Day 1A of the $1,100 buy-in, $3.5 million guarantee MSPT Venetian Main Event attracted 477 entries to Hall G of the Sands Expo Center. After 15 levels of play, just 63 remained with the UK’s David McConachie and his stack of 426,000 leading the way.
Others to bag big stacks were Ivan Vlahovic (367,000), Tyng Low (357,500), Iaron Lightbourne (355,000), and Michael Kane (343,000), who round out the top five.
Others to punch their tickets to Day 2 were 2015 World Series of Poker runner-up Josh Beckley (259,500), the UK’s Harry Lodge (213,500), Roman Valerstein (154,500), Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year Chris Meyers (150,500), Dejuane Alexander (105,000), Minnesota’s Charlie Workman (91,000), Mike Dentale (80,000), Sammy Aweida (74,500), and the short-stacked Bruno Politano (36,500).
Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to find a bag. Among those to hit the rail on 1A were 2018 Chicago Poker Classic champ Matt Shepsky, MSPT Pro Blake Bohn, MSPT Season 2 Diamond Jo champ Jarod Ludemann, former NBA star Earl Barron, nine-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Robert Hankins, 2008 WSOP Player of the Year Erick Lindgren, and currently Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 9 Player of the Year points leader Aaron Johnson.
Three starting flights remain, each taking place at Noon local time over the next three days. Be sure to join us Monday as we bring you all the action straight from the tournament floor of the 1B flight.