Alexandras Rusinovas has clawed his way back to the starting stack of 100,000 after a little help from pocket kings.
A short-stacked player had committed his stack of around 30,000 with 6?6? and Rusinovas made the call with K?K?.
Nothing changed after the Q?9?A?4?10? runout, and Rusinovas added some much-needed chips to his stack.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscila??o |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 |
With the $2,200 Warm Up continuing to build toward historic numbers at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series, the star power on Day 1b is undeniable. Among those taking their shot at another deep run are four players who have already etched their names in Merit Poker history, capturing major titles on these very tables.
Included in the field is Elie Farah, who claimed the 2024 Carmen Series Main Event title just last year, securing an impressive $338,500 payday. Farah’s victory was a defining moment in his career, overcoming a strong field and proving he has what it takes to close out big events. Now, he returns to the same festival looking to add another trophy to his collection, this time in the Warm Up. With his past success and deep tournament experience, Farah is a serious threat to make another run here at Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
Farah isn’t the only former Merit Poker champion in the mix. Nikolay Fal made headlines back in 2022, when he took down the Western Series Main Event, earning a career-best $326,153. His ability to navigate large fields and close out major tournaments makes him a formidable presence in today’s flight.
Meanwhile, Andrey Pateychuk is another name that poker fans will recognize. The Russian pro has a resume filled with deep runs and big scores, including his 2014 Merit Poker Winterfest Main Event victory, where he secured $145,472. With over a decade of experience battling in high-stakes events, Pateychuk’s presence adds even more prestige to the Day 1b lineup.
Rounding out this group of champions is Zhen Chen, who recently claimed victory in the 2024 Gatsby Gala High Roller, taking home $132,300. Winning a high roller event at Merit Poker is no small feat, and Chen’s ability to compete at the highest level makes him one to watch as the Warm Up field continues to grow.
Nível: 8
Blinds: 1,000/1,500
Ante: 1,500
Boris Smuskevicius' stack just took a tumble after an ill-timed bluff.
On a flop of 4?K?9?, the big blind checked and Smuskevicius fired out 7,000 into three players, which only the cutoff called.
On the 4? turn, Smuskevicius didn't let off and put out another bet of 17,000, which again was called to see the A? on the river. A final bet of 30,000 came in from Smuskevicius, and after a while in the tank, his opponent flicked in the call.
Smuskevicius then showed a bluff with J?10?, and his opponent rolled over K?10? to take the pot with a pair of kings.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscila??o |
|---|---|---|
|
40,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
The $2,200 Warm Up is on a record-breaking pace at the 2025 Merit Poker Carmen Series, with over 400 entries already on the board and plenty more action still to come. With Day 1b in full swing and Day 1c set to kick off tonight, the question is no longer if this edition will be massive—but how massive.
Looking at past editions, the 2023 Carmen Warm Up saw 611 entries, with Arie Kliper taking home $206,800 after navigating a tough field. The biggest Warm Up in Merit Poker history came at the 2023 Retro Series, where Hadi Khadra topped a huge 809-entry field to capture $264,400. Meanwhile, the 2022 Vintage Series Warm Up saw 624 entries, proving that big numbers are nothing new for this event.
| Year | Event | Entries | 1st Place Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Retro Series Warm Up | 809 | $264,400 |
| 2023 | Carmen Series Warm Up | 611 | $206,800 |
| 2022 | Vintage Series Warm Up | 624 | $200,000 |
With the prize pool growing and more top players still jumping in, this year’s Warm Up is quickly shaping up to be one of the largest ever. Could we see a new all-time record?
Stay tuned as the action heats up inside the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino!
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscila??o |
|---|---|---|
|
280,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
280,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
270,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
250,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
240,000 | |
|
240,000
240,000
|
240,000 |
|
190,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
190,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
|
170,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Nível: 7
Blinds: 1,000/1,500
Ante: 1,500
The players have been sent on a 20-minute break.
When they return, four more levels will be played before the day comes to an end.
The $2,200 Warm Up has smashed past 400 entries with over four levels still to play in Day 1b, keeping it on track to be one of the biggest editions ever. With Day 1c still to come tonight, Day 1d tomorrow, and late registration open until Level 15, could this be a record-breaker? Stay tuned!
Paul Amsellem just stacked a player and brought his stack up to around 230,000 as the penultimate break looms closer.
On a 2?2?Q? flop with around 70,000 in the middle, Wissam Turkie bet 10,000 from the hijack and Amsellem clicked it to 20,000 on the button. Turkie called.
A 6? landed on the turn and Turkie shoved for around 50,000, which Amsellem snap-called.
Wissam Turkie: Q?J? 
Paul Amsellem: K?K?
Amsellem had his man right where he wanted him and Turkie needed to find one of two outs in order to stay alive. The 3? wasn't the card that Turkie needed, which meant he made his way to the exit while Amsellem raked in a chunky pot.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscila??o |
|---|---|---|
|
230,000 | |
|
Eliminado |
