Ho-Chunk Gaming WI Dells

Combined Day 2 Seat Draw

Day 2 Seating assignments are below

Cards in the air at 11:00 a.m. Sunday in the main poker room.

1 1 Jim Casement 46,000
1 2 Zachery Schneider 76,500
1 3 Anthony Knepper 34,000
1 4 Ryan Hickey 141,500
1 5 Zal Irani 92,500
1 6 Brett Peich 49,500
1 7 Andrija Solovjev 37,000
1 8 Matthew Alexander 230,500
1 9 Charles Kahler 51,000

2 1 Douglas Redmann 61,500
2 2 Steven Gantner 111,500
2 3 Jason Hartwig 41,000
2 4 Josh Reichard 170,500
2 5 Justin Thurlow 151,500
2 6 Nicholas Barnett 28,000
2 7 James Kasputis 18,000
2 8 Grant Slayton 199,000
2 9 Janel Englebert 152,000

3 1 Katie Day 66,000
3 2 Christopher Dasch 40,000
3 3 John Capozzi 70,500
3 4 Jason Bender 246,000
3 5 Jose Serratos 24,000
3 6 James Ross 170,500
3 7 Zachary Graydon 69,000
3 8 James Callea 93,000
3 9 Jason Reno 189,500

4 1 Rich Alsup 102,000
4 2 Mike Burns 272,500
4 3 Brian Berthiaume 116,500
4 4 Matthew Shwartz 122,500
4 5 Nicholas Pupillo 260,500
4 6 Kyle Kramer 43,000
4 7 Michael Esquevel 76,000
4 8 Oleg Badmayev 92,500
4 9 Joseph Matheson 139,000

5 1 Christopher Emery 119,000
5 2 Byron Ziebell 107,500
5 3 Timothy Belstner 149,500
5 4 Daniel Goepel 168,000
5 5 Thomas Peebles 229,500
5 6 Bharin Shah 33,500
5 7 Paul Rohloff 99,500
5 8 Jason Seitz 43,500
5 9 Liding 30,500

6 1 Kyle Swanson 84,000
6 2 Rob Wazwaz 96,000
6 3 Lawrence Warmke 42,500
6 4 Brian Rudolph 69,000
6 5 Chad Bscherer 60,500
6 6 Jeffrey Fielder 117,000
6 7 David Gonia 42,000
6 8 Nick Jivkov 111,000
6 9 Monty Schmidt 137,000

7 1 Matt Kirby 143,500
7 2 William Koenig 140,000
7 3 Jason Ramos 245,500
7 4 Joe Rake 104,500
7 5 Terry Fox 111,000
7 6 Yorell Groves 61,000
7 7 Jason Smith 148,500
7 8 Mark Johnson JR 81,500
7 9 Scott Sitron 118,500

8 1 John Reading 59,000
8 2 Nicola Ditrapani 281,500
8 3 Adam Lamphere 133,000
8 4 Mark Reid 157,500
8 5 Rebecca Messenger 61,500
8 6 Peter Ruszkiewicz 96,000
8 7 Kou Vang 73,500
8 8 Andrew Rubinberg 82,500
8 9 Gary Cripps 156,500

9 1 Jason Banfi 16,000
9 2 Andrew Rogowski 70,000
9 3 Anselmo Villarreal 67,000
9 4 Steven Pike 171,000
9 5 Kurt Sheckler 56,500
9 6 Ryan Page 133,500
9 7 David Pahl 111,000
9 8 Leonard Lewandowski 208,000
9 9 Mark Hodge 116,500

10 1 Michael Partipilo 134,500
10 2 Scott Johnson 73,500
10 3 Howard Hankin 108,500
10 4 Marius Toderici 174,500
10 5 William Vincent II 84,000
10 6 Ben Kachan 135,500
10 7 Mike Kachan 65,500
10 8 Joel Klipping 109,000
10 9 Scotter Clark 32,500
10 10 Bruce Swart 31,500

Ditrapani Leads 52 Day 1b Survivors; Bender and Slayton Lurk

Thanks to a massive turnout of 281 entries on Day 1b, the 2^nd Annual Wisconsin State Poker Championship at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells surpassed the inaugural field of 463 by officially attracting 489 entries. As a result, a $489,000 prize pool was generated and will be distributed to the top 45 players with a min-cash being worth $2,364 and the eventual winner taking home $120,808!

After 14 levels of play, just 52 players bagged up chips with Nicola Ditrapani (Picture) and his stack of 281,500 leading the way. Others who finished with big stacks were Mike Burns (272,500), current MSPT POY leader Jason Bender (246,000), Jason Ramos (245,500), and Grant Slayton (199,000), who round out the top five.

Slayton's story was particularly interesting. The owner of Brothers On Oak – one of the most popular bars in nearby Baraboo – opted to take a Saturday night off to play some poker. It proved a fruitful decision as Slayton not only bagged big, but did so in exciting fashion by winning a huge hand against Andrew Rubinberg in the closing minutes. You can read that hand by simply checking out the post below this one.

Of course not everyone was so fortunate. Among those to fall on Day 1b were Johnny Hayes, who won the MSPT Ho-Chunk back in November; local businessman Larry Ormson; two-time MSPT champ Jason Zarlenga; MSPT Pro Blake Bohn; Mark "P0ker H0" Kroon; and former EPT Copenhagen champ Tim Vance.

