Main Event | 2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Meskwaki Casino

03-29-2015 10:05 UTC-5

Welcome to Day 2 of Mid-States Poker Tour Meskwaki Casino (full)

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Seventy-three players have survived the crucibles of two Day 1 flights and are set to fire up Day 2 here at Mid-States Poker Tour Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa. Mario Hudson has the chip lead with a monstrous 380,000, miles ahead of second-place Joe Matheson (282,000). Next on the leaderboard is the Minnesota tandem of Thao "Scratch" Thiem (246,000) and Rob Wazwaz (244,000), who bagged the Day 1a lead.

Plenty of dangerous players look a little ways down in the chip counts as well. Matt Kirby (176,000), Josh Reichard (155,000), Ben Keeline (114,500), Dan Sun (113,000), Lance Harris (93,000), and Mike Ross (66,500) would have to be on anyone's short list of favorites to win it all. Indeed, Kirby and Sun have already claimed two MSPT wins each.

Action resumes at 10:30 a.m., and 36 players will make the money. Day 2 will begin at Level 15 (1,500/3,000/500) and progress with 40-minute levels until a final table has been reached. At that point, levels will move to one hour apiece and the live stream will kick off for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned to find out who takes down the latest MSPT.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Hudson	380,500
Joe Matheson	282,000
Thao Thiem	246,000
Rob Wazwaz	244,000
Nicholas Aranda	207,000
Chad Willett	195,500
Steve Vang	189,000
Matt Kirby	176,000
Brian Cox	171,500
Kevin Suneson	171,000
Josh Reichard	155,000
Anthony Yeh	147,500
John Kurfman	145,000
Robert Wittman	134,000
Chunlei Yuan	134,000
Nicholas Anderson	127,500
Brian Zupancich	125,000
Martin Faldet	120,500
Nathan Crookshank	120,500
Jared Rothkopf	115,500
Anselmo Villarreal	114,500
Ben Keeline	114,500
Garrett Riley	113,500
Dan Sun	113,000
Kurt Wildin	110,500

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03-29-2015 11:13 UTC-5

Wiora Survives a Sweat

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Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

Ben Wiora opened to 7,000 in middle position and got a call from cutoff Steve Vang. Wiora bet 13,000 on the flop, and Vang asked to see his chips. Wiora had about 35,000 total, and Vang put him all in and was quickly called.

Wiora:
Vang:

Vang had the straight flush draw with top pair but needed improvement against the set of the Mid-States Poker Tour Ho-Chunk champ. The turn was a and the river a not enough for Vang

"Sweat," Wiora said with a chuckle.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Wiora	114,000	59,500
Steve Vang	111,000	-78,000

Tags: Ben Wiora Steve Vang

03-29-2015 11:21 UTC-5

Hodge's Streak Ends at Six

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Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

The streak is over.

Mark Hodge finally fell short of cashing in a Mid-States Poker Tour event after making the money an amazing six straight times. He said he lost the last of it when he picked up and ran into a player holding kings.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Hodge	Busted

Tags: Mark Hodge

03-29-2015 12:33 UTC-5

"Scratch" Takes a Nasty Beat

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Level 17 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Thao "Scratch" Thiem opened to 12,000 and saw George Shabatura push all in from his left for 35,000. James Livingston on the button shoved his stack forward as well, what looked to be 113,000.

"I guess I'm all in too," Scratch said, opening . Livingston sighed and flipped , and Shabatura responded by flinging his cards into the muck.

The floor was called, and the players said they knew which two cards were Shabatura's. Shabatura said he had two eights, and the tournament director peeked down at the cards in question and turned over , as mucking isn't allowed in an all-in situation.

The board ran out , giving Livingston an unlikely flush to take most of Thiem's stack and bust Shabatura.

Players are on break for 10 minutes.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Livingston	170,000	94,000
Thao Thiem	38,000	-67,000
George Shabatura	Busted

Tags: George Shabatura Thao Thiem James Livingston

03-29-2015 14:07 UTC-5

Kirby Eliminated

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Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 1,000 ante

Matt Kirby checked a final board of , and Mario Hudson bet 45,000 in the cutoff. Kirby slid 105,000 in.

"I've gotta call," Hudson said, standing up and slapping onto the table for the nut flush.

"Ah, that's a better flush," Kirby said, mucking his cards.

"Anyone else I would have raised Hudson," said. "I didn't know if you would check a full house there."

Kirby was left with only about 50,000 and busted a couple of hands later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Hudson	710,000	230,000
Matt Kirby	Busted

Tags: Mario Hudson Matt Kirby

03-29-2015 15:52 UTC-5

Livingston Doubles Through Wazwaz

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Level 22 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante

Rob Wazwaz opened to 35,000 on the button and James Livingston three-bet to 75,000. Wazwaz pushed forward a tall tower of orange T10,000 chips, and Livingston thought for a few minutes before saying he was all in.

"Nice hand," Wazwaz said. "You're ahead. I call."

Wazwaz:
Livingston:

A flop meant Wazwaz was nearly dead, and the ended it on the turn, filling Livingston up.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Livingston	670,000	500,000
Rob Wazwaz	360,000	-515,000

Tags: James Livingston Rob Wazwaz

03-29-2015 20:01 UTC-5

Brett Reichard Eliminated in 10th Place ($4,659)

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Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Harry Finnimore limped in, and Brett Reichard shoved for 264,000. Mario Hudson called in the small blind, and Finnimore folded.

Reichard:
Hudson:

Reichard needed an ace but didn't find one as the first four cards came .

"How about a nine?" he asked.

Instead, a fell, giving Hudson the win.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Hudson	2,554,000	472,000
Brett Reichard	Busted

Tags: Brett Reichard Harry Finnimore Mario Hudson

03-29-2015 20:27 UTC-5

Ryan Hohenstein Eliminated in 9th Place ($7,167)

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Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Mario Hudson opened to 100,000 in early position and Ryan Hohenstein jammed for 316,000 in the cutoff. Hudson called after about 20 seconds.

Hudson:
Hohenstein:

The flop came , giving Hudson a flush draw, and there was no waiting: on the trn.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Hudson	3,287,000	733,000
Ryan Hohenstein	Busted

Tags: Mario Hudson Ryan Hohenstein

03-29-2015 20:52 UTC-5

Rodger Johnson Eliminated in 8th Place ($10,568)

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Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Harry Finnimore opened to 100,000 in early position, and Rodger Johnson shoved for about double that. Everyone else folded and looked at Finnimore as he was seemingly thinking over his decision before he started.

"Actions on me?" he said. "I thought [Rich Alsup] had cards. I call."

Finnimore:
Johnson:

Finnimore kept his lead in the race as flopped. A turn brought a flush draw for Johnson, but the river was a total brick.