$1,700 Main Event Day 2 | 2026 Maryland State Poker Championship

1 day 12 hours ago

Boris Kravets Eliminated in 8th Place ($14,000)

David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Daniel Iachan raised to 50,000 in the hijack and Justin Arnwine three-bet to 125,000 in the cutoff. Boris Kravets then moved all in for 210,000 in the big blind, and only Arnwine called.

Boris Kravets: A♦Q♥ All in
Justin Arnwine: A♣5♣

Kravets had Arnwine dominated and was poised to recoup some of his chips, but Arnwine came from behind on the K♥5♦2♥ flop to take the lead with a pair of fives. The board ran out 7♣9♣, and Kravets was eliminated in eighth place.

Tags: Boris Kravets Daniel Iachan Justin Arnwine

1 day 12 hours ago

Arnwine Drills the River to Stun Kravets

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Justin Arnwine bet 150,000 from under the gun on a flop of Q♥8♥3♣ and Boris Kravets called in the hijack.

Arnwine then bet 300,000 on the J♦ turn, and Kravets moved all in. Arnwine snap-called for 980,000 and turned over A♠Q♣ for top pair, but Kravets had turned two pair with Q♠J♥.

Arnwine was a card away from elimination, but he spiked the A♦ on the river to win the pot and double up as Kravets walked away from the table to collect his thoughts.

"He knew he was going to hit it. Didn't even flinch," Kevin Grabel said.

Tags: Boris Kravets Justin Arnwine

1 day 12 hours ago

Lita Takes a Big Chunk Off Arnwine With Ace-High

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Kevin Grabel raised to 50,000 in middle position and Justin Arnwine three-bet to 125,000 in the cutoff. Valentin Lita called on the button, as did Grabel.

The flop came 10♥2♣2♦ and Arnwine bet 145,000. Only Lita called to see the 8♥ turn.

Arnwine then bet 450,000, and Lita again called. Both players checked the 2♥ river, and Lita showed A♥Q♥. Arnwine mucked A♣5♣, and Lita took down the big pot with the trip deuces on the board and his ace-queen kicker.

Tags: Justin Arnwine Kevin Grabel Valentin Lita

1 day 12 hours ago

Neal Liptak Eliminated in 9th Place ($11,100)

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Justin Arnwine raised to 50,000 on the button before Neal Liptak moved all in for 270,000 in the small blind. Valentin Lita paused for a moment in the big blind before giving up his hand, while Arnwine quickly called.

Neal Liptak: A♣2♥ All in
Justin Arnwine: A♠8♦

"I had ace-seven," Lita admitted as the flop came K♣K♠7♥. The rest of the board ran out J♣5♠, and Arnwine's eight-kicker continued to play to send Liptak to the rail in ninth place.

Tags: Justin Arnwine Neal Liptak Valentin Lita

1 day 13 hours ago

Grabel Raises Lita

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Valentin Lita raised to 55,000 in early position and was called by Kevin Grabel in the cutoff and Justin Arnwine in the big blind.

The flop came Q♥Q♦7♣ and Lita bet 80,000. Grabel then raised to 180,000 and Arnwine folded, while Lita also quickly gave up his hand.

Tags: Justin Arnwine Kevin Grabel Valentin Lita

1 day 13 hours ago

Final Table

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Seat	Player	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Aaron Pinson	1,400,000	56
2	Kevin Grabel	2,600,000	104
3	Robert Salera	850,000	34
4	Daniel Iachan	2,800,000	112
5	Justin Arnwine	1,650,000	66
6	Neal Liptak	300,000	12
7	Valentin Lita	3,400,000	136
8	Nicholas Verderamo	700,000	28
9	Boris Kravets	1,750,000	70

1 day 13 hours ago

John Palermino Eliminated in 10th Place ($11,100)

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Daniel Iachan raised to 50,000 in the cutoff, John Palermino moved all in for 515,000 in the small blind, and Iachan called.

John Palermino: A♦J♣ All in
Daniel Iachan: K♣Q♣

"I'm not good at this. I never beat king-queen," Palermino said going to the 10♥9♥5♣ flop. The 9♦ turn kept him in the lead, but Iachan spiked the K♠ on the river.

"I told you. I've never beat king-queen with ace-jack in my life," Palermino said as he headed to the rail in 10th place.

The remaining nine players are drawing for seats at the final table.

Tags: Daniel Iachan John Palermino

1 day 13 hours ago

Donovan Bates Eliminated in 11th Place ($9,300)

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Donovan Bates moved all in for 370,000 from the hijack and Robert Salera called in the big blind.

Donovan Bates: A♣8♣ All in
Robert Salera: K♣Q♠

Salera picked up a straight draw on the J♥7♥9♣ flop, then hit top pair on the K♠ turn. The river was the 5♣, and Bates was eliminated in 11th place.

Tags: Donovan Bates Robert Salera

1 day 13 hours ago

Lita Gets Paid by Verderamo

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Valentin Lita raised to 50,000 under the gun and was called by Nicholas Verderamo in the hijack and Kevin Grabel in the big blind.

Lita bet 80,000 on the K♥3♦4♠ flop, and only Verderamo called. Both players then checked the 5♦ turn.

The river was the 2♦ and Lita bet 325,000. Verderamo took a minute before calling, and Lita showed J♦10♦ for a rivered flush to win the pot.

Tags: Kevin Grabel Nicholas Verderamo Valentin Lita

1 day 13 hours ago

Arnwine Trips Up Pinson

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Justin Arnwine raised to 50,000 in the cutoff and Aaron Pinson called in the big blind.

Arnwine continued for 25,000 on the A♠A♥2♦ flop, and Pinson called. Arnwine then bet 75,000 on the K♣ turn, and Pinson again called.

The J♣ river was checked down, and Pinson showed 7♠7♦. Arnwine, though, had A♦10♣ for trips to win the pot.

Tags: Aaron Pinson Justin Arnwine