Paules Tops Day 1c Field at Golden Gates

Rosie Paules stacked 242,800 after 10 levels to top a field of 153 runners here at Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Day 1c. Nader Wahdan (234,900), who led for much of the night, finished right behind her, while Colin York (215,600), Olimpia May (194,900), and Brian Hartner (172,100) also ended the night with top-five stacks.

Forty-two players finished out the night with chips, and they'll return tomorrow at noon for the combination of three Day 1 fields. Among the survivors: Lance Harris (148,100), Bill Romer (112,600), Kou Vang (98,700), Matt Alexander (77,600), Patrick Steele (66,100), Blake Bohn (25,000), Matt Kirby (25,000), and John Hayes (25,000).

Paules dragged two pots that we recorded, including a bust of the red-hot Kou Vang, coming off consecutive MSPT final tables in Gary, Ind., and Baton Rouge, La. Vang check-shipped on a board of after Paules had bet from late position. Paules called with , and Vang was drawing dead with .

A little while later, we found Aaron Frei all in with against the of Paules. The queens held when the board came , eliminating Frei from the tournament.

Paules didn't seem to have any significant setbacks, as her stack stayed hefty every time we checked on her.

Harris was perhaps the highest profile player to bag a top stack. He started the day off bluffing, but it was the hands when he had the goods that drove his count up. First, he got a shorter stack all in on a board. Harris' opponent showed , but he had run into the of the Minnesotan. The was a blank on the river, and Harris has one of the larger stacks in the room.

A bit later, it was QQ leading to another bust when he stayed in front of a short stack's sevens all in preflop.

Finally, he opened for 4,200 in the hijack, and Hayes moved all in from the cutoff for about 24,000. When it got back to Harris, he called right away.

Harris:
Hayes: