FireKeepers Casino

The first of three starting flights in the 2018 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino drew 299 entries (the largest 1A flight in venue history). With two more flights to go – 1B and 1C will begin at Noon local time on Friday and Saturday respectively – the field is on pace to be the biggest ever, thus surpassing a seven-figure prize pool for the fourth time in a row!

After 16 levels of play, just 39 bagged chips on Day 1A with Isaac Kratchman (pictured) and his stack of 384,500 leading the way. Others to bag big were Randy Bullen (298,500), MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang (298,000), poker pro Maurice Hawkins (274,000), and Jason Mangold (257,500), who round out the top five.

They were joined by the likes of MSPT Season 7 Meskwaki champ Keith Heine (194,000), Jimmy Ray (136,000), Ron Kruk (112,000), 2017 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champion Carter Myers (105,000), and Royce Matheson (64,000).

Among those to try and fall on 1A were 2016 MSPT Michigan State Poker Champ Brett Blackwood, current MSPT Season 9 POY points leader Aaron Johnson, poker pro Nick Pupillo, MSPT Season 4 POY Pat Steele, World Poker Tour champ Ravi Raghavan, 2015 MSPT Michigan State Poker Champ Michael Ferrorotti, and MSPT Season 5 POY Mike Deis.

Day 1B will kick off at Noon local time on Friday, October 12. As usual, we’ll be there the entire time to capture all the action straight from the tournament floor, so be sure to join us then.

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging on Day 1A. Stay tuned for a list of chip counts as well as a recap of the day’s action.

Harold Morgan raised to 12,000 from UTG, and was called by Jason Mangold in the big blind.

Mangold led out for 12,000 on the flop, and Morgan called.

The fell on the turn, and Mangold bet 12,000. Morgan quickly called.

On the river, Mangold fired 36,000, and Morgan thought for a bit, before placing two columns of yellow 1k chips in the pot to call.

Mangold tabled for a pair of jacks, but Morgan had that beat with his .

Harold Morgan - 260,000 (65 bb)
Jason Mangold - 160,000 (40 bb)

Charles Ammerman raised to 8,500 from the hijack and the player on the button called. Pat McCullough came along from the small blind, Ben Keeline did the same from the big, and four players went to the flop.

Two checks saw Ammerman continue for 28,000 and the button folded. McCullough then check-raised all in for 33,000, Keeline folded, and Ammerman snap-called.

McCullough:
Ammerman:

It was a cooler flop as McCullough made two pair but Ammerman had him beat with a set. Neither the turn nor river was a king and just like that McCullough hit the rail.

Charles Ammerman - 125,000 (42 bb)
Pat McCullough - Busted

Victor Gayheart raised to 7,000 from the cutoff, then called the three-bet shove to 50,000 from DJ Buckley on the button.

Gayheart:
Buckley:

“It’s not over yet!” Gayheart told Buckley.

“It’s over.” Buckley said, before a flop left him looking for running kings to win or a four to chop. The turn and river didn’t improve Buckley, and he hit the rail.

Victor Gayheart - 145,000 (48 bb)
DJ Buckley - Busted

Steven Putnam jammed for 30,000 from UTG, and Isaac Kratchman called from UTG+1. Ravi Raghavan then three-bet shoved for 75,000 from the button, and Kratchman called.

Putnam:
Kratchman:
Raghavan:

Putnam’s kings held on the flop, but Kratchman shot from worst to first on the turn, leaving Raghavan and Putnam both to quickly hit the rail after the fell on the river.

Isaac Kratchman - 300,000 (100 bb)
Steven Putnam - Busted
Ravi Raghavan - Busted

Randy Bullen raised to 13,000 from middle position and then called the shove of 67,000 from Lee Ash in the cutoff.

Ash:
Bullen:

Ash’s was looking for some help but he didn’t get any as the board ran out a dry .

Randy Bullen - 250,000 (83 bb)
Lee Ash - Busted

A short-stacked Charles Cruce got his chips all in preflop and was looking to get lucky against Bryant Miller.

Cruce:
Miller:

The flop gave Miller a hammerlock on the hand and Cruce was left drawing dead on the turn. The meaningless was run out on the river and Cruce wished the table luck before heading for the exit.

Bryant Miller - 140,000 (47 bb)
Charles Cruce - Busted