Wright Bags 600,000 to Score Overall Lead
Day 1c of the Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates attracted 194 runners, which brought the total field up to an even 500 entrants. That's 47 more than the last time the tour rolled around last spring. After 15 levels of play, Mike Wright finished the 41 Day 1c survivors with 600,000, which eclipsed the 511,500 bagged by MSPT team pro Blake Bohn on Day 1a, giving Wright the overall lead heading into Sunday's Day 2.
Wright's run to the top was greatly aided by a monster pot just before the end of Level 14 (1,200/2,400/400). After an 
flop, Nader Wahdan continuation-bet 13,000 from middle position and was called by Wright on his left and the small blind. The 
paired the board, and Wahdan bet 24,000 after it was checked to him. Wright shoved all in, the small blind folded, and Wahdan stood up, looking over his stack. About 140,000 remained, and he opted to call it off.
Wright: 
Wahdan: 
The turn was the worst card for Wahdan, as it gave him trips that were still behind. He couldn't fill up on the 
river, and he silently walked out the door.
Shawn Sandt (470,000), Jon Wurden (431,000), Brad Lien (312,500), Geoff Vail (291,500), and bracelet winner Adam Friedman (271,000) are also near the top of the counts. Others to make it through the day included Phil Mader (170,000), Kevin "Phwap" Boudreau (147,000), Will Givens (130,000), Chris Tryba (125,500) and Kris Wagner (73,000).
The appearance of Boudreau early in the day was a first on the MSPT this year for the well-known player, whose incredible story has inspired many in the poker world. You can read about his journey toward recovery from a traumatic brain injury here and here.
He was mixing it up throughout the day at a table on the edge of the room, and the theme of his day seemed to be river aggression, as he repeatedly put pressure on opponents after all of the cards were out. In one of the bigger pots he dragged, a player was already all in on a board of 
, and a player in middle position bet 2,000 into a small side pot. Boudreau called on the button, and a player who checked in early position made it 5,150. The bettor folded, but Boudreau called. Two checks followed the 
turn, and a 
hit the river. The first player bet 2,300, and Boudreau put him all in for 21,000 more. The player tanked it for about three minutes before folding what he said was a set of eights.
Boudreau showed 
for a straight and took down the pot.
Givens, who snagged his first bracelet this summer, was the beneficiary of a different kind of river aggression, when he was all-in and beaten but a player forced the winning hand to fold.
During Level 15 (1,500/3,000/500), the last of the night, Vail opened for a raise in early position and was called by Sandt on the button. In the blinds, Givens woke up with an all-in shove for about 35,000, and both players called. Vail bet 40,000 on the 
flop, and Sandt called. Both players checked the turn, and Vail checked the 
river. Sandt bet 50,000, and Vail quickly mucked.
"You're welcome," he said, showing 
.
Sandt turned over 
for a pair of sevens, causing Givens to celebrate wildly as he revealed 
.
"Whooooo!" he said pointing at Sandt. "My man! I knew he did that!"
The positive situation was clearly a welcome change for Givens after he had already busted a few bullets earlier in the day.
Some of the players who weren't saved from busto hands and didn't make it through the day included former MSPT Golden Gates runner-up Jonathan McCray, Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler, John Holley, Lou Mortellaro, Josh Reichard, Ken Payne, Tyler Corbett, Jason Seefeld, and Adam Lamphere.
Day 2 commences at 11 a.m. Sunday, and PokerNews will be on the scene for live reporting to see who will take home the $120,765 first-place prize.