Ameristar East Chicago

Luyt Tran Soars to the Top to Lead 18 Survivors After Day 1B of the MSPT 2026 Indiana Poker State Championship

Only 14 levels were needed to wrap up Day 1b of the MSPT Season 17 Indiana Poker State Championship at the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, as the second starting flight drew 158 entries to bring the two-day total thus far to 264, guaranteeing that the $300K GTD will be surpassed with tomorrow’s final flight still to go.

Of those 158 entries, only 18 players remained when chips went into bags, with 13:30 remaining in the Leavel (3,000,5000,5000) as Luyt Tran went on a late-night heater to take 554,000 into Day 2, which is good enough for second overall thus far.

Sitting behind Tran was Imran Sajwani (475,000), as he edged out Brett “Pops” Reichard (474,000) to sit in second place, while Tom Koral (414,000) was the only other player to clip the 400k mark.

Chicago’s Tyler Schmidt found himself a top five stack with 390,000, while Event #1 winner Jorge Galarza (383,000), Xi Nguyen (380,000), WSOP bracelet winner Garrett Dwire (264,000), Nino Papava (75,000), and Kirstin Ives (63,000), as they were just a few more of the players to add their names to the Day 2 roster along with the 12 to have already advanced from Day 1a.

Among those to fire and fall on Day 1b were WSOP bracelet winner John Reading, two-time MSPT champ Ken Baime, Nino Papava, Marty Masar, Jake Bazeley, and MSPT champ Mike O’Neill, to name a few.

Those players, along with 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.).

This is a best-stack forward event: If a player qualifies for Day 2 more than once, they may only play the higher chip stack; any lower stack(s) will be removed from play at the start of Day 2 and receive the lowest Day 2 payout.

Player of the Year points will only be awarded for the higher stack. Players will only receive credit for a single MSPT Main Event cash finish.

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 17 Indiana Poker State Championship Schedule

End Day 1B Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Luyt Tran	554,000	560,000
Imran Sajwani	475,000	290,000
Brett Reichard	474,000	375,000
Tom Koral	414,000	365,000
Tyler Schmidt	390,000	360,000
Jorge Galarza	383,000	270,000
Xi Nguyen	380,000	381,000
Matthew Schurter	330,000	284,000
Garrett Dwire	264,000	275,000
Chris Clark	210,000	150,000
Darren Sorensen	210,000	220,000
Peter Fox	180,000	195,000
Thomas Grutsch	135,000	120,000
Nino Papava	75,000	80,000
Jesse Cohen	73,000	103,000
Daniel Yoshiba	69,000	270,000
Matthew Shepsky	66,000	68,000
Kirstin Ives	63,000	61,000

Sung Pil Kim Set Up on the Bubble

Photo: Sung Pil Kim

Sung Pil Kim raised all-in from the hijack, and Chris Clark went over the top from the cutoff, giving him isolation.

Sung Pil Kim:
Chris Clark:

Kim was at risk needing help, but none came on the flop.

Things then got worse for Kim, as the dealer turned the case , improving Clark to top set, leaving Kim drawing dead to the river.

Chris Clark - 200,000
Sung Pil Kim - 0

Chip Collectors & Givers

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Luyt Tran	560,000	260,000
Xi Nguyen	381,000	320,000
Brett Reichard	375,000	160,000
Tom Koral	365,000	320,000
Tyler Schmidt	360,000	440,000
Imran Sajwani	290,000	190,000
Matthew Schurter	284,000	80,000
Garrett Dwire	275,000	230,000
Jorge Galarza	270,000	270,000
Thomas Grutsch	120,000	140,000
Jesse Cohen	103,000	125,000
Nino Papava	80,000	30,000
Sung Pil Kim	70,000	37,000
Matthew Shepsky	68,000	30,000
Kirstin Ives	61,000	80,000
Bruce Fagan	0	180,000
DJ Buckley	0	40,000
Zac Campbell	0	57,000
Frank Cerminara SR	0	210,000
Michael Suggs	0	100,000
Matthew Porter	0	75,000
Umut Ozturk	0	8,000
Joseph Saltanovitz	0	49,000

Yoshiba Rivers Kastelic for a Knock Out

Photo: Anthony Kastelic

MSPT Champ Anthony Kastelic raised all-in for 31,000 from middle position, and Daniel Yoshiba looked him up from the cutoff.

