The Venetian

The second and final starting flight of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,600 Main Event has come to an end after 13 hours of action.

Day 1b attracted 174 runners during Thursday's action, bringing the grand total to 265 entries (91 from Day 1a; 174 from 1b).

After a grueling bubble, the field was finally reduced to 11% with George Janssen (717,000) leading the pack of 12 by a large margin after he eliminated Aditya Prasetyo in the later levels.

Following behind Janssen was Yoon Kim who tussled with the chip leader late and ended putting 571,000 on his slip, good enough for third overall.

The top five is rounded out by Chad Lipton (463,000), Emily Ashkarkhizani (391,000), and Nicholas Seward (386,000).

They were joined by MSPT champs Aaron Massey (298,000), & James Romero (285,00), Rommel Liscano (213,000), WSOP bracelet winner Nick Pupillo (183,000), and MSPT Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz (163,000).

Per usual, Day 2 will get underway bright and early at 11:00 a.m. local time and play to a winner with 31 players returning to the felt so make sure to come back and find out who walks away champion.

After an initial 16,000 raise, Homan Mohammadi three-bet jammed for 65,000 from the cutoff and Sundiata DeVore isolated with a 130,000 four-bet from the small blind.

Homan Mohammadi:
Sundiata DeVore:

Mohammadi picked up Big Slick at the wrong time as he jammed into DeVore’s aces and the runout made him the final elimination of the night.

Sundiata DeVore - 235,000
Homan Mohammadi - Eliminated

Rommel Liscano opened under the gun for 20,000 and was called by WSOP bracelet winner Nick Pupillo from the hijack before Leo Castro three-bet all-in for 52,000 from the cutoff.

Only Pupillo called, and the two players tabled their hands.

Leo Castro:
Nick Pupillo:

It was a classic with the flop giving Castro the nut flush draw.

Castro’s sweat didn’t last long as the dealer turned the to put him in the lead and dropped the on the river for good measure.

Nick Pupillo - 200,000
Rommel Liscano - 155,000
Leo Castro - 140,000

MSPT Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz raised to 18,000 from under the gun and was called by Yoon Kim from the small blind, along with Rommel Liscano from the big blind.

The flop was checked to WazWaz who continued for 25,000 and only Kim check-called to see the turn.

Action went check-check, and the completed the board on the river.

This time, Kim turned the aggressor and fired out an uncontested 45,000 to win the pot.

Yoon Kim - 620,000
Rommel Liscano - 140,000
Rob WazWaz - 100,000

With players being in the hand-for-hand process since the start of the level, the first all-in action finally occurred with John Bunch getting his 60,000 stack in the middle from the button and MSPT champ James Romero looked him up from the big blind.

John Bunch:
James Romero:

Bunch was racing for his tournament life and took a commanding lead after the flop gave him a set of sevens.

The turn did give Romero two-pair giving Bunch a little sweat, but the completed the board on the river and secured his double-up.

James Romero - 225,000
John Bunch - 120,000

Action folded to George Janssen who raised from the small blind and Yoon Kim defended his big blind to see a flop.

Janssen continued for 13,000 and then called a 26,000 raise from Kim to see the turn.

Janssen check-called a 50,000 bet from Kim, and then did the same for 75,000 after the completed the board on the river.

Kim quickly tabled for a set of eights and it was good as Janssen mucked his hand.

George Janssen - 637,000
Yoon Kim - 600,000

Yesterday’s starting flight saw Jeremy Becker bag the top stack after 11 players advanced from a 91-entry field after Day 1a and the 20 players who make it through today will join that group on tomorrow, September 10th for Day 2 at 11:00 a.m.

Action on the table folded around to the small blind who limped-in before calling Aaron Massey’s 103,000 three-bet jam from the big blind.

Aaron Massey:
Opponent:

Massey was behind until the flop paired his king.

The turn was a great sight for Massey as it secured his double-up and he collected his chips after the meaningless completed the board on the river.

Aaron Massey - 210,000