Ryan Tepen raised to 60,000 in middle position, and Taylor Howard three-bet to 170,000 in the hijack. Action folded back to Tepen, who took a long look at Howard before announcing all in. Howard called right away with his 680,000 stack.
Howard:
Tepen:
Howard had Tepen dominated, but Tepen picked up a gutter on the flop. The turn gave Tepen chopping outs, but a river meant he shipped nearly all of his stack to Howard.
The next hand, Tepen pushed all in for 57,000 in early position, and both Rick McGown and Matt Kirby called in the blinds. After the flop, McGown shoved and Kirby folded.
McGown:
Tepen:
Tepen had a straight draw in addition to his set outs, but nothing materialized for him on the turn or river, and he became the second player ousted from the final table.
Matthew Anderson opened to 55,000 in the cutoff, and Mike Vanier shoved for about 220,000 on the button. The blinds folded, and Anderson called.
Anderson:
Vanier:
The two were racing, and the gave them both gutshots. Paint arrived on the turn and river, but neither the nor the was what Vanier needed, and he sent his stack to his fellow Nebraskan.
James "mig.com" Mackey sent his chips over to Matt Kirby.
Matt Kirby got all in against James Mackey and another shorter stack with against Mackey's and the third player's . Kirby flopped top set and turned a full house to bust both of his opponents.
James Mackey is not a player others want to see with chips.
We found James Mackey all in for about 180,000 in early position. Mike Lang made the call from middle position, and Steve Belland called off for 90,000 on the button.
Lang:
Mackey:
Belland:
The board ran out clean for Mackey: , and he has a solid stack now, while Belland is done.
Peixin Liu opened for a raise in middle position and got three callers: Matt Kirby in the cutoff and both blinds.
The small blind bet out 25,000 on the flop, and Liu made it 80,000. Kirby flatted, and the small blind folded. The turned, and Liu moved all in for over 100,000. Kirby snapped, and he tabled , way ahead of Liu's . The hit the river, and Kirby, who entered the day as chip leader, has regained that title.
Lance Harris just busted out. He said he lost the majority of his stack with in a three-bet pot when his opponent flatted his reraise and then called off with on an eight-high flop. Then, he shipped the rest in with and ran into the of Aaron Johnson to lose the last of his stack.
Two players moved all in ahead of Matthew Anderson, who woke up in the cutoff with and called. One player held on a short stack, while the other had . Anderson's queens held on the ten-high runout, and he busted one player while leaving the other with barely a big blind.
Matt Kirby brings 345,500 into Day 2 of Mid-States Poker Tour Meskwaki Casino as he seeks his third MSPT title, though it would be his first since 2012, when he claimed two. Kirby counts live career cashes of more than $500,000 on his poker resume.
The going won't be easy, as he will have to contend with possibly the toughest Day 2 field on the tour this year, packed with well-known pros and tough players. Ryan Tepen (304,000), Mike Vanier (267,000), James "mig.com" Mackey (238,000), Aaron Johnson (193,000), Grant Hinkle (136,000), Jeremy Dresch (99,500), Lance Harris (98,000), David Gonia (79,000), Brett Schwertley (48.000), and Dustin Dirksen (42,000) are among the players who will undoubtedly have a say in who takes home the $100,075 first-place prize.
Play will resume at 10 a.m. as the 70 remaining players combine and play down to a champion, starting with Level 15 (1,500/3,000/500). Don't go away, as we'll be bringing you all of the live updates and photos throughout the day here on PokerNews.
flop. The 
turn gave Tepen chopping outs, but a 
river meant he shipped nearly all of his stack to Howard.
gave them both gutshots. Paint arrived on the turn and river, but neither the 
nor the 
was what Vanier needed, and he sent his stack to his fellow Nebraskan.
and the third player's 
and 
flop, and Liu made it 80,000. Kirby flatted, and the small blind folded. The 
, way ahead of Liu's 
and called. One player held 
. Anderson's queens held on the ten-high runout, and he busted one player while leaving the other with barely a big blind.