FireKeepers Casino

Day 1B of the MSPT FireKeepers Main Event drew 364 entrants, which along with 1A’s 250 brings the current field up to 614 with the third and final flight still to go. It’ll take 386 runners on Saturday to hit 1,000 entries, but either way it looks like the field will surpass last fall’s 884 and become the largest poker tournament in Michigan history.

After 14 levels of play, 72 players bagged and tagged, though none more so than Travis McIntosh and his stack of 362,500. That is well ahead of Day 1A chip leader Brian Eklund’s 238,000. McIntosh, who hails from Waterford, Michigan, is seeking his first MSPT cash.

Others who bagged on Day 1B were Jason Bender (310,000), who is two weeks removed from finishing runner-up in the MSPT Grand Falls Regional; Aaron Massey (189,500), who won this very event one year ago; MSPT Season 5 Player of the Year Mike Deis (148,500); and 2016 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship runner up Cy Church (101,500).

Joining them were 2016 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champ Andy Rubinberg (96,000), Minnesota’s Loki Abboud (94,500), 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champ John Sun (94,000), MSPT Season 4 Player of the Year Pat Steele (91,500), and MSPT Season 6 FireKeepers champ Michael Ferrarotti (33,500).

Thus far 120 players (48 from Day 1A and 72 from 1B) have advanced to Day 2 from the first two starting flights.

Among those to try and fall were World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Jivkov, MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup, inaugural MSPT FireKeepers champ Tom Midena, #MSPT100 champ Jason Ramos, and Michigan pros Jason Smith, Mark Johnson Jr., and Ryan Dykhouse. Fortunately, they’ll have a final opportunity to try again tomorrow if they so choose.

Day 1C will kick off at Noon local time on Saturday. Join us then as we bring you all the action straight from the tournament floor of the FireKeepers Casino Poker Room.

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play four more hands before bagging and tagging on the Day 1B flight. Stay tuned for a recap of the day’s action as well as a list of survivors with chip counts.

Steve Dunkelberg moved all in for 22,600 from middle position and the player in the small blind looked him up.

Dunkelberg:
Small Blind:

Dunkelberg got it in good and he was rewarded with a double after the board ran out .

Steve Dunkelberg - 50,000

With around 15,000 in the pot and a flop of , chip leader Travis McIntosh checked from the hijack and his opponent in the cutoff checked behind.

Action repeated itself on the turn, and once again on the river.

The player in the cutoff showed the , but it was no good as McIntosh had been trying to trap with his flopped straight turned flush.

Travis McIntosh - 350,000

A short-stacked Jason Cullen moved all in for 15,200 from early position and Paul Prentis three-bet jammed for 45,300 from middle position. The player on the button called to put put the pair at risk, both blinds folded, and all three hands were turned up.

Cullen:
Prentis:
Button:

The kings were well out in front, and they stayed there on both the flop and river.

However, that is when the dealer burned one last time and put out the . Prentis hit one of his two outs to fill up, while Cullen headed for the exit.

Paul Prentis - 110,000
Jason Cullen - Busted

Travis McIntosh - 210,000
Frank Lucarelli - 190,000
Aaron Massey (MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers champ) - 140,000
Loki Abboud - 125,000
Jason Ramos (#MSPT100 champ) - 125,000
Satish Thakur - 125,000
Andy Rubinberg (2016 MSPT WIiconsin State Poker Champ) - 70,000
Tom Midena (Inaugural MSPT FireKeepers champ) - 30,000
Aaron Johnson - Busted

Jason Bender - 170,000
Mike Deis (MSPT Season 5 POY) - 165,000
Todd Breyfogle - 85,000
Al Singletary - 80,000
John Sun (2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champ) - 76,000
Cy Church - 65,000
Jose Serratos - 60,000
Pat Steele (MSPT Season 4 POY) - 50,000
Rodger Johnson (MSPT Season 3 Running Aces champ) - 40,000
Michael Ferrarotti (MSPT Season 6 FIreKeepers champ) 26,500
Eric Stocz - 26,000
Rich Alsup - Busted
Nick Pupillo - Busted

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