Anthony Kastelic:
Daniel Yoshiba:

Kastelic was behind holding two live connecting cards, and the flop paired both players, giving Kastelic the lead with top pair.

The dealer then turned the , keeping Kastelic in the lead, and just as he was looking good to score a double-up, the came crashing down on the river, giving Yoshiba two pair, ending his night.

Daniel Yoshiba - 280,000
Anthony Kastelic - 0

Take a Look Through the Day 1B Photo Gallery!

Playing Day 1b of the MSPT Season 17 $1,110 Indiana Poker State Championship at Amerista Casino?

Have family or friends in action?

Click here to browse our Photo Gallery tab and see if you can find their photo, courtesy of the event photographer, German Marin.

Woggon Loses Race to Yoshiba

Photo: Daniel Yoshiba

Jacob Woggon tossed out his 30,000 stack from under the gun, and Daniel Yoshiba looked him up from the small blind.

Jacob Woggon:
Daniel Yoshiba:

It was a classic race, with the flop keeping things sweaty, as it gave Woggon Yoshiba’s outs with a gut shot straight draw.

Unfortunately for Woggon, both the turn and river were bricks, ending his night.

Dabiel Yoshiba - 250,000
Jacob Woggon - 0

Updated Chip Counts & Bust Outs

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Tyler Schmidt	440,000	230,000
Tom Koral	320,000	208,000
Xi Nguyen	320,000	280,000
Daniel Yoshiba	270,000	185,000
Luyt Tran	260,000	390,000
Garrett Dwire	230,000	265,000
Darren Sorensen	220,000	170,000
Imran Sajwani	190,000	80,000
Bruce Fagan	180,000	95,000
Brett Reichard	160,000	37,500
Umut Ozturk	150,000	190,000
Thomas Grutsch	140,000	0
Jesse Cohen	125,000	53,000
Michael Suggs	100,000	115,000
Matthew Schurter	80,000	178,000
Kirstin Ives	80,000	87,000
Matthew Porter	75,000	120,000
Zac Campbell	57,000	30,000
Joseph Saltanovitz	49,000	30,000
DJ Buckley	40,000	30,000
Sung Pil Kim	37,000	46,000
Matthew Shepsky	30,000	22,000
Josh Reichard	0	30,000
Kirby Rogers	0	80,000
Christopher Weber	0	66,400
Darrin Bell	0	38,000
Anthony Kastelic	0	70,000
Gediminas Poska	0	127,000
Michael Estes (IA)	0	30,000
Travia McGirt	0	149,700

Day 1B Registration Closed

Players have returned from their fourth break of the evening, meaning registration is now closed for Day 1b of the MSPT Season 17 Indiana Poker State Championship at the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago.

This flight recorded 158 entries, which, along with the 106 entries tallied from Day 1a, brings the tournament total to 264 thus far, with one flight still to go tomorrow.

The plan is to play until the hard stop of 11% of the field, rounded up (18 players), is reached.

Yesterday’s Day 1a saw 12 players advance, and the tournament clock now reads 33 players remaining, with another 18 hopefuls looking to join them as we head into the final levels of play this evening.

MSPT World Rankings!

It’s no surprise that the Josh Reichard currently has the #1 MSPT World Ranking

The Top 64 will compete in the MSPT $20K Heads Up Freeroll Championship “Winner Take All” during the 2026 MSPT Winter Poker Classic at Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack in December (bracket format).

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