Grand Falls Casino

Terry Williams Leads Advancing 30 Day 1b Survivors

The Mid-States Poker Tour Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Iowa – which is just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota – attracted 100 runners on Day 1b, which along with Day 1a's 87 entries brought the total field up to 187. That surpassed the advertised $150,000 guarantee by creating a $187,000 total prize pool that will be distributed to the top 18 players.

A min-cash is worth $2,805, but of course everyone has their eyes fixed on the $52,360 first-place prize. The man from 1b best positioned to make a run at it is Terry Williams, who bagged up 135,500. That is quite a bit behind Day 1a chip leader Wesley Ismay, who will begin Day 2 as the overall chip leader with 224,500.

Williams, who hails from Yankton, South Dakota, is looking for his first MSPT cash and to top his career-best score of $15,000, which he earned when he finished 685^th in the 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event.

Others who advanced from the Day 1b flight are big stacks Dale Berger (133,000), Ryan Meyer (130,000), and Ross Reichert (120,500); 2014 MSPT Grand Falls runner-up Jeff Bryan (92,500); Wisconsin's Brett Reichard (59,500); MSPT Meskwaki runner-up Ryan Phan (46,500); and four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Mark Fink (37,000).

Among those to fall over the course of play on Saturday were MSPT Pros Blake Bohn and Matt Alexander; MSPT Season 6 Running Aces champ Erv Bjerga; PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah; MSPT Season 4 Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells champ Josh Reichard; and two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Jeff Fielder. Most, if not all, of those players are expected to try their luck at our next stop, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells in two weeks.

Day 2 of the MSPT Grand Falls Casino will kick off at 11 a.m. local time on Sunday and the field will play down to a winner. We'll be back then to bring you all the action and eliminations straight from the tournament floor. Be sure to join us then.

End-of-Day 1b Chip Counts

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Terry Williams 135,500
Dale Berger 133,000
Ryan Meyer 130,000
Ross Reichert 120,500
Steven Fundermann 114,000
Jerry Evert 112,000
Keith Doering 106,500
Christopher Burke 99,500
Jeff Bryan 92,500
Thomas Sundling 86,000
Noel Chladek 85,500
Doc Hanson 85,000
Russell Louwagie 74,000
Parminder Singh 72,500
Victor Ruzhitsky 67,000
Gary Germann 63,500
Thomas Shea 63,500
Brett Reichard 59,500
Brian Vickers 57,500
Donavon Denning 46,500
Ryan Phan 46,500
Pamela Oddan 44,000
Alan Ahmann 42,000
Adrian Johnson 40,000
Mark Fink 37,000
Graham Beynon 36,000
Chase Robers 33,500
Cary Long 31,000
Theodore Takasaki 24,500
Craig Deutsch 23,000

Three More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play three more hands before bagging and tagging on Day 1b. Stay tuned for a list of survivors with chip counts, a recap of the Day 1b action, and the Day 2 seat draw.

Brian Johnson Eliminated By Noel Chladek

Action folded to Brian Johnson on the button and he jammed his last 19,000. Noel Chladek snap-called from the big blind and Johnson discovered the bad news.

Johnson:
Chladek:

Johnson was in need of some major help, but he was left wanting as the board ran out a dry .

Noel Chladek - 75,000
Brian Johnson - Busted

Matthew Harugan Eliminated While Thomas Shea Triples

Thomas Shea limped under the gun and Matthew Harugan, who was next to act, moved all in for 18,700. Action folded to Adrian Johnson on the button, and he moved all in for 55,000. Both blinds folded and Shea called off for 16,400.

Shea:
Johnson:
Harugan:

Shea held the best hand, and he improved upon it when the flop fell . The turn left both his opponents drawing dead in the main pot, and the river allowed Johnson to eliminate Harugan and win the small side pot.

Thomas Shea - 55,000
Adrian Johnson - 39,000
Matthew Harugan - Busted

Gary Dimisi Doubles Through Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers raised to 6,000 from early position and a short-stacked Gary Dimaci moved all in for 12,600 from the cutoff. Action folded back to Vickers, and he called the additional 6,600.

Dimaci:
Vickers:

Dimaci was well out in front and strengthened his position when the flop gave him a set. The turn left Vickers drawing dead, and he sent over some chips after the was run out on the river.

Brian Vickers - 63,000
Gary Dimaci - 28,000

Updated Chip Counts from Table 16

1 – Adrian Johnson ... 81,000
2 – Steven Fundermann ... 63,000
3 – Thomas Shea ... 30,000
4 – Craig Deutsch ... 40,000
5 – Matthew Harugan ... 20,000
6 – Terry Williams ... 60,000
7 – Alan Ahmann … 44,000
8 – Ryan Meyer ... 25,000
9 – Victor Ruzhitsky ... 70,000
10 – Graham Beynon ... 50,000

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.

Chase Robers Gets Lucky to Eliminate PokerNews Reporter Mo Nuwwarah

Chase Robers opened for 4,200 from the hijack and PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah, who had lost most of his chips shortly before after missing a flush draw against trips, three-bet all in for 15,300 from the big blind. Robers called and Nuwwarah was primed to double.

Nuwwarah:
Robers:

Nuwwarah was well out in front, and the flop didn’t present any problems. However, that is when the dealer burned and turned the to put a dagger through Nuwwarah’s heart. He could still win with a ten on the river to make Broadway, but it wasn’t meant to be as the paired the board.

Chase Robers - 50,000
Mo Nuwwarah - Busted

Mark Fink Eliminates Jeff Fielder

Four-time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner Mark Fink raised to 3,500 from middle position and Jeff Fielder, a two-time ring winner himself, three-bet all in for 21,000 from the button. The blinds both folded and Fink made a quick call.

Fielder:
Fink:

Fielder had a kicker problem, and it did not get resolved as the board ran out .

Mark Fink - 100,000
Jeff Fielder - Busted