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Calmar, Iowa's Marty Faldet has emerged as the new chip leader and first player past the 100,000-chip mark here in Tama.
First he doubled through one-time chip leader Tim Colby, holding with pocket kings versus Colby's nut-flush draw. Then he managed to relieve another opponent of heaps of chips turning pocket queens into a full boat against trips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
107,000 |
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota's Loki Abboud has enjoyed a steady climb up to a spot near the top of the chip counts here at the mid-way point of Day 1a in Iowa.
He told PokerNews he flopped a wheel in a big three-way pot, slow played aces in another against an opponent on jacks and has otherwise been chipping up throughout.
"I've been in some good spots and had some good hands," he said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
80,000 |
Level: 7
Blinds: 250/500
Ante: 50
With the end of Level 6 upon them, the players have headed off on a 10-minute break.
With seven cashes and three final table appearances this year, Mark Hodge currently sits fifth on the MSPT Player of the Year leader board.
Here in Iowa, he's got a chance to gain some ground on the man in the top spot as POY leader Blake Bohn is not here defending his title.
Things got off to a slow start, but Hodge is healthy again, having stomped on one limper with a late position raise to 1,400. The player in the big blind and the limper both called and checked the 
flop. Hodge checked as well, but when his opponents also tapped the table following the 
turn, he bet out 2,200 and claimed the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
The temperature inside the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel continues to drop at a rapid pace with coolers being found on the felt left and right.
Des Moines, Iowa local Ryan Watts was just on the warm end of one, three-betting to 3,000 after one opponent made it 800. His opponent called and all the money went in on an 
flop, with Watts holding 
and his opponent on 
.
Watts' top set held over two pair on the 
run out.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
51,000 |
Nick Pupillo is certainly a force to be reckoned with on the MSPT.
He's booked no less than six final table appearances on the tour in just the past two years. While his biggest live score came with a win in the 2015 Heartland Poker Tour Chicago Main Event, Pupillo appears poised for a major breakthrough here.
It won't be today, however, as he just jammed 
over a raise and got called by 
, whiffing the board to go broke.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Nick Jivkov finished runner-up here in 2013, then returned in 2014 and won it all.
Moments ago, he appeared to be ascending the chip counts list once again and ready for another run, calling one opponent's 10,000-chip push in dominating position, with 
over .
However, the board rolled out 
making Jivkov's opponent a heart flush and leaving him to rebuild with just slightly more than a starting stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
26,050 | 6,050 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 50
It appears somebody finally got the better of Mark Maakestad and his seemingly never-ending string of pocket kings.
Ames, Iowa's Bryce Arneson bet 6,200 into a pot of about the same size on a 
board. Maakestad called and the river brought the and another bet from Arneson, this time for 10,700.
Maakestad tank-called and instantly flipped over the 
. Arneson showed the 
, having flopped a set, rivered a boat and got paid, chopping the one-time chip leader down to size.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
55,000 | -25,000 |
|
|
53,000 |
