The Venetian

Day 1b of the $1,100 Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Season 14 Finale at Venetian Las Vegas has come to an end and Byungeun Shin leads 36 surviving players after more than 15 levels of play.

The final stop of the season drew 550 total entries and the 36 returning players from Day 1b will join the 25 runners that bagged on Day 1a for Saturday’s Day 2 finale at 11:00 a.m. local time.

All 61 returning players are guaranteed a min-cash of $2,357, while the winner is slated to take home the top payout of $90,692 from a total prize pool of $530,750.

Once the field was reduced to 11%, it was Shin who soared to the top of the chip counts after he cooled off MSPT champ Ron West in a aces versus kings hand to take the overall chip lead into the final day with 700,000.

Following hot behind Shin is WSOP bracelet winner Jared Jaffee who was able to gradually build a top stack in the later levels and will take 658,000 into Day 2, good for second overall.

Lovell “Da Wiz” Wilkerson saw his fair share of rollercoaster rides throughout the day after falling to just 8,000 before the end of registration but he was able to maintain his composure built up a 596,000 stack to end the night and sits in third overall for Day 2.

MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk learned of his Player of the Year victory early in Level 10 but didn’t slow him down one bit as he still has his eyes set on earning his second MSPT title and will take 483,000 into Day 2 in hopes of doing so.

Others to punch their ticket into Day 2 include Robert Russ (398,000), WSOP bracelet winner’s Stephen Song (201,000), Ankush Mandavia (157,000), & Anthony Spinella (149,000), MSPT champ James Romero (144,000), and MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Massey (101,000).

The final day will get underway bright and early at 11:00 a.m. local time and play to a winner with 61 players returning to the felt so make sure to come back and find out who walks away the newest MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event champion!

The MSPT live reporting crew will be on hand to capture all the action, so be sure to join us then.

Tim Reilly moved all-in for 5,000 from under the gun and found four callers that checked down the board was checked to the river where Luke Wasikowski fired out a 6,000 bet to push the other out the pot.

Wasikowski rolled over for two-pair and it was good as Reilly tossed into the muck ceasing play for the evening.

Tim Reilly - Eliminated

Yesterday’s starting flight saw two-time bracelet winner Shannon Shorr bag the top stack after 25 players advanced from a 227-entry field after Day 1a and the 36 players who make it through today will join that group on tomorrow, December 30th for Day 2 at 11:00 a.m.

With 37 players remaining, the hand-for-hand process has now begun.

There was a monster pot brewing between Byungeun Shin from the hijack and MSPT champ Ron West from the button with a board showing.

Shin led out for 100,000 and then called his West’s 230,000 all-in raise.

Ron West:
Byungeun Shin:

It was a classic cooler with Shin being the beneficiary after the river secured him the monster pot to take the chip lead.

Byungeun Shin - 700,000
Ron West - Eliminated

Doug Lyon raised all-in for 35,000 from the cutoff and Lovell “Da Wiz” Wilkerson looked him up from the small blind.

Doug Lyon:
Lovell “Da Wiz” Wilkerson:

Lyon was dominated but it wouldn’t matter, as the runout gave him a full house keeping his tournament hopes alive.

Lovell “Da Wiz” Wilkerson - 400,000
Doug Lyon - 83,000

Playing Day 1b of the MSPT Season 14 finale at the Venetian Las Vegas? Have family or friends in action? Have a look through our dedicated gallery to see if you can find their photo.

Click here to be taken to the gallery.

Brad Kibel was all in preflop for 45,000 from the hijack and was called by Stan Lee from the big blind.

Brad Kibel:
Stan Lee:

Lee woke-up with aces at the perfect time as the runout gave him a full house to eliminate Kibel.

Stan Lee - 200,000
Brad Kibel - Eliminated