Aaron Mermelstein just put on an absolute clinic in high-stakes Omaha. He registered late for Event 7 of the PGT PLO Series at the Venetian Las Vegas and completely steamrolled the elite field. He locked up $42,000 and his first-ever PokerGoTour championship title by playing pure aggressive poker.
In a fast-structured Pot Limit Omaha high roller, you have to push every single mathematical edge. Aaron Mermelstein did exactly that. After the early exits of elite crushers like Sam Soverel and Chino Rheem, he went on an absolute tear. He personally eliminated the final four players by dominating the equity spots.
The Brutal Money Bubble
The money bubble in these small field events is pure psychological warfare. Aaron Mermelstein weaponized his chip lead perfectly. First, he busted Allan Le when his top set of Aces held up against a massive wrap and flush draw. Then he sent Qinghai Pan to the rail by turning the nut straight and dodging all the flush outs on the river.
On the stone cold money bubble, he clashed with Bryce Yockey. Yockey got his stack in the middle with a pair and a wrap, but Aaron Mermelstein woke up with a bigger pair and the better draw. The board bricked out entirely for Yockey, leaving him as the devastating bubble boy for the second time in a single day.
The Heads Up Cooler Against Dylan Linde
The heads-up battle against Dylan Linde was an absolute nightmare setup. Aaron Mermelstein entered the final duel with a commanding three-to-one chip lead. After trading a few small pots, the variance gods delivered a brutal cooler.
Dylan Linde called an all-in on the river with the second nut-flush, only to run into the nut-flush of Mermelstein. That massive cooler scooped the pot and secured the $42,000 first place prize for Aaron Mermelstein, leaving Dylan Linde to collect $18,000 as the runner up.
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With over 12 years of Omaha Poker experience, Lebi is the Head of Content at PLO365. A dedicated PLO specialist, he bridges the gap between complex GTO theory and practical street poker. He leads our review team, stress-testing PLO solvers, HUDs, and training courses to ensure they meet the demands of the modern grinder. When he isn’t auditing poker room RNGs or writing strategy guides, you can find him grinding PLO cash games and Turbo MTTs. Check here how we review.
