Alvin Anton led out for 1,000 from the small blind on a flop of 6♣3♠J♦ and Fernando Guedes called in the cutoff.
The turn was the J♥ and Anton checked over to Guedes, who bet 3,500. Anton called and checked again on the A♥ river, and Guedes checked back. Anton turned over K♠K♦, and Guedes mucked.
Terry Breeden is also at this table, while Charles Furey has fired another bullet after just missing the money yesterday.
Steven Elsbach bet 700 from the button on a flop of K♦3♦5♥ and Clark Embrey raised to 2,000 in the small blind. Elsbach called, and the 9♠ fell on the turn.
Embrey then bet 2,000, and Elsbach raised to 5,000. Embrey called and checked to Elsbach on the 8♣ river, and Elsbach bet another 5,000. Embrey again called.
Elsbach turned over K♥9♥ for two pair, but Embrey had 3♥3♣ for a set to win the pot. "You had me worried there," Embrey told him after the hand.
Around 8,000 was already in the pot as David Chaput and Jared Kaanga went to the turn on a board of 6♥Q♦9♥7♦. Chaput then bet 5,000 from the big blind, and Kaanga called in the cutoff.
Chaput bet another 5,000 on the 6♣ river, and Kaanga again called. Chaput turned over K♥K♣, and Kaanga mucked.
"I thought you might have had queens there," Chaput said as he raked in the big pot.
Players get another shot at securing a piece of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool when Day 1b of the Maryland State Poker Championship $1,700 Main Event begins at 11:15 a.m. local time.
The first opening flight yesterday saw 63 players descend on the Live! Casino Maryland, with eight surviving to make Day 2. Matthew Zambanini ended up atop the leaderboard with 663,500, followed by Valentin Lita (656,000). Clint Houck (344,000), Marcia Kuntz (271,500), Brandon Mueller (160,500), and Ari Katz (159,000) also made it through the day.
Day 1a Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
1
Matthew Zambanini
United States
663,500
2
Valentin Lita
United States
656,000
3
Clint Houck
United States
344,000
4
Marcia Kuntz
United States
271,500
5
Brandon Mueller
United States
160,500
6
Yuriy Kudrynskyy
Ukraine
159,500
7
Ari Katz
United States
159,000
8
Kevin Golshan
United States
117,000
New and returning hopefuls will look to join them today. Players on Day 1b will begin with a 40,000 starting stack. Levels will be 40 minutes, with a break after every three levels and a 45-minute dinner break at the end of Level 9. Late registration remains open until the start of Level 10, with unlimited reentries allowed.
The day will conclude once 12.5 percent of the field remains. All surviving players from the three opening flights combine for Day 2 on September 6. The action on Day 2 will pick up at the earliest finishing time from one of the opening flights. Day 1a yesterday ended with 36 minutes remaining in Level 15 with blinds of 2,500/5,000 and a 5,000 big blind ante.
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Stay tuned as PokerNews follows all the action and provides live updates throughout the day.