Ameristar East Chicago

Marvin Donaldson Soars to the Top to Lead 19 Survivors After Day 1B of the MSPT 2025 Indiana Poker State Championship

A lengthy day of 15 levels has wrapped up during the MSPT Season 16 Indiana Poker State Championship at the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, as Day 1b drew 169 entries to bring the two-day total thus far to 265, guaranteeing that the $300K GTD will be surpassed with tomorrow’s final flight still to go.

Of those 169 entries, only 19 players remained when chips went into bags, with Marvin Donaldson going on a late-night heater to take 663,000 into Day 2, which is good enough for second overall thus far.

Finishing the night in a close second was Ariel Pressman, who found a gift at the end of the night and received a double with aces to end with 590,000.

MSPT champ Jeff Copeland secured the final elimination of the night to take 543,000 into Day 2, while fellow champ Kyna England collected 455,00 to put in her bag to end the night, and Jennifer Lin (419,000) rounded out the top five stacks of the flight.

Others who survived the second starting flight included the MSPT’s top casher DJ Buckley (334,000), MSPT champ Jason Mendoza (283,000), John “Farmboy” Kurfman (211,000), fellow MSPT champ Richard Bai (141,000), and Dennis Stevermer (137,000), as they were just a few more of the players to add their names to the Day 2 roster along with the 11 to have already advanced from Day 1a.

Among those to fire and fall on Day 1b included two-time MSPT champ Ken Baime, ”Wild” Bill Romer, Jesse Green, Season 16 top earner Ryan Eamon, and MSPT champ Mike O’Neill, to name a few.

Those players, as well as any newcomers, have one last starting flight to jump back into action with Day 1c starting tomorrow at noon.

Late registration and re-entries will remain open through Level 12 (approximately 9:10 p.m.).

Congratulations to everyone who advanced to Day 2.

We will be back tomorrow for coverage of Day 1c on MSPTPoker.com, providing updates straight from the tournament floor at the Ameristar Casino.

MSPT Season 16 Indiana Poker State Championship Schedule

End Day 1B Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Marvin Donaldson	663,000	745,000
Ariel Pressman	590,000	650,000
Jeffrey Copeland	543,000	410,000
Kyna England	455,000	300,000
Jennifer Lin	419,000	345,000
DJ Buckley	334,000	340,000
Michael Estes (IL)	284,000	250,000
Jason Mendoza	283,000	375,000
John Kurfman	211,000	180,000
Eric Phillips	198,000	100,000
Matthew Shepsky	179,000	260,000
Mac Levereng	144,000	100,000
Richard Bai	141,000	93,000
Dennis Stevermer	137,000	190,000
Joe Kollab	129,000	255,000
Dallas Garcia	116,000	90,000
Paul Choi	93,000	115,000
Joseph Bangart	84,000	100,000
George Pappas	68,000	115,000

MSPT Champ Jeff Copeland Wins Race to Burst the Bubble

MSPT Champ Jeff Copeland raised the button and then called the big blinds 76,000 three-bet jam.

Big Blind:
Jeff Copeland:

Coplenad was ahead holding a pair of fives, and they held strong, as the runout secured him the elimination to burst the bubble, ending play for the night.

Jeff Copeland - 500,000

Hand-for-Hand Begins

After the elimination of MSPT champ Matt Porter, the hand-for-hand process has now begun as 20 players remain, and only 19 of them will be making it to Day 2.

Day 1A Chip Counts

Yesterday’s starting flight saw Frederick Ginther bag the top stack with 796,000, leading the 11 players who advanced from a 96-entry field, and the 19 players who make it through today will join that group on Sunday, August 17^th, at 11:00 a.m. for Day 2.

Day 1A Chip Counts

England Picks Up Cowboys in the Big Blind to Double Through Shepsky

MSPT champ Jason Mendoza raised to 18,000 from middle position, only to have Matt Shepsky fire out a 48,000 three-bet from the small blind, and fellow MSPT champ four-bet jam for 71,000 from the big blind.

After Mendoza quickly released his hand into the muck, Shepsky tossed out a call, and both hands were tabled.

Kyna England:
Matt Shepsky:

England woke-up with a premium hand of kings, and the flop didn’t change much.

The turn did pair Shepsky, but it wasn’t enough as the river secured England her double-up.

Matt Shepsky - 260,000
Kyna England - 160,000

The MSPT Heads to JACK Cleveland August 26th - September 1st!

Don't miss this upcoming MSPT Festival at JACK Cleveland Casino featuring $1M in total Guarantees, a $750K GTD Main Event & 6 Gold Cards to be awarded

: JACK Cleveland Poker Room - Cleveland, OH

: Aug. 26 - Sept. 1, 2025

: 6 Gold Card Events

: Main Event 293

: $1M in Guarantees / $750,000 GTD Main Event

: Senior Tour Event Included

msptpoker.com

Bai Sets Up Slyvinskyi to Stay Alive

MSPT Champ Richard Bai (pictured above) open-jammed 38,000 under the gun, and Bohdan Slyvinskyi looked him up from the big blind.

Richard Bai:
Bohdan Slyvinskyi:

Bai was racing for his tournament life, and kept the lead after the flop.

The dealer then kept things sweaty after they turned the , but then followed with the on the river, improving Bai to a set to stay alive.

Richard Bai - 93,000
Bohdan Slyvinskyi - 85,000

Chip Collectors & Givers

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Ariel Pressman	595,000	420,000
Marvin Donaldson	445,000	405,000
Jason Mendoza	375,000	235,000
DJ Buckley	340,000	185,000
Jeffrey Copeland	335,000	290,000
Eric Phillips	315,000	170,000
Joe Kollab	255,000	200,000
John Kurfman	180,000	210,000
George Pappas	115,000	140,000
Michael Estes (IL)	100,000	170,000
Richard Bai	93,000	62,000
Bala Iyer	92,000	112,000
Matthew Porter	90,000	230,000
Dallas Garcia	90,000	80,000
Bohdan Slyvinskyi	85,000	133,000
Kyna England	70,000	90,000
Daniel Johnson	65,000	55,000
Justin Lynch	55,000	70,000
Paul Choi	39,000	51,000
Frank Cerminara SR	0	52,000
Thomas Grutsch	0	90,000
Bret Martin	0	39,000
Charlie Reichard	0	50,000

Michael Holm Secures an Ultimate Victory!

For the second time this season, the MSPT made its way to East Chicago, IN, and players have been duking it out over the past week inside the Ameristar Casino for its 13-Gold Card Event Series!

In Event #4: $300 Ultimate Stack NLH, 195 ultimate players took to the tables and created a $47,775 prize pool, reserved for the top 21 players.

Among those to take a piece of the prize pool but fall before the final table were MSPT champ Matt Porter (11^th Place - $908), Jennifer Mandel (12^th Place - $908), Shawn Quinn (15^th Place - $717), Dustin Ethridge (17^th Place - $621), and Joseph Saltanovitz (20^th Place - $573).

Walking away with the ultimate victory was Michael Holm, who was able to claim the lion's share of the prize pool along with his first Gold Card!

Final Table Results