Hady El-Asmar has recently lost a huge pot to Mehmet Kolgu, leaving himself with just a few big blinds.
A few hands later, El-Asmar got the rest of his chips in the middle with Yurii Zabrodotskyi trying to bust him.
Hady El-Asmar: J♥7♥ 
Yurii Zabrodotskyi: Q♥J♣
El-Asmar's jack-high remained unimproved on the 4♣2♦K♥3♥2♠ runout despite picking up a flush draw on the turn, and his Main Event Day 1a came to an end for now.
On the very first shuffle of the Main Event, Zabiyakin was eliminated, and he was able to recall the action back to PokerNews, as he was on his way to the cashier's desk to reenter.
Zabiyakin said he raised the hijack to 1,200, and Andrei Mashinistov three-bet the button to 2,100. Zabiyakin called when it got back to him.
Zabiyakin checked to Mashinistov on the QxJ♦9♦ flop, and Mashinistov fired a continuation-bet of 700. Zabiyakin check-raised to 4,600, and was met by a three-bet to 12,000 from Mashinistov. Zabiyakin wasn't backing down as he four-bet to 30,000, with Mashinistov responding by five-bet ripping it in for 110,000. Zabiyakin called, and the players flipped their cards in a pot of around 440 big blinds.
Zabiyakin: 10♣8♣
Andrei Mashinistov: A♦Q♦
Zabiyakin flopped the second nuts with a straight, and was up against the top pair and flush draw of Mashinistov.
Mashinistov received instant service when a diamond fell on the turn, leaving Zabiyakin drawing dead. The river was irrelevant, Zabiyakin was the first elimination of the day, and Mashinistov found the start he had been dreaming of.
Everyone who arrived before the first card his the baize gets an additional 10% added to their stack.
Cards are in the air on Day 1a of the Main Event, with 114 players taking their seats.
Level: 1
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
There is a slight delay to the start of the day as players head to their seats.
A new chapter in the inaugural Merit Poker Noir Series begins today as the $5,500 Merit Poker Main Event gets underway at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa in Northern Cyprus.
With the Merit Poker Cup now in the books and the High Roller playing down to a winner today, all eyes turn to the centerpiece of the series as professionals and amateurs from across the globe prepare to battle for one of the most prestigious titles on the Merit Poker calendar.
The tournament features a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and a starting stack of 100,000 chips. Cards get in the air at noon for Day 1a, with players having four opportunities to run up a stack and give themselves a chance of making a deep run on Day 2.
The last Merit Poker Main Event took place during the Merit Poker Classic series in May, when Ivan Ilichev was victorious, picking up the trophy and the $525,000 top prize. Ilichev beat a final table featuring Erdem Akmert, Davit Mikhanashvili, Guy Dvash, Maxime Chilaud, and Nikolay Gadzhalov on his way to capturing the biggest score of his career.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivan Ilichev | Russian Federation | $525,000 |
| 2 | Unknown | Unknown | $320,000 |
| 3 | Erdem Akmert | Turkey | $200,000 |
| 4 | Davit Mikhanashvili | Georgia | $139,000 |
| 5 | Guy Dvash | Israel | $100,500 |
| 6 | Maxime Chilaud | France | $82,500 |
| 7 | Nikolay Gadzhalov | Bulgaria | $67,000 |
| 8 | Dimitrios Kilintaris | Greece | $54,000 |
| 9 | Wael Sarkis | Lebanon | $43,536 |
From the get-go, late registration will remain open until the start of Level 11 in each flight. Unlimited reentries will be permitted throughout the tournament. The opening two flights will feature 40-minute levels, while Day 1c will play with a faster 30-minute structure before the final opening flight, Day 1d, takes place later that evening with 20-minute levels.
Play in each opening flight will continue until just 15% of the field remains, with bagging chips on any of the starting days guaranteeing players a payday and a return for Day 2. Once the field combines on Wednesday, August 5, level lengths will increase to 60 minutes, while the official prize pool and payout information will be released shortly before the first on the penultimate day.
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2 | Day 1a | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| August 3 | Day 1b | 12 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| August 4 | Day 1c | 12 p.m. | 30 minutes |
| August 4 | Day 1d | 6 p.m. | 20 minutes |
| August 5 | Day 2 | 1 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| August 6 | Final Day | 12 p.m. | 60 minutes |
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Stay tuned to PokerNews as cards get in the air for Day 1a of the Merit Poker Main Event, with live updates, chip counts, and all the action direct from the tournament floor.
$5,500 Main Event
Day 1a Started
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