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Christmas has come a little early for Grand Island, Nebraska's Kip Smith.
He flopped a set of fours, then had one opponent push all in on him with just 
.
"Merry Christmas," Smith joked, fading all miracles on his way to an early double up and a spot near the top of the counts.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
Newton, Iowa's James "Deadwood" Livingston is off to a pretty good start here in Tama.
In fact, he won the first four hands he played, including flopping a set of jacks against a pair of queens and making three full houses already.
Livingston is now up and over twice what he started with and cruising near the end of Level 3.
"Here I am thinking how well I'm playing," he said. "But I guess I'm getting good cards and flopping sets."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
41,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
With the first three levels now in the books the players are taking a 10-minute break.
The board currently reads 148 entries with 144 players remaining.
Players are allowed one re-entry per Day 1 flight and late registration and re-entry is open through Level 9.
Level: 4
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 25
Boone, Iowa's Terry Gorsh had just sat down with a fresh stack in his new seat assignment when two players limped in front of him, including Allen Kessler.
Gorsh bumped it to 700 from the hijack and MSPT Team Pro Nick Pupillo called on the button. Both limpers called and the flop fell 
. It checked to Gorsh and he bet 1,000. Only the original limper called and the turn came the 
.
After a check, Gorsh bet 5,000 and the limper called. The river came the 
and this time the limper led, making it 10,000. Gorsh shipped it in and the limper called all in for a little less.
It was 
for two pair versus Gorsh's 
set and Gorsh vaulted up the early leader board thanks to a rather timely cooler.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
40,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
35,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
||
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
Ankeny, Iowa's Tim Colby has jumped into the top spot on the leader board thanks to a massive cooler.
He defended his blind against a raise with the 
. It went check-check on the 
flop, but all the money went in the middle once the 
turn was revealed.
Turned out Colby's opponent had flopped a set with the 
, but Colby's wheel held after the 
river did not pair the board.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
67,500
-4,900
|
-4,900 |
Level: 5
Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 25
Tim Thompson bet 700 into a three-way pot of about 3,500 on an 
flop.
Mark Maakestad and the third-player in the hand both called. The turn came the 
and when it checked to Maakestad, he bet out 1,500.
Only the third player called and they both checked the 
river, turning over and respectively, to chop up Thomson's money.
While both Maakestad and Thompson jumped out to an early lead, it appears Maakestad has fared the better of the two since, now on 80,000 and into a spot near the top all on his own.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
80,000
23,100
|
23,100 |
|
|
37,700
-21,900
|
-21,900 |
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
|
-25,000 |
|
|
53,000 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 50
