Level: 8
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($1.5M GTD)
MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($1.5M GTD)
Day: 1a
Johnson Scoops With a Set
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
Rodger Johnson opened to 1,800 from middle position and was called by the player in the big blind.
The flop came 
and both players checked.
The big blind checked again on the 
, prompting a bet of 2,200 from Johnson. His opponent then check-raised to 8,000 and Johnson flatted.
The 
completed the board and both players checked. The player in the big blind revealed 
for a busted flush draw and Johnson tabled 
for a flopped set of aces and scooped the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
66,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
A Look Ahead to Next Week's MSPT $1,600 Main Event ($2 Million GTD)
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
From June 10-14, the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) will play host to a second Main Event, this one costing $1,600 to enter and featuring a $2,000,000 guarantee.
The three-day tournament will offer a trio of starting flights starting with Day 1a on Thursday, June 10 at 11:10 a.m. Days 1b and 1c will take place at the same time on Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12 respectively. Late registration for each flight will remain open until approximately 6:25 p.m. local time.
The tournament starts players with 30,000 in chips and plays 40-minute levels throughout.
The surviving players from each starting flight will return for Day 2 action at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 13. Those who make it through the day will then come back at Noon on Monday, June 14 to play down to a winner.
Once again, PokerNews will offer live updates from start to finish, so be sure to mark your calendar now.
Click here for a look at the full Venetian DeepStack Championship Poker Series schedule.
McKeehen Wins Race to Double
Level 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
The player on the button opened to 2,500 and was called by another player in the small blind. Joe McKeehen then shoved all-in for 23,000 from the big blind. The initial raiser folded, but the player in the small blind put out a chip to put McKeehen at risk.
McKeehen: 
Small blind: 
The 
runout was clean for McKeehen, who doubled up and then some to 53,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
53,000
34,000
|
34,000 |
|
||
Level: 9
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
Bensimhon Cracks Kings; Eliminates Opponent
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Eyal Bensimhon opened to 2,200 from the lojack and action folded around to the player in the big blind, who three-bet to 6,000. Bensimhon called and the two saw a flop of 
The player in the big blind continued for 12,000 and Bensimhon announced "all-in" before sliding his stack into the middle. His opponent called off for less and hands were tabled.
Bensimhon: 
Big blind: 
Bensimhon had flopped middle set to assume a commanding lead. The 
turn and 
river failed to improve Bensimhon's opponent and he was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
64,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
Jaka Enters the Fray
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Faraz Jaka has just entered and taken his seat. He'll have some work to do, as his starting stack is worth just 25 big blinds at this stage of the tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
25,000 | |
|
||
Chip Counts on Break
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Players are currently on their 45-minute dinner break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
190,000
-55,000
|
-55,000 |
|
125,000
67,000
|
67,000 |
|
108,000
38,000
|
38,000 |
|
||
|
101,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
||
|
|
77,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
|
65,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |
|
54,000
-20,000
|
-20,000 |
|
||
|
54,000 | |
|
44,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
43,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
|
43,000
34,000
|
34,000 |
|
|
38,000
-15,000
|
-15,000 |
|
|
||
|
22,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |
|
|
22,000
-3,000
|
-3,000 |
|
|
||
|
17,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
Level: 10
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
Jaffee Getting Short
Level 10
: 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
On a board reading 
, Jared Jaffee (big blind) was facing a bet from his opponent (under the gun) large enough to put him at risk for his last 27,000. Jaffee tanked for quite some time before opting to fold and preserve his remaining stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,000
-27,000
|
-27,000 |
|
|
||