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.