The Venetian

Three Time Bracelet Winner Ryan Leng Bags Top Stack to Lead 8 Survivors After Day 1A

Day 1a of the MSPT $1,100 Main Event Season 16 Opener at the Venetian Resort is officially in the books with 70 total entries tallied and the talented field that entered came to play as action at the tables proved to be eventful from start to finish.

Almost a full 16 levels were needed to reach 11% of the field as the hard stop was reached with 15:11 remaining in the level with three-time WSOP bracelet winner Ryan Leng finding his way to the top, ending the night with 578,000.

Leng started building a stack early in the day and finished the night with the final elimination to lead the eight surviving players by a wide margin.

Finishing the night in second place was fellow bracelet winner Francis Anderson who found a late-night double to take 488,000 into Day 2.

Shachar Haran finished the night third in chips with 212,000 while Michael Arellano (178,000), and Iaron Lightbourne (160,000), rounded out the top five stacks of the night.

Others who found a Day 2 berth included David Sommer (80,000), Jon Michael Gisler (52,000), and Steven Merwin (18,000).

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through the night.

Among those to fire and fall in Thursday’s starting flight included five-time bracelet winner Calvin Anderson, Kenneth Chikamura, two-time bracelet winner Martin Zamani, Aditya Prasetyo, along with WSOP bracelet winners Darren Rabinowitz & Braxton Dunaway were just a few who took their shot at a bag on Day 1a only to come up short.

All who have yet to advance will have two more starting flights to jump back in the action.

Day 1b will get underway at 11:10 a.m. on Friday while Day 1c will take place at the same time on Saturday. Late registration and re-entries will remain open through Level 9 (approximately 5:55 p.m.) for both flights.

The surviving players from each flight will then return at 11:00 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!

MSPT Venetian Season 16 Opener Remaining Schedule

End Day 1A Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Ryan Leng	578,000	422,000
Francis Anderson	488,000	489,000
Shachar Haran	212,000	209,000
Michael Arellano	178,000	177,000
Iaron Lightbourne	160,000	164,000
David Sommer	80,000	95,000
Jon Michael Gisler	42,000	57,000
Steven Merwin	18,000	48,000

Leng Trips Up Schultz to Burst the Bubble

Three-time bracelet winner Ryan Leng raised from middle position and Jeremy Schultz called from late position.

The two went heads-up to a flop and Leng tossed out a continuation bet which was called by Schultz.

The fell on the turn and action was checked to the river where Leng moved all in.

Schultz thought for a brief moment and then called off his shorter stack.

Leng tabled for trip aces which was good as Schultz tossed into the muck ending play for the evening.

Ryan Leng - 578,000
Jeremy Schultz - 0

MSPT Heads to Bally's Black Hawk Casino for the Season 16 Showdown Series January 15th - 26th!

The third stop of the 16th season will see the MSPT head to the beautiful mountainside of Black Hawk, Colorado, as we return to Bally's Casino for the Showdown Series January 15th - 26th!

A total of 17 trophy events will take place during the two-week span, with the $400 Monster Stack Kickoff NLH getting things started at noon on Wednesday, January 15th.

The opening event boasts a $100k guarantee and will hold four starting flights with Day 1b following Thursday, January 16th, Day 1c Friday, January 17th, and Day 1d Saturday, January 18th, all with noon start times.

The survivors from all flights will then reconvene at 11:00 for Day 2 on Monday, January 20th, and will play until a winner is crowned.

The following trophy events will then feed into the headlined $1,110 Main Event running from Thursday, January 23rd through Sunday, January 26th, which will feature a $300K guarantee for its three starting flights.

Last season saw the MSPT crown two Main Event Champions at Black Hawk with Mo Nuwwarah taking down the opener after he outlasted 822 runners for $155,189 while Sherman Wu became the reigning champ after he topped a 606-entry field to take him his fist title along with $123,059.

Who will be next to add their names to the list of aforementioned champions?

The MSPT live reporting crew will be on hand to provide live updates as the answer to that question is determined.

Late Night Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Francis Anderson	489,000	525,000
Ryan Leng	422,000	270,000
Shachar Haran	209,000	198,000
Michael Arellano	178,000	80,000
Iaron Lightbourne	164,000	169,000
David Sommer	95,000	82,000
Jeremy Schultz	89,000	228,000
Jon Michael Gisler	57,000	81,000
Steven Merwin	48,000	68,000

Leng Makes His Move on Schultz

Jon Michael Gisler opened for 10,000 from late position and was called by three-time bracelet winner Ryan Leng from the button, along with Jeremy Schultz from the big blind.

The flop was checked to Gisler who tossed out a 11,000 continuation bet only to have Leng raise to 27,000.

With action back on Schultz, he decided to make a 75,000 three-bet which prompted a quick fold from Gisler while Leng four-bet jammed putting Schultz to the test.

Schultz spent some careful time in the tank but decided to pick a better spot to risk his remaining stack.

Ryan Leng - 382,000
Jeremy Schultz - 89,000
Jon Michael Gisler - 57,000

Anderson Cools Off West to Catapult to the Top

A series of preflop raises led to MSPT champ Ron West getting his 216,000 stack in the middle from the small blind and WSOP bracelet winner Francis Anderson called from the cutoff holding 289,000.

Ron West:
Francis Anderson:

It was a cooler situation for West, as he ran into the best made hand at the wrong time, and he was unable to improve on the runout as his night came to an end.

Francis Anderson - 525,000
Ron West - 0

Counts & Empty Seats

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Francis Anderson	525,000	264,000
Ryan Leng	270,000	245,000
Jeremy Schultz	228,000	204,000
Shachar Haran	198,000	224,000
Iaron Lightbourne	169,000	157,000
David Sommer	82,000	40,000
Jon Michael Gisler	81,000	7,000
Michael Arellano	80,000	76,000
Steven Merwin	68,000	60,000
Shadd Baudoin	0	115,000
Joshua Brunner	0	101,000
Jessica Vierling	0	54,000
Ron West	0	79,000

Big Blind Special Secures Sommer a Double

Three-time WSOP bracelet winner raised from the hijack and David Sommer defended his big blind to see a flop.

Sommer checked to Leng who put him all in, and Sommer called off his 18,000 stack.

David Sommer:
Ryan Leng:

Sommer pulled ahead after connecting with the flop and the turn followed by the river secured his double-up.

Ryan Leng - 245,000
David Sommer - 40,000

Ace High Keeps Baudoin Alive

MSPT champ Ron West raised from late position only to call Shadd Baudoin’s 56,000 three-bet jam from the button.

Shadd Baudoin:
Ron West:

Baudoin was ahead holding an ace and the was all he would need as the runout kept his Main event hopes alive.

Shadd Baudoin - 115,000
Ron West - 79,000