Golden Gates Casino

Day 1A of the MSPT Golden Gates Main Event attracted 113 runners to Black Hawk, Colorado. By the end of the night, just 14 remained with Oregon’s Max Young and his stack of 353,500 leading the way.

Young, a three-time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner, is seeking his third MSPT cash. Back in November, he finished 45^th in the MSPT here at Golden Gates for $2,203, and a week later he placed sixth in the 2017 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino for $26,460.

Others to bag big stacks were Aaron Frei (291,500), Matt Livingston (240,500), and Vincent Moscati (213,500).

They were joined by the likes of Griff Malatino (151,000), Chris Barrett (135,500), Stephen Zipprich (121,000), Jim Casement (83,000), Jason Vanstrom (69,000), and Danny Gonzalez (61,000).

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to find a bag. Among those to try and fall were Iowa’s Scotter Clark, former MSPT Golden Gates Regional Champ Bobby Sanoubane, “Big” Al Hedin, MSPT Golden Gates Regional runner-ups Drew Schulz and Tom Bouziden, Minnesota’s Brian Berthiauem, Illinois’ Cody Brinn, former champ Kane Lai, and World Series of Poker bracelet winner Adam Friedman.

Two flights still remain for the Main Event. Day 1B will kick off at Noon local time on Friday, and 1C at the same time on Saturday. Among those we expect to see in upcoming action are Travis Northrope, Umut Ozturk, former champ Fred Garcia, and Bobby Faecher, who last weekend won the MSPT Golden Gates Regional Event for $31,381.

We’ll be here every step of the way to capture all the action, so be sure to check back throughout the weekend.

Carl Gulliot jammed for his last 9,500 from the cutoff, and Stephen Zipprich three-bet shoved for 53,000 on the button. Max Young was waiting in the big blind with a call.

Gulliot:
Zipprich:
Young:

The flop brought both Gulliot and Young sets, meaning Zipprich was now in dire need of some help on the turn to avoid being the final player not to bag on Day 1A.

The was just what the doctor ordered, giving Zipprich both straight and flush draws.

The river? The ! This gave Zipprich a Broadway straight, earning him a double through Young and busting Gulliot just minutes before the end of Day 1A.

Max Young - 353,500 (88 bb)
Stephen Zipprich - 121,000 (30 bb)
Carl Gulliot - Busted

Stephen Zipprich opened for 9,000 from middle position only to have Max Young three-bet to 23,000 from the cutoff. David Olson four-bet all in for 43,000 from the button, both blinds folded, and Zipprich got out of the way. Young called and the hands were turned up.

Olson:
Young:

Olson was well out in front and shipped the double after the board ran out .

David Olson - 100,000 (25 bb)
Max Young - 400,000 (100 bb)

Aaron Johnson jammed for 32,500 from the hijack, and Chris Barrett called on the button.

Johnson:
Barrett:

Johnson had ran into the rockets, but the flop gave him a bit of hope with a gutshot. The added a few more outs to his arsenal, but none of those materialized on the river, and Johnson falls just shy of making Day 2 on the opening flight.

Chris Barrett - 160,000 (40 bb)
Aaron Johnson - Busted

Dash Dudley jammed his last 50,000 from UTG+1, and was greeted with a call from James Morse in the big blind.

Dudley:
Morse:

Morse flopped Dudley nearly dead with a flop, and the turn gave Morse quad kings and the victory, and Dudley was already on his way from the table when the completed the board.

James Morse - 140,000 (35 bb)
Dash Dudley - Busted

Max Gabriel moved all in for his last 45,000 or so from the hijack and Max Young isolated by moving all in over the top from the button.

Gabriel:
Young:

It was a race but Gabriel needed to improve to stay alive. That proved easier said than done as the board ran out .

Max Young - 430,000 (108 bb)
Max Gabriel - Busted

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Chris Barrett ripped his last 51,000 from UTG, and action folded to David Olson on the button, who tanked for a bit before putting out calling chips, chasing out the blinds.

Barrett:
Olson:

Barrett’s kicker proved to be the difference on a board, and the two essentially swapped stacks.

Chris Barrett - 110,000 (37 bb)
David Olson - 50,000 (17 bb)

James Morse ripped his last 44,500 in from the lojack and found a caller in Griffin Malatino in the small blind.

Morse:
Malatino:

Morse found the queen of his dreams on a , and Malatino needed an ace to retake the lead, but the turn and river meant he had to ship the double to Morse.

Griffin Malatino - 130,000 (43 bb)
James Morse - 96,000 (32 bb)