Running Aces Casino

Dejuante Alexander Bags Overall Chip Lead As 52 Players Survive Final Flight

Day 1C of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Running Aces $1,110 Main Event attracted a massive 448 runners, which along with 1A's 161 and 1b’s 276 brought the total field up to 885 entries, blasting past the $500k guarantee.

The massive field generated a $856,950 prize pool and the top 90 players will get paid a minimum of $2,228, while the eventual winner will walk away with a $167,105 first-place prize, along with the Minnesota State Poker Championship trophy.

At the end of the third and final flight, 52 players bagged and tagged with Dejuante Alexander bagging the top stack 530,000, edging out Day 1a’s John Hanner (525,00) to take the overall chip lead into Day 2.

Others to bag big stacks where Dave Bashel (490,00), Jeremy Holmes (395,000), Yer Vang (393,000), and Blaise Poupore (373,000) who rounded out the top five stacks.

They were joined by Mark Fink (321,00), Alex Wheeler (305,000), Eddie Blumenthal (304,000), Nic DiTrapani (304,000), and MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard (277,000).

The surviving players from all three flights – of which there are 103 (18 from Day 1A, 33 from 1B, and 52 from 1C) – will return at 11 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 2nd to play down to a winner.

Season 14 MSPT Running Aces $1,110 Main Event Payouts

Remaining MSPT Minnesota Poker State Championship Schedule

End of Day 1C Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Dejuante Alexander	530,000	240,000
David Bashel	490,000	500,000
Jeremy Holmes	395,000	395,000
Yer Vang	393,000	400,000
Blaise Poupore	373,000	373,000
Mark Fink	321,000	260,000
Alex Wheeler	305,000	333,000
Eddie Blumenthal	304,000	250,000
Nicola DiTrapani	303,000	165,000
Ariel Kotzen-Reich	303,000	303,000
Jason Hoffman	300,000	300,000
Josh Reichard	277,000	190,000
Nikolas Stone	271,000	195,000
Brett Reichard	262,000	320,000
Joseph Larson	253,000	253,000
Terrance Eischens	252,000	252,000
Michael Estes	251,000	125,000
Gerald Cunniff	251,000	350,000
Tria Vue	248,000	248,000
Joseph Brooks	245,000	245,000
Rory Linton	236,000	120,000
Jessica Anderson	230,000	195,000
Chris Murdoch	226,000	150,000
Angel Garcia Diaz	217,000	217,000
Calvin Morris	216,000	216,000
Yao Yin	214,000	214,000
Ariel Pressman	212,000	212,000
Shane Stegora	212,000	212,000
Tam Le	211,000	211,000
Jason Bender	211,000	150,000
Eric Eelkema	186,000	240,000
Maxx Holland	186,000	150,000
Jerad Berg	180,000	180,000
Randy Jacks	174,000	174,000
Nathan Lohmer	164,000	164,000
Daniel Warner	157,000	157,000
Richard Potter	156,000	156,000
Pat Zoeller	153,000	153,000
Matt McKinney	152,000	152,000
Samuel Lewer	148,000	148,000
William Vincent	139,000	130,000
Joseph Boissonneault	134,000	134,000
Carl Carodenuto	133,000	280,000
Todd Egerdahl	110,000	110,000
Eric O'Fallon	98,000	98,000
Molly Mossey	84,000	112,000
Hanh Kupfer	71,000	71,000
Mathew Lenz	69,000	69,000
Louis Hillman	68,000	68,000
Sean Mehan	67,000	67,000
John Harkins	49,000	49,000
Terry Bender	48,000	48,000
Joe Matheson	0	160,000
Chan Pelton	0	50,000

Holland Secures Late Night Double

There was heads-up action after a flop between Maxx Holland from the hijack and his opponent directly to his left.

All the chips went into the middle with Holland holding less with 77,000, and the two players tabled their hands.

Maxx Holland:
Opponent:

Holland was ahead after flopping top pair but had a super sweat after the dealer turned the .

Luckily for Holland, the completed the board on the river and secured his double-up.

Maxx Holland - 150,000

MSPT Running Aces Race for Player of the Series

For over the past week, poker players have been at Running Aces Casino in Columbus MN, duking it out for the MSPT's Minnesota Poker State Championship stacking up points for the Player of the Series.

Points are based on placement in each qualifying event and are awarded to the top 9 players finishing in each event. In the case an event does not pay 9 places, only those players awarded prize pool payouts receive points.

Sitting on top of the leaderboard right now is Tim Votava, who has 20 points for a chance an $1,110 MSPT Main Event seat.

A complete list of the leaderboard can be found here.

Cunniff Won't Be Bullied by Stone

There was heads-up action between Nik Stone from the button and MSPT Deadwood champ Gerald Cunniff from the big blind with a board showing.

With 40,000 already in the middle, Cunniff check-raised to 30,000 after Stone fired out a 14,000 bet, and Stone fired out a 70,000 three-bet.

Cunniff wasted no time clapping back with a 240,000 four-bet jam and Stone released his hand.

Gerald Cunniff - 350,000
Nik Stone - 195,000

MSPT Champ Dave Gonia Ships $500 PLO

For over the past week, poker players have been at Running Aces Casino in Columbus MN, duking it out for the MSPT's Minnesota State Poker Championship!

In Event #7: $500 PLO, 67 runners were tallied through the registration period, generating a $28,810 prize pool that was paid out to the top 7 players.

Coming out the victor was MSPT champ Dave Gonia, who secured the $8,174 top prize, along with the MSPT trophy!

Event #7 Results

Prize Pool Information

MSPT Minnesota Poker State Championship at Running Aces Casino
Entrants: 885
Prize Pool: $856,950

Murdoch Doubles Through Estes

A player from middle position opened for 7,000 and was called by the button before Chris Murdoch three-bet jammed for 77,000 from the small blind.

Action was on Mike Estes who went over the top for 181,000 from the big blind.

The initial raiser folded, and the button followed suit tossing into the muck.

Chris Murdoch:
Mike Estes:

Estes had Murdoch dominated until a ten appeared in the window on the flop.

The turn brought possible chop outs if an eight were to fall on the river, but the completed the board and secured Murdoch his double-up.

Chris Murdoch - 150,000
Mike Estes - 105,000

Top Bagged Stacks Thus Far

A total of 51 players have made a Day 2 birth thus far, and another group of hopefuls will look to add their names to that list.

All who make it through today will return tomorrow, Sunday April 2nd at 11 a.m. for Day 2, where the remaining players from all starting flights will combine and play until a winner is declared.

Top Chip Counts Through First Two Flights

Another Round of Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
David Bashel	500,000	400,000
Bernard Morrow	340,000	263,000
Carl Carodenuto	280,000	155,000
Brett Reichard	200,000	69,000
Josh Reichard	190,000	125,000
Gerald Cunniff	160,000	266,000
Chan Pelton	150,000	175,000
Bruce Swart	125,000	105,500
Molly Mossey	112,000	27,500
Umut Ozturk	90,000	92,000
Matthew Porter	90,000	75,000
Miles Barnum	60,000	25,000
Luke Blindert	50,000	25,000
Rory Linton	50,000	57,500
David Grandin	40,000	80,500
Maxx Holland	40,000	0
Adam Tolander	25,000	0
Jason Sell	25,000	25,000
Sou Vang	12,000	60,000
Charlie Wiggins	0	125,000
Dennis Stevermer	0	22,000
Wilnor Lundi	0	25,000
Todd Melander	0	47,000
Tom Hammers	0	25,000
Steve Belland	0	25,000