Meskwaki Casino

The 2^nd Annual Mid-States Poker Tour Iowa State Poker Championship at Meskwaki Casino turned out to be a record-setting affair by drawing a combined 451 entries (187 Day 1a & 264 Day 1b), which set a new state record for largest major ($1,000+ buy-in) by surpassing 426 entries from a MSPT event in 2014.

The massive turnout created a total $451,000 prize pool, which easily surpassed the advertised $300,000 guarantee. After 14 levels of play, 49 players remained with Milwaukee's John Sun and his stack of 275,500 leading the way. That is a little ahead of Day 1a chip leader Phil Mader, who bagged 236,500.

If you've ever watched one of our MSPT Potawatomi final table broadcasts, then there is a good chance your remember the entertaining Sun, who has a remarkable record on the MSPT. It started in Season 5 when he final tabled the MSPT Potawatomi, ultimately finishing in fifth place for $26,808. Two years later, which was in April of this year, he finished third in the same event for $50,017. Then, just last week, he placed seventh in the MSPT Potawatomi Regional Event for $9,497.

Sun only has three MSPT cashes on his résumé, and amazingly all are final table appearances at Potawatomi. Sun is obviously primed to notch his first MSPT cash outside of Wisconsin.

Others who punched their tickets to Day 2 were David Rutledge (240,000), Reg Powell (234,000), reigning MSPT Meskwaki champ Keith Heine (227,000), Brett Reichard (196,500), Aaron Johnson (182,000), Tom Hammers (124,500), MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Mark Hodge (87,000), Rick "Moose" Syverud (61,000), and Kou Vang (37,000).

Among the throngs to fall on Day 1b were former MSPT champs Dan "DQ" Hendrickson, Josh Reichard, Andy Rubinberg, Moon Ahmed, Dan Sun and Erv Bjerga; MSPT Pro and commentator Matt Alexander; Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Mike Schneider; and Mike Shin, who was fresh off finishing in 12^th place in the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event (interesting note, he is the cousin of John Sun).

Day 2 will kick off at 11 a.m. local time and the remaining 78 players will play until a winner is crowned. We'll capture all the action right here in the live blog, and the final table will also be live streamed online for the world to see.

Congratulations to Hao "John" Sun bagging the Day 1b chip lead with 275,500 in the Iowa State Poker Championship at Meskwaki Bingo Casino & Hotel. 49 players survived the flight.

HAO SUN - MILWAUKEE, WI 275,500
DAVID RUTLEDGE - MANKATO, MN 240,000
REGINALD POWELL - ELK RIVER, MN 234,000
KEITH HEINE - HILLSBORO, MO 227,000
KURT MORDEN - CARPENTERSVILLE, IL 207,000
BRYAN ANDREWS - MILWAUKEE, WI 198,000
BRETT REICHARD - BELOIT, WI 196,500
AARON JOHNSON - RED WING, MN 182,000
NOEL CHLADEK - DES MOINES, IA 175,000
TODD BARTLETT - DALLAS CITY, IL 167,000
MARK REID - WYOMING, IA 159,500
RYAN HOHENSTEIN - EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 127,500
MICHAEL PARTIPILO - CHICAGO, IL 127,500
THOMAS HAMMERS - EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 124,500
TERRY GORSH - BOONE, IA 124,500
KENNETH AUKER - ROCK ISLAND, IL 107,000
JUSTIN BROWN - BLOOMINGTON, IN 105,000
JASON MARTIN - DES MOINES, IA 103,000
MARK LICK - MINNEAPOLIS, MN 102,000
JOHN KURFMAN - BAYLIS, IL 100,500
RONALD GREEN - LAWRENCE, KS 97,000
KEITH NEUZIL - OXFORD, IA 96,500
GEORGE DIETZ - CHICAGO, IL 94,000
MICHEAL KAMENJARIN - CHICAGO, IL 92,500
KIRK FLOM - SOLON, IA 91,500
PAUL JAIN - BISMARCK, ND 90,000
MARK HODGE - CORCORAN, MN 87,000
JASON RAMOS - CAROL STREAM, IL 86,500
MICHAEL HANDZEL - SHAWNEE MISSION, KS 85,000
BRIAN WIEPERT - MASON CITY, IA 84,000
ANTHONY KNEPPER - DUBUQUE, IA 81,000
JAMES LIVINGSTON - TIPTON, IA 78,000
THOMAS SHEA - GOTHENBURG, NE 76,500
SCOTT MOSES - CORALVILLE, IA 72,000
CARY LONG - WITTEN, SD 71,500
MICHAEL HAMLIN - EAST PEORIA, IL 70,000
DEDRIC HENDERSON - MINNEAPOLIS, MN 68,500
TROY REPP - TOPEKA, KS 63,500
JEREMY BROWN - BLOOMINGTON, IN 63,500
MATTHEW VAUGHAN - MADISON, WI 63,500
RICHARD SYVERUD - NORTH FREEDOM, WI 61,000
PAUL ELFELT - BROOKFIELD, WI 56,500
KIM OLSON - WEST DES MOINES, IA 51,500
JAY PHILIPS - BETHEL, MN 39,500
JARED BARTHELMAN - CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 37,500
KOU VANG - SAINT PAUL, MN 37,000
JOHN BAMBARA - OSKALOOSA, IA 36,500
THOMAS NYPAVER - LEAVENWORTH, KS 34,500
BYRON ZIEBELL - HALES CORNERS, WI 32,000

The tournament staff just announced that the remaining players will play two more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for a list of survivors with chips counts, a full recap of the Day 1b action, and the Day 2 seat draw.

