$1,110 USPC Main Event Day 1a | 2021 MSPT United States Poker Championship Sycuan Casino

09-23-2021 11:06 UTC-7

Day 1a of the MSPT Sycuan Casino $1,110 USPC Main Event Begins at 3 p.m. Today

GeoffFisk

The MSPT's latest Southern California stop sees the biggest tournament in the series begin today. The United States Poker Championship $1,110 Main Event features three opening-day flights, the first of which kicks off this afternoon at the Sycuan Casino Event Center in San Diego, CA.

Day 1a begins at 3 p.m., with Day 1b (3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24) and Day 1c (3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25) to follow. The starting stack is 25,000, and all Day 1 flights are scheduled to play through the end of Level 15 (40-minute levels).

A $300,000 guaranteed prize pool is on the line, as the 2021 USPC reaches its pinnacle tournament. All surviving players from the trio of Day 1 flights return to Sycuan Casino for Day 2 on Sunday, Sept. 26.

Day 2 begins at 11 a.m., and the tournament will play on until a champion is crowned.

The USPC marks the second time the MSPT has run a series at Sycuan Casino this year. In May, the $1,100 Showdown Series Main Event drew 676 entries, with the prize pool ending up at $654,220.

Alejandro Jauregui took down that tournament, coming away with a $140,665 first-place prize.

The USPC $1,110 Main Event will likely draw some of San Diego's most formidable tournament regulars, as well as plenty of big names. Players like MSPT all-time money leader Rich Alsup, WSOP bracelet winner Ben Moon, and former GPI No. 1 Nick Pupillo were all seen in the field at last weekend's $360 Regional at Sycuan.

The eventual winner of the tournament projects to go home with a sizable piece of at least $300,000 in prize money. The PokerNews live reporting team is on hand throughout the Main Event, so stay tuned!

Tags: Alejandro Jauregui MSPT Nick Pupillo Rich Alsup Sycuan Casino

09-23-2021 15:10 UTC-7

Download the PokerNews MyStack App and Update Your Chip Count

GeoffFisk

Level 1 : 100/100, 100 ante

PokerNews has activated the My Stack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.

You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live-action that you're involved in.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

09-23-2021 16:25 UTC-7

Moreno Makes His Entrance

GeoffFisk

Level 2 : 100/100, 200 ante

One of poker's most recent seven-figure winners is in the Day 1a field at the MSPT Sycuan Casino $1,110 Main Event.

Andrew Moreno looks to continue adding to a career-best year with a deep run in this weekend's tournament. Moreno won the $10,000 Wynn Millions Main Event in June, collecting a $1,460,106 payday.

Other 2021 highlights for Moreno include a win in the DeepStack Poker Championship $1,100 UltimateStack NLHE ($127,740). Moreno looks to get a piece of the $300,000 guaranteed prize pool in the latest MSPT Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Moreno	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Andrew Moreno MSPT Sycuan Casino

09-23-2021 18:09 UTC-7

Tough Out for Knapp at the Hands of Fortuno

GeoffFisk

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

Aaron Knapp is out on his first Main Event bullet, and he told PokerNews the details about his bustout hand.

Facing a middle position limp from Robert Fortuno, Knapp called on the button. Both blinds also called.

The flop came , and action checked to Knapp. Knapp bet 1,100, the small blind called, and Fortuno called.

The small blind led out for 3,000 on the turn, Fortuno called, Knapp went all-in for 10,200, the small blind folded, and Fortuno called.

Aaron Knapp:
Robert Fortuno:

Fortuno found an out to his double-gutter, with the coming in on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Fortuno	45,000 45,000	45,000
Aaron Knapp	Busted

Tags: Aaron Knapp Robert Fortuno

09-23-2021 18:14 UTC-7

Smith Triples Up

GeoffFisk

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

Nicholas Smith, Andrew Moreno, and a third player got all-in preflop, with Smith's stack the smallest of the three.

Nicholas Smith:
Andrew Moreno:
Cutoff:

Board:

The pocket aces held for Nicholas "grizpoker" Smith, who now sits on a stack of right around 80,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nicholas Smith	80,000 50,000	50,000
Andrew Moreno	5,300 -54,700	-54,700

09-23-2021 18:48 UTC-7

Hargett Doubles Through Moreno

GeoffFisk

Level 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

Lucille Hargett, under the gun, and Andrew Moreno, on the button, got all of the chips in preflop. Moreno has a slightly bigger stack going to the showdown.

Lucille Hargett:
Andrew Moreno:

Board:

Hargett hit a set of sevens on the turn, and that hand held up through the river. Moreno was left with just a few hundred chips in the aftermath, and exited the tournament a few minutes later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lucille Hargett	32,000 32,000	32,000
Andrew Moreno	Busted

Tags: Andrew Moreno Lucille Hargett

09-23-2021 19:37 UTC-7

Can the Dealers Run Deep in the Main Event?

GeoffFisk

Level 7 : 400/800, 800 ante

A trio of dealers are sitting on the other side of the table in the Main Event, having won their way into the tournament via satellite qualifiers.

Danny Penn, Thomas Bowler, and Sachi Botner are all in the hunt on Day 1a. Of the three, Botner currently sits with the biggest stack, at right around 40,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sachi Botner	40,000 40,000	40,000
Danny Penn	18,000 18,000	18,000
Thomas Bowler	11,000 11,000	11,000

09-23-2021 19:57 UTC-7

Zamudio Wins Big Stack Battle

GeoffFisk

Level 7 : 400/800, 800 ante

With 10,000 in the middle, and the board reading , Noe Zamudio check-called an 8,000 bet from Shaun Davis.

The river fell , and Zamudio, in the big blind checked again. Davis, in middle position, checked back.

Zamudio showed , and his top pair was good as Davis mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Shaun Davis	100,000 -6,000	-6,000
Noe Zamudio	95,000 95,000	95,000

Tags: Noe Zamudio Shaun Davis

09-23-2021 20:20 UTC-7

Mary Anne Madruga Wins Event #3: $250 Sunday Feast for $4,963

GeoffFisk

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The MSPT United States Poker Championship hits the home stretch this weekend, with the $1,110 Main Event taking center stage. The series schedule includes 11 events, however, with the bulk of the schedule playing out earlier this week at Sycuan Casino.

Event #3: $250 Sunday Feast, saw Mary Anne Madruga crowned as the champion. The San Diego local took home a $4,963 payday for the win.

Tags: Mary Anne Madruga MSPT Sycuan Casino

09-23-2021 21:07 UTC-7

Alsup Hanging In

GeoffFisk

Level 9 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

MSPT all-time money leader Rich Alsup is back above starting stack after a recent KO.

Alsup found himself all-in preflop with against a shorter-stacked opponent, who turned over . The board ran out , with top set good enough to clinch the pot for Alsup.

Player	Chips	Progress
Richard Alsup	32,000 21,000	21,000

Tags: Rich Alsup MSPT