2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces Harness Park

Andrew Null sealed up 309,500 to bag a healthy lead at the end of Day 1a of Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces Harness Park. Null leads the 29 players who survived through 14 levels of play out of a 156 total entries. Mark Sandness, who took down the tournament the last time the MSPT rolled through town, began his title defense with a strong showing, as he bagged 189,000.

Null owes his stack primarily to one massive pot, the biggest of the night. In one of the first hands at Level 13 (1,000/2,000/300), Brady Nissen had about 160,000 to start the hand, and he got it all in holding with a board reading . Null covered him and had the better hand with set of sixes (). Null only to fade a queen and jack on the river, and while paint hit the board, it was the , and Null dragged the enormous pot while a disappointed Nissen hit the rail.

Null had about 350,000 at that point, and he coasted through the last two levels of the night.

Sandness arrived just before the first break and got things rolling early by busting Adam Lamphere's first bullet. He bet-called a flop with before calling Lamphere's subsequent barrels on the turn and river to reveal an all-in bluff of for a missed straight draw. Sandness continued to accumulate chips despite a bump or two along the way and ended with 189,000.

Others joining Null and Sandness in the line-up for Sunday's Day 2 included Rodney Colson (247,000), Lamphere (197,000), Ervin Bjerga (187,000), John "JohnnyGstaks" Hayes (148,500), Peixin Liu (118,000), Jason Seitz (107,500), Jeff Bryan (56,500), and Steve Belland (47,000). Belland and Bryan finished third and second, respectively, at the MSPT Grand Falls back in August.

Plenty of notables failed to make it through, but they can take another crack on Day 1b if they so choose. Among those to fall were Jason Zarlenga, coming off of a win at MSPT Potawatomi for his second MSPT title; Tony "Lazer" Lazar, Aaron Johnson, Jeremy Dresch, Brandon Meyers, David Gonia, Nick Pupillo, Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler, Matt Kirby, Lance Harris, and Brett Kuznia.

"Chainsaw" tried grinding his trademark short stack game, but couldn't find a spot to double up. He ultimately jammed it in for less than 10 big blinds with the and was called by Nissen's . A run out spelled the end for Kessler, who comes into the tournament coming off of one of the biggest wins of his career.

Kuznia, meanwhile, continued his incredibly poor run of luck in MSPTs when he jammed in on a final board of , only to see Mario Hudson turn over for a straight flush.

The tournament resumes with Day 1b at 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, so be sure to come back to PokerNews for more coverage.

Play has stopped for the night.

Three more hands will be played.

Apparently, Tony Lazar's good fortune was short-lived as he just walked out of the room. He was preceded by Jason Zarlenga and Jim Boone.

Tony Lazar put his last 19,600 in from the hijack and was called immediately when action got to Peixin Liu in the big blind.

Liu:
Lazar:

Both players flopped pairs on , but Liu had the lead with jacks. The was a blank on the turn, but a river gave Lazar a full house. Lazar was counting down his stack as if he knew it was coming, and he dragged the pot to survive.

In one of the last hands at the previous level, Trevor Hills shoved for about 40,000 over an under-the-gun open to 4,500 from Rob Wazwaz, who made the call.

"If you can call, you're good," Hills said, turning over . Indeed, Wazwaz had for a dominating hand.

An flop gave Hills nothing, but a opened up a backdoor flush chance. The gave him the flush, and he apologized for the beat. Wazwaz was left with about 46,000 but he busted shortly thereafter.

Also during the previous level, Thao "Scratch" Thiem doubled up with when he flopped two pair on against the of Peixin Liu, who didn't improve.

Meanwhile, Gennady Shimelfarb busted out.