Event #18: $500 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller], $35K Gtd | 2021 Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP)

02-24-2021 21:39 UTC-4

Guaranteed Prize Pool Exceeded In Level 4

HillKerby

In Level 4 with blinds of 150/300 and an ante of 40, the field has already risen to 81 entries and thus has surpassed the $35,000 guaranteed prize pool. Registration is still open for more than two hours, and the sky is now the limit for an overall prize pool.

Here's a look at an early leader board, with previous MICOOP winners "PowerRanges" and "Bout2CrushU" off to fast starts once more.

Player	Chips	Progress
PowerRanges	70,647
eyewantoowin	64,165
H1CCUPP	54,200
Bout2CrushU	54,094
AUTOKOREKT	54,060
mya6712	53,454
BeefySupreme	39,835
irishfan423	39,302
Buckoh555	39,140
LambForeshanks	35,144
pinkdogpippen	32,175
GAMETIMESC	30,552
backdoorFILTH	30,450
OfficerJorge11	30,426
RingDing420	30,350

02-24-2021 21:31 UTC-4

"Buckoh555" Check-Raises the Set

HillKerby

In Level 3 with blinds of 125/250 and an ante of 30, "Buckoh555" opened to 625 in the cutoff and was called by "POJvsPOTT" on the button. "Diddy Donkeeeey" defended their big blind, and the three went to a flop of . "Diddy Donkeeeey" checked and "Buckoh555" made a continuation-bet of 800 and only "POJvsPOTT" called.

Action was then heads up to the turn and "Buckoh555" checked. "POJvsPOTT" bet 1,250 and "Buckoh555" called.

The river fell and "Buckoh555" checked again. "POJvsPOTT" bet 3,500 and "Buckoh555" check-raised to 8,250. "POJvsPOTT" called.

"Buckoh555" showed for the rivered set and got a muck from "POJvsPOTT", earning them the pot with their three jacks.

Player	Chips	Progress
Buckoh555	32,660
POJvsPOTT	18,350

02-24-2021 21:24 UTC-4

Window Cleaner Jason "MIpokerproAAAA" Young Looking to Wipe Away the Competition

Chad Holloway

One player who has been busy grinding Michigan's first major online tournament series if 35-year-old Jason "MIpokerproAAAA" Young, who hails from Macomb Township.

Young, who has been married for three years and has his first child on the way, learned to play poker while attending Western Michigan University and continued on in Tuesday night home games in Kalamazoo.

"I have some friends with great poker skills that taught me a lot," he told PokerNews. "PokerStars gave me the ability to really sharpen my skills. When I moved back home from college, the charity poker scene had just begun to turn into a frenzy. I won my first tournament I entered. A $10 buy-in, with a $,2000 winner-take-all prize pool. I've hooked ever since. "

He continued: "Since then I have spent many hours at the poker table. It’s always been relaxing to me because I’m a professional window cleaner and I’m on my feet most days."

While traditionally a live player, Young hasn't been able to play much due to the pandemic, at least until online poker went live in the Wolverine State.

"I love to play live poker but due to the pandemic, it’s been tough to do that," he said. "So when PokerStars went live in Michigan I was pretty excited. I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I won a satellite ticket to Event 6 earlier in the week and I’m hoping my experience at the table pays off."

PokerNews will keep an eye on Young as he looks to capture a MICOOP title.

Tags: Jason Young

02-24-2021 21:17 UTC-4

"GrandKam616" Makes Trips

HillKerby

In Level 2 with blinds of 100/200 and an ante of 25, "GrandKam616" open-limped on the button and saw "eyewantoowin" pump it up to 925 in the small blind. "GrandKam616" called, taking action heads up to a flop of . "eyewantoowin" continuation-bet 1,068 and "GrandKam616" called.

"eyewantoowin" fired a second barrel of 2,901 on the turn and "GrandKam616" called once more, bringing the river . "eyewantoowin" bet a third time for 5,077 and "GrandKam616" called a final time to take the hand to showdown.

"eyewantoowin" showed for jacks up, and "GrandKam616" tabled for trips to earn them the pot. Meanwhile, "autokorekt" also got an early double and sits with 50,025.

