♦9♣2♠K♠ runout and Ismail doubled up at his expense.
Nivel: 21
Ciegas: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
Hadi Khordbin opened from the hijack, Tommy Mokhtari re-shoved for 245,000 from the cutoff and Khordbin called with a covering stack to put Mokhtari at risk.
Tommy Mokhtari: A♠A♣
Hadi Khordbin: Q♥6♥
The 10♣J♦A♥10♠6♠ runout gave Mokhtari a full house and he doubled up through Khordbin who was drawing dead on the turn.
With 64 players remaining and 63 paid spots, the tournament staff have announced the start of hand-for-hand play.
Elie Farah opened from middle position, Zhen Chen three-bet from the hijack and Farah called creating a pot of roughly 175,000 going into the flop.
the flop came 2♥J♥J♦. Farah checked, Chen bet 50,000 and Farah check-raised to 135,000. Farah made the call.
Farah continued for 150,000 on the 9♥ turn and was called by Chen.
On the Q♣ river Farah checked and Chen shoved, covering Farah who had around 400,000 behind. Farah, clearly put on a difficult decision, put his hands over his head and briefly went into the tank.
After a couple minutes Farah stuck in the call. Chen had the nut-flush with A♥Q♥ and dragged in a massive pot while Farah was sent to the rail two spots shy of making the money.
With two players seeing a final board of 9♦2♥4♠9♥6♣ and around 425,000 in the middle, Timur Margolin fired a very small 30,000 bet. Bogdan Munteanu raised to 185,000 and Margolin made the call.
Munteanu could only show a bluff with J♥10♦ while Margolin had correctly hero-called with A♠Q♦ for just ace-high to take the pot.