$1,110 South Dakota State Championship
Day 1a Completed
2022 MSPT Deadwood
$1,110 South Dakota State Championship
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2022 MSPT Deadwood
Buy-in
$1,110
Prize Pool
$489,220
Entries
506
Level
30
Blinds
100,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
246
Players Left
29
Matt Kirby Bags Big on Day 1a of MSPT South Dakota State Championship
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Just a month after becoming the newest inductee into the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Hall of Fame, Matt Kirby headlines the 29 survivors from Day 1a of the South Dakota State Championship, bagging 424,000 chips, which was good enough for third place on the day.
The top stack belongs to Gerald Cunniff of St. Paul, Minnesota who rocketed to the top of the leaderboard late in the day to finish with 649,000 chips.
Sandwiched between Cunniff and Kirby in second place is Joshua Reichard, who finished with 425,000 chips.
South Dakota State Championship Main Event Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| RANK | PLAYER | COUNTRY | CHIP COUNT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gerald Cunniff | United States | 649,000 |
| 2 | Joshua Reichard | United States | 425,000 |
| 3 | Matt Kirby | United States | 424,000 |
| 4 | Kevin Ellis | United States | 417,000 |
| 5 | Peter Asmuth | United States | 354,000 |
| 6 | Patrick Rachow | United States | 321,000 |
| 7 | Leroy Stuen | United States | 319,000 |
| 8 | Mo Nuwwarah | United States | 301,000 |
| 9 | Dave Word | United States | 288,000 |
| 10 | Jeff Heiberg | United States | 269,000 |
The 246 entries filled the poker room at the Silverado-Franklin Hotel and Gaming Complex in Deadwood, South Dakota for the event’s opening flight, with the final 12% bringing a hard stop to action with 19 minutes and 16 seconds remaining in Level 15.
Other notables to make it to Sunday’s final day of play included Mo Nuwwarah (301,000), Jeff Heiberg (269,000), Henry Gingerich (230,000), and Eric Eelkema (169,000).
Among those falling short of advancing were Dan Bekavac, who busted just short of advancing after several entries throughout the day, MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson, and MSPT Season 13 Main Event cashes leader DJ Buckley.
They’ll all have the chance to return Saturday at 3 pm local time for Day 1b, which is expected to surpass Friday’s already huge field.
2022 MSPT South Dakota State Poker Championship Remaining Schedule
| Date | Time (MDT) | Tournament | Late Reg | GTD Prize Pool | Starting Stack | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 21 | 10 am | $260 Turbo Satellite – 1 in 5 advance to MSPT Main | 12:10 pm | - | 15,000 | 15 |
| 3 pm | $1,110 MSPT Main Event Day 1b | 11:40 pm | $100,000 | 25,000 | 40 | |
| Sunday, May 22 | 11 am | $1,110 MSPT Main Event Day 2 | - | $100,000 | - | 40 |
| 12 pm | $250 Last Chance Showdown NLH | 3 pm | - | 15,000 | 20 |
PokerNews will continue to have all the action until a champion is crowned Sunday, so keep it right here.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
649,000 | 151,000 |
|
|
||
|
425,000 | 85,000 |
|
|
||
|
424,000 | 62,000 |
|
|
||
|
417,000 | -3,000 |
|
|
||
|
354,000 | 47,000 |
|
|
||
|
321,000 | -39,000 |
|
|
||
|
319,000 | -111,000 |
|
|
||
|
301,000 | 257,000 |
|
|
||
|
288,000 | 18,000 |
|
|
||
|
269,000 | 149,000 |
|
|
||
|
230,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
213,000 | -42,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
210,000 | 110,000 |
|
|
||
|
200,000 | -40,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
179,000 | -41,000 |
|
|
||
|
169,000 | -11,000 |
|
|
||
|
169,000 | 54,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
133,000 | -27,000 |
|
|
||
|
129,000 | -71,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
108,000 | -172,000 |
|
|
||
|
94,000 | -26,000 |
|
|
||
|
92,000 | 18,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
92,000 | -1,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
91,000 | -4,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
82,000 | 22,000 |
|
|
||
Tripp Eliminated on Day 2 Bubble
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Play has ended for the day after three quick eliminations, including Kara Tripp, who was the day's final bustout.
After Henry Gingerich opened to 15,000, Tripp moved all in for approximately 100,000, and Gingerich called.
Kara Tripp: 
Henry Gingerich: 
The dealer spread a board of 
, bringing Gingerich an ace on the flop to take the hand and send the players home with 19:16 remaining in Level 15.
Stay tuned for final chip counts and a full recap of the day's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
230,000 | 105,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Cunniff Busts Bekavac Then Polishes off Pike
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Dan Bekavac's night has come to an end at the hands of Gerald Cunniff.
After Bekavac called Cunniff's under the gun raise in the big blind, Bekavac check-raised the 
flop, which Cunniff called.
On the 
turn, Bekavac moved all in for approximately 100,000 and was called by Cunniff who showed 
for a turned straight, while Bekavac could only show a failed bluff with 
Cunniff then also eliminated Jill Pike shortly after, bringing the field down to 32 players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
498,000 | 256,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Big Stacks and Short Stacks Entering Final Level
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
430,000 | 310,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
362,000 | 63,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
360,000 | -30,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
93,000 | 3,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
74,000 | -71,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
61,000 | 11,000 |
|
|
||
|
50,000 | -20,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
44,000 | -26,000 |
|
|
||
|
30,000 | -30,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 15
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Ellis Eliminates Tines
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Kevin Ellis has rocketed over 400,000 chips after his flopped a set on the 
board against Tom Tines' 
, which saw Times move all-in for 100,000 drawing dead.
Just 34 players remain as the end of level 14 approaches.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
420,000 | 190,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Latest Eliminations as Hard Stop Looms
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Just 35 players remain with a hard stop at 29 creeping closer and closer and 60 minutes of scheduled play remaining.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
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||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Final Four Tables Chip Counts (full)
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
390,000 | -12,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
340,000 | 10,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
307,000 | -3,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
299,000 | 9,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
280,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
270,000 | 236,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
255,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
242,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
240,000 | 124,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
230,000 | 65,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
230,000 | 120,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
220,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
210,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
200,000 | 20,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
200,000 | -100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
180,000 | -60,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
160,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
145,000 | 25,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
130,000 | -126,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
125,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
120,000 | 38,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
120,000 | -80,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
120,000 | 53,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
115,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
100,000 | |
|
|
||