2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Majestic Star Casino

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Majestic Star Casino

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
99
Prize
$61,870
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
228
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Lutz Gets Lucky

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante
Keith Lutz
Keith Lutz

Keith Lutz shoved all in for 13,600 on a flop of {k-Diamonds}{k-Hearts}{a-Hearts} from the blinds. A player under the gun folded, but the player on the button wasn't so easily convinced. He thought for a couple of minutes before tossing out a call, saying he hoped he was against hearts. He was.

Lutz: {q-Hearts}{5-Hearts}
Button: {a-Diamonds}{q-Spades}

The {10-Spades} was a blank on the turn, but the {7-Hearts} river filled Lutz's flush draw.

Player Chips Progress
Keith Lutz us
Keith Lutz
31,300 14,300

Tags: Keith Lutz

Fornatto Holds

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

On a flop of {9-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{10-Clubs}, Dan Fornatto raised to 8,000 after a player under the gun bet 2,200. Fornatto's opponent shoved for about 18,000, and Fornatto leaned back in his seat and sighed before calling.

Fornatto: {8-Spades}{8-Clubs}
Opponent: {q-Clubs}{7-Clubs}

Fornatto's set was good but he had plenty to dodge, as his opponent had flopped a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw. Black cards fell, but they were {a-Spades} and {7-Spades}, keeping Fornatto best.

Player Chips Progress
Dan Fornatto
Dan Fornatto
40,000

Tags: Dan Fornatto

Level: 8

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

Deis Atop Counts

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante
Mike Deis
Mike Deis

Mike Deis is once again making the Mid-States Poker Tour his personal stomping ground. Already holding three final table finishes this season, he has quickly amassed a stack of more than 90,000 today to set himself up for another deep run. Additionally, Deis is ever so slightly behind Kou Vang in the race for MSPT Player of the Year, and we haven't seen Vang here yet so this could be a great opportunity for the Michigan native to grab the lead.

Player Chips Progress
Mike Deis us
Mike Deis
91,400
Anthony Martocci
Anthony Martocci
39,025 25
Rafael Valecillos
Rafael Valecillos
28,400 -8,400
Brian Zimcosky us
Brian Zimcosky
13,600 -6,400

Tags: Kou VangMike Deis

Bianchi Triples Up

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante
Paul Bianchi, pictured at the WSOP.
Paul Bianchi, pictured at the WSOP.

Jim Boone opened for 1,500 in early position, and Paul Bianchi shoved his last 3,500 in from middle position. Mike Holm, who recently reentered the tournament, made the call on the button, and Boone called as well. The two active players checked down the {8-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{k-Hearts}{6-Spades} board, and Boone showed {a-Clubs}{6-Clubs}. Bianchi had it beat with {7-}{7-}, and Holm announced that he had "nothing."

Bianchi had a fascinating run in the Main Event this summer after he and his friends put him on red eye after last minute blackjack session before the final Day 1. You can hear about his story in an interview with PokerNews.

Player Chips Progress
Mike Holm us
Mike Holm
20,000 20,000
Paul Bianchi us
Paul Bianchi
12,000
Jim Boone
Jim Boone
11,200 -8,800

Tags: Mike HolmJim BoonePaul Bianchi

Level: 7

Blinds: 250/500

Ante: 50

Holloway Felts Irani

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

We found Chad Holloway all in from the blinds after Zal Irani in late position bet 6,000 on a board of {6-Hearts}{j-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}. Two players in between folded, and the bettor splashed the rest of his stack in.

Holloway: {5-Hearts}{3-Spades}
Irani: {6-Clubs}{6-Spades}

Holloway had the best of it with a straight, but he needed to dodge the board pairing. A harmless {2-Spades} fell, and he collected his opponent's stack.

Players are on break for 10 minutes.

Player Chips Progress
Chad Holloway us
Chad Holloway
WSOP 1X Winner
59,650 16,650
Zal Irani us
Zal Irani
Busted

Tags: Chad HollowayZal Irani

Herstein's Trips Get Paid

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

Gary Herstein bet 3,100 out of the big blind on a board of {j-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{j-Spades}{5-Hearts}. His opponent in the cutoff made the call, and the river brought a {9-Hearts}. Herstein bet 5,200, and he was again called. Herstein showed {a-Spades}{j-Hearts} for trips, and his opponent couldn't beat it.

Player Chips Progress
Gary Herstein us
Gary Herstein
42,500

Tags: Gary Herstein