2026 Maryland State Poker Championship

$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1a
1a1b
Event Info
2026 Maryland State Poker Championship
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$500,000
Total Entries
187
Players Left
24
Average Chip Stack
311,667
Total Chips
7,480,000
Level Info
Level
16
Blinds
3,000 / 6,000
Ante
6,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
63
Players Left
8
Players Left 24 / 187
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Karle Wins the Battle of Dueling Jacks

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Derek Hudson raised to 1,400 under the gun and was called by Joan Bousman in the hijack and Thomas Karle in the big blind.

Action checked to Bousman on the 710J flop and she bet 2,000. Karle then raised to 10,000 and Hudson folded, while Bousman called.

The turn was the 7 and Karle bet 15,000. Bousman tanked for a minute before she flashed the J and folded. Karle showed her the J as he took down the pot.

Tags: Derek HudsonJoan BousmanThomas Karle

Dolezal Smacks the River to Bust Downey

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Johnny Downey
Johnny Downey

Johnny Downey raised to 1,400 on the button and was called by Charles Furey in the small blind and Jeffrey Dolezal in the hijack.

All three players checked the 543 flop. Dolezal then bet 1,000 on the K turn, and Downey moved all in for 8,000. Furey got out of the way, while Dolezal took a minute before calling.

Downey showed KJ for top pair, while Dolezal had A5 for a pair and straight draw. The 2 river gave him his straight, and Downey was sent to the rail.

"Brutal," tablemate Aaron Pinson chimed in.

Tags: Aaron PinsonCharles FureyJeffrey DolezalJohnny Downey

Zambanini Snaps Off Hennigan

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Matthew Zambanini three-bet to 3,100 on the button and was called by Melanie Hennigan in the small blind and Chad Loube in the cutoff.

The flop came KJ2 and Hennigan led out for 4,000. Loube folded, while Zambanini raised to 11,000. Hennigan called.

Hennigan then moved all in for 5,000 on the 6 turn, and Zambanini quickly called. She showed J9 for a pair of jacks, but Zambanini had KQ for a pair of kings. The river 10 was no help to Hennigan, and she was sent to the rail.

Tags: Chad LoubeMatthew ZambaniniMelanie Hennigan

Loube Raises Out Rippy on the Flop

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

More than 15,000 was already in the middle as Chad Loube, Matthew Zambanini, and Arthur Rippy saw a flop of 844. Zambanini then bet 4,000 from the cutoff, and Rippy raised to 10,000 in the big blind. Loube then reraised to 20,000 in the hijack.

Zambanini quickly folded as action went back on Rippy. "Take your time," his tablemates told him as Rippy tanked for several minutes. He eventually folded, later saying he had two tens, and Loube took down the big pot.

Aaron Pinson recently joined the field.

Tags: Aaron PinsonArthur RippyChad LoubeMatthew Zambanini

Hunt Gets Paid by Rippy

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Arthur Rippy bet 2,200 from middle position on a flop of 1092 and Ronald Hunt called in the hijack.

Rippy checked the 7 turn, and Hunt bet 6,000. Rippy called to see the 3 river and checked to Hunt again, and this time Hunt bet 10,000.

"I don't think I can fold," Rippy said as he took about 30 seconds before tossing in the chips to call. Hunt then showed 109 for two pair, and Rippy mucked.

Tags: Arthur RippyRonald Hunt

Level: 3

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

Furey Sends Out Kratsas

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Charles Furey three-bet to 2,200 in the small blind and was called by Melanie Hennigan in early position, Paul Kratsas in middle position, and Ronald Hunt on the button.

The flop came 645 and Furey bet 4,000. Only Hennigan and Kratsas called, and the 9 fell on the turn. Furey then moved all in for 12,000 and Hennigan folded, while Kratsas called.

Furey showed 88, while Kratsas had 85 for a pair and straight draw. The 6 river was no help, and Furey took the pot with his eights. A count of the stacks showed he had Kratsas narrowly covered, and Kratsas was sent to the rail.

Thomas Karle was also recently eliminated but quickly reentered.

Tags: Charles FureyMelanie HenniganPaul KratsasRonald HuntThomas Karle

Bousman Jumps Back In

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Joan Bousman quickly fired another bullet and got involved in a pot against Thomas Karle. She bet 700 from middle position on a flop of Q86, and Karle raised to 2,000 under the gun. Bousman called.

Karle bet 5,000 on the 7 turn, and Bousman called. Both players checked down the 10 river, and Karle showed AQ for top pair. Bousman, though, had 66 for a set to win the pot.

Russ Dunlevy has also joined this table.

Tags: Joan BousmanRuss DunlevyThomas Karle

Zenone Bets Big on the River

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Three players went to a flop of 4610 with around 8,000 in the pot when Michael Zenone bet 4,000 from the big blind. Only an opponent in the cutoff called.

The turn was the 7 and Zenone bet 5,000. His opponent again called, and the 9 fell on the river. Zenone then bet 10,000, and his opponent folded this time.

Tags: Michael Zenone

Bousman Runs Into the Nuts

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

With around 8,000 in the pot on a board of KQ59, Joan Bousman moved all in for 11,300 from the big blind and Derek Hudson snap-called in the small blind.

Bousman showed AK for top pair, but Hudson had turned the nut straight with J10. The river was the 6, and Bousman was sent to the rail.

Tags: Derek HudsonJoan Bousman