Seneca Niagara Casino

The second of three starting flights in the $1,100 MSPT Seneca Niagara – the tour’s first visit to Western New York – attracted 77 players, which along with 1A’s 42 brought the total field up to 119 entries with Day 1C still to go.

By the end of the night just 13 remained with Maria Parlatore and her stack of 247,100 leading the way. That is ahead of Day 1A chip leader Illan Kandiah, who bagged 207,000.

Others to advance from the 1B flight were Veerab Zakarian (157,300), Thomas Smolinski (152,100), 2018 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champ Brian Soja (151,300), and Andy Spears (149,700), who round out the top five stacks. They were joined by the likes of Henry Zou (83,600) and local Seneca legend Buck Ramsay (30,000).

Among those to fall on Day 1B were Andy Ranaletti, Henry Tran, Michael Latour, Denis Snyder, Paul Bitterman, Silvio Derubeis, Matt Shanahan, Frank Dellaria, Pablo Delgado, Heather Irby, and Scott Hosbach.

Day 1C will get underway at Noon local time on Saturday, which is expected to be the biggest flight yet. Among those we expect to see in action are John “Big Stick” Abraham, Minnesota’s Alex Winter, and MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year Chris Meyers.

Of course, we’ll be there every step of the way to capture the action here in the live blog, so be sure to join us then.

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

Maria Parlatore raised to 5,500 from the hijack, and Thomas Smolinski (pictured, left) called on the button. Brian Soja (pictured, right) three-bet shoved for 63,200 from the small blind, and Parlatore folded. Smolinski thought for a minute before sticking in a call.

Smolinski:
Soja:

“I got reverse nines,” Smolinski said upon seeing Soja’s hand. No six came on the board and Soja doubled up.

Thomas Smolinski - 250,000 (104 bb)
Brian Soja - 150,000 (63 bb)

For the third and final time in Season 9, the MSPT is headed to Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa. From October 27 through November 4, a series of satellites will feed into the 21^st MSPT Main Event ever held at the venue.

The $1,100 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed Main Event will run the weekend of November 2-4.

Click here for a look at the full schedule.

Information on Hotel Rates as low as $49/night here.

Back in March, the first MSPT Meskwaki of Season 9 drew 414 entries and saw Nathan Trenkamp, who qualified via a $250 satellite, walk away with an $88,018 first-place prize. Then, in July, Minnesota’s Brian Soja bested a 455-entry field to win the 2018 MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship. In the same event last year, Max Havlish prevailed over 424 entrants to win the tournament for $90,152.

Located in Tama, Iowa — between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids on Highway 30 — Meskwaki Casino, which was constructed in 1992, features a huge bingo hall, nine different types of table games, off-track betting, active craps tables, more than 1,350 slots, good blackjack games, horse book, indoor pool, exercise room, spa, and 404 hotel rooms.

Thomas Smolinski raised to 6,000 from the cutoff, then slammed in a call of the three-bet shove for 45,800 from John Stempien in the big blind.

Smolinski:
Stempien:

Stempien noted that he only had a single overcard, and the king failed to come in on a board.

Thomas Smolinski - 310,000 (155 bb)
John Stempien - Busted

Thomas Smolinski limped from UTG+1, and Brian Soja limped next to act. Michael Crystal was next, and he ripped his last 55,000 in the pot. Smolinksi three-bet to 110,000, and Soja folded what he later claimed were two tens.

Smolinski:
Crystal:

Crystal found an ace on the flop, but Smolinski found a set on , and Crystal was dead on the turn, and he was out of his chair before the hit the river.

Thomas Smolinski - 270,000 (135 bb)
Michael Crystal - Busted

Michael Latour jammed for 25,300 from middle position, and Andy Spears three-bet shoved for 45,000 from the lojack, chasing off the field.

Latour:
Spears:

Latour picked up some chop outs after the flop and turn put a four-flush on the board, but the river sent the pot and KO to Spears.

Andy Spears - 75,000 (38 bb)
Michael Latour - Busted

Nick Peperone got his last 8,100 all in preflop and was at risk against Veerab Zakarian.

Zakarian:
Peperone:

The flop didn’t do much for Peperone, while the turn paired him. He needed more help on the river, but he didn’t get it as the bricked.

Veerab Zakarian - 90,000 (45 bb)
Nick Peperone - Busted

The Mid-States Poker Tour has again teamed with Delta to provide discounted airfare to MSPT players looking to travel to and from all MSPT events.

The discount ranges from 2% to 10% based on the Delta Booking Class purchased.

Delta Booking Class - % off:

F/J/C/D/Y/P/I – 10%

B/M/H/Q/K/L – 5%

U/T/V/X – 2%

Meeting Code NMRDU

Below are online booking instructions:

Reservations and ticketing is available via www.delta.com/meeting. When booking online:

1. Select BOOK A FLIGHT
2. Ener Meeting Code in the box provided: NMRDU

Reservations may also be made by calling our Delta Meeting reservations at 800 328 1111 Mon-Fri 7am-7pm CDT.

*Please note that there is a direct ticketing fee for booking by phone

*Discounts applicable to U.S./Canada originating passengers