The Mid-States Poker Tour returns to Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, Minn. today for another event in its home state, a far trek from the opening event of the year at bestbet Jacksonville. The tour opened Season 6 with a strong showing, drawing more than 400 runners for its first foray into Florida, and another solid field is expected here at Running Aces.
Last time the MSPT came to town was September of 2014, and Ken Pates defeated a field of 338 to take down a first-place prize of $87,698. Pates was making his second final table appearance of the season, and he topped a final table that featured a strong local presence, typical of events for the Minnesota-born tour.
Play kicks of at 4 p.m. local time, and Allen Kessler's "Chainsaw Approved" structure will be in use once again. Each player will start with 20,000 in chips, with blinds beginning at 50/100 and progressing every 40 minutes. Breaks occur every three levels, and each player is allotted one reentry here on Day 1a, as well as two more bullets on Day 1b if he or she so desires. Stay tuned as Day 1a progresses and all of the live updates are posted here on PokerNews.
"DQ" Dan Hendrickson check-raised to 8,000 from the hijack after a cutoff opponent bet 2,600 on a board. The cutoff called, and the river brought a . Hendrickson fired another 8,000, and his opponent shoved all in for just a bit more after a couple of minutes of thought. Hendrickson called, and the cutoff turned over for a flush. Hendrickson had a superior flush with and collected the early knockout.
Jeremy Dresch and Aaron johnson bought into the tournament.
A massive pot was brewing at Table 34 as the majority of the room filtered out for break. The small blind was all in for 6,725, and James Wilson had called, only to see the cutoff, Ken Heathcote, shove, putting Wilson at risk for 15,000 or so total.
"Do you have me beat?" Wilson asked. Heathcote nodded.
Nonetheless, Wilson called.
Wilson:
Small blind:
Heathcote:
Heathcote flopped a commanding lead with a set as hit the board, and the turn locked him in
Matt Kirby was all in for 20,200 out of the blinds on an flop when we arrived at his table. Opponent Chris Jones was thinking it over in middle position with a wager of 7,000 in front of him and decided to call.
Kirby:
Jones:
Kirby chuckled upon seeing his opponent's cards, and he headed for the exit after the turn left him drawing dead on his second bullet.
Adam Friedman opened for 1,050 on the button, and Adam Dahlin shipped all in for 8,000 more from the small blind. Friedman thought it over for a bit.
"If you have a real hand, you're going to be really mad if I suck out," Friedman mused moments before calling.
Friedman:
Dahlin:
"I knew it," Friedman said, pleased to have the edge.
Dahlin flopped a pair and Friedman a flush draw on , and Friedman took command with a on the turn. Dahlin got no help on the river, and he headed for registration to reenter shortly after busting.
Mike Schneider opened to 3,200 on the button and then shove all in for what looked like around 40,000 when Joe Barnard three-bet to 9,000 from the blinds. Barnard called immediately and flipped , dominating Schneider's . Neither player improved on the community, leaving Barnard's kings best and eliminating the limit hold'em legend from Day 1a play.
Mike Ross bet 5,000 from middle position on a flop and was called by the player on the button and Paula Phan in the blinds. On the turn, Ross fired 12,000, and the player on the button quickly folded. Phan cut out a raise, and Ross announced all in and was snap-called.
Ross:
Phan:
Ross was disgusted with the cooler, and the river mean Phan doubled up with the better boat.
"I knew you had a huge hand," Ross said. "Your boyfriend couldn't stop staring at me, rocking his leg with excitement..."
Adam Friedman opened for 4,000 in middle position, and Todd Fisher jammed for 18,200 on his left. James Maxey called in the blinds, and Friedman shoved the rest of his 50,000 or so in. Maxey called.
Maxey:
Friedman:
Fisher:
Maxey all but ended things by flopping a boat as hit the board. The fourth nine didn't appear on the last two streets, and Maxey collected the double knockout.
In a battle of the blinds, Mark Hodge checked a flop and saw Joe Barnard bet 9,000. Hodge raised to 20,000, and Barnard tossed in a call after some thought. On the turn, Hodge bet 15,000, and Barnard cut out enough chips for a raise before electing to just call. Hodge fired once more with 30,000 on the river, and Barnard shoved after thinking it over for awhile.
Hodge snap-called and tabled for fours full. Barnard winged into the middle in disgust, and the dealer determined Hodge's stack to be 152,600.
board. The cutoff called, and the river brought a 
. Hendrickson fired another 8,000, and his opponent shoved all in for just a bit more after a couple of minutes of thought. Hendrickson called, and the cutoff turned over 
for a flush. Hendrickson had a superior flush with 
and collected the early knockout.
hit the board, and the 
turn left him drawing dead on his second bullet.
, and Friedman took command with a 
.
turn, Ross fired 12,000, and the player on the button quickly folded. Phan cut out a raise, and Ross announced all in and was snap-called.
mean Phan doubled up with the better boat.
into the middle in disgust, and the dealer determined Hodge's stack to be 152,600.