$2,200 Main Event Day 1a | 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Bills	844,000 89,000	89,000

Nicholas Banyas	583,000
John Kostelac	440,000 4,000	4,000
Brandon Mueller	422,000 58,000	58,000
Derek Sudell	306,000 116,000	116,000
Xiaoqiong Liu	296,000 46,000	46,000

Joseph Crowley	274,000 16,000	16,000
Tim Faro	252,000 6,000	6,000
Carlos Chadha Villamarin	194,000 36,000	36,000
Charles Furey	189,000 86,000	86,000
Daniel Lim	90,000 19,600	19,600
Matthew Zambanini	88,000 84,000	84,000
David Olshan	21,000 47,300	47,300

Player

Chips

Progress

Michael Bills

844,000

89,000

Nicholas Banyas

583,000

John Kostelac

440,000

4,000

Brandon Mueller

422,000

58,000

Derek Sudell

306,000

116,000

Xiaoqiong Liu

296,000

46,000

Joseph Crowley

274,000

16,000

Tim Faro

252,000

6,000

Carlos Chadha Villamarin

194,000

36,000

Charles Furey

189,000

86,000

Daniel Lim

90,000

19,600

Matthew Zambanini

88,000

84,000

David Olshan

21,000

47,300

Action has concluded in Day 1a of the the $2,200 Main Event here at the Maryland State Poker Championship hosted by Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. Of the 100 runners who started the day, only 13 players will return for Day 2 on Sunday, all of whom have already made the money.

Michael Bills emerged as the overwhelming chip leader of Day 1a, bagging an impressive 844,000. The Virginia native ran hot at the right time towards the end of the night, knocking out several players with just a few tables left.

Finishing Day 1a second in chips is Nicholas Banyas with 583,000. Banyas final tabled the $2,200 Main Event at the The Live! Poker Classic back in April, finishing 6th for $20,325. He will be looking to close this one out.

John Kostelac (440,000), Brandon Mueller (422,000) and Derek Sudell (306,000), who are no strangers to the East Coast tournament scene, round out the top five.

Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts

Place	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	Michael Bills	United States	844,000
2	Nicholas Banyas	United States	583,000
3	John Kostelac	United States	440,000
4	Brandon Mueller	United States	422,000
5	Derek Sudell	United States	306,000
6	Xiaoqiong Liu	United States	296,000
7	Joseph Crowley	United States	274,000
8	Tim Faro	United States	252,000
9	Carlos Chadha Villamarin	United States	194,000
10	Charles Furey	United States	189,000

The remaining 13 players all locked up a seat for Day 2 when Han Oh was eliminated on the stone bubble, when he was very short-stacked and all in with queen-four against pocket queens.

Day 1b will begin August 10 at 11:15 a.m. local time, with blinds starting at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Play will conclude once 12.5% of the field remains, and those who bag will be in the money for Day 2.

At the end of every three levels, players will be sent on a 15-minute break. A one hour dinner break will take place after Level 9 at approximately 5:45 p.m. Day 2 will commence on Sunday, August 10 at 12:15 p.m. local time.

Be sure to follow PokerNews throughout the entirety of the $2,200 Main Event here at the Maryland State Poker Championship.

Tags: Brandon Mueller Carlos Chadha Villamarin Charles Furey Derek Sudell Han Oh John Kostelac Joseph Crowley Michael Bills Nicholas Banyas Tim Faro Xiaoqiong Liu