The MSPT has set yet another record for largest-ever major ($1,000+ buy-in) poker tournament in Iowa. Day 1B of the 2017 MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship drew 270 entrants, which along with Day 1A’s 226 brought the total field up to 496 entries, the most the MSPT has ever drawn to Meskwaki. That is well ahead of the previous record of 466 set earlier this year in the #MSPT100, the tour’s 100th ever Main Event.
The top 45 players will get paid with a min-cash being worth $2,398 and the eventual winner taking home $115,109. The man from the 53 Day 1B survivors best positioned to make a run at the top prize is Jason Ramos, who bagged the chip lead with 295,500 after 14 levels of play. That is a bit ahead of Day 1A chip leader Al Hedin, who advanced with 277,500.
Ramos is actually looking to go back-to-back here at Meskwaki Casino as back in March he topped a field of 466 entrants to win the #MSPT100 (our 100th Main Event) for $108,120.
Others who advanced from the Day 1B field were MSPT Season 7 Canterbury Park champ Jonathan Kim (261,500), Kou Vang (199,000), Phil Mader (164,500), Nikki Nelson (146,500), Jon Hanner (105,500), Mike Holm (102,500), Adam Lamphere (101,000), and Howard Hankin (26,000).
Among those who saw their 2017 MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship dreams come to an end were three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto, current POY leader Keith Heine, 2016 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champ Andy Rubinberg, MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Mark Hodge, MSPT Pros Matt Alexander and Blake Bohn, and reigning Iowa State Champ John Sun.
The surviving 96 players from both flights will return at 11 a.m. CDT on Sunday to play down to a winner.