Ameristar Casino St. Charles

Day 1c of the MSPT Season 17 $1,110 Ameristar Poker Open Main Event attracted 238 runners, which, along with the 248 from the previous two flights, brought the total field up to 486 entries, shattering the $300k guarantee.

The massive field generated a $469,920 prize pool, and the top 54 players will get paid a minimum of $2,112, while the eventual winner will walk away with a $100,901 first-place prize, along with the MSPT Season 17 Main Event title!

At the end of the third and final flight, players bagged and tagged, with Charlie Reichard bagging the chip lead after he started catching steam in the final levels to put a whopping 716,000 in his bag, good enough for the second overall stack heading into Day 2.

Another player to catch steam throughout the day was Dylan Crawford, who was able to run up an impressive 511,000 stack, while WSOP Circuit king Maurice Hawkins (475,000), Hal Kilgore (455,000), and Austin Schaal (387,000) rounded out the top five.

They were joined by Andros Ioakimides (384,000), William McCracken (304,000), Dalton Jones (283,000), MSPT Champ Chris Audrain (245,000), and Mark Lafata (195,000).

Among those to try and fall on Day 1c included defending Champ Mike Estes, fellow MSPT Champ Justin Lynch, James Grimes, MSPT Champ Brian Landon, Justin Coliny, and MSPT Hall of Famer Keith Heine, just to name a few.

The surviving players from all three flights – of which there are 54 (8 from Day 1a, 19 from 1b, and 27 from 1c) – will return at 11:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, September 6^th, to play down to a winner.

The MSPT live reporting crew will be on the floor throughout the remainder of the tournament to provide updates, so keep it here to catch the action!

MSPT Season 17 Ameristar Poker Open Remaining Schedule

Tim Vance opened for 15,000 from middle position and then called off his 132,000 stack after Hal Kilgore jammed for more from the big blind.

Tim Vance:
Hal Kilgore:

Vance found himself racing for his tournament life and was able to maintain the lead after the flop hit the felt.

However, the dealer then turned the , putting Kilgore in the lead with one card to go.

Vance was hoping to find a nine on the river, but the completed the board and ended his night on the bubble.

Hal Kilgore - 455,000
Tim Vance - Eliminated

Photo: Ryan Tepen

Charlie Reichard raised under the gun, and action folded to Ryan Tepen, who defended his big blind to see a flop.

Tepen check-raised after Reichard fired out a continuation bet, and was called.

Once the hit the turn, Tepen move dhis remaining chips into the middle and was snap-called.

Ryan Tepen:
Charlie Reichard:

Tepen was left needing the board to pair either a king or a seven just to chop the pot, but the fell on the river and sent him packing.

Charlie Reichard - 600,000
Ryan Tepen - Eliminated

Photo: Hal Kilgore

Hal Kilgore raised from middle position and then called Derek Schroeder’s three-bet jam from the small blind.

Derek Schroeder:
Hal Kilgore:

Schroeder was behind and needed help, but the flop didn’t provide any.

The dealer then turned the giving Schroeder some more outs with a gutshot straight draw, but the that fell on the river was a brick, ending his tournament.

Hal Kilgore - 300,000
Derek Schroeder - Eliminated

Photo: Mike Estes

Defending Champ Mike Estes opened under the gun for 15,000, only to call a 35,000 three-bet Shawn McCracken made from the cutoff.

Once the flop hit the felt, Estes tossed his remaining stack into the middle and was quickly called by McCracken.

Mike Estes:
Shawn McCracken:

It was a cooler situation for Estes, as McCracken not only rolled over the better made hand, but also the better club draw, and the turn followed by the river ended the two-time Champ’s run.

Shawn McCracken - 300,000
Mike Estes - Eliminated

Reigning MSPT Player of the Year Jake Long has accumulated the most Gold Cards to date, collecting eight of them last season, while MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard sits behind him with five.

Full Leaderboard

Photo: Austin Owens

Ryan Tepen opened for 8,000 from middle position and was called by Hal Kilgore from the button before Austin Owens squeezed his 89,000 stack into the middle from the small blind.

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

Austin Owens:
Ryan Tepen:

Owens rolled over a dominating hand, and faded the runout to collect a double-up.

Ryan Tepen - 240,000
Austin Owens - 190,000