Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Maryland Live! Casino
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Maryland Live! Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
270
Level
26
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
5,000
Friedman Bags Huge Lead on Day 1b
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
World Series of Poker bracelet winner Adam Friedman busted a bullet early on, but he didn't let that deter him, ultimately bagging 285,600 in chips to take the overall lead in the Mid-States Poker Tour Maryland Live! Casino Main Event. He finished with about 50,000 more than Day 1a leader Mo Mostafa and will have more than 150 big binds when Day 2 commences on Sunday.
Notable East Coast grinder and Maryland native Justin Liberto (176,400) finished the day in second place. Others who were among the 14 Day 1b survivors included MSPT Team Pro Matt Alexander (145,600), Nick Bond (127,700), Avon Wilson (118,200), Billy Jacobini (113,100), Joe Cashen (100,900), and Brian Zekus (33,400). The flight drew 78 players total.
Friedman got cut to piece by the Huan Ho buzzsaw on his first bullet, making a call for his stack on the turn in a four-bet pot. With about 23,000 in the middle, Ho bet 17,000 on a 
board from the cutoff seat, and Friedman put in his whole stack of about 27,000 in after thinking things over for a couple of minutes.
"That's no pair," Friedman said with a smile when Ho didn't immediately call, asking for a count instead. He was right, as Ho called with the 
but found the 
on the river to bust a disappointed Friedman, who held the 
.
The Ohio native hopped right back in and quickly ran up a stack, partially courtesy of MSPT points leader Mark Hodge. First, Friedman got three streets of value with a flush draw that turned into top pair. Then, he got it in on a 
board with 
, dominating Hodge's 
. Friedman continued to chip up from there, hitting a combo draw all in on the turn for stacks to bust one player and then having another opponent call off on the river against his aces up.
Players who fired and missed included MSPT Pro Nick Pupillo, Stan Jablonski, Greg Davis, and Jordan Hogans. They'll have one last chance to qualify for championship Sunday as Day 1c begins Saturday at 11:15 a.m. local time. Players who advance from there will join the 28 players who have thus far made it through to Sunday.
End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
285,600 | 15,600 |
|
176,400 | 11,400 |
|
145,600 | 74,600 |
|
127,700 | 2,600 |
|
|
118,200 | 118,200 |
|
115,400 | 115,400 |
|
113,100 | |
|
|
100,900 | 26,300 |
|
93,300 | 93,300 |
|
81,700 | 81,700 |
|
|
75,200 | 75,200 |
|
|
68,400 | 68,400 |
|
45,200 | 45,200 |
|
33,400 | 20,200 |
Liberto Crushes One
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Justin Liberto was all in when we arrived at his table, putting an opponent who had bet 6,000 from the button at risk for about 20.000 more. The board read 
, and the player called it off after a lengthy tank.
Liberto: 
Opponent: 
Liberto faded the two-outer as an hit.
Another player busted at the other table, so the tournament is done for the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
165,000 | 28,400 |
Bond Doubles Through Zekus
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Brian Zekus opened for 4,000 under the gun and got a call from his left. Action folded to Nick Bond, who made it 11,000 on the button. Zekus said he was all in, and Bond snap-called and tabled two queens. The only problem was, the third player had yet to act. He folded, and Zekus showed 
. He was dead by the turn on the 
board, and Bond took his new chips and his short penalty.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
125,100 | 88,100 |
|
|
13,200 | -65,800 |
Level: 13
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 300
Photos: MSPT Maryland Live! Day 1b
"I Hope You Go to the World Series and Win a Lot of Money"
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Adam Friedman bet 12,700 from the small blind on a board of 
and got called by Jordan Hogans. The river brought the 
, and Friedman said he was all in. Hogans thought it over and muttered to himself for a couple of minutes before coming to a decision.
"You know what, man?" he said. "I hope you go to the World Series and win a lot of money."
He placed his stack in and Friedman flipped over 
.
"Nice hand," Hogans said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
270,000 | 52,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Schoultz Survives
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Michael Schoultz shoved all in on the button for 11,000 after two limps, and a player who came in from middle position called.
Schoultz:
Opponent: 
"Low cards, dealer," Schoultz's opponent said. "Low cards."
The squeaky wheel didn't get the grease as the board came 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
27,400 | -23,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Liberto Hits His Ace
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Ting Xiao opened in early position and then shoved his 30,000 or so stack in after Justin Liberto three-bet him. Liberto quickly called but saw his 
was behind . Not for long, as an 
flop left Xiao with one out. It didn't hit on the last two streets.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
136,600 | 37,100 |
|
|
Busted |