Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
251
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000
Smith Books Lead on Day 1b; Two-Time Winner Zarlenga Bags Big
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Day 1b of Mid-States Poker Tour Tropicana Evansville wrapped up with 30 players surviving the 14 levels of play. The second of two flights drew 141 runners, enough to inch past the $250,000 guarantee when combined with the 110 Day 1a players. Kenny Smith finished with the chip lead, bagging 226,000, just ahead of Neil Patel's 216,500.
Smith surged ahead with a late rush in the final few levels. He busted 2013 MSPT Player of the Year Patrick Steele in Level 14 (1,200/2,400/400) just after Steele doubled up to around 55,000. According to Steele, Smith opened from early position and Steele three-bet with 
from the blinds. Smith four-bet and they got it in with Steele at risk, and Smith turned 
into a straight for the win.
Also of note, MSPT Team Pro and two-time champ Jason Zarlenga made it through the day with a nice stack of 147,500. Zarlenga has cashed for more than $260,000 on the tour. He overcame some early struggles tangling with Jonathan Dimatteo, who caused Zarlenga fits with an aggressive early bluff or two.
Zarlenga turned the tables in Level 9 (400/800/100) when Dimatteo bet 5,500 in middle position after five players saw a 
flop. One player called in late position, but Zarlenga check-raised to 16,200. Dimatteo called, and he called Zarlenga's last 9,000 on the 
turn with the 
. He trailed Zarlenga's 
, and the two pair held on the 
river. Dimatteo didn't recover and busted shortly thereafter.
Zarlenga is looking to become the first ever three-time MSPT champ.
Other player advancing included Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler (129,500), former European Poker Tour champ Tim Vance (103,500), and Adam Lamphere (72,000).
Among the players joining Dimatteo and Steele on the rail: Mark Hodge, Aaron Wallace, Matt Alexander, Steve Anderson, Adam Friedman, Michael Hahn, and last year's winner here, Charlie Dawson. Dawson ran into a set-over-set spot to bust his final bullet.
The 49 players who survived the Day 1 flights combine at 10:30 a.m. local time to play to a winner. Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out who that will be.
End of Day 1b Counts (full)
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
226,000 | -4,000 |
|
216,500 | |
|
|
192,000 | -6,000 |
|
147,500 | |
|
145,500 | 10,500 |
|
145,000 | 3,000 |
|
129,500 | 19,000 |
|
129,500 | |
|
126,500 | |
|
|
116,000 | -34,000 |
|
|
106,000 | |
|
|
103,500 | 84,000 |
|
103,500 | 28,500 |
|
79,000 | -6,000 |
|
78,500 | 17,500 |
|
|
75,500 | |
|
|
75,000 | |
|
|
74,000 | |
|
72,000 | -10,000 |
|
|
72,000 | |
|
|
70,000 | |
|
|
65,500 | |
|
|
48,000 | |
|
47,500 | |
|
46,000 | -80,000 |
Photos: MSPT Tropicana Evansville Day 1b
Smith Busts Steele, Surges to Lead
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
According to Patrick Steele, he three-bet from the blinds after Kenny Smith opened from early position, and Smith four-bet and got it in with against Steele's aces. The board ran out four to a straight for the tens and Steele busted out.
The next hand, Smith added more to piles when he started a limp pot from under the gun and then bet 10,000 on a 
flop. The big blind check-raised to 24,000 but folded when Smith shoved for 60,000 effective.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
230,000 | |
|
Busted |
Updated Chip Counts
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
198,000 | |
|
|
150,000 | 32,000 |
|
|
142,000 | 17,000 |
|
|
120,000 | 5,000 |
|
|
110,500 | -9,500 |
Steele Doubles Up
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
We found Patrick Steele all in for 23,800, having received one call. A third player folded, and Steele got it heads up with 
against 
. Neither player improved on the 
board, and ace-high was enough for the former Mid-States Poker Tour Player of the Year to double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
54,000 | -16,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 400
Kings the Ticket Again for Fellers
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
We found Anthony Fellers with 
in front of him on a board of 
. His unfortunate opponent was getting his stack counted down with 
on the felt face-up, and he couldn't match Fellers' 67,400. According to a player at the table, Fellers had opened in the cutoff and received action from the small blind, who led out on the flop. Fellers shoved all in and the small blind called, only to see the nightmare king appear on the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
135,000 | 70,000 |
Two Straight Bricks for Hodge
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Mark Hodge just busted out, meaning he has come up empty in two straight events where he had a chance to gain ground on Blake Bohn in the Player of the Year race.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |