2021 MSPT United States Poker Championship Sycuan Casino

$360 MSPT
Day: 1c
Event Info

2021 MSPT United States Poker Championship Sycuan Casino

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
85
Prize
$33,149
Event Info
Buy-in
$360
Prize Pool
$155,700
Entries
519
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Players Info - Day 1c
Entries
250
Players Left
30

Alex Madriaga Tops The MSPT Sycuan Casino $360 Regional Day 1c Leaderboard

Level 15 : 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Alex Madriaga
Alex Madriaga

The opening day flights are complete in the $360 Regional at the 2021 MSPT United States Poker Championship. The Sycuan Casino events center in San Diego, CA hosted 250 entries on Day 1c, with 30 players advancing to Day 2.

Those 30 players will join the 13 survivors from Day 1a and 23 players that emerged from Day 1c. The combined field of 66 players will return for Day 2 Sunday at 11 a.m.

The tournament will play to a champion tomorrow, with a $33,149 first-place prize on the line. A total of 54 players will make it into the payout structure, all vying for a piece of the $155,700 prize pool.

Alex Madriaga (694,000) ended Day 1c as the chip leader from Saturday's flight, and he'll enter Day 2 as the overall tournament chip leader.

Other big stacks emerging from Day 1c included Matt Bradford (510,000), Tim Daly (468,000), Dana Katzenmeier (441,000) and Tim Tang (424,000).

Some of the big names not making it through any of the Day 1 flights included Ben Moon and Nick Pupillo. MSPT all-time money leader Richard Alsup (130,000) is in the mix after making through Day 1c, along with players like Chris Carney (344,000) and Fredrick Schneider (207,000).

Play resumes at Level 16 Sunday, with the blinds at 3,000/6,000/6,000. Day 2 will play through 30-minute levels until a champion is crowned.

Keep it right here with the PokerNews live reporting team Sunday to see who goes home with the MSPT $360 Regional championship!

Katzenmeier Eclipses 400k

Level 15 : 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Dana Katzenmeier
Dana Katzenmeier

An interesting situation developed between Dana Katzenmeier and an opponent. Katzenmeier, on the small blind, bet 23,000 on the river with the board showing {3-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{7-Spades}{k-Spades}{9-Clubs}.

His opponent, in the big blind, put out a number of chips that was more than a call, but less than a raise. The dealer declared it a raise, by rule, to 46,000.

Katzenmeier then three-bet to 73,000, and the opponent made a reluctant call. The 100k-plus pot went Katnzemeier's way, and he has one of the top stacks in the room as Day 1c approaches the end of play.

Player Chips Progress
Dana Katzenmeier us
Dana Katzenmeier
422,000 97,000

Tags: Dana Katzenmeier

Harmes Holds With Pocket Fours

Level 12 : 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Seth Harmes
Seth Harmes

Seth Harmes, in middle position, and a shorter-stacked opponent on the cutoff got all of the chips in preflop:

Cutoff: {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds}
Seth Harmes: {4-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}

Board: {7-Hearts}{8-Clubs}{k-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}

The pocket pair held up for Harmes, and he's up to 235,000 after the scoop.

Player Chips Progress
Seth Harmes us
Seth Harmes
230,000 164,000

Tags: Seth Harmes

Brown Correctly Calls Three Barrels

Level 11 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Weslee Brown
Weslee Brown

Facing an open raise from early position, Weslee Brown called from the button.

The flop came {j-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{6-Hearts}, and the early position player bet 8,500. Brown called.

Brown's opponent bet 11,000 on the {j-Clubs} turn, and Brown called. Facing a third bet, for 17,000, on the {2-Hearts} river, Brown called again.

The early position player showed {a-Spades}{10-Spades}, while Brown tabled {k-Clubs}{k-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Weslee Brown
Weslee Brown
193,000 23,000

The Journey of "The High Jack"

Level 10 : 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Derek Jensen
Derek Jensen

Derek Jensen is sporting a shirt depicting "The High Jack" during Day 1c, and that choice of fashion seems to be paying off.

