$1,100 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2020 Mid-States Poker Tour Canterbury Park
$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1a
Waalen Leads the Way on Day 1a of the 2020 MSPT Canterbury Park $1,100 Main Event
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a of the 2020 Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Canterbury Park $1,100 Main Event saw 223 entries logged and the accompanying action did not disappoint. Fifteen levels were on the docket for the day but the 12% figure of 26 players needed to reach a hard stop was attained just under a half hour early.
When that mark was reached, Brandon Waalen was the one atop the count. Waalen emerged as one of the big stacks in the room nearing the final break of the evening with a stack of around a quarter-million and built that figure up to 395,000 early in Level 14. He continued climbing from there and ended the day with 567,000, the only player with a stack over a half-million.
Following behind to round out the top five are four other players with over 400,000 in Kevin Boyer (453,000), Justin Thurlow (449,000), Jason Fitzpatrick (432,000), and Chan Pelton (417,000)
Other notable players to advance included Blake Bohn (331,000), Aaron Johnson (250,000), Richard Alsup (80,000), DJ Buckley (62,000) and Matt Kirby (55,000). Plenty of others were less fortunate: former MSPT Canterbury Park champions Rob Wazwaz and Kou Vang were only a couple of the day’s casualties, with others such as Phil Mader, Jesse Rockowitz, and Nghia “3 Putts” Le also unable to find a bag as play went on throughout the evening.
Saturday’s Day 1b will be the second and final opportunity to advance to Sunday’s Day 2, where the field will combine and play down to a winner. The $300,000 guaranteed prize pool has already come close to reaching 75% of its figure and that number is sure to be outdone on the second flight.
Like on Day 1a, cards are in the air at 3 p.m. Saturday for Day 1b. PokerNews will be on hand to bring you all the action, so be sure to come back and follow.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
567,000 | 172,000 |
|
453,000 | 453,000 |
|
449,000 | 72,000 |
|
432,000 | 107,000 |
|
417,000 | 17,000 |
|
331,000 | 77,000 |
|
326,000 | -41,000 |
|
279,000 | 279,000 |
|
256,000 | 256,000 |
|
250,000 | 45,000 |
|
243,000 | 243,000 |
|
218,000 | 28,000 |
|
204,000 | 74,000 |
|
175,000 | 175,000 |
|
175,000 | -155,000 |
|
155,000 | |
|
93,000 | 21,000 |
|
|
82,000 | 82,000 |
|
|
80,000 | 1,000 |
|
62,000 | -30,000 |
|
60,000 | -45,000 |
|
56,000 | -24,000 |
|
55,000 | -45,000 |
|
55,000 | 55,000 |
|
54,000 | 54,000 |
"There It Is!" Stevermer Puts an End To the Night
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
A player in middle position went all in for 40,000 and action folded around to Chan Pelton in the small blind, who asked for a count. The number was confirmed and he folded. Dennis Stevermer was in the big blind and waiting, announcing a call shortly thereafter.
All-In Player: 
Dennis Stevermer: 
"There it is," said Stevermer from the three-seat with a birds' eye view of an ace in the window on the flop 
.
"There it is!" said another player as the turn rolled off 
, giving Stevermer a set of nines to leave his opponent drawing dead for the river 
.
"Seat open!" yelled the dealer and the floor announced that play would conclude on the two remaining tables at the completion of the hand. Twenty-eight minutes and 15 seconds are left on the clock in Level 15, which will become the new ending point for Saturday's Day 1b.
Full chip counts and a recap of the day's action will be provided shortly. Stay posted.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
155,000 | 29,000 |
Three Tables Remain
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Table 4 is in the process of breaking, bringing the field size down to 27 players. One such recent elimination was that of Rob Adsem, and just one more elimination is needed for play to end for the evening.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted |
Level: 15
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Pelton With a Pile
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Action got all in before the flop with a short stack at risk against Chan Pelton.
All-In Player: 
Chan Pelton: 
The flop came 
to leave the all-in player in even worse shape as Pelton flopped a flush draw. The turn brought chop outs into play, but the river 
left Pelton's queen kicker best and scored him the knockout. With the pot, Pelton now has around 400,000 and is another player with one of the largest stacks in the room as 28 players remain with one minute remaining in Level 14 and just two eliminations needed for play to conclude for the evening.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
400,000 | 400,000 |
Peppe Believes Ozturk After Two
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Vic Peppe limped in from the hijack and saw the price to play pumped up to 11,000 by Umut Ozturk, who was on the button. Action folded back to Peppe and he called, bringing a flop of 
.
Peppe checked to Ozturk, who made a continuation-bet of another 11,000. Peppe called and the turn came 
. Peppe checked again and Ozturk threw out a second barrel of 23,000.
"Twenty-three thousand," voiced the dealer. Peppe nodded, giving credit to Ozturk as he sent his cards to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
190,000 | 60,000 |
|
|
130,000 | -25,000 |
Recent Eliminations
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The following players have been recently eliminated to bring the field down to 32 players with 11 minutes remaining in Level 14.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Ewald Takes from Thurlow
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Justin Thurlow opened the action with a raise to 10,000 on the button and received a call from Gary Ewald in the small blind. Both players checked a flop of 
.
The turn was and Ewald bet 15,000. Thurlow called and the river came . Ewald bet another 15,000 and Thurlow thought for a half-minute before tossing out three T5,000 chips to make the call.
"King," said Ewald, tabling 
. Thurlow nodded to confirm Ewald's hand was best and then sent his cards to the muck. With the pot, Ewald now finds himself at 367,000, just 10,000 shy of Thurlow as he climbs into contention for the chip lead with the end of the night looming near.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
377,000 | -28,000 |
|
|
367,000 | 37,000 |