button in SafariMississippi State Poker Championship Main Event Set to Host Two More Starting Flights
Two starting flights have been completed in the inaugural Mississippi State Poker Championship $400 Main Event. The page now turns to Saturday as two additional starting flights are scheduled to decide once and for all who will advance to Day 2 and continue the pursuit of the first-ever champion of the Mississippi State Poker Championship at the Horseshoe Casino Tunica, a tournament that features a $50,000 guarantee.
Day 1b reached its conclusion last night. The second opening flight attracted 73 entries, which permitted nine players the opportunity to punch their ticket to Day 2. Kerry Dawson (431,000) finished the flight as Day 1b chip leader. Jesse Lott (362,000) followed in second, while Benjamin Ridge (338,000) wrapped up the top three finishers from Day 1b.
End of Day Chip Counts Day 1b
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerry Dawson | United States | 431,000 | 72 |
| 2 | Jesse Lott | United States | 362,000 | 60 |
| 3 | Benjamin Ridge | United States | 338,000 | 56 |
| 4 | James Hand | United States | 293,000 | 49 |
| 5 | Craig Kromraj | United States | 264,000 | 44 |
| 6 | David Frazier | United States | 173,000 | 29 |
| 7 | Jason Simon | United States | 136,000 | 23 |
| 8 | Anthony Graham | United States | 92,000 | 15 |
| 9 | Jaxiyz Watkins | United States | 87,000 | 15 |
Dawson has nearly $60,000 in live career earnings, with all of his career earnings taking place at Tunica, according to his The Henon Mob page. The Arkansas native will certainly look to use that experience after bagging the top stack of anyone through the first two flights.
Lott failed to bag during Day 1a, but his second attempt during Day 1b went much better as he will now advance to Day 2 and have a chance to become the first-ever Mississippi State Poker $400 Main Event Champion. Lott has racked up over $285,000 in live career earnings per his The Hendon Mob profile and will look to cross the $300,000 mark with a deep run at Horseshoe Tunica this weekend.
Ridge’s The Hendon Mob profile shows that this is his third cash at Horseshoe Tunica and his first cash since 2024. Ridge can make this his biggest yet as he enters the room to duke it out on the final day of play.
Jason Simon (136,000) failed to make the cut during the opening flight of the day, but his second attempt proved to be more successful as he now has a seat on Day 2 following his performance during Day 1b.
Day 1c is slated to begin today at 11 a.m. The final opening flight is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Day 2 restart will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 12 p.m.
Main Event Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sept. 19 | 11:00 a.m. | $400 Main Event Flight 1c |
| Sat, Sept. 19 | 7:00 p.m. | $400 Main Event Flight 1d |
| Sun, Sept. 20 | 12:00 p.m. | $400 Main Event Day 2 |
*All times are local
Competitors will begin with a starting stack of 30,000. Players are entitled to unlimited reentries. Registration for each starting flight closes at the beginning of Level 9. Players may also forfeit their stack at the end of Level 8 and buy back in for a fresh stack for $400.
Blind levels are scheduled for 30 minutes on Day 1. They will increase to 35 minutes at the beginning of Day 2 before bumping up to 40 minutes at the final table.
A total of 12.5% of each flight, rounded down, will be permitted to advance to Day 2.
Never Miss a Moment with MyPlayers on PokerNews
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on poker's biggest stars or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you.
No subscriptions, no paywalls, just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most. It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Stay tuned here at PokerNews for full coverage of Day 1c as play continues in the first-ever Mississippi State Poker Championship $400 Main Event held at the Horseshoe Casino Tunica.