Two Starting Flights Remain in 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series $3,300 Main Event
The flagship event of the 2023 Merit Poker Gangster Series here at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino is already well underway, with two starting flights complete and two more still to go in the $3,300 Main Event. The event has featured a total of 303 entrants so far across the first two days, of which 133 players survived to advance to Day 2.
Top Ten Chip Counts from Day 1a and Day 1b
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aleksei Petrov | Russian Federation | 766,000 | 306 |
| 2 | Shuang Luo | China | 670,500 | 268 |
| 3 | Dmitry Gromov | Russian Federation | 627,500 | 251 |
| 4 | Razvan Sabau | Romania | 585,000 | 234 |
| 5 | Adem Marjanovic | Austria | 525,000 | 210 |
| 6 | Bakhos Joumaa | Lebanon | 485,500 | 194 |
| 7 | Christos Leantzis | Cyprus | 470,000 | 188 |
| 8 | Sinead Priestley | United Kingdom | 432,000 | 173 |
| 9 | Selahaddin Bedir | Turkey | 430,500 | 172 |
| 10 | Maximilian Wieser | Austria | 428,500 | 171 |
Aleksei Petrov currently holds the biggest stack from the first two starting flights. The Russian player finished Day 1a with 766,000 and is the only player with a stack worth over 300 big blinds going into Day 2. Petrov is most closely followed by Day 1b chip leader Shuang Luo (670,500) and WPT champion Dmitry Gromov (627,500).
Other notables to make it to Day 2 so far include Selahaddin Bedir (430,500), Guoliang Wei (401,500), Ankit Ahuja (322,000), Victor Yugay (279,000), Halil Tasyurek (159,000), previous Merit Poker Main Event champion Maxime Chilaud (131,000), winner of the 2023 Gangster Series $2,200 Warm Up Ivan Govorov (129,500) and winner of the 2023 Gangster Series $5,300 High Roller Giorgiy Skhulukhiya (99,000).
Day 1c begins at noon local time and will feature a similar structure as the first two starting flights. Players will start with 100,000 chips and play nine 40-minute levels. There will be a break after every three levels. Unlimited reentries and late registration will be available until the end of Level 14 on Day 2. There will also be a turbo Day 1d starting flight featuring 25-minute levels beginning today at 7:00 p.m. local time.
As always, PokerNews will be on-site to cover all the action today from when cards are in the air until players bag and tag at the end of the night.