Level: 7
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
2021 MSPT Showdown Series
MSPT Sycuan $1,110 Main Event
Day: 1a
Wentz Falls Just Before the Break
Level 6
: 300/600, 600 ante
Just before the break, Alan Wentz raised to 1,500 from middle position and picked up two callers before Tai Reyes-Purpero three-bet to 5,200 from the small blind. Wentz responded with a four-bet jam to approximately 20,000, the pair of limpers folded, and Reyes-Purpero snap-called.
Tai Reyes-Purpero: 
Alan Wentz: 
Wentz got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but he did pair one card on the 
flop.
Unfortunately for him, the running 
turn and 
river wound up giving Reyes-Purpero quads!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 | |
|
Busted |
Here We Go Again on a Break
Level 6
: 300/600, 600 ante
Three more levels have come and gone here on Day 1a of the MSPT Sycuan Main Event. That means it's time for a 10-minute break.
Christina Read Ousted
Level 6
: 300/600, 600 ante
After the under-the-gun player raised to 1,600 and another player in early position three-bet to 5,600, Christina Read just called with the on the button.
Both blinds folded, the original raiser four-bet jammed, and the early-position player got out of the way. Read called off for 22,000 total and it was off to the races as her opponent held 
.
Read took the lead when a king appeared on the flop, and while she held through the turn, disaster struck on the river when a five spiked to give her opponent a winning set.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
2021 MSPT South Dakota State Poker Championship Coming Up May 14-16
Level 6
: 300/600, 600 ante
After the MSPT leaves California, they’ll head back to the Midwest to Silverado-Franklin Casino in Deadwood for the $1,100 South Dakota State Poker Championship from May 14-16, 2021.
In the past, the South Dakota State Poker Championship has been a standalone event at Silverado-Franklin dating back to 2011, but in 2018 they joined forces with the MSPT. In 2017, Ryan Skluzak topped a field of 136 entries to win the 2017 South Dakota State Poker Championship for $37,500. The first year partnered with the MSPT, the field grew to 286 runners and saw Rick Burleson take it down for $63,462, and in 2019 it was Sergio Mireles besting a 258-entry field to win it for $60,946.
The Silverado-Franklin Hotel & Gaming Complex offers more than 360 different slot machines, Deadwood’s largest table games area (Caribbean Stud, 4-Card Poker, Let It Ride, and 3-Card Poker all with a $1,000 betting limit), and a poker room. In addition, there is great food and drink options at Legends Steakhouse, Silverado Grand Buffet, and the Veranda, which offers unique views of historic Mount Moriah Cemetery, White Rocks, and the town of Deadwood.
Deadwood is known for many things but for poker players it's perhaps best known for aces and eights, otherwise known as the Deadman’s Hand. In 1876, Wild Bill Hickok held that hand in a game of poker at a saloon just a few blocks from the present-day Silverado when he was shot by Jack McCall.
Travel Information
The Black Hills are serviced from Rapid City Regional Airport by three major airlines: Northwest, United, and Delta, which provide direct flights from Denver, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, and Chicago. Interstate 90, which runs along the eastern and northern boundaries of the Black Hills, is the region's major thoroughfare.
Most MSPT Main Event Cashes in a Single Season
Level 6
: 300/600, 600 ante
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 12 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.
| Place | Player | Season | Cashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Shin | 10 | 12 |
| 2 | Aaron Johnson | 10 | 10 |
| 3 | Aaron Johnson | 9 | 10 |
| 4 | Kou Vang | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | Mark Hodge | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | DJ Buckley | 9 | 7 |
| 7 | Kou Vang | 9 | 7 |
| 8 | Patrick Steele | 10 | 7 |
| 9 | Brian Hou | 10 | 7 |
| 10 | Alex Winter | 10 | 6 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600
Laurette Thurber vs. Daniel Mason
Level 5
: 300/500, 500 ante
Daniel Mason raised to 1,500 from middle position and Laurette Thurber called from the button. Both blinds folded and it was heads-up action to the 
flop.
Action went check-check and after the appeared on the turn, Mason bet 1,500 and Thurber raised to 3,000. Not to be outdone, Mason popped it to 8,500 and Thurber thought for well over a minute before just calling.
After the 
double paired the board on the river, Mason checked and Thuber did the same.
Mason showed the 
for kings and tens, but it was no good as Thurber had a flush with her 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
55,000 | 30,000 |
|
|
25,000 | -8,000 |
Nines Hold for Andrew Jenkins
Level 5
: 300/500, 500 ante
Andrew Jenkins moved all in for 12,300 under the gun and cleared the field all the way around to Adrian Lopez, who opted to call out of the big blind.
Adrian Lopez: 
Andrew Jenkins: 
Jenkins was out in front with the bigger pocket pair and the nines held strong on a clean 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
45,000 | |
|
25,500 |
Donuts Goes Nuts
Level 5
: 300/500, 500 ante
Andrew Moreno, the husband of longtime PokerNews hostess Kristy Arnett, opened with a raise and the player on the button called. Jimmy Donuts then three-bet jammed for 9,700 from the small blind, Moreno came along, and the other player got out of the way.
Andrew Moreno:
Jimmy Donuts: 
Moreno had the bigger ace and Donuts was in trouble; however, the latter picked up both straight and flush draws on the 
flop. The turn was nothing special, but the 
river was as it gave Donuts the club flush and the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
37,000 | -3,000 |
|
|
23,000 | 23,000 |