Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Belle of Baton Rouge
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Belle of Baton Rouge
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$118,000
Entries
118
Level
21
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
4,000
Bursavich Leads, Souther in Second to End Day 1a (full)
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
The first day of play in the 2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Belle of Baton Rouge Main Event has come to a close. Austin Bursavich bagged 187,300 in chips to notch a wide Day 1a chip lead over the other 17 survivors of the flight, and Will "Monkey" Souther was next in line with 132,000. Rounding out the top five stacks were Nicholas Graphia (95,700), Jack Carona (81,700), and Claudia Crawford (69,700).
A total of 55 entries were recorded, and the remaining 18 players will bide their time before returning on Sunday for Day 2.
Bursavich, who has no recorded cashes that we could find, burst onto the radar in this event with a huge double against Frank Bravata followed by busting the lively Ben Mintz. His upward trajectory took few detours from there, as he seemed to show up with huge hand after huge hand, despite playing what looked to be every other pot.
Souther, meanwhile, owes his hefty stack to two pairs of aces in hole, winning all-in pots against players holding 
on two separate occasions that you can read about here and here.
Graphia, who bagged the third largest stack, played perhaps the most exciting hand of the day when he dragged a pot with quads queens against kings full.
Other notables bagging up for the night include Matt Kirby (69,300) and Justin Truesdell (50,200), while accomplished runners like Kou Vang, Kenny Malim, Matt Alexander, Bill Romer, Nick Jivkov, and Allen Kessler hit the exits before the end of the night.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow as we bring you live coverage of Day 1b here at PokerNews.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
187,300 | 51,800 |
|
|
132,000 | 2,000 |
|
|
95,700 | -23,300 |
|
|
81,700 | 81,700 |
|
69,700 | 700 |
|
69,300 | -40,700 |
|
|
57,700 | 57,700 |
|
53,800 | 2,800 |
|
50,200 | 50,200 |
|
|
46,500 | -6,500 |
|
45,300 | |
|
44,000 | 1,500 |
|
40,200 | 4,600 |
|
|
33,000 | 33,000 |
|
|
25,100 | 25,100 |
|
23,600 | 11,600 |
|
|
23,200 | 23,200 |
|
|
22,000 | 22,000 |
Kirby Loses a Chunk on Last Hand
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Matt Kirby fired out a bet into two players on a board of 
, and a player pushed all in. The third player folded, and Kirby quickly called.
Kirby: 
Opponent: 
Kirby needed a ten, but the river was a useless 
for two pair, and he doubled his opponent up.
We'll be posting everyone's chip count in short order, as players are in the process of bagging up for the night.
Aces the Ticket for Souther Once More
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
A player in middle position opened for 4,800, and Will Souther three-bet to 11,700 from the next spot. Everyone folded back to the raiser, who plopped down a stack of gray and orange chips. Souther announced all in, and his opponent called.
Souther: 
Middle position: 
The board ran out 
, providing threat to Souther's aces.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,000 | 95,500 |
Crawford Ships on Thomas
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Claudia Crawford, under the gun, bet 10,000 on the turn with a community of 
. Ben Thomas, on the button, made the call, and the two took in a river. Crawford jammed for 34,900, and Thomas tanked for about two minutes before gently nudging his cards to the dealer.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
69,000 | 15,000 |
|
|
42,500 | -24,500 |
Kirby Gets the KO
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Austin Bursavich raised to 3,500 from middle position, and Matt Kirby made the call out of the small blind. Behind him, the big blind pushed all in for about 26,000, and Bursavich laid down. Kirby called.
Kirby:
Big blind: 
"Good game, guys," the big blind said after the dealer placed the 
on the board. A 
turn gave him pause, as he had hope of making the winner on the river if a king or queen fell. The 
arrived though, and Kirby collected all of his opponent's chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
110,000 | 85,400 |
Last Level
Level 9
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Play has begun on Level 9, the last of the night.
Level: 9
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 200
Graphia Drags Big Pot Without Showdown
Level 8
: 600/1,200, 100 ante
Claudia Crawford opened for 2,500 in the cutoff, and Austin Bursavich three-bet to 6,400 on the button. Nicholas Graphia called in the big blind, and Crawford made it 15,000. Bursavich got out of the way, and Graphia tanked for a bit before calling once again. When the dealer splayed the 
flop, Graphia check-shoved for about 61,000 after Crawford continuation-bet 16,000. Crawford thought for a bit before laying down her hand.
Meanwhile, David Chocheles doubled up at the other table when he opened under the gun and saw numerous callers. The 
flop brought just what he was looking for, however, as his all-in bet was called by a player with 
while Chocheles held for a set. He doubled up when his hand held.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
119,000 | 80,000 |
|
|
54,000 | -66,000 |
|
|
51,000 | 34,900 |
Big Before Break
Level 8
: 600/1,200, 100 ante
Players are on a 10-minute break, and we'll bring the details of two big hands before the break shortly.