Main Event Day 1a | 2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Main Event

Day 1a Completed

11-13-2015 01:21 UTC-6

Reichert Leads 20 Day 1a Survivors; Defending Champ Bags Big

Chad Holloway

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

For the second time in Season 6, the Mid-States Poker Tour visited Golden Gates Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. The first of three starting flights attracted 126 entrants, but after 16 levels of play just 20 remained with Ross Reichert and his stack of 357,500 leading the way.

Reichert got off to a hot start by scoring the first elimination of the day. It happened in Level 1 with a board reading when Reichert placed out a bet of 10,000, and Danny Gonzalez thought long and hard before releasing for the flopped straight. Todd "Odds" Hagen then moved all in with the for a flush draw, but unfortunately for him, he was drawing dead as Reichert held the for a full house. The meaningless was run out on the river, and Reichert was pushed the large pot while Hagan became the day's first casualty. From there, it was nothing but up for Reichert.

Of course not everyone was so lucky. Among those to fall on Day 1a were MSPT Golden Gates Regional champ Bobby Sanoubane, who fired two bullets; MSPT Team Pro Matt Kirby; Nebraska farmer Phil Mader; Bryan Devonshire, who finished sixth in the Colorado Poker Championship back in August; and Aaron & Ralph Massey, the latter a victim of a set-over-set flop.

It happened when four players each put in 2,500 preflop and took a flop of . Ralph Massey checked from the big blind, Corey Zedo bet 5,500 from middle position, and Aaron Thomas folded from the cutoff. Ben Keeline called from the button, Massey check-raised all in for 37,800 total, and Zedo moved all in over the top, which inspired Keeline to fold.

Massey:
Zedo:

It was bad news for Massey, who was drawing to the case three. The turn wasn't it, and neither was the river. Massey was felted on the hand, while Zedo jumped up among the chip leaders.

While dozens fell, some solid players advanced to Day 2 including Lou Mortellarr (352,500), who busted early and reentered; defending champ Kane Lai (304,000); MSPT Team Pros Matt Alexander (270,500) and Nick Pupillo (100,000); and the last women in the flight, Norecia Austin (50,000).

Day 1b will kick off at 12:00 p.m. local time on Friday with the plan of playing 16 levels. Late registration and reentries are open all day long, so chances are many Day 1a casualties will fire another bullet. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to capture all the action, so be sure to check back then.

Tags: Ross Reichert

11-13-2015 01:16 UTC-6

End-of-Day 1a Chip Counts (full)

Chad Holloway

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Ross Reichert	357,500	47,500
Lou Mortellaro	352,500	-7,500
Kane Lai	304,000	169,000
Tom Bouziden	287,000	37,000
Matt Alexander	270,500	140,500
Ryan Brown	233,000	-17,000
Bruce Russell	233,000	38,000
Aaron Thomas	225,000	90,000
Michael Ermie	222,000	42,000
Michael Sanders	205,000	-85,000
Josh Connett	182,000	70,000
Michael Campbell	178,000	-37,000
Tony Karahalios	155,500	-24,500
Matt Greenwald	155,500	10,500
Jason Vanstrom	135,500	100,500
Phil Bujorian	114,500	-5,500
Nick Pupillo	100,000	4,300
Chris Maxwell	64,000	4,000
Dave Skilling	51,000	-21,000
Norelia Austin	50,000	5,000

Read full

11-13-2015 01:07 UTC-6

Four More Hands

Chad Holloway

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

The tournament staff just announced that the remaining tables will play four more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. We're headed out to capture any last-minute action and to compile a list of chip counts. Stay tuned for those as well as a full recap of the Day 1a action.

11-13-2015 01:06 UTC-6