FireKeepers Casino

Isaac Kratchman Leads 33 Day 1a Survivors with 191,000

Season 7 of the Mid-States Poker Tour continued tonight with Day 1a action from FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan. It turned out to be a record-breaking day too as the 165 entries set a record for largest Day 1a flight at the venue. That means the field is on pace to surpass last year's 614 entries.

After 14 levels of play, Isaac Kratchman led the 33 survivors with 191,000 in chips. Others who advanced were Troy Parks (187,000), Chris Moon (142,500), Jake Baumgartner (132,000), World Series of Poker bracelet winner and 2008 Main Event November Nine bubble boy Dean Hamrick (110,000), MSPT Pro Matt Alexander (109,500), WSOP Seniors Champ Dan Heimiller (80,500), and Wisconsin's Rick Syverud (59,500).

Regarding Kratchman, who only has $3,318 in tournament earnings according to HendonMob, he won a lot of his chips in Level 12 (800/1,600/200) off poker pro Kenna James.

It happened when James opened for 3,500 and Kratchman three-bet to 12,700. James made it 29,500 to go Kratchman called, and then both player checked the flop. When the appeared on the turn, Kratchman bet 23,700 and then called when James shoved. Kratchman held top set with the , which bested the of James.

Among those to join James on the rail throughout the day were MSPT Pro Matt Kirby, WSOP bracelet winner Adam Friedman and Nick Jivkov, MSPT Season 4 Player of the Year Patrick Steele, and Casey Carroll, who was fresh off winning the Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago last weekend for $174,469.

All of those players will have the opportunity to try again at Noon on Saturday, which is when Day 1b action will get underway. Once again we'll be on the tournament floor to bring you all the action right here in the MSPT Blog, so be sure to join us then.

End-of-Day 1a Chip Counts

Isaac Kratchman bags the Day 1a chip lead with 191,000 at FireKeepers Casino

33/165 players advance
‪

Isaac Kratchman 191,000
Troy Parks 187,000
Vilasack Phothisan 171,500
Jimmy Ray 170,500
Dale Hackney 166,500
Alfred Singletary II 151,500
Christopher Moon 142,500
Kristopher Bradshaw 133,500
Kimberly Beach 132,500
Jacob Baumgartner 132,000
Mark Samson 130,000
Scott Davis 120,500
Rodney Graham 118,000
Tony Pena 113,500
Dean Hamrick 110,000
Matt Alexander 109,500
Daniel Anulare 104,000
Christopher Blik 92,500
Dan Heimiller 80,500
Joel Ulery 78,500
Scott Pio 69,000
Gennaro Spadafora 62,500
David Gutfreund 62,000
Richard Tokar 60,500
Richard Syverd 59,500
Ralph Callear 59,000
Tim Ebenhoeh JR 57,500
Darren Rice 51,000
Joel Tasman 50,000
Michael Nikolich 43,000
Nick Holton 32,000
Christopher Westbrooks 31,000
Craig Stolsonburg 29,000

Three More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for a list of survivors with chip counts, as well as a full recap of the Day 1a action.

Loghman Mostafaei Drowns on the River

Troy Parks opened for 5,500 under the gun and Loghman Mostafaei, who was next to act, three-bet all in for 22,800. Action folded back to Parks, and he opted to make the call.

Parks:

Mostafaei:

Mostafaei was well out in front and looking to dodge in ace to ship the double. He did so on the flop as well as the turn, but as you can tell from the title of this post, disaster struck as the spiked on the river.

Troy Parks - 165,000

Loghman Mostafaei – Busted

Nick Holton Survives Dan Heimiller

Action folded to poker pro Dan Heimiller in the small blind and he raised to 4,800. Nick Holton responded by three-betting all in for 19,400 from the big, and Heimiller made the call.

Heimiller:

Holton:

Holton was looking to avoid an ace or some other such nonsense, and he did just that as the board ran out a safe .

Dan Heimiller - 70,000

Nick Holton - 40,000

Former WSOP Main Event Bubble Boy on a Roll

Do you know who currently sits fifth on Michigan's all-time money list with $1,727,128? Here’s a hint, the only players in front of him are Jeff Gross ($2,486,788), David "Bakes" Baker ($2,802,877), Ryan Riess ($9,190,619), and Joe Cada ($10,403,598). The answer is Dean Hamrick.

In 2010, Hamrick won a $1,500 no-limit hold'em event at the World Series of Poker for $604,222 and a gold bracelet, but he is perhaps most remembered for bubbling the 2008 WSOP Main Event, meaning he came up one spot shy of making the inaugural November Nine. Still, he did receive a $591,869 consolation prize.

Hamrick is in action here on Day 1a looking for his first MSPT cash, and he's in good shape to bag and tag as he's currently sitting on 140,000.

In a recent hand, there was around 14,000 in the pot and a flop of when Chris Moon checked from the small blind and Hamrick did the same from middle position. Sandra Morse then moved all in for roughly 25,000, Moon folded, and Hamrick snap-called.

Hamrick:

Morse:

It was a brutal set-over-set flop, but fortunately for Hamrick he was on the good end. Neither the turn nor river changed a thing, and Hamrick sent Morse to the rail.

Dean Hamrick - 140,000

Aaron Johnson Runs Kings Into Ralph Callear's Aces

We missed the preflop action unfold, but we do know that Minnesota pro Aaron Johnson got his last 30,000 or so all in preflop and was at risk against Ralph Callear.

Johnson:

Callear:

Johnson ran the second best starting hand smack dab into the one that beat him, and he paid for it with his tournament life after the board ran out .

Ralph Callear - 68,000

Aaron Johnson - Busted

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 the night.

Set Over Set Sees Kratchman Eliminate Kenna

Poker pro Kenna James raised to 3,500 and was met by a three-bet to 12,700 by Isaac Kratchman in the small blind. James pushed back with a four-bet to 29,500 and Kratchman thought for a long time before just calling, which brought about a flop.

Both players checked, the appeared on the turn, and Kratchman led out for 23,700. James responded by moving all in for a bit more and Kratchman snap-called.

“Kings?” James asked. He was correct.

Kratchman:

James:

Both players held a set, but Kratchman’s was best. The river was not the case queen, and James’ run came to an end as Level 12 expired.

Isaac Kratchman - 195,000

Kenna James - Busted

A Round of Chip Counts

Dale Hackney - 195,000

Matt Alexander - 170,000

Al Singletary - 145,000

Chris Blik - 140,000

Isaac Kratchman - 120,000

Jake Baumgartner - 90,000

Scott Davies - 85,000

Tim Ebenhoeh - 80,000

Dan Heimiller - 80,000

Rick Syverud - 67,000

Jimmy Ray - 65,000

Chris Moon - 60,000

Kenna James - 45,000

David Gutfreund - 40,000

Darren Rice - 40,000

Aaron Johnson - 32,000

Steve Clark - 30,000

Bruce Swart - 15,8000

Dusty Feller - 11,100

Kou Vang - Busted