$1,100 Main Event
Day 1b Started
2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship
$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$1,565,066
Entries
1,615
Level
36
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
596
Players Left
73
Welcome to Day 1b of the 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship
Season 10 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) continues today at FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan. The $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship tends to be the largest Midwest stop on the tour and is looking to eclipse a seven-figure prize pool for the sixth time in a row. Today, the second of three starting flights will get underway at Noon local time.
On Thursday's Day 1a flight, 322 entrants take to the felt and after 15 levels of play, just 36 remained with Nick Davidson and his stack of 498,000 leading the pack. Joining Davidson atop the counts are Al Motiwala (493,000), Bryant Miller (476,500), Mitchell Bank (298,500), and Lou Ojeda (295,500), who round out the top five.
Last year, the tournament drew 1,271 entries and saw Matt Stammen, the older brother of WPT champ Keven Stammen, take it down for a $218,565 payday. The year before it was Chris Meyers who topped a 1,067-entry field to win $191,196 on his way to capturing Season 8 Player of the Year.
Other past MSPT Michigan State Poker champions include Brett Blackwood (2016 for $188,314), Michael Ferraroti (2015 for $134,642), Ryan Dykhouse (2014 for $124,500), and Jordan Townsend (2013 for $76,975).
Among the players we expect to see in action today are MSPT Hall of Famers Kou Vang and Aaron Johnson, 2015 MSPT Michigan State Poker Champ Michael Ferrarotti, Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Blake Bohn, 13-time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner Maurice Hawkins, MSPT champ Keith Heine, and two-time gold bracelet winner Dan Heimiller.
About FireKeepers Casino
FireKeepers Casino Hotel opened in August of 2009. The venue features a 111,700-square foot gaming floor with 2,900 slot machines, 70 table games, multiple restaurants and lounges, a live poker room and bingo room.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel is located just off Interstate 94 at Exit 104, has been named Best Casino by audiences in Western Michigan and Northern Indiana, plus earned nine first-place awards in the Casino Player Magazine Best of Gaming 2015 Native Midwest category, including Best Overall Gaming Resort.
FireKeepers was also selected as one of the Best Casinos to Work for by Casino Player Magazine. Their signature restaurant, Nibi, is a multiple recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
FireKeepers offers a AAA-rated Four Diamond resort-style hotel with 243 rooms, a functional multi-purpose event center, six distinctive dining destinations, and multiple lounges. FireKeepers is the title sponsor of the FireKeepers Casino 400, a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, and host of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship a Symetra Tour-Road to the LPGA golf event.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Download the PokerNews MyStack App and Update Your Chip Count
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
PokerNews has activated the My Stack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live-action that you're involved in.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Some Familiar Faces in the Field
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
||
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000 | |
|
||
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
Some More Notables Early on Day 1B
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
||
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000 | |
Level: 2
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 0
A Look at the Remaining MSPT Season 10 Schedule
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) is entering the home stretch in its 10th season, and PokerNews is not only slated to live report the final five Main Events of 2019, but will also offer live updates from the MSPT’s 11th season in 2020.
The MSPT continues to grow and establish itself as one of the premier tours in the United States with a strong presence in the middle of the country. They’re also closing in on a milestone of awarding $100,000,000 in prize money (they’ve currently awarded $97,315,597).
Known for their $1,100 Main Events and $350 Regional Events, the MSPT also offers live streams for most Main Event final tables, a monthly magazine (available for free in both print and digital formats), established its own MSPT Hall of Fame, and has a strong presence on social media.
“We’re excited to partner with PokerNews for our upcoming 11th season, which is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet,” said MSPT President Bryan Mileski. “We look forward to setting more state records, crossing the $100-million mark in prize money awarded, and continuing to offer players great tournaments across the country. Now, players from around the world can follow the action via PokerNews’ live updates.”
| Dates | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 10-13 | MSPT FireKeepers Casino Main Event | $1,100 | $1,000,000 |
| Nov. 1-3 | MSPT Meskwaki Main Event | $1,100 | $300,000 |
| Nov. 13-17 | MSPT Golden Gates Regional Event | $360 | $150,000 |
| Nov. 14-17 | 2019 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship at Potawatomi Casino | $1,100 | $300,000 |
| Nov. 21-24 | MSPT Denver Poker Open at Golden Gates Casino | $1,100 | $300,000 |
| Dec. 5-8 | MSPT Canterbury Park | $1,100 | $500,000 |
Visit msptpoker.com for more information on each tournament.
Lin Cracks Aces
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
With already 7,000 in the pot, Brandon Lin was facing a bet of 5,000 on a board reading 
. Lin called and they went to a turn card.
Lin's under the gun opponent moved all in for 13,000 on the 
turn card and Lin snap called.
Brandon Lin: 
Opponent: 
Lin had his opponent drawing dead, the meaningless 
river completed the board and Lin's flopped ace-high flush now has him sitting on a stack of 50,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
50,000 |
Hawkins Gets Two Streets of Value
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
Maurice Hawkins was in early position and raised to 500. Five players called so they went six-ways to a flop of 
, Hawkins put out a continuation bet of 1,000 and got called by only the big blind.
The 
turn card was checked around and Hawkins bet 3,000 when the action checked to him on the 
river. After some thought his opponent put in the chips to call and Hawkins showed 
which was good enough to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |