Event #55: $300 NLHE [Main Event], $200K Gtd Day 1 | 2021 Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP)

03-07-2021 23:15 UTC-4

Businessman Matthew "Luna_Nova21" Davis Battling in MICOOP

Anthony Thompson

Matthew "Luna_Nova21" Davis is a 31-year-old former director of mortgage banking for Quicken Loans and now an owner of his own Allstate Insurance Agency. Davis, who is single with no kids, resides in Washington, Michigan not far from Detroit.

"I started playing poker when I was 15 with friends from school," he said when asked how he learned the game. "There was about four of us who would play $5 sit n gos. I play mostly Texas hold ‘em, but I mix in PLO, 7-Card Stud, and five-card PLO from time to time. I play mainly tournaments but I do want to start playing more cash. I do really well in cash games but I love to hunt for titles."

He continued: "I used to play online before Black Friday. I’ve been playing on another site for the last few years but now play on PokerStars. I’ve mostly played tournaments. I typically will play the mid to higher-stakes games online."

In the live realm, Davis has more than $160K in lifetime earnings according to The Hendon Mob. That includes a career-high $98,120 for finishing 76th out of an 8,569-player field in the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. He also finished 24th in the 2015 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond $1,675 Main Event for $13,437, 28th in the same tournament in 2019 for $8,065, and 21st in the 2014 Heartland Poker Tour Mount Pleasant $1,650 Main Event for $4,933.

Only time will tell if Davis' live success will translate to the online felt here in the 2021 MICOOP.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew "Luna_Nova21" Davis	Busted

03-07-2021 23:09 UTC-4

Korby's Tournament Ends After Two Bricks

Anthony Thompson

In Level 18 with blinds at 8,000/16,000/2,000, action folded to Andrew "autokorekt" Korby who raised all in for 116,462 from the hijack and "georgejanssen" isolated after three-betting to 216,924 from the button.

"georgejanssen":
Andrew "autokorekt" Korby:

Korby was behind looking to get lucky after the flop appeared with three diamonds giving him the flush draw.

Unfortunately for Korby, his luck had run out after two bricks came to complete the board and ended his tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
georgejanssen	1,020,136
Andrew "autokorekt" Korby	Busted

03-07-2021 22:56 UTC-4

Vaughan's Main Event is Over

Anthony Thompson

In Level 17 with blinds at 7,000/14,000/1,750, "OpusX6969" raised to 40,000 from early position and then called K.C. "Legendkiller88" Vaughan's 142,581 three-bet jam from the hijack.

"OpusX6969":
K.C. "Legendkiller88" Vaughan:

Vaughan was in rough shape and the flop didn't help at all.

The turn left Vaughan praying for a lady on the river but the appeared and ended his tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
OpusX6969	670,678
K.C. "Legendkiller88" Vaughan	Busted

Tags: K.C. Vaughan

03-07-2021 22:46 UTC-4

"H3H8teM3" Eliminated by "LawernceTaylor"

Anthony Thompson

In Level 17 with blinds at 7,000/14,000/1,750, "LawernceTaylor" raised to 28,000 from late position before calling the 317,927 three-bet jam "H3H8teM3" made from the big blind.

"H3H8teM3":
"LawernceTaylor":

"H3H8teM3" was in rough shape needing a set but couldn't find a six as the board ran out and ended their tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
LawernceTaylor	793,071	793,071
H3H8teM3	Busted

03-07-2021 22:37 UTC-4

Eric "Eze0302" Rayner Off to Hot Start in Inaugural MICOOP Series

Anthony Thompson

One player off to a hot start in the 2021 MICOOP is 40-year-old Eric "Eze0302" Rayner III, who grew up in Brighton, went to Eastern Michigan, and currently resides in Plymouth with his wife Karina, son Éric IV, and a foster son his family is working to adopt. When not playing poker, Rayner helps run a small brokerage called Midtown Home Mortgage.

"I got invited to a home game that was a $1/$2 limit game on Tuesdays and a $1/$2 mixed game on Sundays. That’s where I learned Omaha 8, my favorite game," Rayner said when asked how he learned the game."I play more mixed games than anything but I play all of them. When going to Vegas, I stay at The Orleans for their mixed games and O8

Prior to the pandemic, Rayner would often play live at Doc's Sports Bar and Greek Town while also dabbling online. That includes now playing on PokerStars, usually $0.50/$1.00 NLH but also taking a seat anytime Omaha 8 has a table running.

