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$1,700 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 Maryland State Poker Championship
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 24 / 187
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
8
117,000
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Matthew Zambanini brought the night to a close and snatched the chip lead at the end of Day 1a of the Maryland State Poker Championship $1,700 Main Event.
Zambanini busted Josh Mischel on the money bubble when he picked up ace-jack against ace-deuce as the remaining eight players secured a ticket for Day 2. The Delaware native bagged up 663,500, just ahead of Valentin Lita (656,000) atop the leaderboard.
Day 1a Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Zambanini | United States | 663,500 | 133 |
| 2 | Valentin Lita | United States | 656,000 | 131 |
| 3 | Clint Houck | United States | 344,000 | 69 |
| 4 | Marcia Kuntz | United States | 271,500 | 54 |
| 5 | Brandon Mueller | United States | 160,500 | 32 |
| 6 | Yuriy Kudrynskyy | Ukraine | 159,500 | 32 |
| 7 | Ari Katz | United States | 159,000 | 32 |
| 8 | Kevin Golshan | United States | 117,000 | 23 |
Lita needed a little bit of luck to survive the day. He was all in for 158,500 with two queens but ran right into Aaron Pinson’s kings. Lita was already up from his seat and headed for the exit on the flop, but he spiked a queen on the turn to make a set and earn the massive double up. He then busted Diane Zimmerman two spots from the money to continue his late ascent.
Clint Houck (344,000), Marcia Kuntz (271,500), and Brandon Mueller (160,500) round out the top five. Others to survive the event’s opening flight include Yuriy Kudrynskyy (159,500), Ari Katz (159,000), and Kevin Golshan (117,000).
Pinson was among the chip leaders before losing that pot against Lita. He then lost a race with nines to Kuntz’s ace-king shortly after to hit the rail. PokerStars Team Pro Arlie Shaban busted two bullets today, while Justin Arnwine, Russ Dunlevy, Casey Hatmaker, and Charles Furey, who won the PokerStars Open Main Event here at Live! Casino Maryland last October, also couldn’t make it through the day.
A total of 63 players entered on Day 1a. There are still two more starting flights for players to take a shot at the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. Day 1b is tomorrow at 11:15 a.m., while Day 1c takes place on Saturday, September 5, at the same time. All surviving players return for Day 2 on Sunday, September 6. The action on Day 2 will pick up at the earliest finishing time from one of the opening flights. Day 1a ended with 36 minutes remaining in Level 15 with blinds of 2,500/5,000 and a 5,000 big blind ante.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow following all the action from Day 1b, so stay tuned for more updates.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The field was about to combine into one table after the elimination of Diane Zimmerman, but a hand remained in progress at the other table.
Matthew Zambanini had a raise of 17,000 in front of him from the big blind, and Josh Mischel moved all in for 197,000 in the small blind. Zambanini took a minute before calling.
Josh Mischel: A♦2♦ 
Matthew Zambanini: A♠J♥
Zambanini had Mischel dominated, and the K♦Q♥7♣4♣3♥ board kept him in the lead with his jack-kicker to bust Mischel on the money bubble.
The remaining eight players are bagging up their chips for the night.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Valentin Lita raised to 12,000 on the button, Diane Zimmerman moved all in for 60,000 in the big blind, and Lita called.
Diane Zimmerman: K♣9♣
Valentin Lita: A♠K♠
Zimmerman found herself dominated and at risk as the flop came 7♣8♦7♦. The 6♣ turn gave her straight and flush draws, but she missed the 2♥ river as Lita's king-kicker continued to play to send Zimmerman to the rail.
Level: 15
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Level 14
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Diane Zimmerman raised to 8,000 on the button, Ari Katz moved all in for 84,500 in the small blind, and Zimmerman called.
Ari Katz: J♥10♥
Diane Zimmerman: 10♣9♣
"You want to bust me that badly?" Katz said after the cards were revealed. Zimmerman took the lead on the 9♥8♣6♦ flop with top pair, but Katz hit a straight on the 7♥ turn. The river was the A♠, and Katz doubled up.
Level 14
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Clint Houck raised to 9,000 under the gun and Brandon Mueller called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 8♣7♥4♦ flop. Houck then bet 17,000 on the J♣ turn, and Mueller called.
The river was the 4♥ and Mueller led out for 21,500. Houck quickly folded, and Mueller took the pot.
Level 14
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Level 14
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Aaron Pinson raised to 8,000 in the cutoff before Marcia Kuntz three-bet to 25,000 in the small blind. Pinson then moved all in for 120,000, and Kuntz called.
Aaron Pinson: 9♠9♥
Marcia Kuntz: A♣K♥
Pinson was racing for his tournament life, but Kuntz hit top pair on the K♣Q♥3♦ flop to take the lead. The rest of the board ran out 10♥5♦, and Pinson was sent to the rail.
Viswanath Ponraj was also eliminated at the other table as the field moved within three spots of the money.
