Welcome To Day 1a of the 2020 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian $1,100 Main Event
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) resumes its 2020 season Friday with the first of back-to-back Main Events at The Venetian Las Vegas.
Featuring a buy-in of $1,100, this weekend's Main Event has a guaranteed prize pool of $200,000, though the draw to Sin City brings with it the potential for a much higher turnout. Many MSPT mainstays from across the country are expected to be seen in action throughout the weekend, including 2019 MSPT Player of the Year Mike Shin, Keith Heine, Dapo Ajayi, Cody Brinn, and "Polish" Andy Rogowski.
Play begins at 11:10 a.m. local time. The typical MSPT structure is in play for this event with 25,000 starting stacks and 40-minute levels all tournament long; the blinds begin at 100/100 and big-blind ante comes into effect at the start of Level 4 (100/300/300). Fifteen-minute breaks will occur at the end of every three levels or two hours of play along with a 45-minute dinner break at the end of Level 9.
Late registration is open with unlimited re-entries until the end of the dinner break after Level 9 at approximately 6:25 p.m. In total, 15 levels are scheduled to be played to their completion unless 11% of the field is reached before that time. Play will conclude at around 10:40 p.m., at which point all remaining players will bag and tag them and advance to Sunday's Day 2. All tables will be eight handed, and masks are required for all who compete.
PokerNews will be on the floor bringing you all the action from a safe distance, so be sure to follow whether you're in on the action or enjoying from the comfort of your home.
with 2,500 in the middle. An under-the-gun player checked, as did Tim Reilly in the hijack. The final player in the hand was in the cutoff and made a pot-sized bet, which both players called.
and all three players checked, bringing the river 
. The under-the-gun player went all in for her last 7,500 and Reilly took about five seconds to grab calling chips and put them into the middle. The cutoff quickly folded behind.
for a pair of treys, which Reilly topped with a straight as he tabled 
to collect both the pot and the knockout.
, Jeff Maas made a bet in early position and saw a player in the hijack reraise all in for a small amount more. Maas made the call.
gave her a backdoor flush draw to sweat along the way to score a quick triple on her first hand of the tournament.
completed the runout to earn him the pot and the knockout.
. Kyna England was first to act in early position and checked to Thai Dinh, who was in the hijack. Dinh bet 2,300 and the final player in the hand called on the button. England also called.
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 the nuts, earning the pot with her queen-high straight. Her opponent showed 
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.
. 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.
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.