Player	Chips	Progress
AUTOKOREKT	50,025	25,025
GrandKam616	40,020	15,020
eyewantoowin	17,707	-7,293

02-24-2021 21:07 UTC-4

Steele and Zou Among Early Entrants

HillKerby

A couple of familiar faces around the live poker circuit are among those to have entered straight away in Event #18. The pair of Patrick "MSPT-HOF" Steele and Henry "xlzou1990" Zou both have mid-six-figure lifetime earnings in the live realm and look to add to their already-impressive resumes with some online success in tonight's event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Henry "xlzou1990" Zou	25,000	25,000
Patrick "MSPT-HOF" Steele	25,000	25,000
22yardPUNT	25,000	25,000
AUTOKOREKT	25,000	25,000
backdoorFILTH	25,000	25,000
BeefySupreme	25,000	25,000
eyewantoowin	25,000	25,000
GrandKam616	25,000	25,000
jTizzle450	25,000	25,000
LambForeshanks	25,000	25,000
SimpinAintEasy	25,000	25,000
YouPaid2SeeNuts	25,000	25,000
santasworkshop	25,000	25,000

02-24-2021 21:01 UTC-4

Up and Running

HillKerby

Forty-seven players and counting are already in from the beginning with starting stacks of 25,000 and blinds of 80/160/20.

Registration will remain open for two hours and 40 minutes.

02-24-2021 20:23 UTC-4

Jason “TheRealClozer” Kapoor's Decision to Turn Pro Leads to MICOOP

Chad Holloway

Jason "Clozer" Kapoor, 26, resides in Redford, Michigan and has established himself as one of the state's fiercest players. He spent five years selling cars before opting to play poker full time beginning at the end of 2019.

"I don’t have much family, my mom just passed away five months ago," Kapoor told PokerNews. "I'm really trying my best to ship a tournament soon to dedicate a win to her."

Kapoor started playing poker avidly in 2017. He always knew the basics of the game, but like so many, he wasn't aware of just how in-depth the game could be.

Kapoor didn't graduate high school and actually left home when he was just 14 years old. He spent 70 hours a week working at a Dunkin Donuts when he was 16 years old just to pay rent and bills. To succeed in poker, one has to grind and deal with hardships. Kapoor has real-life experience in both.

"I was in survival mode my whole life, so I had to get good at reading people," he explained. "Knowing how people worked. What they wanted to hear and see. It’s sad but true. In my opinion, this really helps in poker, one of my best abilities is knowing where I’m at a lot of the time."

In regards to PokerStars launching in Michigan where he plays under the screen name “TheRealClozer," Kapoor said: "I’m super excited that we have the chance to play legally online now."

When not playing online, Kapoor sniffs out the action. For the past five months, he's traveled to what little live events there have been. Primarily a cash game player at the $5/$10 level, Kapoor added tournament play to his skillset in 2019. His biggest live tournament cash to date is $12,051 for finishing 19th in the 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship for $12,051.

"I can’t wait for the world to reopen. I’m beyond blessed to have this ability to make this kind of living considering where I came from and everything I’ve had to overcome throughout my life," he said. "Poker is not just a hobby. It’s a lifestyle, and I can’t see myself ever giving it up. I’ve met some of the best friends I could ever have from poker."

He added: "If you see me at the tables, you will either love me or hate me. I’m a talker, it’s part of my game. I mean no harm, I just want your chips!"

Kapoor is currently in Tampa Bay for a live event but will be returning to Michigan soon to compete in the MICOOP.

"Ideally I would like to ship that [live event] then come back here to Michigan and win the Main Event of the MICOOP."

PokerNews will be keeping an eye out for Kapoor whenever he jumps into online tournament action.

Tags: Jason Kapoor

02-24-2021 18:16 UTC-4

Welcome To the 2021 PokerStars MICOOP Event #18: $500 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller], $35K Gtd

HillKerby

Welcome back to PokerNews coverage of the inaugural PokerStars Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP). Wednesday night will see three more events of the two-week, 60-event flagship tournament series, with the marquee event of the night being Event #18: $500 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller], $35K Gtd.

Registration is already open for all currently present inside Michigan state lines on the PokerStars Michigan client with play set to get underway at 8 p.m. ET. Players will receive 25,000 starting stacks and blinds will begin at 80/160 with an ante of 20, increasing every 10 minutes through the duration of the one-night event.

Registration will remain open until 10:40 p.m. ET, at the approximate end of Level 15 (1,250/2,500/325). During that time, all players may fire up to four total bullets before being fully eliminated from the tournament. Should players at the final table agree to a deal, they must do so while leaving at least $700 up top for the eventual champion.

Updates will be coming fast and frequently from the time play gets underway all the way until one player remains. Stay tuned to PokerNews to follow along.

Event #18: $500 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller], $35K Gtd

Day 1 Started