$1,100 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2022 MSPT Winter Poker Classic
$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2022 MSPT Winter Poker Classic
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$983,050
Entries
1,015
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
238
Players Left
31
A Tie for the Top Spot After 31 Players Survive Day 1a
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Running Aces $1,110 Main Event is officially in the books with 238 total entries tallied by night's end.
After a full 15 levels were played to their completion, just 31 players were able to find a Day 2 birth with two players tying for the top spot.
Matt Wolff's late-night heater soared him to the top of the counts where he is joined by Kirby Rogers for the chip lead with 506,000.
The top five is rounded out by the only other three players to bag north of 300k: Anthony Sedlak (363,000), Loki Abboud (361,000), and Luke Struck (326,000).
$1,110 MSPT Running Aces Event Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Name | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Wolff | 506,000 |
| 2 | Kirby Rogers | 506,000 |
| 3 | Anthony Sedlak | 363,000 |
| 4 | Loki Abboud | 328,000 |
| 5 | Luke Struck | 326000 |
| 6 | Russell DeVilbliss | 287,000 |
| 7 | Chris Knapp | 278,000 |
| 8 | Matt Alexander | 269,000 |
| 9 | Yer Vang | 220,000 |
| 10 | Ian Matakis | 218,000 |
The action hit a new gear in the final two levels of the evening, which saw the remaining players in the field ultimately drop from 49 down to 31.
Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through the night. Among those to fire and fall in Thursday’s flight were MSPT Hall of Famer's Rob Wazwaz, Blake Bohn, Kou Vang, Aaron Johnson, Jason Seitz, and Pat Steele.
Day 1b will get underway at Noon on Friday, December 9th. Late registration and re-entries will remain open through Level 12 (approximately 9:10 p.m.). PokerNews will be on hand to capture all the action, so be sure to join us then.
MSPT Winter Poker Classic Remaining Schedule
| *Date | Time (CDT) | Tournament | |
| Friday, 12/9 | 10:00 AM | $265 Satellite - 1 in 5 advance to $300K GTD | |
| Friday, 12/9 | 12:00 PM | $1,110 MSPT $300K GTD Main Event NLH Day 1B (2-Day Event) | |
| Friday, 12/9 | 7:00 PM | $265 Satellite - 1 in 5 advance to $300K GTD | |
| Saturday, 12/10 | 9:00 AM | $265 Turbo Ironman Satellite - 1 in 5 advance to $300K GTD | |
| Saturday, 12/10 | 12:00 PM | $1,110 MSPT $300K GTD Main Event NLH Day 1C (2-Day Event) | |
| Saturday, 12/10 | 7:00 PM | $135 Nightly NLH | |
| Sunday, 12/11 | 11:00 AM | Day 2: $1,110 MSPT $300K GTD Main Event NLH (2-Day Event) | |
| Sunday, 12/11 | 12:00 PM | $250 Last Chance NLH | |
| Sunday, 12/11 | 3:00 PM | $135 Last Dance NLH |
PokerNews will be on hand all week long bringing you all of the action, so be sure to come back for Friday's Day 1b at Noon local time.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
506,000
81,000
|
81,000 |
|
506,000
36,000
|
36,000 |
|
363,000
161,000
|
161,000 |
|
328,000
18,000
|
18,000 |
|
326,000
133,000
|
133,000 |
|
|
287,000
287,000
|
287,000 |
|
278,000
-92,000
|
-92,000 |
|
269,000
49,000
|
49,000 |
|
220,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
218,000
78,000
|
78,000 |
|
||
|
211,000
161,000
|
161,000 |
|
|
206,000
206,000
|
206,000 |
|
188,000
188,000
|
188,000 |
|
186,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
184,000 | |
|
174,000
-126,000
|
-126,000 |
|
146,000
146,000
|
146,000 |
|
131,000
131,000
|
131,000 |
|
|
129,000
72,000
|
72,000 |
|
|
127,000
127,000
|
127,000 |
|
|
125,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
117,000
117,000
|
117,000 |
|
106,000
106,000
|
106,000 |
|
|
98,000
98,000
|
98,000 |
|
95,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
Final Three Hands
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The tournament director has just announced the final three hands of the evening.
Wolff's Snowmen Won't Melt, Doubles Through Kim
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
There was three-way action after a 
flop between Jun Kim from the button, Loki Abboud, from the small blind and Matt Wolff from the big blind.
A series of raises saw Wolff get his 212,000 stack in the middle and only Kim called holding only a few thousand more.
Matt Wolff: 
Jun Kim: 
Both players flopped a set, but Wolff's was better and the 
turn followed by the 
river secured him another late night double.
Kim was left short and was eliminated a few hands later.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
425,000 | |
|
|
310,000 | |
|
Busted |
A Look at the Running Aces Winter Poker Classic Winners Thus Far
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $360 MSPT Mystery Bounty | 1,065 | $213,000 prize pool + $106,500 in bounties | David Gonia | $38,606 |
| Event #2: $250 Sunday Feast NLH | 190 | $38,000 | Michael Winter | $8,122 |
| Event #3: $185 Multi-Flight NLH | 424 | $61,480 | Ed Veith | $13,427 |
| Event #4: $250 Seniors (50+) | 160 | $32,000 | Bob Moore | $8,640 |
| Event #5: $250 Turbo Super Stack NLH | 102 | $20,400 | Loren Burbach | $6,121 |
| Event #6: $250 Pot-Limit Omaha | 108 | $21,600 | Doug Tran | $6,479 |
| Event #7: $300 MSPT Tag Team ($150/player) | 411 | $47,265 | Daniel & Dennis Stevermer | $12,287 |
| Event #8: $250 Hump Day NLH | 111 | $22,200 | Mark Dufner | $4,487 |
| Event #9: $2,500 MSPT Hall of Fame High Roller | 98 | $225,400 | Kou Vang | $67,621 |
Wolff Doubles Through Abboud with Rockets
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
A player from middle position raised and Loki Abboud called from the cutoff before Matt Wolff three-bet from the button.
Action folded back to Abboud who four-bet jammed and Wolff called off his 103,000 stack.
Matt Wolff: 
Loki Abboud: 
Wolff woke up with the weapons of mass destruction once again and they paid off as the 
runout secured his double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
330,000
-115,000
|
-115,000 |
|
|
215,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
Big Slick Does the Trick for Barnum
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The player under the gun raised to 10,000 and then called the 36,000 three-bet jam Justin Barnum made from middle position.
Justin Barnum: 
Opponent: 
Barnum had his opponent dominated and the 
runout secured his double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
80,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
Most MSPT Main Event Cashes in History
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 13 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.
On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more. Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.
Here's a look at the top ten MSPT Main Event cashers:
| Place | Player | Hometown | Main Event Cashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Johnson | Red Wing, Minnesota | 46 |
| 2 | DJ Buckley | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | 40 |
| 3 | Richard Alsup | New Hope, Minnesota | 38 |
| 4 | Kou Vang | Maplewood, Minnesota | 34 |
| 5 | Rob WazWaz | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 31 |
| 6 | Josh Reichard | Janesville, WI | 29 |
| 7 | Patrick Steele | Chelsea, Michigan | 29 |
| 8 | Blake Bohn | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | 28 |
| 9 | Phil Mader | Grand Island, Nebraska | 28 |
| 10 | Matt Kirby | Bemidji, MN | 27 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000