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$1,700 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 Maryland State Poker Championship
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1b
Players Left 136 / 341
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
3
458,500
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Justin Arnwine has made a living winning poker tournaments, more than 150 of them and counting, and he put himself in position to make another run at some hardware today on Day 1b of the Maryland State Poker Championship $1,700 Main Event.
Arnwine bagged up 471,000 at the end of the night, good for second place among the 16 players who survived the day. The prodigious trophy hunter first won a big flip with jacks against ace-queen to double up, then made a straight to bust Christopher Ayers in a big pot two spots off the money.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Grabel | United States | 552,000 |
| 2 | Justin Arnwine | United States | 471,000 |
| 3 | Jeffrey Boyd | United States | 458,500 |
| 4 | Donovan Bates | United States | 396,000 |
| 5 | Daniel Iachan | United States | 370,000 |
| 6 | Christopher Caruso | United States | 347,000 |
| 7 | Vernon Baker | United States | 324,500 |
| 8 | Gabriel Leost | France | 321,500 |
| 9 | Diane Zimmerman | United States | 305,500 |
| 10 | Robert Salera | United States | 274,000 |
He and the rest of the field, though, are looking up at chip leader Kevin Grabel. The Pennsylvania native took out defending champion Lucas Vergara with two jacks on his way to the top of the leaderboard with 552,000.
Jeffrey Boyd (458,500), Donovan Bates (396,000), and Daniel Iachan (370,000) round out the top five. Others through to Day 2 include Christopher Caruso (347,000), Diane Zimmerman (305,500), Dominic Lake (271,500), and Aaron Pinson (225,000). Lake was responsible for bursting the bubble, flopping two pair to bust Michael Vital.
A total of 124 players packed into the Live! Casino Maryland poker room today. PokerStars’ James Hartigan put aside his microphone and took his shot on the felt today, but Lake rivered a set against him to leave him short-stacked before he then lost a race with ace-king to sevens. PokerStars Team Pro Arlie Shaban, Charles Furey, Joe McKeehen, Michael Bohmerwald, Casey Hatmaker, and Nicholas Verderamo were also sent to the rail and will have to try again tomorrow if they want to take a shot at the trophy.
With two starting flights complete, the field stands at 187 entries so far. Day 1c is tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. and is expected to be the biggest one yet as the field approaches the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. All surviving players then combine for Day 2 on September 6 at 11:15 a.m. The action picks up at the earliest finishing time from one of the starting flights. Day 1b went into Level 16 today, surpassing the finishing time from the opening flight.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow for what promises to be a busy day on the felt, so stay tuned for live updates.
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Dominic Lake raised to 13,000 under the gun and Michael Vital called in the big blind. Vital then moved all in for 60,000 on the 8♥8♦J♣ flop, and Lake snap-called.
Michael Vital: A♥K♠ 
Dominic Lake: A♠J♥
Lake had flopped two pair to take the lead, and he could barely stand to watch as the dealer revealed the 2♠ turn. Lake was still covering his eyes going to the river, which came the 6♥ to send Vital out on the money bubble.
"We're good," Lake yelled out to the rest of the field.
The remaining 16 players are bagging up their chips for the night.
Level: 16
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Players are going on a 15-minute break before returning to continue bubble play.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Justin Arnwine bet 10,000 from the button on a flop of K♣3♥2♥ and Christopher Caruso called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 8♠ turn. The river was the A♥ and Arnwine bet 200,000. "You can report this," Caruso said as he turned over A♠2♠ and tossed it into the muck.
Arnwine showed him 10♥6♥. "I knew you had the hearts," Caruso told him.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Dominic Lake raised to 12,000 under the gun, Kevin Grabel three-bet to 30,000 in the hijack, and Lake called.
The flop came 5♦3♣5♣ and Grabel continued for 15,000. Lake then raised to 120,000, and Grabel quickly folded. Lake showed J♣J♦ as he took the pot.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
With 17 players remaining, action is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
Level 15
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
In a battle between the blinds, Christopher Ayers bet 20,000 on a flop of 7♦4♥Q♣ and Justin Arnwine called.
Both players checked the 6♦ turn. Arnwine then moved all in on the 6♠ river, and Ayers quickly called for his last 120,000.
Arnwine turned over 5♣3♣ for a straight, and Ayers mucked as Arnwine was pushed the big pot to bring the field down to the money bubble.
