FireKeepers Casino

The 2017 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino has set the record for the largest poker tournament ever held in the state.

Day 1C attracted 417 runners, which along with 1B’s 406 and 1A’s 244, brought the total field up to 1,067 entries. That was one more than the previous record of 1,066 set in the spring event, and it marked back-to-back $1,000,000+ prize pools at the venue.

That means 108 players will get paid a minimum of $2,170, while the eventual winner will walk away with a $191,196 first-place prize.

After 14 levels of play, just 75 survived from the 1C flight with Detroit’s Jeff Mackey and his stack of 409,000 leading the way. That is ahead of both Day 1A chip leader Nick Bogus (347,000) and 1B leader Daniel Underhill (320,500).

No other player came close to catching Mackey; in fact, the closest competition was Edward Dixon, who bagged 288,000. Rounding out the top five on 1C were Ben Grise (259,000), John Collis (256,000), and Andrew Mills (251,500).

Others to make it through were Imari Love (170,000), Kim Schinco (143,000), last year’s runner-up Cy Church (88,000), 2016 WSOP Main Event 12^th-place finisher Mike Shin (83,500), and MSPT Maryland Live! champ Greg Himmelbrand (76,500).

Among those to fall on Day 1C and see their dreams fall to the wayside were former MSPT champs Ken Komberec, Dan Sun, Carter Myers, Satish Thakur, Jason Ramos, Daniel Bekavac, and Keith Heine, who won’t be adding any points to his current Kimo Sabe Mezcal Season 8 Player of the Year lead.

The 192 surviving players from all three starting flights will return at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday and play down to a winner. Not only will we be capturing all the action here in the live blog, but the final table will be live streamed worldwide. Be sure to join us tomorrow!

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play four more hands before bagging and tagging on Day 1C. Stay tuned for a list of survivors with chip counts, a recap of the days action, and the Day 2 seat draw.

Cy Church, who finished runner-up in this very event one year ago, raised to 5,800 from the hijack and the player on the button called. Mario Launi then three-bet all in for 62,500 from the big blind and Church thought long and hard before making the call, which prompted the other player to fold.

Church:
Launi:

It was a flip, and Launi held on the flop, but the turn gave Church an open-ended straight draw.

“Low,” Launi told the dealer, who obliged by putting out the safe on the river. Ship the double to Mario!

Mario Launi - 133,000 (55 bb)
Cy Church - 88,000 (37 bb)

MSPT Maryland Live! champ Greg Himmelbrand raised to 4,500 from early position and picked up four callers including Michael Parvin in the hijack.

All five players checked the flop, and the Himmelbrand bet 7,500 on the turn. After Jean Gaspard folded, Parvin moved all in for 24,400. Action folded back to Himmelbrand he took his time before making the call.

Himmelbrand:
Parvin:

Parvin was looking for a spade, and he got one when the spiked on the river.

Michael Parvin - 70,000 (35 bb)
Greg Himmelbrand - 18,000 (9 bb)

Jeff Mackey - 270,000
John Collis - 260,000
Benjamin Grise - 240,000
Ron Bell - 220,000
Ron Taylor - 200,000
Brekstyn Schutten - 185,000
Patrick Watson - 175,000
Friman Villalona - 175,000
Imari Love - 160,000

The preflop action escaped us, but we do know that Mike Bandy got his stack of 51,000 all in preflop from early position and was at risk against the player on the button.

Bandy:
Button:

Bandy was well out in front, and that’s right where he stayed as the board ran out a clean .

Mike Bandy - 105,000 (52 bb)

Just before the break, Scott Hammett moved all in for 8,500 under the gun and Chris Moon offered some protection by moving all in over the top for 35,200 from the cutoff. The button and blinds all folded and the cards were turned up.

Moon:
Hammett: .

The board ran out and Hammett found a lady to take to the prom.

Chris Moon - 21,500 (13 bb)
Scott Hammett - 17,000 (11 bb)

Players are off on their last ten-minute break of the night.