Meskwaki Casino

Day 1A of the MSPT Meskwaki Main Event drew 168 runners but after 15 levels of play just 25 remained, and although he didn’t reach the historic Day 1A chip lead of Zac Campbell and his 791,500 Day 1A bag here in November, Jason Bender managed to lap the field and bag a massive stack of 483,500 to take into Day 2. Bender, who has four MSPT Final Tables to his name, will be looking to add to his nearly $150,000 in MSPT Career Earnings.

Others able to snare a big bag include Cody Jaeschke (259,500), Scott Vetter (220,000), John Orfanos (202,000), and Royce Matheson (199,000).

More players that advanced to Day 2 include Jordan Miller (154,000), three-time MSPT champ Blake Bohn (131,500), Season 10 MSPT Majestic Star champ Mike Shin (129,500), Brad Sailor (122,000), Season 7 MSPT Meskwaki champs Ken Komberec (110,500) and Keith Heine (95,000), Alex “F’n” Winter (81,000), William Reynolds (43,500), and Season 9 MSPT Iowa State Poker champ Brian Soja (34,000).

Not everyone was fortunate enough to survive, and a who’s who of MSPT regulars all hit the rail during the Day 1A flight. Among those to fall include MSPT Hall of Famers Rich Alsup and Aaron Johnson, former MSPT Meskwaki champs Taylor Howard, Carter Myers, Jason Ramos, and John Sun, former MSPT Main Event champs Ben Wiora, Rob Wazwaz, Josh Reichard, and Ahmed Taleb, MSPT Regional champs Saad Ghanem and Eric Atchison, PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah, Ian Matakis, and Kevin Berthelsen.

Day 1B will kick off at 3 PM local time on Saturday. Before it, there will be one final $250 Satellite (20% advance) starting at 10 AM. Day 2 will kick off on Sunday at 11 AM local time.

Players will be playing three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for a full recap and end-of-night chip counts.

Jason Bender raised to 15,000 from the hijack, and Ahmed Taleb three-bet shoved for 59,000 in the cutoff. Cody Jaeschke called from the small blind.

“He called?” Bender asked, then immediately folded when the dealer confirmed Jaeschke’s call.

Taleb:
Jaeschke:

Taleb couldn’t find a set on the board, and he falls just short of bagging and tagging for the night.

Cody Jaeschke - 260,000 (65 bb)
Ahmed Taleb - Busted

William Reynolds ripped his last 27,000 in from the hijack, and Shaun Burnett three-bet shoved for 50,500 on the button, chasing out the blinds.

Reynolds:
Burnett:

Burnett had a kicker problem, and it went unresolved on a board, shipping the double to Reynolds.

William Reynolds - 61,500 (20.5 bb)
Shaun Burnett - 23,500 (8 bb)

Jason Bender limped in from the hijack, and called a raise to 8,000 from Adam Tolander on the button.

Bender checked the flop over to Tolander, who bet 11,000. Bender called.

On the turn, Bender checked, and Tolander fired 18,000. Bender check-raised to 40,000, and Tolander called.

Bender bet 60,000 when the fell on the river. Tolander didn’t take long to flick a chip in to call, but his was smashed by the of Bender.

Jason Bender - 400,000 (133 bb)
Adam Tolander - 30,000 (10 bb)

Chad Willett raised to 6,500 from UTG, and Michael Pelsley three-bet jammed for 29,000 on the button. Rich Alsup then four-bet jammed for 130,000 from the big blind, which chased out Willett.

Pelsley:
Alsup:

Pelsley’s kings improved with a flush draw on the flop, but Alsup picked up some outs when the on the turn gave him an open-ender. The was a brick for Alsup, and Pelsley doubled.

Rich Alsup - 101,000 (34 bb)
Michael Pelsley - 69,000 (23 bb)

Janelle Rettig raised to 7,000 on the button, then called off a three-bet shove for 25,500 from Joe Barnard in the small blind.

Rettig:
Barnard:

Barnard’s kings got a little sweat when the flop gave Rettig a gutshot to go along with her set outs. She bricked off on the turn and river, however, and Barnard scored the double.

Joe Barnard - 56,000 (22 bb)
Janelle Rettig - 30,000 (12 bb)

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168 runners at Day 1A of MSPT @MeskwakiCasino! The second and final flight kicks off tomorrow at 3 PM local time. #canyoufeelit pic.twitter.com/HeZSiCKHYM

— MSPT (@msptpoker) March 23, 2019