Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour FireKeepers Casino
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour FireKeepers Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
559
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Ross Leads 29 Day 1a Players Into Day 2
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
The first of three starting flights in the 2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino attracted 154 entries, but after 14 levels of play, just 29 remained with Mike Ross (pictured left) and his stack of 311,500 leading the way.
Ross had been building a stack all day until his stack exploded over 200,000, due in no small part to turning a straight flush against George Janssen. Janssen had turned an ace-high flush and the two players got their massive stacks all in, leaving Ross with the chip lead and Janssen with about 30,000. Janssen managed to navigate the rest of the night to make Day 2, even with Ross on his direct right for almost the entire day.
Bill Rogers, who was the runner-up in May's MSPT FireKeepers event, won a huge pot right before the end of the night to take the number two spot behind Ross. In one hand, with the board reading 
, James Smith bet 24,000 and Rogers raised to 50,000. Smith then shoved all in for about 132,000, and Rogers agonized for several minutes over his decision.
"You can't have aces," said Rogers, trying to talk himself through Smith's possible holdings.
After a few more minutes Rogers tilted his hand up while still deciding his next move. Standing up, then kneeling on his chair, then standing again. The answer seemed to be eluding him, until finally he threw one orange chip into the pot.
"Alright, show me a four," he said, "I call."
Rogers turned over his hand, the 
, and Smith turned over his, 
. The river was the 
and Rogers won a huge pot shortly before play stopped for the night.
"I'm sorry guys," Rogers said, apologizing to the table for taking so long to make his decision.
Meanwhile former MSPT FireKeepers champions Tommy Midena and Ryan Dykhouse were among the Day 1a casualties, as was 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Ryan Riess.
A big crowd is expected for tomorrow’s Day 1b flight. The day begins at noon local time and the players will play 14 40-minute levels. Stay tuned for updates and chip counts all weekend long.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
311,500 | 500 |
|
287,000 | 7,000 |
|
|
200,000 | 200,000 |
|
|
165,000 | 45,000 |
|
|
164,500 | 164,500 |
|
|
146,500 | 146,500 |
|
129,500 | 59,500 |
|
|
128,500 | 43,500 |
|
|
124,500 | 500 |
|
117,000 | 117,000 |
|
114,000 | 114,000 |
|
98,000 | 98,000 |
|
|
94,000 | 94,000 |
|
93,000 | 93,000 |
|
86,500 | -5,500 |
|
|
82,500 | 82,500 |
|
|
80,000 | 80,000 |
|
79,000 | 79,000 |
|
|
66,500 | 66,365 |
|
|
63,000 | 63,000 |
|
|
62,500 | 62,500 |
|
|
61,000 | -11,000 |
|
|
57,500 | 57,500 |
|
|
55,500 | 55,500 |
|
|
51,000 | 27,600 |
Welcome Players to Day 2
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Play has ended for the night. The players are bagging up and the floor is verifying all the counts. Stay tuned for final chip counts.
Three More Hands
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Players have three more hands before play stops for the night.
Rogers!
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
The board read and James Smith bet 24,000. Bill Rogers raised to 50,000. Smith then shoved all in for about 132,000. Rogers agonized for several minutes over his decision.
"You can't have aces," said Rogers, trying to talk himself through Smith's possible holdings.
After a few more minutes Rogers tilted his hand up while still deciding his next move. Standing up, then kneeling on his chair, then standing again. The answer seemed to be eluding him, until finally he threw one orange chip into the pot.
"Alright, show me a four," he said, "I call."
Rogers turned over his hand, and Smith turned over his, . The river was the and Rogers won a huge pot shortly before play stops for the night.
"I'm sorry guys," Rogers said, apologizing to the table for taking so long to make his decision.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000 | 280,000 |
|
45,000 | -48,000 |
Carswell Busts One, 31 Remain
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Brandon Carswell called an all in bet with 
against an opponent who held 
. The board ran out 
and Carswell knocked his opponent out. There are now 31 players remaining.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
85,000 |
Ross on Roll
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Mike Ross just eliminated former MSPT Firekeepers Champ, Ryan Dykhouse when the two players were all in preflop. Dykhouse was behind and stayed behind with 
and Ross added even more to his chip-leading stack with 
. There are 33 players remaining with about 30 minutes left in the final level. Play might stop short of the end of the level, should the field get down to 27 players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
260,000 | 50,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 400
Ross Busts One, Chips Up
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
The under the gun player shoved all in for 12,000 and Dash Dudley reraised to 32,200. The action folded to Mike Ross who shoved all in for 150,000. Dudley tanked for a while. Dudley and Ross were the two biggest stacks at the table, so a call would have put someone over 300,000. Dudley eventually folded and Ross showed 
. The under the gun player showed 
. The board was no help for him and ran out 
, giving Ross the win and putting him back over 200,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
210,000 | 35,000 |
|
|
92,000 | -60,000 |
Bienz Snaps
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Chad Bienz raised preflop to 4,800 under the gun and the big blind was the lone caller. The flop came 
and the big blind checked to Bienz who bet 5,800. The big blind called. The turn was the 
and the big blind checked again. Bienz bet 15,000 and the big blind called. The river was the and the big blind took about 40 seconds to eyeball Bienz's stack and consider his move before he shoved all in. Bienz called so fast his chips may have been in the pot before the big blind. The big blind turned over 
for a busted flush draw and Bienz showed 
for the winner and a huge pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
120,000 | 15,000 |