mnuwwarah
Ben Berlowski won the last time the MSPT was here.
The Mid-States Poker Tour has crowned its first two champions of 2015, Brian Arbaugh at bestbet Jacksonville and Ervin Bjerga at Running Aces. Now, the third event of the season is set to kick off at Ho-Chunk Gaming in Wisconsin Dells, a staple of the tour.
Last time the MSPT came to town, Ben Berlowski defeated a field of 349 to take down $90,632 in prizes. He topped a final table featuring tour regulars Nick Pupillo (now signed on as a tour pro), Mike Ross, Ken Payne, and Rob Wazwaz, as well as bracelet winner Nick Kost.
Action will get underway here in chilly Wisconsin at 4 p.m. local time, with the Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler-designed structure in use. Stacks start at 20,000 apiece, and blinds begin at 50/100, progressing for 14 40-minute levels until everyone left bags up. Each player is allowed one reentry during Day 1a play, with two more bullets allotted for tomorrow's Day 1ab.
Two players have made quads early on to take down big pots.
Blake Bohn said he made quad fives with one five in his hand, getting paid off on a big overbet on the river when he put 14,000 into an 8,000 pot.
At another table, Greg Wilson made quads to bust Larry Ormson, who looked less than pleased as he got up from the table. Ormson immediately reentered the tournament.
Chad Holloway check-called 2,500 from the small blind on a board of against a cutoff opponent. On the river, Holloway gather all of his chips in a stack and slid them forward, 4,975. His opponent thought things over for a few minutes, saying he had blockers to the straight. Ultimately, he decided to call. Holloway flipped for the underfull, and he took the pot down to get back above the starting stack.
In a raised pot, Matt Alexander bet 1,700 from late position and saw Ernest Garrett check-raise to 4,000 on a flop. Alexander responded by putting Garrett, who made the final table of Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces a couple of weeks ago, all in for about 16,000 total. Garrett hemmed and hawed, putting his face in his hands.
"You got kings?" he asked. "You just have an overpair or do you have that seven?"
He mucked what he claimed was aces, and Alexander quickly flipped for an airball before dragging the pot.
Blake Bohn got his last 13,525 in preflop with against . Kings have been a cursed hand lately according to Bohn's twitter feed, as he's repeatedly dropped monster pots in various tournaments, and things looked no different this time as flopped. The turn helped Bohn with a four-flush, and the river was one of the cards he needed to take the pot.
"That would have been 1-for-11," Bohn said of his recent skid with cowboys.
Jeff Petronack opened to 2,000 in early position, and Chad Holloway jammed 15,925 from the button. The small blind called, and Petronack folded.
Small blind:
Holloway:
Holloway had been caught shipping light, and he stood up when he saw how crushed he was. A door card was followed by though, just the ticket for Holloway. The turn and river danced around the small blind.
Nick Pupillo was the chip leader early on then said he was busted down to a few thousand before running it up to more than 50,000. Back down to his last 9,800, he shoved over a 9,500 jam from the player under the gun, and Joe Ford put both at risk from the big blind.
Ford:
Under the gun:
Pupillo:
Pupillo had found a great spot, but both opponents picked up equity as flopped, giving Ford a pair of queens and the other player a flush draw. Two bricks Pupillo needed, and two bricks he got as and emerged from the deck.
Will Stone just picked up in a three-way all in, and it turned out to be one of the most dream scenarios possible. One of his opponents held , while the other had . A flop made things a bit hairy, but no further danger emerged from the deck and Stone took out two players.
Mike Holm opened for a raise in middle position and saw the big blind three-bet to 17,000. Holm jammed for 80,700, and the big blind called with . Holm had him dominated with , and a run out of meant Holm doubled up.
Four players saw for the price of 5,500 preflop, and action checked to Mike Holm in the cutoff. He put in 10,000, and Kou Vang called from the button. In the big blind, Chad Holloway announced he was all in for roughly 58,000. The fourth player folded, as did Holm and Vang.
"I wouldn't normally show," Holloway said before flashing for a set.
At another table, Mandy Caffee scored a monster double just before the night's end when a player check-shoved all in on an flop with only to be drawing nearly dead after Caffee snapped it off with for top set.
against a cutoff opponent. On the 
river, Holloway gather all of his chips in a stack and slid them forward, 4,975. His opponent thought things over for a few minutes, saying he had blockers to the straight. Ultimately, he decided to call. Holloway flipped 
for the underfull, and he took the pot down to get back above the starting stack.
for an airball before dragging the pot.
against 
turn helped Bohn with a four-flush, and the 
river was one of the cards he needed to take the pot.
turn and 
river danced around the small blind.
flopped, giving Ford a pair of queens and the other player a flush draw. Two bricks Pupillo needed, and two bricks he got as 
and 
in a three-way all in, and it turned out to be one of the most dream scenarios possible. One of his opponents held 
flop made things a bit hairy, but no further danger emerged from the deck and Stone took out two players.
for the price of 5,500 preflop, and action checked to Mike Holm in the cutoff. He put in 10,000, and Kou Vang called from the button. In the big blind, Chad Holloway announced he was all in for roughly 58,000. The fourth player folded, as did Holm and Vang.
