2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana Evansville

Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana Evansville

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
ak
Prize
$60,527
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
225
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Main Event

Day 1b Completed

Oberst Bags Lead Despite Late Slide

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Brian Oberst
Brian Oberst

It was a roller coaster Day 1b for Brian Oberst in the Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana Evansville Main Event, but he ended up in the spot every runner hopes for: leading the chip counts with 295,500. He topped a field of 120 players, with 17 advancing to Sunday's Day 2 where they will join the 26 survivors of Day 1a.

Barely trailing Oberst were Charlie Dawson (286,500) and Alex Yen (270,000). Nicholas Pupillo (220,000), Rory Monahan (171,000), Chris Cornell (162,000), Chris Hale (153,500), David Mitchell (137,000), and the married duo of Crystal Utley (129,000) and John Utley (82,500) also bagged stacks.

Pupillo would have taken the overall chip lead heading into Day 2 had things gone differently on the final hand of the night. He flatted a middle-position open with the {a-Spades}{k-Spades} and then called a shove from Mitchell on the button, who had the {j-Clubs}{j-Hearts}. A {4-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}{2-Clubs}{q-Spades}{10-Hearts} run out saw Mitchell survive.

Oberst scuffled early, punting off his first bullet and grabbing a new seat. At that point, he began steadily climbing up the counts, until a monster late rush vaulted him to a peak of about 450,000. In the first massive pot, Oberst checked a {4-Spades}{k-Clubs}{5-Diamonds} flop, and his lone opponent checked behind. On the {10-Diamonds} turn, Oberst bet 25,000, and his opponent called. The {8-Hearts} finished out the board, and Oberst shoved all in. His opponent made the call for about 50,000, and Oberst turned over {k-}{k-} for a set of kings. His unlucky foe revealed {10-}{10-} for a turned set of tens.

Oberst's surge continued on the penultimate level of the night, when Oberst and two short stacks were all in preflop, and Oberst held {6-}{6-} against {7-}{7-} and {8-}{8-}. The board came {5-Spades}{q-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{6-Diamonds}, and Oberst spiked his set on the river to bust both players and hit his peak chip count.

However, Oberst lost some chips over the course of the last level, including paying off a big bet from Yen, whom Oberst described as his "nemesis." Oberst will slightly trail Day 1a leader Michael Hahn's 299,000 when Day 2 begins.

Among the players who won't be back for Day 2 are Jeff Grimes, Dan Chambers, Jacob Bazeley, Henry Tran, Matt Lushin, and Brad Rhodes. Bazeley was among the headliners on Day 1b, but the well-known tournament grinder never really got much going. He grinded a short stack for much of the day, shoving or folding for awhile after registration ended before ultimately bowing out just before the final break.

Day 2 will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, so be sure to come back to find out which of final 43 players will claim an MSPT championship.

Tags: Brian OberstJacob BazeleyNicholas Pupillo

End of Day 1b Counts (full)

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Player Chips Progress
Brian Oberst
Brian Oberst
295,500 -59,500
Charlie Dawson us
Charlie Dawson
286,500 -3,700
Alex Yen us
Alex Yen
270,000 -10,000
Nicholas Pupillo us
Nicholas Pupillo
220,500
Rory Monahan
Rory Monahan
171,000 33,600
Chris Cornell us
Chris Cornell
162,000 31,000
Chris Hale
Chris Hale
153,500
David Mitchell us
David Mitchell
137,000 2,000
Crystal Utley us
Crystal Utley
129,000 77,975
Evan Niemeier
Evan Niemeier
108,000
Tri Do
Tri Do
88,500
Lisa Phillips
Lisa Phillips
88,000 12,400
John Utley us
John Utley
82,500 -3,700
Ricky Stinson us
Ricky Stinson
60,000
Neil Patel us
Neil Patel
58,500 33,450
Michael Sumner
Michael Sumner
54,500 14,500
Robbie Frank
Robbie Frank
36,000

Read full

Mitchell Doubles Through Pupillo on Last Hand

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Nicholas Pupillo was on the wrong end of a late race.
Nicholas Pupillo was on the wrong end of a late race.

Rory Monahan opened for 5,300 and was called by Nicholas Pupillo. On the button, David Mitchell made it 25,000 to go, and Monahan folded. Pupillo shoved all in, and Mitchell clled off his 62,400 stack.

Mitchell: {j-Clubs}{j-Hearts}
Pupillo: {a-Spades}{k-Spades}

The board ran out {4-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}{2-Clubs}{q-Spades}{10-Hearts}, and Mitchell secured the last-minute double.

Player Chips Progress
David Mitchell us
David Mitchell
135,000

Tags: Nicholas PupilloDavid Mitchell

Oberst Pays Off Yen

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante

On a board of {q-}{6-}{6-}{k-}{9-}, Alex Yen bet 30,000 and got called by Brian Oberst, who swore upon seeing that Yen had caught a set with {9-}{9-} on the river to make a full house. Despite his destruction of most everything in his path today, Oberst has been unable to best Yen.

Steve Anderson just busted out moments later.

Player Chips Progress
Brian Oberst
Brian Oberst
355,000 -95,000
Alex Yen us
Alex Yen
280,000 190,000
Steve Anderson us
Steve Anderson
Busted

Tags: Alex YenBrian Oberst

Another Huge Hand for Oberst

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Brian Oberst has more than 400,000.
Brian Oberst has more than 400,000.

In one of the last hands in Level 13, Brian Oberst and two short stacks were all in preflop, and Oberst held {6-}{6-} against {7-}{7-} and {8-}{8-}. The board came {5-Spades}{q-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{6-Diamonds}, and Oberst spiked his set on the river to bust both players and continue his sizzling run.

Player Chips Progress
Brian Oberst
Brian Oberst
450,000 148,400

Tags: Brian Oberst