Golden Gates Casino

Bobby Opila Leads as 10 Advance from Day 1A of the 2018 MSPT Denver Poker Open at Golden Gates Casino

The first of three starting flights in the 2018 MSPT Denver Poker Open $1,100 Main Event drew 78 runners, but after 15 levels of play just 10 remained with Bobby Opila and his stack of 330,500 leading the way.

Opila is seeking his second MSPT cash after having finished 63^rd in the MSPT Season 7 Golden Gates $360 Regional Event for a modest $857. He’s headed into Day 2 with enough chips to potentially make a deep run.

Others to bag included James Kitchen (199,500), Daniel Holland (176,000), Shawn Kjetland (168,000), Max Chrisp (164,500), Aaron Frei (140,000), Carlos Lopez (118,500), Brian Leitch (109,000), Richard Trenholme (108,000) and Rob Baker (46,500).

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through the night. Among those to try and fall were MSPT Season 9 Golden Gates Regional champ Bobby Faecher, Nebraska’s Phil Mader, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Chris Tryba, and the ever-aggressive Greg Geller.

The Day 1B flight will get underway at Noon local time on Friday, with 1C to follow at the same time on Saturday. The surviving players from each flight will then return on Sunday to play down to a winner.

The entirety of the Main Event will be live reported here in the blog, while the final table action will also be live streamed worldwide on a 15-minute delay with hole cards. Bryan Mileski and Ben Valder will be providing commentary for the final table action.

Nasty River Sends Andreas Ramadanis to the Rail

Shawn Kjetland opened for 7,100 from the cutoff only to have Andreas Ramadanis move all in for 26,300 from the small blind. Kjetland didn’t seem excited about it but made the call nonetheless.

Ramadanis:
Kjetland:

Ramadanis had the better ace and was primed for the double after both the flop and turn.

However, you can tell from the title of this post what happened next. The dealer burned one last time and put out the to give Kjetland two pair and the knockout.

Shawn Kjetland - 175,000 (58 bb)
Andreas Ramadanis - Busted

James Kitchens Is Cooking With River Water

James Kitchens limped from the cutoff, Aaron Frei limped in the small blind, and Andreas Ramadanis checked his option in the big blind.

Action checked to Kitchens on a flop, and he bet 6,000. Frei called and Ramadanis folded.

The turn was checked by Frei, and Kitchens bet 10,000. Frei called.

Frei led out for 16,000 on the river, and Kitchens quickly raised to 30,000 which was ruled a raise to 32,000. Frei went into the tank for a minute before tossing out a reluctant call, and mucking after Kitchens revealed for a runner-runner flush.

James Kitchens - 150,000 (50 bb)
Aaron Frei - 90,000 (30 bb)

Daniel Holland Takes From Brian Leitch

Daniel Holland raised to 7,000 from the button, then called a three-bet to 20,000 from Brian Leitch in the small blind.

Leitch fired another 20,000 on the flop, and Holland raised to 53,000 after some thought. Leitch went into a mini tank of his own for a minute, then elected to toss his hand in the muck.

Daniel Holland - 185,000 (62 bb)
Brian Leitch - 100,000 (33 bb)

David Ramig Done and Dusted

Collin Sharpe opened for 5,500 from the lojack and David Ramig called from the hijack. James Kitchens then three-bet to 17,000 from the cutoff and action folded back to Sharpe, who folded.

Ramig then jammed for 65,700 and Kitchens thought long and hard before making the call.

Kitchens:
Ramig:

Ramig was dominated and failed to get lucky as the board ran out .

James Kitchens - 165,000 (69 bb)
David Ramig - Busted

The Resurgence Of Max Chrisp

Max Chrisp limped from UTG, as did Brian Leitch in the hijack. Caleb Pence jammed for 50,000 from the small blind, Chrisp called, and Leitch folded face-up.

Chrisp:
Pence:

Chrisp’s trap had worked to perfection, and the flop kept him in command, while Leitch smirked upon seeing he would’ve flopped trip aces. The turn left Pence dead to the river, and Chrisp took down the pot and the knockout.

Max Chrisp - 190,000 (79 bb)
Caleb Pence - Busted

Brian Leitch Doubles Through Chip Leader Robert Opila

Max Chrisp limped from UTG, and Brian Leitch raised to 9,000 from the hijack. Robert Opila called in the big blind, and Chrisp folded.

Opila bet 15,000 on a flop, prompting Leitch to say, “Well, this could suck...I’m all in.” Opila confirmed the 41,400 total bet, then flicked a chip in the pot to call.

Leitch:
Opila:

Leitch’s aces held through the turn and river. “Great hand!” Opila said with a smile as he paid off his debt to Leitch.

Robert Opila - 260,000 (108 bb)
Brian Leitch - 110,000 (46 bb)

Checking It Down with Aaron Frei & Daniel Holland

Aaron Frei raised to 5,700 on the button and Daniel Holland called from the big blind.

Both players proceeded to check it down as the board ran out .

Holland showed the and then Frei rolled over the to win the small pot.

Aaron Frei - 65,000 (27 bb)
Daniel Holland - 200,000 (83 bb)

Daniel Holland Makes Big Slick Do The Trick

Daniel Holland raised to 4,500 from the cutoff, and Collin Sharpe made the call from the small blind.

Sharpe checked a flop over to Holland, who bet 5,200. Sharpe check-raised to 13,000, and Holland made the call.

Sharpe fired 14,000 on the turn, and Holland again made the call.

Both players checked the river, and Sharpe said, “You’re good,” before eventually showing . Holland tabled for the winner.

“I didn’t have the courage to fire,” Sharpe told Holland, who responded with, “I was insta-calling that river!”

Daniel Holland - 190,000 (95 bb)
Collin Sharpe - 70,000 (35 bb)

Brian Leitch Jams The Turn

Caleb Pence raised to 5,000 from the hijack, and was called by Max Chrisp on the button and Brian Leitch in the big blind.

Leitch checked the flop to Pence, who bet 7,000. Chrisp and Leitch both called.

The fell on the turn, and Leitch jammed for 26,400. Pence thought for a half a minute before folding, and Chrisp tabled as he mucked.

“Show the deuce!” Pence said to Leitch, but Leitch elected to simply muck with a big grin on his face.

Caleb Pence - 80,000 (40 bb)
Brian Leitch - 65,000 (33 bb)