If anyone predicted that the Day 1a turnout for the Mid-States Poker Tour $1,110 Main Event at Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan was going to compete with the record-setting Day 1a field set last October, they were right.

The first of three starting flights closed with 646 entries, putting it just behind with the record-setting 672 total Day 1a entries set last year.

Almost a full 16 levels were needed to hit the hard stop of 76 players with Brian Newman (688,000) edging out Imari Love (601,000) for the top stack of the first flight.

WSOP bracelet winner Jean “Prince” Gaspard (576,000), Frank Lagodich (508,000), and Brek Schutten (496,000) rounded out the top five stacks.

Other players to survive the first flight were MSPT Hall of Famer Pat Steele (433,000), Ravi Raghavan (430,000), WSOP bracelet winner Satoshi Tanaka (416,000), Dominic Brazier (402,000), and Bryant Miller (348,000).

Among those to try and fall on 1a include MSPT Hall of Famer’s Kou Vang, & Aaron Johnson, along WSOP bracelet winner’s Keven Stammen and Will Givens.

Those players, as well as any newcomers, have two more starting flights to jump back into action.

Day 1b will kick off at Noon local time Friday, while the third and final flight, Day 1c, will take place at the same time on Saturday.

The surviving players from each flight will then return at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday to play down to a winner.

Join us tomorrow as we continue to bring you all the action and eliminations straight from the tournament floor of FireKeepers Casino!