Running Aces Casino

A lengthy day of 16 levels has wrapped up during the annual MSPT Winter Poker Classic $1,110 Main Event at Running Aces Casino, as Day 1b drew 305 entries to bring the two-day total thus far to 524, already surpassing the $500k guarantee with tomorrow’s final starting flight still to go.

Once the hard stop of 34 players was reached, it was MSPT champ Jeff Copeland leading the bunch by a wide margin as he put a healthy 667,000 on his slip to end the night, good enough for the second overall top stack thus far.

Sitting behind Copeland was Ariel Pressman, who went on a late-night heater and burst the bubble to put 477,000 on his bag to end the night, while Michael Aman (453,000), Robert O’Connell (448,000), and Chris Potenza (445,000) were tightly bunched to round out the top five stacks of the second starting flight.

Back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk was able to clip the 400k mark as well, as he will take 407,000 into Day 2 with him in hopes of adding some serious POY points to his name, while Rob Urbatsch (369,000), MSPT champ’s Joe Matheson (259,000), Marc Harrell (214,000), and Curtis Vierstraete (114,000) all punched their tickets into Sunday’s Day 2 as well.

Among those not as lucky at the felt included fellow MSPT champ Jon Kim, Cody Mondeau, Theresa Brown, Erick Wright, and MSPT champ Mike Estes, just to name a few.

Those players, as well as any newcomers, will have one final opportunity to earn a Day 2 berth tomorrow, Saturday, December 6^th, for Day 1c, which starts at noon. local time.

The surviving players from each flight will then return at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 7^th, to play down to a winner.

MSPT Winter Poker Classic Remaining Schedule

Make sure to keep it here at MSPTpoker.com to find out who makes it through to Day 2!

Photo: Matt Kirby

MSPT Hall of Famer Matt Kirby tossed out his 60,000 stack from early position, and Ariel Pressman looked him up from the cutoff.

Matt Kirby:
Ariel Pressman:

Kirby was at risk needing help, a king appeared in the window on the flop, leaving him needing running help.

Unfortunately for the three-time champ, the turn wasn’t a card he wanted to see, as it left him drawing dead to the river.

Ariel Pressman - 477,000
Matt Kirby - 0

With 35 players remaining, the hand-for-hand process has now started as only 34 of them will be making it to Day 2.

Photo: Ariel Pressman

Michael Aman opened under the gun for 20,000 and was called by Ariel Pressman from the hijack, along with Rory Linton from the big blind.

The flop was then checked to Aman, who fired out a 20,000 continuation bet, and only Pressman called ot see the turn.

Aman then upped his bet to 45,000, and Pressmann met him with a quick call.

Once the completed the board on the river, Aman kept his foot on the pedal, leading out with an all-in bet, and Pressman decided to risk his 115,000 stack.

Aman quickly rolled over , but it was no good, as Pressman tabled to collect a double-up with two-pair.

Michael Aman - 585,000
Ariel Pressman - 420,000

Yesterday’s starting flight saw 25 players advance from a 219-player field into Sunday’s Day 2, and another group of 34 hopefuls will be looking to join them after tonight's Day 1b flight.

Photo: Alan Baker

Action on the table folded to Alan Baker, who moved his 61,000 stack in the middle from the button, and MSPT champ Curtis Vierstraete looked him up from the big blind.

Alan Baker:
Curtis Vierstraete:

Baker rolled over two paint cards, but wasn’t able to find either on the runout, securing Vierstraete the knockout.

Curtis Vierstraete - 200,000
Alan Baker - 0

Playing Day 1b of the MSPT Season 16 Winter Poker Classic $1,110 Main Event at Running Aces Casino in Columbus, Minnesota?

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