Regarding Kroon, it was déjà vu as he fired two bullets and missed, just like he did on Day 1a. We missed Kroon’s first bustout of the day, but we managed to catch the second. It happened when there was roughly 3,500 in the pot and a flop of ​. The player in the small blind checked, Kroon moved all in for his last 3,025, and Chris Emery called from middle position. The small blind got out of the way and the cards were turned on their backs.

Emery:

Kroon:

Kroon had flopped middle pair, but Emery held a flush draw with overs.

“Do it on the river,” Kroon told the dealer, who did not oblige and instead did it on the turn by putting out the ​. Emery took the lead and he held it as the bricked the river for Kroon.

While hundreds fell a select few punched their tickets to Day 2 including 2013 MSPT Ho-Chunk champ Josh Reichard (170,500), MSPT Pro Matt Kirby (143,500), reigning MSPT Player of the Year Mark Hodge (116,500), the vocal Howard Hankin (108,500), and local player Charles Kahler (51,000).

All of those players, as well as the rest of the Day 1b survivors, will join the 39 who made it through Day 1a for Day 2 action on Sunday. Among those returning from Day 1a are chip leader Nick Pupillo (260,500), MSPT Pro Matt Alexander (240,500), and last year's runner-up Thomas Peebles (229,500).

Cards will be in the air at 11:00 a.m. local time, and play will continue through the money bubble onward until a winner is crowned. We'll bring you all the action leading up to the final table in the live blog at which point the final 10 will battle it out on the MSPT Live Stream, which you'll be able to watch by clicking the "Live Stream" tab here in the blog.

Two More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play two more hands before bagging and tagging for the evening. We’ll have a full list of survivors, chip counts, and a recap of the Day 1b action shortly. Stay tuned.

Slayton Wins Massive 200K Pot

At the beginning of the day we told you about Grant Slayton, owner of the Baraboo bar Brothers On Oak, AKA BOO. Slayton hosts a weekly poker game on Tuesday nights, and that practice has served him well here on Day 1b.

In a recent hand, Josh Reichard opened for 5,200 from middle position and Slayton called from middle position. Andrew Rubinberg came along from the small blind and three players took a flop of . Two checks put action on Slayton, and he simply moved all in for 92,700. Rubinberg seemed perplexed and thought for a long time before making the call, which left him around 60,000 back. Reichard quickly folded.

Rubinberg:

Slayton:

“That’s not good,” Rubinberg bemoned upon seeing his flush draw was no good. That said he was still drawing to live cards and a gutshot straight.

The turn was just what he was looking for, and suddenly Slayton was on the ropes. Fortunately for him, he rebounded when the spiked on the river to give him a winning pair of queens.

With that, the BOO proprietor vaulted up to over 200,000!

Vance Done in By Ganter

“Ace,” we heard former EPT Copenhagen champ Tim Vance call from Table 10. We made out way over to discover that he was involved in a three-way all in against Steve Gantner and another player.

Vance:

Gantner:

Other Player:

“It would have went in on the flop anyway,” Gantner told Vance after the flop came down . Vance was still in need of an ace to stay alive, but the turn changed that by giving Gantner a set. Vance suddenly needed a jack to stay alive, but instead the bricked to send him to the rail.

Bender Seeks More POY Points; Eliminates Metzinger

Action folded to Jason Bender, who currently leads the MSPT Season 7 POY race with 900 points, and he raised to 5,000 on the button. Tyler Metzinger pushed back with a three-bet to 17,000 from the small blind, and after the player in the big folded, Bender four-bet all in.

Metzinger thought long and hard before calling off the 35,000 or so he had behind, and the cards were turned up.

Metzinger:
Bender:

“I didn’t think you were that strong,” Metzinger admitted. Still, he was drawing to two live cards.

The flop meant Metzinger could also win with a ten, but he was left wanting as the blanked on the turn followed by the river.

Metzinger was eliminated on the hand while Bender chipped up to 175,000.

The Ladies Love Coffin

We’re not sure how the chips went in, but we do know Nate Coffin was all in preflop from the small blind for his last 18,900 and at risk against Matt Vaughan, who was on the button.

Coffin:
Vaughan:

Coffin was well out in front, and that’s just where he stayed after the board ran out a clean . Vaughan dropped to 9,000 after the hand while Coffin doubled to 40,000.

Some Late Night Glamour Shots

The tournament clock says 79 players still remain here on Day 1b. Here are some of those looking to bag and tag…

Last Break of the Night

Players are now on their last 10-minute break of the night. When they return they’ll play two more levels before bagging and tagging for Day 2. Stay tuned to see who makes it!

Some Updated Chip Counts from Tables 13-18

We have a new chip leader in town, and it’s Oshkosh’s Mike Burns with 215,000! We missed how he got them, but as his table explained it he won a monster after getting a bit lucky. His opponent had flopped a set, but Burns hit runner-runner to make a flush and vault into the chip lead.

Here are some big stacks from half the room:

Mike Burns - 215,000

Nicola Ditrapani - 200,000

Michael Kamenjarin - 150,000

Brian Rudolph - 100,000

Michael Esquivel - 100,000

Matt Schwartz - 95,000

Doug Redmann - 90,000

Rob WazWaz - 80,000

Steve Belland - 75,000

Tim Vance - 55,000

Matt Vaughan - 54,000

Tyler Metzinger - 38,000