2026 Mississippi State Poker Championship

$400 Mississippi State Championship
Day: 2
Event Info
2026 Mississippi State Poker Championship
Event Info
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$128,700
Total Entries
390
Players Left
18
Average Chip Stack
48,333
Total Chips
870,000
Next Payout
Place 18
$1,163
Level Info
Level
21
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
30,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
46
Players Left
18
Players Left 18 / 390

Day 2 to Crown Inaugural Mississippi State Poker Championship Main Event Winner

Matt Vaughan
Matt Vaughan

No more opening flights. No more reentries. The remaining 45 players who outlasted a total of 390 entries to return for Day 2 of the inaugural Mississippi State Poker Championship $400 Main Event are the select few who will have the opportunity to make history as they walk into the Horseshoe Casino Tunica to become the first-ever champion and take home the biggest piece of the $128,700 guaranteed prize pool.

Day 1c chip leader William Joyner (607,000) will enter the final day of play with the biggest stack in the room. Bill Onley (515,000) follows with the second most chips, and Day 1b chip leader Kerry Dawson (431,000) enters Day 2 with the third most chips.

Cards, chips and branding
Cards, chips and branding

Top Ten Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip Count
1William JoynerUnited States607,000
2Bill OnleyUnited States515,000
3Kerry DawsonUnited States431,000
4Andrea HizerUnited States414,000
5Michael HollandUnited States412,000
6Brandon OwensUnited States386,500
7Kenneth StewartUnited States382,500
8Jason MillerUnited States365,000
9Jesse LottUnited States362,000
10Jaxiya WatkinsUnited States350,000
William Joyner
William Joyner

Joyner will enter as the biggest stack as he embarks as one of the remaining players aiming to become the first-ever Mississippi State Poker Championship $400 Main Event winner. Joyner will certainly lean on his experience in the live tournament scene where he has amassed over $450,000 in earnings, per The Hendon Mob. 



Billy Onley
Billy Onley

Onley battled back from near elimination during his Day 1c run to one of the top stacks atop the chip leaderboards. His patience exhibited during his opening flight run could be a factor as he looks to make a splash with the biggest live score of his tournament career.

Dawson’s The Hendon Mob profile reflects that he has accrued plenty of earnings at Horseshoe Tunica, but he has to win a major title at this venue. Day 2 could change all that in a hurry if he accomplishes the feat of becoming the inaugural champion.

Matt Vaughan (340,000) has already won a title at the Mississippi State Poker Championship when he took down the $250 Monster Stack event for $6,953. Vaughan could turn a great week into an historic one should he go on to become the first to win the main event and the monster stack in the same week. The moment will not be too big for the Kentucky native who has a smidge over $370,000 in career live earnings on his The Hendon Mob page.

Day 2 will begin with 35-minute blind levels. The blind levels will increase to 40 minutes per level at the beginning of the final table. Action will continue until a champion is crowned.

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MyPlayers
MyPlayers

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Stay tuned here at PokerNews for complete coverage of Day 2 of the Mississippi State Poker Championship $400 Main Event at the Horseshoe Casino Tunica, as an inaugural champion will be crowned.

Tags: Andrea HizerBill OnleyBrandon OwensJason MillerJesse LottKenneth StewartKerry DawsonMatt VaughanMichael HollandWilliam Joyner