More Photos from Day 1a of the 2019 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship
Select photos by Eric Anderson of MSPT
2019 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship
$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1a
Calvo Takes from Johnson
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
Jim Calvo was in the process of firing a bet of 3,500 into the middle from the hijack on a flop of 
in a heads-up pot against Aaron Johnson, who was on his direct left in the cutoff. Johnson made the call
The turn came 
and Calvo fired out another 5,100. Johnson thought for some time and then tossed out calling chips. Both players then checked the river 
to take the hand to showdown.
Calvo showed 
for queens and sevens with an ace kicker. Johnson was unable to beat it and flung his cards to the center of the table face-down to muck them.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
61,600 | |
|
55,400
-28,600
|
-28,600 |
A Round of Chip Counts
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
68,000
-16,600
|
-16,600 |
|
|
63,200
43,200
|
43,200 |
|
63,200
32,900
|
32,900 |
|
44,600
3,000
|
3,000 |
|
39,000
1,600
|
1,600 |
|
27,700
7,700
|
7,700 |
|
|
23,500
-1,500
|
-1,500 |
|
20,800
-2,400
|
-2,400 |
|
4,200
-26,000
|
-26,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Herstein Climbing Back
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
Pat Steele was in middle position and opened to 2,200. He received a call from the player on the button before Gary Herstein found action upon himself in the big blind. Herstein confirmed the amount and then asked to see Steele's stack before throwing in a three-bet to 6,800.
Steele let his hand go to put action back on the player on the button, who thought for a few moments and then tossed his hand to the muck as well, resulting in a won pot preflop for Herstein, who has chipped back up over 40,000 after losing a few pots over the last couple of hours.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
43,500
24,900
|
24,900 |
|
33,500
-9,500
|
-9,500 |
Level: 9
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
"Had a Pretty Good Draw!"
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Aaron Johnson saw action folded to him in the cutoff and opened to 2,300. He was called by Bryan Manke, who was on the button as well as James Ahlers, who defended his big blind. The flop dropped 
and all three players checked.
The turn fell 
and Ahres led out, betting 1,500. Johnson was next to act and announced a raise to 6,500. Manke quickly got out of the way.
"Sixty-five?" asked Ahlers. The dealer confirmed. "Sixteen-five," Ahlers then said, putting in matching chips to his announced three-bet size.
Johnson immediately sent his cards to the muck in response, resulting in a won pot sans showdown for Ahlers.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
89,200
33,500
|
33,500 |
|
|
82,400
14,400
|
14,400 |
|
|
39,000
-16,400
|
-16,400 |
Garcia Wins a Flip To Double
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Ravi Raghavan opened to 2,300 from under the gun and action made its way over to Andres Garcia, who three-bet all in for around 17,000 from the hijack. Raghavan made the call once action was back on him and the two were off to the races.
Andres Garcia: 
Ravi Raghavan: 
Garcia started out on the shorter end of the coin flip and was in need of some help. An ace on the flop gave him just that and a clean turn and river scored him the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
36,300
36,300
|
36,300 |
|
||
|
|
35,600
-3,400
|
-3,400 |
Lauson Trending Upwards
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Travis Lauson defended his small blind to an open to 2,500 from the player on the button. Action went check-check on the flop 
.
The turn came and Lauson checked again. His opponent bet 3,500, which he called to bring the river . Lauson led out, firing 5,500. After a few moments, Lauson's opponent folded and he took down the pot.
Lauson had already eclipsed the six-figure mark in chips prior to the last break nearly two hours ago, and has seen that figure continue to climb over the last two-plus levels, making him one of the largest stacks in the room with the third break of the evening looming near.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
176,700
62,900
|
62,900 |
Birov Rips It
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Bryan Manke opened to 2,500 from early position and received four calls behind him from James Ahlers in the hijack and Leo Birov in the cutoff. Jeremy Brown was on the button and next to act, and he made the call as well. The small blind folded and Jim Calvo defended his big blind.
The five saw a flop of 
and action checked to Ahlers, who put out a bet of 3,000. Birov was next to act and immediately announced he was all in. Action folded back to Ahlers, who thought for about 35 seconds and then sent his cards to the muck, earning a sizeable pot for Birov without needing to get beyond the flop to do so.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
98,500
16,100
|
16,100 |
|
|
70,600
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
|
60,300
-28,900
|
-28,900 |
|
|
51,300
-11,900
|
-11,900 |
|
|
43,000
19,500
|
19,500 |
Break Number Three
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
The remaining players are on their third 10-minute break of the evening. Registration will be open for three more levels plus the subsequent break.