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$1,700 Main Event
Day 1c Completed
2026 Maryland State Poker Championship
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1c
Players Left 41 / 380
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
5
426,000
7
380,000
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The biggest pot of the tournament so far rocketed Christopher Kennedy into a massive chip lead on Day 1c of the Maryland State Poker Championship $1,700 Main Event.
Yousef Zeibaq had flopped top set of queens, but Kennedy turned a wheel and called Zeibaq’s shove two spots off the money. “One million!” Kennedy yelled out, and while he didn’t quite reach seven figures, he did bag up 921,000 and far ahead of the 25 players who made it through the day.
Day 1c Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Kennedy | United States | 921,000 |
| 2 | Michael Bohmerwald | United States | 625,000 |
| 3 | Nicholas Verderamo | United States | 507,000 |
| 4 | Roy Kim | United States | 476,000 |
| 5 | Anton Makarevich | United States | 426,000 |
| 6 | Melanie Hennigan | United States | 384,000 |
| 7 | Dwight Shell | United States | 380,000 |
| 8 | Boris Kravets | United States | 361,000 |
| 9 | John Palermino | United States | 343,000 |
| 10 | Neal Liptak | United States | 330,000 |
Michael Bohmerwald is his closest challenger with 625,000. Bohmerwald earned a double up after flopping a set of tens and hanging on against Brian Mahler’s straight and flush draws. He then hit a set again holding two tens for a big pot off Jeffrey Yanchek near the end of the night.
Nicholas Verderamo (507,000), Roy Kim (476,000), and Anton Makarevich (426,000) round out the top five. Verderamo spiked a set of nines against two aces to double up, then flopped trips against kings to bust Mukul Pahuja. Makarevich took out defending champion Lucas Vergara after spiking a set of kings on the river after Vergara had flopped trip eights. Kim, meanwhile, brought the night to a close when he picked up two kings to bust Yanchek on the money bubble.
Others through to Day 2 include Melanie Hennigan (384,000), Boris Kravets (361,000), Dawn Lucarelli (188,000), Jason Koon lookalike Nathan Bertram (140,000), and Jose Cayetano (57,000).
The third and final starting flight attracted a big field of 193 entries, more than the first two flights combined. Among those who left empty-handed were James Hartigan, Arlie Shaban, Joe McKeehen, and Casey Hatmaker. Matthew Raudebaugh’s eventful day included shoving blind less than an hour into play, and then burning through at least seven bullets before he was finally busted for good.
The total field ended up at 380 entries, with 49 players returning tomorrow to the Live! Casino Maryland poker room for Day 2 at 11:15 a.m local time. Day 1c went longer than the previous two days, so blinds will revert back to Level 15 at 2,500/5,000 with a 5,000 big blind ante at the start of the day. All surviving players are already in the money, and the plan is to play down to the final six players tomorrow.
PokerNews will be back to follow all the action leading up to the final table, so stay tuned for live updates.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
On the first hand of hand-for-hand play, Roy Kim opened to 20,000 on the button, then called when Jeffrey Yanchek shoved for 170,000 in the big blind.
Jeffrey Yanchek: A♦8♠ 
Roy Kim: K♣K♦
Kim had woken up with kings, and Yanchek was left looking for an ace to avoid elimination. The 10♠5♣2♠4♠10♣ board offered no help, and Yanchek was sent to the rail on the money bubble.
The remaining 25 players are bagging uup their chips for the night.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Michael Bohmerwald three-bet to 42,000 from the hijack over a raise from Dawn Lucarelli and Christopher Kennedy called on the button, as did Yousef Zeibaq in the big blind and Lucarelli.
All four players checked the Q♠4♥3♠ flop. Zeibaq then led out for 40,000 on the 5♠ turn, and only Kennedy called.
Zeibaq moved all in for 260,000 on the 10♣ river, and Kennedy snap-called with A♥2♥ for a straight. Zeibaq flung two queens into the muck as Kennedy raked in the massive pot.
"One million!" Kennedy shouted out.
With 26 players remaining, play is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
John Palermino moved all in from the big blind, and Dustin Wills called for 110,000 in early position.
Dustin Wills: 10♥10♦
John Palermino: A♠K♣
Wills was racing for his tournament life, but he quickly fell behind as Palermino hit top pair on the A♣3♥7♠ flop. The rest of the board ran out 6♠9♠, and Wills busted three spots off the money.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Anton Makarevich bet 25,000 from under the gun on a flop of 4♥2♥5♠ and Dwight Shell called in the cutoff, as did Duane Mitchell in the big blind.
Action checked to Shell on the 4♠ turn, and he bet 30,000. Only Mitchell called to see the 2♠ river, where Shell bet 60,000. Mitchell quickly folded this time.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Jeffrey Yanchek raised to 18,000 in the hijack, Michael Bohmerwald three-bet to 44,000 on the button, and Yanchek called.
The flop came 10♦8♦5♠ and Bohmerwald bet 30,000. Yanchek called, and the 5♦ fell on the turn.
Bohmerwald then bet 60,000 and Yanchek called once more. The river was the 6♠ and Bohmerwald bet 160,000.
"I'm going to need a minute here," Yanchek said as he went deep into the tank, taking several minutes before folding. Bohmerwald showed him 10♠10♥ as he raked in the big pot.
"Tens are hot. That's the hand of the tournament there," Yousef Zeibaq said.
Level: 17
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
In a battle between the blinds, Lee Sommers got in his last 100,000 and was up against Nicholas Verderamo.
Lee Sommers: A♠A♦
Nicholas Verderamo: Q♦Q♠
Verderamo caught a set with the Q♥ on the flop, but it was followed by A♣8♠ as Sommers hit top set. The rest of the board ran out 4♠10♦, and Sommers doubled up.
"How lucky are you that you didn't do that to someone who had more chips?" Michael Bohmerwald said to Verderamo.
