FireKeepers Casino

The third and final starting flight of the 2018 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino drew 510 runners, which along with 1A’s 299 and 1B’s 462 brought the total field up to 1,271 entries.

The top 135 players will get paid a minimum of $2,093, while the eventual winner will walk away with a $218,565 first-place prize.

After 16 levels of play, just 68 bagged chips on Day 1C with Toronto’s Alvaro Oliveira Prata de Almeida and his stack of 462,000 leading the way. That is slightly behind that of 1B chip leader Irbrahim Shoubah (488,500) but ahead of Day 1A chip leader Isaac Kratchman (384,500).

Others to bag big on 1C were Nick Pupillo (426,600), Steven Stout (424,500), Jacob Jarous (368,500), and Jason Sanders (357,500), who round out the top five.

Others to make it through were Henry Zou (287,500), Ryan Terpstra (211,500), defending champ Chris Meyers (162,500), Michael Lech (125,500), Aaron Johnson (73,000), Schuyler Thornton (67,000), and Mike Shin (59,000).

Among those to try and fall on 1C were three-time MSPT champ Blake Bohn, former MSPT FireKeepers champion Mike Shanahan, two-time MSPT winner Jason Zarlenga, Minnesota’s Alex Winter, MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup, MSPT Season 5 POY Mike Deis, MSPT Season 6 POY Mark Hodge, and Iowa poker pro Jeff Fielder.

Day 2 will see 173 players return to action (39 from 1A, 66 from 1B, and 68 from 1C) and play down to a winner. As usual, we’ll capture all the action straight from the tournament floor via our live updates. The final table will also be live streamed worldwide on msptpoker.com.

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play two more hands before bagging and tagging on Day 1C. Stay tuned for a list of survivors w/ chip counts, a recap of Saturday’s action, and the Day 2 seat draw.

From the big blind, Robert Koch checked a flop over to Marko Doljevic, who bet 10,000 from UTG into a pot around 20,000. Koch check-shoved for 65,500, and Doljevic thought for a bit before pushing in a call.

Koch:
Doljevic:

Koch had the advantage with top two pair, and was just looking to fade a ten to secure a double. The was safe for Koch, but the spiked on the river to the groans of the table, as Doljevic rivered Broadway and left a stunned Koch to sit in his seat for a few moments after the hand, before offering a “Good luck,” to the table before departing.

Marko Doljevic - 200,000 (50 bb)
Robert Koch - Busted

Anthony Teresi raised to 9,000 from middle position, and was called by Travis Jarman in the cutoff and Ben Grise on the button.

Action checked to Grise on a flop, and he bet 20,000. Teresi check-raised to 65,000, and after Jarman folded, Grise went deep into the tank.

After about four minutes, Grise folded, flashing the as he mucked. Teresi elected not to show and took down the pot.

Anthony Teresi - 300,000 (75 bb)
Ben Grise - 100,000 (25 bb)

Joseph Ermatinger moved all in for 35,000 from early position and Matt Davis, who he had just doubled through minutes ago, called off for 32,500 from the button. Both blinds folded and the hands were turned up.

Davis:
Ermatinger:

Davis had the better ace but Ermatinger held over him again when the flop gave him top pair of jacks. Neither the turn nor river helped Davis and he quickly collected his things and made a beeline for the door.

Joseph Ermatinger - 70,000 (17.5 bb)
Matt Davis - Busted

Henry Zou raised to 6,000 from UTG+1, and was called by the button, as well as Leonard Gojcaj in the small blind, and Chan Pelton in the big blind.

Gojcaj elected to rip his last 32,500 in the middle on the flop, which sent Pelton deep into the tank. He elected to fold after a minute, and Zou and the button quickly followed suit.

Leonard Gojcaj - 60,000 (20 bb)

Joseph Ermatinger got his stack of 21,500 all in preflop and was looking to double through Matt Davis.

Davis:
Ermatinger:

Ermatinger had the best of it and improved on the flop. The turn ensured him the double, and he was pushed the pot after the was run out on the river.

Joseph Ermatinger - 50,000 (17 bb)
Matt Davis - 50,000 (17 bb)