Ameristar East Chicago

Brett "Pops" Reichard Takes Overall Chip Lead into Day 2 As a Final 27 Players Advance After Final Starting Flight

Day 1d of the MSPT Season 16 Ameristar East Chicago $1,110 Main Event attracted 237 runners, which along with 1a's 61, 1b’s 101, and 1c’s 220, brought the total field up to 619 entries, blasting past the $300k guarantee.

The field generated a $598,930 prize pool, paying the top 71 players with the eventual winner walking away with a six-figure first-place prize, along with the Main Event trophy.

At the end of the fourth and final flight, the hard stop of 27 players was reached in Level 16 with Brett “Pops” Reichard sitting atop the chip counts with 855,000 as he will bring the overall stack into Day 2.

Reichard was involved in a massive pot right before the final break which catapulted him to the top of the chip counts, edging out Aziz Kassam (778,000).

Daniel Hughes (650,000), and MSPT champ Jason Mendoza (508,000) were also beneficiaries of some late-night luck to round out the top five stacks with Jeff Schwartz (447,000).

They were joined by MSPT champ Bee Yang (309,000), defending champ Tim Thorp (88,000), MSPT champ Anthony Scarborough (86,000), and DJ Buckley (27,000).

Among those not as lucky at the felt included Ben Mintz, Sarah Stefan, Ryan Eamon, last November’s fifth-place finisher Nic DiTrapani, and MSPT Hall of Famer Keith Heine.

The surviving players from all four flights – of which there are 71 (7 from Day 1a, 12 from 1b, 25 from 1c, and 27 from Day 1d) – will return tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. local time on Memorial Monday, May 26^th to play down to a winner.

The MSPT live reporting crew will be on the floor throughout the remainder of the tournament to provide updates, so keep it here to catch the action!

MSPT Season 16 Ameristar East Chicago Remaining Schedule

End Day 1D Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Brett Reichard	855,000	780,000
Aziz Kassam	778,000	740,000
Daniel Hughes	650,000	630,000
Jason Mendoza	508,000	315,000
Jeff Schwartz	447,000	350,000
Brian Batt	437,000	30,000
Elik Vodovoz	346,000	240,000
Bee (Nao) Yang	309,000	150,000
Richard Kaplan	280,000	108,000
Chueyee Yang	240,000	118,000
Daniel Jesudason	227,000	201,000
Tim Huong	215,000	235,000
Brian Skupien	214,000	30,000
Philip Carselowey	209,000	215,000
Kevin La Van	206,000	300,000
Nino Papava	175,000	138,000
George Pappas	170,000	220,000
George Koutsloukos	126,000	30,000
Anthony Kastelic	107,000	200,000
Michael Hans	107,000	30,000
Paul Bianchi	107,000	115,000
Daniel Aloia	90,000	30,000
Timothy Thorp	88,000	125,000
Anthony Scarborough	86,000	140,000
Paul Becker	77,000	30,000
James Grimes	40,000	115,000
DJ Buckley	27,000	65,000

Joseph Beller Bubbles Day 1D

MSPT champ Jason Mendoza raised from middle position and then called Joseph Beller’s 70,000 three-bet jam from the big blind.

Joseph Beller:
Jason Mendoza:

Beller was ahead holding a made hand of jacks until the flop fell pairing Mendoza’s king.

The turn left Beller needing any spade or jack to fall on the river to stay alive, but the completed the board and ended his night on the bubble.

Jason Mendoza - 508,000
Joseph Beller - Eliminated

Day 2 Line Up

So far, 44 players have punched their ticket into Day 2, and the final group of 27 hopefuls will look to add their names to that list tonight.

All who make it through until the end of play will return tomorrow, Memorial Monday, May 26^th at 11:00 a.m. for Day 2, where the remaining players from all starting flights will combine and play until a winner is declared.

"Pops" Fills Up on Jesudason to Soar to the Top of the Chip Counts

There was heads-up action between Brett “Pops” Reichard from the small blind and Daniel Jesudason from the big blind with a completed board showing.

With over 250,000 already in the middle, both players were all-in with Reichard’s 264,000 stack at risk.

Jesudason rolled over for trip jacks, but it was no good as Reichard tabled for a full house and collected the massive pot to climb into the chip lead.

Brett “Pops” Reichard - 780,000
Daniel Jesudason - 201,000

Hand-for-Hand

After the elimination of Roger Teska, only 28 players remain meaning the hand-for-hand process has started as only 27 of them will be making Day 2.

Big Slick Secures Pappas a Double Elimination

Nikolay Terziev open-jammed 91,000 under the gun only to have George Pappas go over the top next to act, and Kanat Ozturk call off his 41,000 stack from the small blind.

Kanat Ozturk:
Nikolay Terziev:
George Pappas:

Pappas was behind putting both players at risk but was able to take the lead after the flop fell pairing his king.

The turn kept Pappas out in front while the river secured him the double elimination.

George Pappas - 280,000
Kanat Ozturk - Eliminated
Nikolay Terziev - Eliminated

The Venetian Las Vegas to Host First Ever MSPT MAJOR!!

1ST MAJOR THIS JUNE

: The Venetian Poker Room - Las Vegas, NV

MAJOR
: June 4-8
: $1,600 / $1.5M GTD
: Heart Poker Championship / New MAJOR Award / Event
1.5X POY Multiplier
Live Stream FT

: June 8-12
: $1,100 / $1M GTD
: Event /
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MSPT Senior Tour (1 Day)
: June 14
: 1,100 / $250K GTD
: Event /

Kaplan Fills Up on Pappas for a Double

Richard Kaplan raised all in for 78,000 from middle position and George Pappas fired out a three-bet from the hijack giving him isolation.

Richard Kaplan:
George Pappas:

Kaplan rolled over a premium made hand and found the case king on the runout to stay alive.

George Pappas - 180,000
Richard Kaplan - 165,000

Chip Collectors & Givers

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Daniel Hughes	640,000	497,000
George Pappas	360,000	210,000
Jeff Schwartz	350,000	140,000
Kevin La Van	300,000	239,000
Brett Reichard	294,000	130,000
Jason Mendoza	280,000	218,000
Bee (Nao) Yang	150,000	80,000
Anthony Scarborough	140,000	60,000
Roger Teska	130,000	30,000
Chueyee Yang	118,000	75,000
Paul Bianchi	115,000	37,000
DJ Buckley	100,000	85,000
Timothy Thorp	45,000	250,000
Jamie Payne	0	120,000
George Dietz	0	97,000
Michael Estes	0	78,000
Umut Ozturk	0	65,000
David Kenniston	0	105,000