$1,100 Main Event Day 1a | 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship

10-10-2019 17:01 UTC-4

Lots of Hearts for Looney

Chad Holloway

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

After the under-the-gun player limped and the next player called, Devin Looney raised to 3,500 from the hijack. Action folded back to the UTG player, who called, and the other player came along to make it three-way action to the all-heart flop.

Action checked around and the dealer burned and turned the .

The UTG player checked and his opponent to his direct left bet 3,000. Only Looney called and the put four hearts on the board.

The turn bettor checked and Looney bet 4,000. That did the trick as his opponent wasted little time in laying down his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Devin Looney	46,000

Tags: Devin Looney

10-10-2019 17:06 UTC-4

Ojeda Gets Value on the River

TylerWarken

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Lou Ojeda raised to 1,800 in middle position and got called by the cutoff, button, and the big blind.

Action was checked around when flop came . The player in the big blind led out for 1,800 on the turn card which got called by Ojeda and the player on the button.

Ojeda bet 5,100 when the action was checked to him on the river. The button folded and the player in the big blind made the call.

Lou Ojeda:

Aces full was good enough for Ojeda to take down the pot and add to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lou Ojeda	63,000 63,000	63,000

Tags: Lou Ojeda

Level: 8

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

10-10-2019 17:16 UTC-4

Most MSPT Main Event Cashes in History

Chad Holloway

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 10 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.

On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more.

Two players in today's field, Aaron Johnson and Kou Vang, currently sit atop the list for most Main Event cashes in tour history. The MSPT FireKeepers is the 159th Main Event for the MSPT, and incredibly Johnson has cashed in 35 of them while Vang isn't far behind with 32.

Here's a look at the top ten MSPT Main Event cashers:

Place	Player	Hometown	Main Event Cashes
1	Aaron Johnson	Red Wing, Minnesota	35
2	Kou Vang	Maplewood, Minnesota	32
3	Richard Alsup	New Hope, Minnesota	27
4	Mark Hodge	Fernandina Beach, Florida	25
5	Patrick Steele	Chelsea, Michigan	24
6	DJ Buckley	Eden Prairie, Minnesota	24
7	Blake Bohn	Eden Prairie, Minnesota	23
8	Jason Seitz	Shakopee, Minnesota	21
9	Rob WazWaz	Minneapolis, Minnesota	20
10	Matt Kirby	Bemidji, Minnesota	19

10-10-2019 17:37 UTC-4

Big Slick Does the Trick for Thill

Chad Holloway

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Gary Thill opened for 2,100 from early position and the next two players to act flatted before the third player in line three-bet big to 10,000.

Action folded back to Thill and he four-bet all in, the two flatters folded, and the three-bettor called off the 15,000 or so he had behind.

Gary Thill:
Opponent:

Thill's best shot at winning the pot was to catch an ace, and he did just that as the flop delivered him two pair. Neither the turn nor river changed a thing and Thill scored the knock out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gary Thill	85,000

Tags: Gary Thill

10-10-2019 17:42 UTC-4

Shanahan Wins Without Showdown

TylerWarken

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Mike Shanahan raised to 2,000 and got called by the button. The big blind put in a three-bet to 8,300. Shanahan and the button both called.

The flop came and the preflop aggressor put out a continuation bet of 7,000. Shanahan called and the button folded.

Action was checked to Shanahan on the turn card and he fired 11,000 and got called.

The river was also checked to Shanahan and he tossed out a bet of 7,000 which put his opponent all in. With over 60,000 already in the middle Shanahan's opponent decided it would be better to save his last 6,000 and folded. Shanahan took down the pot without a showdown and now sits near the top of the chip counts.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Shanahan	120,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Mike Shanahan

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

10-10-2019 17:58 UTC-4

Updated Chip Counts from Half the Room

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Deis	130,000 10,000	10,000
Mike Shanahan	95,000 -25,000	-25,000
Gary Herstein	70,000 38,000	38,000
Jimmy Ray	65,000 -5,000	-5,000
Kou Vang	55,000 34,000	34,000
Chris Moon	55,000 12,000	12,000
Jacob Baumgartner	53,000 53,000	53,000
Sandra Morse	45,000 7,000	7,000
Aaron Johnson	42,000 -21,000	-21,000
Casey Carroll	40,000 -15,000	-15,000
Pat Steele	25,000 4,000	4,000

10-10-2019 18:01 UTC-4

Updated Chip Counts from the Other Half of the Room

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Al Singletary	125,000
Nick Davidson	73,000 28,000	28,000
Adam Lamphere	58,000
Ian Matakis	50,000 27,000	27,000

Michael Ferrarotti	35,000
Courtney Kennedy	30,000 6,000	6,000
Devin Looney	28,500 -17,500	-17,500
Nick Pupillo	Busted

Brett Blackwood	Busted
Tony Sinishtaj	Busted

Paul Bianchi	Busted
Dan Sepiol	Busted

10-10-2019 18:11 UTC-4

Groover Just Had to Ask For it

TylerWarken

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Jason Groover managed to get all of his 25,000 chips into the middle preflop with pocket kings but the one player that called him held pocket aces.

Jason Groover:
Opponent:

The flop had Groover still drawing slim. He was happy to see the on the turn and was calling for an "eight" heading to the river. Groover got exactly what he wanted as the fell on the river to chop the pot and keep him alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Groover	26,000

Tags: Jason Groover