Sycuan Casino Resort

After 15 levels of play, the first day of The $1,110 United States Poker Championship presented by MSPT at Sycuan Casino and Resort has come to an end. A total of 186 players came out to this flight, leaving just 22 remaining at day's end. This brings the total number of entrants to 404 players, securing 45 players a minimum of $2,147, while first place will take home a prize worth $85,884.

Leading the way is television writer and World Poker Tour champion Matt Salsberg, who ended his day with 584,000. Salsberg has played poker for many years and his experience on the felt was an asset to him on the felt today as he raked in many significant pots throughout the day. With $2,861,713 in lifetime earnings, he looks to secure his first MSPT championship with a stack good for a top five stack.

Top Ten Day 1c Chip Counts

MSPT champion and current player of the year front runner Umut Ozturk also bagged a significant stack at 341,000. Ozturk registered a little bit later into the day, but managed to find success to bag a top five stack in his flight. With Ozturk holding a slim lead over second place Rob Wazwaz, a good finish here will push him up higher in the Player of the Year standings. DJ Buckley from the prior flight is the only player also in the running for player of the year in this tournament, but a win in this event will not have him catch Ozturk. If Ozturk wins this event, he will significantly extend his point lead.

Robert Fortuno (459,000), Jared Griener (386,000), Anthony Bland (334,000), Ryan Rutter (297,000), and WSOP bracelet winner Massoud Eskandari (285,000) all found sizable bags to go to Day 2 with. Among the casualties today were Camille Brown, Rich Lanes, Aditya Prayseto, Matthew Blagg, and poker celebrity Robbi Jade Lew. They will have to look to another MSPT to claim a title.

Play ended with 13:25 left in play in Level 14 on the first day and no flight finished earlier than the after that. Players will return on Sunday at 11 am with blinds coming back to 3,000/5,000 and a 5,000 big blind ante.

Stay tuned to MSPTPoker.com for all updates on The United States Poker Championship

A player moved all in for 65,000 in middle position and on the button, Jason Griffith moved all in on the button which saw all other players fold.

Opponent:
Jason Griffith:

The board ch and the aces held up for Griffith to leave the final 22 players in the flight.

Stay tuned to a full recap and seat draw later tonight.

Jason Griffith - 292,000

Action was picked up on the turn in a three bet pot between Dillon Najor on the button and Massoud Eskandari in the hijack.

With a significant pot already built and a board reading , Eskandari checked over to Najor who moved all in for 127,000.

“I’ve got too many outs,” lamented Eskandari “I call.”

Dillon Najor:
Massoud Eskandari:

The river saw no change to the draws for Eskandari and Najor secured the double up.

Dillon Najor - 456,000
Massoud Eskandari - 261,000

Action was picked up on a flop in between Matt Salsberg in first position, another player in the hijack and Tom Hammers in the big blind.

The flop came out and Hammers moved all in for 33,000 which both Salsberg and the hijack called.

On the turn, Salbserg bet 40,000 and the hijack moved all in for 159,000 which sent Salsberg into the tank. After some thought he called.

Tom Hammers:
Matt Salsberg:
Opponent:

The river did not change anybody’s hand, leaving Salsberg with a pair of tens to take down the whole pot and rise to one of the tournament leaders.

Matt Salsberg - 418,000

A player moved all in for 19,000 from middle position, prompting Jared Griener to move all in from the cutoff and everyone else at the table folded.

Opponent:
Jared Griener:

The flop of which gave Griener four tens and left no chance for his opponent to catch up. The turn and river were mere formalities as the pot was pushed to Griener.

Jared Griener - 185,000