Rayner got off to a hot start in the MICOOP finished 10th in a field of 883 entries in Event #1: $100 NLHE Kick Off, Nightly Star SE Event, good for $755. He also placed 34th in Event #3: $50 NLHE 8-Max for $175, and fourth in Event #13: $50 PLO8 8-Max for $975. Not too shabby as he had only played six tournaments up to that point in the series.

In addition, he's already won a satellite into Event #55: $300 NLHE [Main Event], $125K Gtd on March 7-8. Until then, he'll continue to grind when not at his day job or spending time with his family.

"I'll play the limit and mixed game events for sure," he said. "But [loan] rates have dropped so I've been writing loans the last few days."

03-07-2021 22:30 UTC-4

"SamAAA123" Loses Race to "DonnyDoodles"

Anthony Thompson

In Level 16 with blinds at 6,000/12,000,1,500, "DialedinDale" raised to 30,000 from under the gun and "SamAAA123" three-bet jammed for 215,336 from the cutoff.

Action folded to "DonnyDoodles" who isolated for 951,718 from the big blind.

"SamAAA123":
"DonnyDoodles":

"SamAAA123" was behind looking to pair either of their two overs but the feat was easier said then done as the runout ended their Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
DonnyDoodles	1,246,554
DialedinDale	456,044
SamAAA123	Busted

03-07-2021 22:25 UTC-4

Set No Good For Zou

Anthony Thompson

In Level 15 with blinds at 5,000/10,000/1,250, "smileybpoker" raised to 20,000 from middle position and found four callers which included Henry "xlzou1990" Zou from the cutoff.

The flop was checked to Zou who fired out 58,125 and only "smileybpoker" called to see the appear on the turn.

"smileybpoker" check-raised to 581,250 after Zou fired out 116,250 and Zou called off his 367,645 stack.

"smileybpoker":
Henry "xlzou1990" Zou:

Zou flopped a set of ducks but "smileybpoker" turned the straight and the river ended Zou's tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
smileybpoker	1,482,815	1,159,463
toptenHIGHlite	259,957
mikesright	244,649
jamestown1122	106,050
Henry "xlzou1990" Zou	Busted

Tags: Henry Zou

03-07-2021 22:13 UTC-4

Level 15 Chip Leaders

Anthony Thompson

Player	Chips	Progress
Mirana99	1,527,849
smftt	1,426,083
quadacesstl	1,399,589	238,455
gofundme1	1,304,498	798,836
chipslip906	1,200,381
Vaiglesss	1,174,100	163,625
imDJC	1,127,761
MaanUnited	1,120,771
pker*suks	1,099,101
BabyGrnd	1,033,250
dgallo8719	1,030,381	285,885
Rallymilvet	1,001,376

03-07-2021 22:07 UTC-4

Registration Closed - Prize Pool Information Posted

Anthony Thompson

The add-on break has ended for the MICOOP Main Event and a total prize pool of $359,520 was generated via 1,284 total entries (882 entries and 402 re-entries).

The top 179 players will make it into the money and earn at least $649, with payouts increasing until the eventual champion earns themselves $56,398.35.

Position	Prize
1	$56,398.93
2	$40,202.13
3	$28,657.44
4	$20,427.99
5	$14,561.81
6	$10,380.16
7	$7,399.31
8	$5,274.48
9	$3,759.82
10-13	$2,680.14
14-17	$2,013.06
18-26	$1,666.95
27-44	$1,380.34
45-71	$1,143.02
72-98	$946.50
99-134	$783.75
135-179	$649

03-07-2021 21:55 UTC-4

"Raasinkane007" Falls to "MikePonic2021"

Anthony Thompson

In Level 14 with blinds at 4,000/8,000/1,000, "Raasinkane007" limped-in from middle position as did "B3nd3rRodriguez" on the button before "MikePonic2021" raised to 24,000 from the small blind.

"Raasinkane007" four-bet all in for 93,826 and only "MikePonic2021" called.

"MikePonic2021":
"Raasinkane007":