JACK Cleveland Casino

Joel Brink Leads As 22 Advance from Day 1A of MSPT Cleveland Poker Open at JACK Cleveland Casino

The second-ever MSPT stop in Ohio kicked off Thursday with the first of three starting flights in the $1,100 buy-in, $300K GTD Cleveland Poker Open. Day 1A attracted 157 entries to JACK Cleveland Casino, crushing last year’s opening flight of 111 entries. After 15 levels of play only 22 remained with Joel Brink and his stack of 400,000 leading the way.

The rest of the top five stacks include “Italian Mike” Iacovone (285,000), Jack Benge (248,000), Anthony Carbone (244,500), and Alex Visbisky (239,000). They were joined by John Nelson (207,500), former MSPT FireKeepers champ Mike Shanahan (198,500), Rob Wenger (138,000), and reigning MSPT Player of the Year Aaron Johnson (38,500).

Among those to try and fall on 1A include Nick Guagenti, Tom and Sherry Hammers, Frank Lagodich, MSPT Meskwaki champ Taylor Howard, last year’s runner-up Daniel Wagner, and former WPT Jacksonville champ Shawn Cunix.

Those players, as well as any newcomers, have two more opportunities to jump back in action. Day 1B will kick off at Noon local time on Friday, while the third and final flight, Day 1C, will take place at the same time on Saturday. The surviving players from each flight will then return at 11 a.m. on Sunday to play down to a winner.

Join us tomorrow as we continue to bring you all the action and eliminations straight from the tournament floor of the JACK Cleveland Casino!

End Of Day 1A Chip Counts

Five More Hands

The remaining players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging for the night.

Aaron Johnson Doubles Up

Action folded to the cutoff and he made it 7,000. Aaron Johnson raised to 18,000 from the button. The blinds folded and Johnson’s opponent shoved all-in. Johnson made the call for his tournament life for about 23,000.

Johnson:
Opponent: h8

Johnson took the huge lead after the flop, and had his opponent drawing dead when the fell on the turn and the on the river filled Johnson up.

John Macdonald Eliminates Another One

Action folded around to the cutoff who open shoved all-in for 38,800. John Macdonald was on the button and he shoved all-in over the top. The remaining players folded and they were heads-up at showdown.

John Macdonald:
Opponent:

When the hit the flop it looked as if it were headed to a split pot. When the hit the turn, it instead gave McDonald’s opponent the lead and left Macdonald looking for a heart or a queen for the win or a ten to chop. The river gave Macdonald the flush and sent his opponent home just short of bagging up for the night.

John Macdonald - 140,000 (46 bb)

Late Night Chip Leaders

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Michele Iacovone	340,000	320,000
Joel Brink	270,000	270,000
Anthony Carbone	245,000	175,000
Mike Shanahan	230,000	168,000
Rob Wenger	212,500	200,000
Jack Benge	185,000	185,000

Rob Wenger Takes From John Nelson

John Nelson raised to 5,500 from the hijack, and only Rob Wenger called in the big blind.

Wenger checked the flop to Nelson, who continued for 5,500. Wenger called.

Both players checked the turn, and Wenger led out for 10,000. Nelson called. Wenger flipped over for a turned two pair, and Nelson mucked.

Rob Wenger - 200,000 (83 bb)
John Nelson - 62,000 (26 bb)

Brett Jones Doubles Through Reigning MSPT Player of the Year Aaron Johnson

Aaron Johnson (pictured, left) raised to 5,500 from the lojack, then snapped off a three-bet shove to 17,800 from Brett Jones (pictured, right) in the hijack.

Johnson:
Jones:

Jones picked a good time to wake up with kings, and he was rewarded with a double after the board failed to produce an ace for Johnson.

Aaron Johnson - 45,000 (19 bb)
Brett Jones - 42,000 (17.5 bb)

A Chopped Pot That Could've Been For John Nelson

There was 12,000 already in the middle when Joel Brink checked a flop from the small blind and John Nelson bet 4,000 from the lojack. Brink responded with a check-raise to 13,000, which Nelson called.

On the turn, Brink led out for 17,000 and Nelson made the call.

Both players checked the river and Brink turned over for nines and fours. Nelson winced and turned over for the same hand, but with a bricked nut flush draw to go along with it, and the two players chopped the pot.

Joel Brink - 170,000 (71 bb)
John Nelson - 130,000 (54 bb)

"Italian Mike" At It Again

With about 35,000 in the pot, and a flop, “Italian Mike” Iacovone got all the chips into the middle and his opponent called.

Iacoboie;
Opponent;

The turn brought the and the river brought and “Italian Mike” continued padding his chip lead.

Mike Iacoboie - 320,000 (133 bb)