Ameristar East Chicago

After 15 levels of play, the second flight of the $1,100 East Chicago Main Event has seen its starting field of 177 entrants reduced to just 19. Each one of the surviving players will join the 12 from yesterday’s flight and the players from the future flights on Monday, September 2nd to play for the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Leading the way of the final 19 is Michael O’Neill who ended his day with the overall chip lead of 592,000. O’Neill has been playing with the MSPT since at least last year, as his Hendon Mob consists of only cashes at MSPT Firekeepers, the biggest tournament of the year. O’Neill started the day raking in big pots and he never stopped, the momentum carrying him to the very top. With this massive stack today, he looks to make his fourth MSPT cash a big one as he looks to add more to his burgeoning resume.

End of Day 1B Chip Counts

Nipping at his heels at day's end was Kurt Fraser (531,000). 14 years ago, Fraser took home his biggest lifetime score after winning an HPT in Tama for $75,091. He looks to take down another big title here at East Chicago. Rounding out the podium is Chicago regular Justin Hankinson (444,000) who secures his first MSPT cash to add to his already decorated resume.

Fortune did not smile on all as MSPT champions Kyna England, Lee Rzentkowski, Aaron Johnson, and Mark Sandness all fell by the wayside and joined others on the rail like Joe Batterman, Gary L Vick, Anthony Babic, and Shiva Dudani. They will have ample opportunity to play the following two flights over the next two days.

Play ended with 11:04 left in level 15 with blinds at 3,000/6,000, and a 6,000 big blind ante. They will return to the level reached on Day 1a unless one of the following flights ends earlier. Stay tuned to MSPTPoker.com for all updates on the $1,100 Main Event at East Chicago.

Shawn Thieleman raised to 12,000 in early position which saw a player on the button move all in for 71,000. In the big blind Anwar Baig moved all in for 115,000 which saw Thieleman call to put both players at risk.

Button:
Anwar Baig:
Shawn Thielemann:

The flop of put the button on the lead, while the turn gave Thielemann a gutshot on top of his outs to a set. The set that came on the river was Baig’s as the river gave him the winning hand to scoop both the side and the main.

The final 19 players have all bagged up for the night and will return on Monday, September 2^nd. Stay tuned for full updates and a recap.

Anwar Baig - 310,000 (51 bb)
Shawn Thielemann - 304,000 (50 bb)

The clock now reads 20 players remaining as the players, meaning the field is just one player away from ending for the night.

This flight has already passed what yesterday’s flight ended at, meaning that the players will go back to earlier in the level when they return on Monday.

Action was picked up with cards on their backs with Aaron Johnson all in and at risk for his last 61,000 against Michael O’Neill.

Aaron Johnson:
Michael O’Neill:

The board ran out and the sixes held up for O’Neill to take over the chip lead while the MSPT champion Aaron Johnson exited the tournament.

Michael O’Neill - 580,000 (108 bb)
Aaron Johnson - Eliminated

Action was picked up with cards on their backs with Cody Brinn having another player all in and at risk for their last 76,000.

Opponent:
Cody Brinn:

The board ran out and the kings held up for Brinn to send another player out as the field was brought down to just three tables.

Cody Brinn - 365,000 (73 bb)

Kevin Maahs raised to 9,000 from early position and Anthony Babic moved all in for 31,000 from the hijack. In the cutoff, Mark Cahill moved all in for more which folded out all other players.

Anthony Babic:
Mark Cahill:

The board ran out and the queens held up for Cahill to add to his growing stack while Babic was eliminated from the tournament.

Mark Cahill - 209,000 (52 bb)
Anthony Babic - Eliminated

Action was picked up on the river in a pot between Joe Batterman in the big blind, Andrew Kang in late position, and Anwar Baig in the cutoff.

With 16,000 in the center and a board reading , action checked around to Baig who bet 18,000 which saw Batterman call and Kang fold.

Baig shook his head as he turned over for just king high, while Batterman turned over for third pair which was good for the pot.

Andrew Kang - 204,000 (51 bb)
Joe Batterman - 185,000 (46 bb)
Anwar Baig - 56,000 (14 bb)

Registration has closed on the second flight of the $1,100 Main Event here at Ameristar East Chicago.

With 177 entrants into this flight, the players will play down until just 19 players remain in the tournament.