Main Event
Day 1a Started
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$494,700
Entries
510
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000
MyStack App Available for MSPT Golden Gates Casino Main Event
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You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
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Welcome to Day 1 of the MSPT Golden Gates Casino Main Event!
Season 6 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) just wrapped up its stop at Meskwaki Casino last weekend – where Rich Alsup topped a field of 410 entrants to win $101,229 – and this weekend they're here at Golden Gates Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado for a $1,100 buy-in $200,000 guaranteed Main Event.
Earlier this week, the stop 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.
As for the Main Event, the last time the MSPT visited Golden Gates was back in March, where Kane Lai topped a field of 409 entrants to win a $101,365 first-place prize. Interestingly, Lai won the HPT Ameristar St. Charles for $150,593 earlier this week, so momentum is on his side if he attempts a title defense.
Others slated to make an appearance at this stop are MSPT Team Pros Matt Alexander, Matt Kirby, and Nick Pupillo; as well as regulars such as Allen Kessler, Rex Clinkscales, Ting Ho, and current MSPT Player of the Year leader Mark Hodge, who took over the lead after making the final table at the aforementioned MSPT Meskwaki stop.
Here's a look at the remaining MSPT Golden Gates schedule:
| Day | Event | Buy-In | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | MSPT Main Event Day 1a | $1,100 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | MSPT Qualifier | $250 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | MSPT Qualifier | $250 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | MSPT Main Event Day 1b | $1,100 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | MSPT Qualifier Turbo | $250 | 9:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 14 | MSPT Qualifier | $250 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 14 | MSPT Main Event Day 1c | $1,100 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, Nov. 15 | MSPT Main Event Day 2 | - | 12:00 p.m. |
The Main Event, which will start players with 30,000 in chips, will be held over three days beginning Thursday with Day 1a at 12 p.m. Day 1a will play 16 levels. Friday's Day 1b will also start at 12 p.m. and play 16 levels, and the same for Day 1c on Saturday. Players who advance from Day 1a are not eligible to play in Day 1b and so on. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday morning at 12:00 p.m. and play until a champion is crowned. The Main Event final table will be broadcast live (15-minute delay) with hole cards worldwide on msptpoker.com and PokerNews.
Here's a look at those who've capture titles in Season 6 thus far:
| Dates | Event | Entrants | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 15-25, 2015 | MSPT bestbet Jacksonville | 421 | Brian Arbaugh | $102,806 |
| Jan. 30 – Feb. 8, 2015 | MSPT Running Aces | 354 | Erv Bjerga | $91,941 |
| Feb. 14-22, 2015 | MSPT Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells | 463 | Ben Wiora | $114,512 |
| March 5-15 | MSPT Golden Gates | 409 | Kane Lai | $101,365 |
| March 21-29 | MSPT Meskwaki | 371 | Chad Willett | $96,760 |
| April 4-12 | MSPT Potawatomi | 635 | Jason Mirza | $147,529 |
| April 6-19 | MSPT Maryland Live! Casino | 270 | Greg Himmelbrand | $72,910 |
| April 17-26 | MSPT Canterbury Park | 430 | Dan Hendrickson | $106,182 |
| May 9-17 | MSPT FireKeepers Casino | 614 | Mark Rubenstein | $142,637 |
| June 1-5 | MSPT Venetian | 1,964 | Angelina Rich | $215,815 |
| July 24-26 | MSPT Meskwaki | 410 | Blake Bohn | $101,229 |
| August 14-16 | MSPT Grand Falls | 238 | Alan Curl | $64,941 |
| August 21-23 | MSPT Tropicana Evansville | 251 | Michael O'Neill | $67,746 |
| September 4-6 | MSPT Potawatomi | 462 | Dan Goepel | $114,117 |
| September 18-20 | MSPT Running Aces | 328 | Peixin Liu | $85,498 |
| October 10-18 | MSPT FireKeepers Casino | 559 | Michael Ferraroti | $134,642 |
| November 6-8 | MSPT Meskwaki | 410 | Rich Alsup | $101,229 |
For additional news and updates, be sure to follow the tour on Twitter @msptpoker. Cards will be in the air in just a couple of hours, so stay tuned!
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Familiar Faces in the Field
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
Austin Off to a Rough Start
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Norecia Austin, who finished fifth in the $360 MSPT Regional held here at Golden Gates early this week, is hoping to keep the ball rolling, but thus far Day 1a hasn't treated her well.
In a recent hand, Norecia limped under the gun and Karen Novotny, who was to her immediate left, did the same. The blinds both came along, and four players saw a flop of 
. Action checked to Novotny, who bet 600. The blinds both folded, and Austin opted to call to see the 
turn, which both players checked.
When the 
completed the board on the river, Austin checked for a third time and Novotny bet 1,500. It did the trick as Austin released her hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
32,000 | 32,000 |
|
|
17,400 | -12,600 |
Reichert Notches the First Elimination of the Tournament
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Well, it didn't take long for the first player to fall from the MSPT Golden Gates Casino Day 1a field.
We picked up the action on a board reading 
with Ross Reichert, who was donning a 10-gallon cowboy hat, placing a 10,000 bet out in front of him. Danny Gonzalez thought long and hard before releasing 
for the flopped straight, and then Todd "Odds" Hagen moved all in with the 
for a flush draw. Unfortunately for him, Reichert held the 
for the full house and made the call.
The meaningless 
was run out on the river, and Reichert was pushed the large pot while Hagan, who was playing in only his second major tournament, became the day's first casualty.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
60,000 | 60,000 |
|
19,000 | 19,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level: 2
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 0
Welcome to the Party
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
Sanoubane Looking to Go Back-to-Back This Week
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
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 
flop, which they all checked. When the 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
|
31,000 | 1,000 |