2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Main Event
Day: 1a
1a1b1c2
Event Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino
Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a6
Prize
$123,180
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$494,700
Total Entries
510
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000
Players Left 1 / 510
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The Odds Are Not in Hagen's Favor

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante

We noticed Todd "Odds" Hagen, who was the first elimination of the day, was no longer in the seat he'd taken when he reentered. Sure enough, a check with his friend Jason Bender confirmed that he'd been eliminated from the Main Event for a second time.

Bender didn't recall Hagen's bustout hand, but did say he was crippled after he flopped a flush draw with {k-Hearts}{x-Hearts} and was up against a player with top pair. The two put some chips in on the flop, and then more on the {A-} turn, which unbeknownst to Hagen gave his opponent two pair. The {K-} river wasn't the heart Hagen was looking for, but it did give him a pair, which ended up inspiring to pay off his opponent.

Hagen was eliminated a short time later.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Todd Hagen
Todd Hagen
Busted

Tags: Todd Hagen

Enter the Massey Brothers

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante
Bryan Devonshire, Ralph Massey & Matt Kirby
Bryan Devonshire, Ralph Massey & Matt Kirby

The field just got a lot tougher as the Massey Brothers, Aaron and Ralph, have taken their respective seats in the tournament.

The story of the Massey Bros. has been well documented here on PokerNewsclick here to read more — and most recently Aaron, who was the Heartland Poker Tour Season X Player of the Year, made headlines calling out Dwyte Pilgrim for faulting on a loan.

All told, Aaron has $2,591,403 in lifetime tournament earnings, while Ralph, who drew a tough seat between Bryan Devonshire and MSPT Team Pro Matt Kirby, has $356,648. That's not too surprising considering Ralph took up the game long after his little brother, but regardless both siblings, who're a part of the Big Cock Poker stable, have made a name for themselves on the circuit.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ralph Massey us
Ralph Massey
30,000
30,000
30,000
Profile photo of Aaron Massey us
Aaron Massey
30,000
30,000
30,000

Tags: Aaron MasseyRalph Massey

Alexander Served Up a Delicious Slice of Keeline Pie

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante

MSPT Team Pro Matt Alexander opened for 500 from middle position and the player on the button called. Ben Keeline came along from the big blind and three players took a flop of {9-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}{k-Spades}. Keeline checked, Alexander bet 600, and the button folded.

Keeline called and then checked the {5-Hearts} turn. Alexander did the same, which brought about the {Q-Diamonds} on the river. Keeline tossed out a bet of 2,100, and Alexander conceded the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Matt Alexander us
Matt Alexander
42,000
1,400
1,400
Profile photo of Ben Keeline
Ben Keeline
30,000
2,000
2,000

Tags: Ben KeelineMatt Alexander

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

Huge Pot Pushed to Russell; Mortellarr Falls

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

A huge hand just went down at Table 9 that resulted in Lou Mortellarr hitting the rail and Bruce Russell taking over the early chip lead.

We picked up action on the {k-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{10-Hearts} board, and it appeared that both Mike Hassab and Russell checked. Another player then bet, Mortellarr called, and Hassab check-raised to 4,000. Russell then check-raised all in, and the original bettor got out of the way. Mortellarr thought long and hard before calling off for 20,000, and Hassab shook his head before folding what he claimed was a king-high flush.

Mortellarr: {j-Hearts}{10-Spades}
Russell: {a-Hearts}{q-Hearts}

Russell held the goods, but Mortellarr was drawing to a gutshot straight flush. Unfortunately for him, it didn't come in as the {6-Clubs} blanked on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Bruce Russell us
Bruce Russell
70,000
Profile photo of Mike Hassab
Mike Hassab
20,000
Profile photo of Lou Mortellaro
Lou Mortellaro
Busted

Tags: Lou MortellarrMike HassabBruce Russell

Abo's Fishhooks Do the Trick

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Travis Northrope limped from early position and Danny Gonzalez did the same. Ryan Simoneau then raised to 700 from the hijack, Steve Abo called from the cutoff, and the button and blinds all folded. Northrope and Gonzalez both got out of the way, so it was heads-up action to the {k-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}{4-Hearts} flop.

Simoneau check-called a bet of 800, and then both players checked the {8-Hearts} turn as well as the {A-Diamonds} river.

Simoneau rolled over the {10-Clubs}{10-Hearts}, but it was no good as Abo held the {j-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ryan Simoneau
Ryan Simoneau
40,000
Profile photo of Steve Abo
Steve Abo
31,000

Tags: Ryan SimoneauSteve Abo

Todd "Odds" Hagen Opts to Reenters

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Golden Gates Casino allows for players to reenter as much as they like during the Day 1 flights — unlike the usual one per starting flight at most MSPT stops — and one man has already opted to reenter, that being Todd "Odds" Hagen.

Also jumping in action are circuit grinder Daniel "Duma" Lowery and Chris Maxwell, who took sixth in the $360 MSPT Regional earlier this week.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chris Maxwell us
Chris Maxwell
30,000
Profile photo of Duma Lowery us
Duma Lowery
30,000
Profile photo of Todd Hagen
Todd Hagen
30,000
30,000
30,000

Sanoubane Looking to Go Back-to-Back This Week

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante
Bobby Sanoubane
Bobby Sanoubane

Earlier this week, Golden Gates Casino hosted a $360 buy-in $100,000 guaranteed MSPT Regional event, which attracted 770 entrants and crushed the guarantee by creating a $231,000 prize pool. That tournament saw Bobby Sanoubane of Aurora, Colorado capture a $33,000 first-place prize after a six-way chop.

Sanoubane is back in action today and looking for even more success. In a recent hand, four players limped to see a {4-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{8-Spades} flop, which they all checked. When the {10-Diamonds} appeared on the turn, Allen Kessler checked from the big, Sanoubane bet 500 from the big, and the other to players folded. Kessler did the same and Sanoubane took down a small pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Bobby Sanoubane us
Bobby Sanoubane
31,000
1,000
1,000

Tags: Bobby Sanoubane

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0