Running Aces Card Club

Curtis Vierstraete Leads as 26 Players Advance from Day 1A of MSPT Running Aces

Day 1A of the MSPT Running Aces Main Event attracted 166 entrants – up from the Fall’s 159 runners – and after 14 levels of play just 26 remained with Curtis Vierstraete and his stack of 379,000 leading the way.

Vierstraete, who hails from North Dakota, has three MSPT cashes totaling $6,952, with his single best being $2,657 for finishing 25^th in this event back in September. However, his best-ever cash was $39,212 for finishing runner-up to Kou Vang in the 2010 Fall Poker Classic.

Others who bagged big stacks were MSPT Pro Matt Kirby (266,500), Jared Koppel (245,000), Sam Hanson (238,000), and Mark Reid (227,000), who round out the top five.

While they didn’t amass quite as many chips, plenty of notables punched their ticket to Day 2 including Aaron Johnson (187,000), MSPT Pro Matt Alexander (180,000), MSPT Season 7 Canterbury Park champ Jon Kim (130,500), former MSPT Running Aces champ Mark Sandness (81,000), reigning MSPT Player of the Year Rich Alsup (66,500), and the most recent inductee into the Minnesota Poker Hall of Fame Tony Hartmann (49,000).

Of course, not everyone was so fortunate. Among those to fall on Day 1A were former MSPT Running Aces champs Jeremy Dresch and Luke Arora, World Series of Poker bracelet winner John Reading, MSPT Pro Blake Bohn, Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Mike Schneider, MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Mark Hodge, and two-time champ Peixin Liu.

Those players and anyone else looking to take a shot can enter the Day 1B flight, which will take place at 4 p.m. local time on Saturday. That’s when our coverage will resume, so be sure to join us then.

End-of-Day 1A Chip Counts

Curtis Vierstraete 379,000
Matt Kirby 266,500
Jared Koppel 245,000
Sam Hanson 238,000
Mark Reid 227,000
Aaron Johnson 187,000
Matt Alexander 180,000
Scott Delong 177,000
Mark Jaroslawski 156,500
Jonathan Kim 130,500
Brian Berthiaume 127,500
Tyler Rettig 126,000
Ben Marsh 115,000
Jim Boone 86,500
Mark Sandness 81,000
Zephanian Baer 73,500
Katie Gebhart 73,000
Bruce Wolfe 69,000
Rich Alsup 66,500
Rocky Wylie 66,000
Dennis Stevermer 58,500
Tony Hartmann 49,000
Jason Seitz 44,000
Joe Barnard 43,500
Susan Roberts 38,000
John Pierce 36,000

Four More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play four 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.

Scott Delong Scores Double Elimination

David Margulies open-jammed for 7,300 from middle position and Mark Sandness called from the cutoff. Alex Smith then three-bet all in over the top for 18,900, Scott Delong flatted from the big, and Sandness called the additional 11,600 to see the flop.

Delong moved all in, and the chased Sandness from the hand.

Margulies:
Smith:
Delong:

Delong took the lead by flopping top pair, and he held onto it after the appeared on the turn followed by the on the river.

Scott Delong - 150,000
Alex Smith - Busted
David Margulies - Busted

"Joey Dimples, You've Got This"

Joe Barnard got his stack of 24,200 all in preflop and found himselt at risk against Gerrit Wierbos.

Wierbos:
Barnard:

“Joey Dimples, you’ve got this,” MSPT Pro Matt Alexander encouraged Barnard, who let slip a smile.

The flop gave Barnard a little help, but he needed more to stay alive. The turn was just what he had in mind, and he doubled through Wierbos after the was run out on the river.

Joe Barnard - 53,000
Gerrit Wierbos - 50,000

A Couple Late Night Tweets

Bad beats and coolers

Alex Smith raised to 4,300, Aaron Johnson called from the button and both of the blinds folded.

On the flop, Smith bet 4,500 and Johnson called.

The dealer put out the turn, Smith checked, Johnson bet 7,500, Smith raised to 16,000 and Johnson called.

On the river, Smith bet 30,000, Johnson went all in for 49,000, Smith called and the cards were turned over.

Johnson
Smith

While Smith had flopped a set, Johnson turned a bigger set and hit quads on the river!

Aaron Johnson 150,000
Alex Smith 25,000

A Look at the Big Stacks

Mark Jaroslawski - 430,000
Sam Hanson - 300,000
Curtis Vierstraete - 295,000
Mark Reid - 190,000
Mark Sandness - 175,000
Jonathan Kim - 150,000

Hanner No More

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.