$1,100 PLO Championship
Day 1a Completed
2024 Champions Club Winter Poker Open
$1,100 PLO Championship
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 Champions Club Winter Poker Open
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$192,035
Entries
199
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
37
Players Left
5
McKuin Bags Day 1a Chip Lead of Winter Poker Open PLO Championship
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 3,000 ante
Following just over nine hours of play, Day 1a of the Champions Club Winter Poker Open PLO Championship wrapped up with five players advancing to Day 2 in the money, led by Steven McKuin of Fisk, Missouri.
McKuin was the only player to cross half a million chips from the field of 37 entries, finishing the day with 507,000 chips. Danylo Turov, who scored the final elimination of the day by bubbling Jason Fitzpatrick finished second with 346,000.
Michael Kuney (278,000) was third, with Chezz Romero (176,000) and Drake Roetker (173,000) also advancing.
PLO Championship Day 1a End of Day Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Hometown | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven McKuin | Fisk, MO | 507,000 |
| 2 | Danylo Turov | Houston, TX | 346,000 |
| 3 | Michael Kuney | Houston, TX | 278,000 |
| 4 | Chezz Romero | Lake Charles, LA | 176,000 |
| 5 | Drake Roetker | Lafayette, LA | 173,000 |
The opening flight field of 37 players built $35,705 toward the $150,000 guaranteed prizepool for this event with two starting flights to go on Sunday and Monday before Day 2 on Tuesday.
The Day’s Action
With 400 big blinds to start, it appeared that players may have been hesitant to start the day so deep, leading to a slight delay at the start of the day. Once five players arrived, it didn’t take long after that for a second and then a third table to open with plenty of action between them.
By the first break of the day, Fitzpatrick had established a solid chip lead holding nearly 200,000 chips while no one else had even entered six-figure territory. He would carry a sizeable stack throughout the day before his unfortunate demise on the bubble at the hands of Turov.
It wasn’t until registration closed that another contender for the chip lead emerged in the form of McKuin, who surged past Fitzpatrick and never relinquished his lead the rest of the way.
Among the notables who took their shot on Saturday but failed to advance was Thai Ha, who won the series-opening Monster Stack event Friday for $21,000. Ha fell just before the final table, while Ray Henson was eliminated a couple of levels earlier after a late-reg appearance following his successful bagging of the opening flight of the $400 Mystery Bounty event.
Next Up
A larger field is expected on Sunday for the second of the three opening flights which will move the prizepool closer to that $150,000 guarantee. PokerNews will be on hand again and right through until a champion is crowned on the Champions Club live stream on Tuesday.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 3,000 ante
Following his elimination of Jason Fitzpatrick, Danylo Turov finished the night in second place, but he still couldn't catch Steven McKuin who earned the end-of-night chip lead for day 1a.
Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
507,000 | |
|
346,000 | |
|
278,000
-47,000
|
-47,000 |
|
176,000
-64,000
|
-64,000 |
|
173,000
-12,000
|
-12,000 |
Fitzpatrick Bubbles at the Hands of Turov
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 3,000 ante
After doubling up from his short stack with aces, Jason Fitzpatrick was at risk again preflop, this time against Danylo Turov.
Fitzpatrick again had aces, but could he get them to hold up again?
Jason Fitzpatrick: A♥A♣7♠2♠
Danylo Turov: K♠K♥Q♠5♣
The flop came J♥8♣8♦ which looked great for another potential Fitzpatrick double-up, but the 10♦ turn gave Turov an open-ended straight draw.
Sure enough, the 9♣ fell on the river, sending Fitzpatrick home thanks to the runner-runner runout, and moving the final five players on to Day 2 in the money.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
346,000
82,000
|
82,000 |
|
Busted |
Kuney Doubles, Leving Fitzpatrick with Crumbs
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 3,000 ante
Michael Kuney raised to 15,000 under the gun and got a call from Jason Fitzpatrick in the hijack to see a flop of 9♠5♥4♥.
After a check from Kuney, Fitzpatrick bet the pot which was 42,000. Kuney then moved all in for 139,000 and Fitzpatrick called.
Jason Fitzpatrick: Q♥J♦J♣8♠
Michael Kuney: A♣K♥5♣2♥
Fitzpatrick was ahead with his pair of jacks, but needed to fade Kuney's flush draw and overcards.
The turn brought the K♠, giving Kuney a pair of kings, and for good measure he hit his flush on the river with the J♥, which gave Fitzpatrick to rub salt into the wound of dropping down to a very short stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
325,000 | |
|
|
36,000 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 3,000
Updated Counts for the Final Six of Day 1a
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 2,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
493,000
493,000
|
493,000 |
|
|
264,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
|
240,000
96,000
|
96,000 |
|
|
210,000
-16,000
|
-16,000 |
|
|
185,000
57,000
|
57,000 |
|
|
150,000
-40,000
|
-40,000 |
McKuin Extends Lead Versus Kuney
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 2,000 ante
Steven McKuin raised to 15,000 in first position and got called by Michael Kuney on the button.
After the duo saw a flop of Q♥7♥2♣, McKuin continued for 12,000 and got called by Kuney to see the 2♠ pair the board on the turn.
Both players checked and on the 6♦ river, McKuin bet 35,000. Kuney deliberated for a bit and then made the call.
McKuin showed A♠K♠Q♦Q♣ for queens full of deuces and the winner as his chip-leading stack now approaches half a million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
475,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
|
190,000
-46,000
|
-46,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 2,000
Fitzpatrick Back in Business
Level 13
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 2,000 ante
Jason Fitzpatrick raised to 13,000 in the hijack and got a call from Chezz Romero in the big blind to see a flop of J♦8♦7♥.
The players checked to the K♦ turn and after another check from Romero, Fitzpatrick now bet 19,000.
Romero contemplated his options for a bit and then elected to fold, sending the pot to Fitzpatrick who is slowing climbing back toward the top of the chip counts with six players left.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
226,000
39,000
|
39,000 |
|
|
144,000
-53,000
|
-53,000 |