FireKeepers Casino

Jason Smith Leads 86 Day 1C Survivors; Field Swells to 1,066 to Make It Largest Tournament in Michigan History

The MSPT’s ninth visit to FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan proved to be a record-setting affair. Four years ago, the first-ever MSPT event at the venue drew 272 total entries. The latest swelled to 1,066 entrants, which surpassed last October’s MSPT field of 884 to make it the largest poker tournament in Michigan history!

Day 1C of MSPT FireKeepers Casino drew 452 runners, which along with Day 1A’s 250 and 1B’s 364, brought the total field up to over 1,000 runners. It marked the first time in tour history that a MSPT Main Event outside of Las Vegas not only reached the four-figure mark, but will also award an over $1 million prize pool to players.

The top 99 are slated to get paid a minimum of $2,272, while the eventual winner will take home $216,829. In addition, the runner-up will also receive a six-figure payday of $131,646. The man from Day 1C best positioned to make a run at it is Jason Smith, who bagged the chip lead among the 82 surviving players with 331,000.

That is behind Day 1B chip leader Travis McIntosh (362,500) but ahead of Day 1A chip leader Brian Eklund (238,000). Smith is a familiar face on the MSPT and has even done commentary work for us. He has three MSPT final tables under his belt including a third-place finish here at FireKeepers one year ago, good for $69,228.

Others who survived the Day 1C fracas were big stacks Joseph Rahman (314,500), Daniel Panone (266,500), and Firas Sadou (262,500). They were joined by the inaugural MSPT FireKeepers champ (185,500), WSOP bracelet winner Adam Friedman (149,500), EPT4 Copenhagen champ Tim Vance (97,500), and Nick Pupillo (52,000)

Among the notables that failed to make it through to Day 2 were World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Jivkov, MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup, two-time champ Jason Zarlenga, #MSPT100 champ Jason Ramos, and defending champ Brett Blackwood.

The surviving 86 players from Day 1C will join the 120 (48 from Day 1A and 72 from 1B) from the first two flights, meaning 206 players will return on Sunday.

Day 2 will kick off at 11 a.m. local time on Sunday and play down to a winner no matter how long it takes. Join us then as we bring you all the action straight from the tournament floor of the FireKeepers Casino Poker Room.

End-of-Day 1C Chip Counts

Three More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play three more hands before bagging and tagging on Day 1C.

Stay tuned for the day’s recap, survivors with chip counts, and the Day 2 seat draw.

Big Call Pays Off for Joseph Rahman

Joseph Rahman raised preflop and received three callers. All four players then checked the flop before the dealer burned and turned the .

Rahman led out for 9,000, another player raised to 20,000, and a third player moved all in for 116,000. The fourth player got out of the way and Rahman, who had a stack of 117,000, paused for a few beats before making the call. The player in between got out of the way.

Rahman:
Opponent:

Rahman had flopped trips and all he needed to do was dodge an ace on the river to win a nearly 300K pot.

The dealer burned one last time and put out the , a safe card as far as Rahman was concerned.

Joseph Rahman - 295,000

Jason Smith Wins Another Monster to Extend Chip Lead

Day 1C has belonged to Jason Smith, who not only sits with the biggest stack in the room, but currently has more than any players from Days 1A and 1B.

In a recent hand, the player in the cutoff limped and Smith raised to 6,000 from the button. Both blinds folded, the limper called, and the flop came down .

The cutoff checked, Smith bet 12,000, and a check-raise to 50,000 followed.

Smith responded by moving all in and his opponent snap-called off for around 150,000!

Smith:
Opponent:

Smith had flopped the nut straight, but his opponent could still win with either a seven or nine. The turn was safe for Smith, and so was the river.

Jason Smith - 380,000

Inaugural MSPT FireKeepers Champ Sends One to the

Tom Midena, who won the first ever MSPT Main Event held at FireKeepers Casino, raised to 4,000 from middle position only to have the player on the button three-bet all in for 21,300. Action folded back to Midena and he thought for a bit before dropping in a call.

Midena:
Opponent:

Midena was ahead, but the flop made things scary as it gave his opponent a flush draw.

Fortunately for Midena, neither the turn nor river completed it and he scored the KO.

Tom Midena - 180,000

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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 on Day 1C.

McPherson flops quads

We missed the action, but on a board reading Ryan McPherson got all in the chips in the middle holding against his opponent who held

Ryan McPherson - 160,000

A Round of Chip Counts

Jason Smith - 230,000
Casey Carroll - 190,000
Randall Brooks - 187,000
Tom Midena - 160,000
Brian Berthiaume - 150,000
Abe Montenegro - 105,000
Brett Reichard - 100,000
Ravi Raghavan - 90,000
Adam Friedman - 65,000
Tim Vance - 55,000
Buck Bucceria - 55,000
Nick Pupillo - 50,000
Jimmy Ray - 45,000
Carlos Monteiro - 38,000
George Dietz - 35,000
Scott Hammett - 32,000
Jason Zarlenga - 27,000