For the second time in Season 7, the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) will visit Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells in Baraboo, Wisconsin. From September 3-11, the MSPT will host a series of $65 and $250 qualifiers culminating in a $1,100 buy-in, $200,000 guarantee Main Event.

The Main Event, which requires players be 21 years of age to participate, will run from Friday, September 9 through Sunday, September 11. The tournament features two starting flights beginning Friday evening with Day 1A at 4 p.m., followed by Day 1B at the same time on Saturday. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned.

"Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells is a hotspot for poker," said MSPT owner and operator Bryan Mileski. "Players come from all across the Midwest for the poker action. What's more, a lot of them bring their families as there are waterparks and more just up the road."

The Main Event final table will be broadcast LIVE (15-minute delay) worldwide on msptpoker.com using RFID technology allowing all viewers to see the hole cards. In addition, the entirety of the Main Event will be live reported in the MSPT's brand new live blog.

The MSPT last visited the property back in February for the 2^nd Annual Wisconsin State Poker Championship, which attracted 489 entries and more than doubled the $200k advertised guarantee. Andy Rubinberg emerged victorious in that event to capture a $120,808 first-place prize.

Others who've captured titles at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells over the years include Johnny Hayes (Nov. 2015 for $98,907), Ben Wiora (Feb. 2015 for $114,512), Ben Berlowski (Sept. 2014 for $90,632), Jason Sell (March 2014 for $97,539), Josh Reichard (Nov. 2013 for $78,003), Daniel Bekavac (March 2013 for $76,668), and Joe Illingworth (Sept. 2012 for $65,742).

Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, which is located at S3214 County Road BD in Baraboo, WI, offers a full-service casino that lets you enjoy 24-hour slot machines, bingo, blackjack and other games 365 days a year. Each of their 302-hotel room or suites are designed with a rustic elegance inspired by the area. With deluxe accommodations and full-service gaming, dining and other entertainment, Ho-Chunk is among the best casino hotels in the Midwest!

Here’s a look at the MSPT Ho-Chunk Gaming schedule:

In the last hand of Level 14, Cory Cove moved all in for 13,300 from middle position and chip leader Reg Powell, who was to his direct left, called. The rest of the players folded and the cards were turned up.

Powell:

Cove:

It was a flip and Cove was just looking to hold to stay alive. Unfortunately for him, that proved easier said than done as the flop paired Powell. Neither the turn nor river helped Cove recover, and he wished the table luck before taking his leave from the Iowa State Poker Championship.

Reg Powell - 275,000

Cory Cove - Busted

After a player had opened for 5,000 from middle position, the player in the cutoff three-bet all in for 21,000. Chicago’s George Dietz then moved all in over the top from the big blind, which prompted the original raiser to fold.

Dietz:

Cutoff:

The flop was safe for Dietz, but the turn was scary in that hit gave his opponent a club draw. Fortunately for Dietz, it didn’t come in as the appeared on the river to give him the knockout.

George Dietz - 75,000

Ryan Hohenstein found himself all in preflop for 41,500 and racing against MSPT Running Aces Season 6 champ Erv Bjerga.

Bjerga:

Hohenstein:

It was a big flip, but not after the flop came down to give Hohenstein a pair of aces. Neither the turn nor river helped Bjerga, and he was left with just 10,000 after the hand. That disappeared a short time later.

Ryan Hohenstein - 90,000

Ervin Bjerga - Busted

Reg Powell - 272,000

John Sun - 190,000

Dave Rutledge - 170,000

Keith Heine (MSPT Meskwaki Season 7 Spring champ) - 175,000

Aaron Johnson - 140,000

Michael Kamenjarin - 100,000

Troy Repp - 100,000

Tom Hammers - 95,000

Ken Auker - 83,000

Jim Boone - 80,000

Mark Hodge (MSPT Season 6 POY) - 79,000

Brett Reichard - 75,000

Matthew Vaughan - 70,000

Bryan Andrews - 70,000

Rick “Moose” Syverud - 65,000

Kou Vang - 55,000

Ervin Bjerga (MSPT Running Aces Season 6 champ) - 46,000

Marius Roderici - 45,000

Jay Philips - 22,000

Joe Matheson (MSPT Running Aces Season 1 champ) - 17,800)

Nick Marsh - Busted

The remaining Day 1b players, of which there are approximately 75, are now on their last 10-minute break of the night. When they return, they’ll play two more levels before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned to see who thrives and who fails to survive!