PokerNews caught the end of a hand that saw Jensen's pocket jacks improve to quads, eliminating an opponent and improving his stack to 117,000.

Jensen told PokerNews he's picked up pocket jacks at least four times today, hitting a set once and finding four-of-a-kind in the aforementioned most recent hand.

"You can't miss with the High Jack shirt," Jensen said.

Player Chips Progress
Derek Jensen us
Derek Jensen
117,000 117,000

Tags: Derek Jensen

Simmons Sends Opponent to the Exit

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante
Daniel Simmons
Daniel Simmons

Daniel Simmons opened to 1,500 in early position, a middle position player three-bet shoved for 8,600, and Simmons made the call.

Middle Position: {8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}
Daniel Simmons: {k-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}

Board: {6-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{q-Spades}{10-Clubs}

Simmons was up against a set on the flop, but a river {10-Clubs} made a straight and sent the opponent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Daniel Simmons
Daniel Simmons
47,000 47,000

Tags: Daniel Simmons

Mutashobya Making Moves

Level 3 : 200/300, 300 ante
George Mutashobya
George Mutashobya

The cutoff opened to 700, George Mutashobya called on the button, and the small blind also called.

Action checked to Mutashobya on the {a-Spades}{10-Spades}{7-Diamonds} flop, Mutashobya bet 2,000, and only the small blind called.

Both remaining players checked the {2-Hearts} turn. The small blind bet 3,600 on the {5-Spades} river, and Mutashobya made the call.

Mutashobya showed {4-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} for a river straight, and the small blind mucked {q-Clubs}{j-Clubs}.

Shortly thereafter, Mutashobya raised all-in against a 4,500 bet on a {9-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} board. The opponent, who was covered, made the fold, and Mutashobya turned over {a-Spades}{q-Clubs}.

Mutshobya sits on 70,000 as Level 3 winds down.

Player Chips Progress
George Mutashobya
George Mutashobya
70,000 70,000

Tags: George Mutashobya

Carney Climbs the Leaderboard

Level 3 : 200/300, 300 ante
Chris Carney
Chris Carney

Chris Carney told PokerNews the details of a hand that knocked out two opponents.

Maurice Thomas and another player ended up all-in with Carney on a board that ran out {3-}{4-}{j-}{5-Spades}{q-Clubs}. Thomas had flopped top set with pocket jacks, but Carney turned a straight with {7-}{6-}.

The other player held {k-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}, and the aftermath of the hand left Carney with around 85,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Chris Carney us
Chris Carney
85,000 85,000

Tags: Chris CarneyMaurice Thomas

Tai Reyes Purpero Wins MSPT Sycuan Casino Event #2: $400 PLO

Level 3 : 200/300, 300 ante
Tai Reyes Purpero
Tai Reyes Purpero

PokerNews is on the scene at San Diego's Sycuan Casino this weekend to report on Event #1: $360 Regional NLHE. Event #1 is the opening tournament of an 11-day series from the MSPT, however.

Event #2: $400 PLO, played out at Sycuan Casino Friday, and one of San Diego's familiar faces once again found himself in a winner's photo.

Tai Reyes Purpero took down the $400 PLO event, topping a field of 50 players for a $6,700 payday. Purpero's latest wins comes just a few days after a win in the RunGood Poker Series Jamul Casino $240 Black Chip Bounty event.

Purpero is also poised for a cash finish in the $360 Regional. He finished second in chips on Day 1a, bagging 353,300.

Thomas Raises Turn, Gets the Fold

Level 2 : 100/200, 200 ante
Maurice Thomas
Maurice Thomas

Maurice Thomas limped in middle position, three opponents called, and the big blind raised to 2,700. Only Thomas called.

The flop came {2-Clubs}{7-Spades}{6-Hearts}, the big blind bet 1,500, Thomas raised to 5,000, and the big blind folded.

Player Chips Progress
Maurice Thomas
Maurice Thomas
30,000 30,000

Tags: Maurice Thomas