FireKeepers Casino

Day 1A of the 2017 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino attracted 244 entries, which puts the field on pace to flirt with another $1,000,000 prize pool (remember the spring event here drew 1,066 entries).

After 14 levels of play, 45 players remained with Nick Bogus (pictured), who is seeking his first MSPT cash, and his stack of 347,000 leading the way. That was well ahead of his next closest competitor, Charles Baryames, who bagged 209,500. The other three players to bag more than 200K were David Cronk (209,000), Zac Andrews (207,500), and Altaf Motiwala (206,500).

Another player to survive was reigning MSPT Michigan State Poker Champion Brett Blackwood (94,500), who one year ago topped a field of 884 entries to win $188,314. Likewise, poker pro Aaron Massey (112,000), who in Season 7 took home $174,658 for a MSPT FireKeepers win, survived the night.

Massey is looking to make an unprecedented fourth final table in a row in MSPT FireKeepers Main Events, each of which have been Michigan state record fields. We’ll have to wait until Sunday to see if he can go back-to-back-to-back-to-back!

Dylan Linde also made it through with 77,500. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the poker pro, who ranks second on Idaho’s all-time money list, won last year’s World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at Horseshoe Hammond for a six-figure paydays and shiny gold ring.

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to find a bag. Aaron’s older brother, Ralph Massey, was among those to fall, as were two-time MSPT champ Blake Bohn; the man who finished runner-up to Blackwood, Cy Church; World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jean “Prince” Gaspard; and Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year contender “Big” Al Hedin.

Day 1B will get underway at Noon local time on Friday. Late registration will remain open until 6:30 pm ET. Once again, we’ll be bringing you all the action straight from the tournament floor, so be sure to join us then.

The tournament staff announced the remaining players will play two more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for a list of survivors with chip counts as well as a recap of the Day 1A action.

Victor Gayheart got his stack of 50,000 all in preflop and found himself primed to double through Harold Morgan.

Morgan:
Gayheart:

Gayheart was way out in front, but the flop gave Morgan an up-and-down straight draw. Fortunately for Gayheart, neither the turn nor river hit Morgan and he shipped the late double.

Harold Morgan - 150,000 (63 bb)
Victor Gayheart - 100,000 (42 bb)

Action folded to Iowa’s Josh Smith on the button and he moved all in for 17,000, which MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers champ Aaron Massey called from the big blind.

Massey:
Smith:

Smith needed to improve, but that proved easier said than done as the board ran out a dry .

Aaron Massey - 112,000 (56 bb)
Josh Smith - Busted

Nick Bogus - 240,000
Zac Andrews - 200,000
Tony Pena - 190,000
Dave Cronk - 155,000
Bruce Rowland - 140,000
Michael Ermie - 130,000
Aaron Massey (MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers champ) - 95,000
Bruce Swartz - 85,000
Brett Blackwood (2016 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship) - 55,000
Michael Campbell - 54,000
Ralph Massey - 50,000
Dylan Linde - 50,000

Kyle Whiteaker raised to 4,000 from middle-position, and Sam Federoff three-bet to 9,500 on the button. Whiteaker called and the two took to a flop. Both players checked.

The turn saw Whiteaker bet 8,500. Federoff shoved for his last 24,000, and Whiteaker made a quick call.

Whiteaker:
Federoff:

Federoff had stood up before the hands were even tabled, seemingly resigned to his fate, and the river blanked off, sending Federoff to the rail and scoring a knockout for Whiteaker in one of the final levels of Day 1A.

Kyle Whiteaker - 88,000 (44 bb)
Sam Federoff - Busted

We missed the preflop action, but we do know that Millard Hale got his stack of 39,500 all in and was flipping for his tournament life.

Hale:
Opponent:

Hale was looking to hold, and he did more than that as he spiked a set on the flop. The turn gave his opponent a Broadway draw, but he missed it as the paired the board on the river.

Millard Hale - 80,000 (40 bb)