Findlay In Pole Position For Day 1a of the MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event
Day 1a of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,100 Main Event Friday has just played to its conclusion with a total 485 entries more than doubling the $200,000 guaranteed prize pool on the first of two initial starting flights and surpassing the guarantee in Level 1. When chips went into bags, 62 players were remaining and Alan Findlay was out in front with a stack of 612,500.
Findlay was spotted with a monster stack shortly before the final break of the night, experiencing a heater that mowed down anyone in his way before coasting to the end-of-day chip lead over the last two hours of play. He finished well clear of the next closest stacks in Benjamin Craig (425,000), Siddharth Siddharth (412,500), and Frank Funaro (380,500).
Other notables to find a bag at the end of the day were 2020 MSPT Canterbury Park champion Derek McMaster (301,000), Kyna England (273,000), Jason Seitz (235,500), and 2019 MSPT Player of the Year Mike Shin (112,500). Players such as Faraz Jaka, Jeff Madsen, Tim Reilly, Nick Pupillo, and Ryan Phan were among the list of players who fell short of a bag on Day 1a.
All who did not advance in Friday's flight will have another opportunity on Day 1b Saturday morning at 11:10 a.m. PT. Once again, unlimited re-entries will be available through the first six hours of play plus breaks; and with Day 1a drawing nearly 500 entries, the possibility of a seven-figure prize pool is very real.
How many more will try their hand on Saturday, and will anyone challenge Findlay's chip lead? Come back to PokerNews on Saturday and find out.
. There was around 75,000 in the pot going to the river when his opponent put him in and he quickly called.
still displayed on the table. The pot was made right and shipped his way, and Massey now finds himself with a stack of
left Maas' hand second best and his remaining chips were sent across the table in the direction of Devers, who now finds himself with 202,000 after knocking Maas out of the tournament.
. Both players checked.
and Seitz fired 13,000. Ogwo called and the river fell 
for top set and Ogwo shook his head before sending his hand to the muck. The dealer shipped the pot to Seitz and Ogwo tapped the table again a few moments later to signify a nice hand to Seitz once more.
improved him to a full house and earned him the pot that sent his opponent to the rail. 
. The other player had a better ace, but a seven came to bring Lyons up to 56,000 before dinner as well.
. Praise Ogwo had bet 6,000 in the small blind and received a call from the big blind. Tim Reilly was on the button and in the tank with action upon him.
, bringing the river 
on board. England led out, betting 12,000, and Dinh quickly shot his cards across the felt to the muck pile. The player on the button then put chips into the pot to call and take the hand to showdown.
for a no-good two pair and the pot was shipped to England, who now finds herself north of 100,000 after winning the pot.
