Day 1A of the MSPT Meskwaki $300K GTD Main Event attracted 203 entries to Tama, Iowa, but after 14 levels of play, just 34 remained with MSPT Season 4 Ho-Chunk champ Josh Reichard, who is also a nine-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, and his stack of 387,500 leading the way.

Others to bag big stacks were Steve Federspiel (284,500), Mike Lang (282,000), Jay Philips (228,000), and Steve Houle (195,000), who round out the top five.

They were joined at the end of the night by the likes of Josh Smith (183,500), 2016 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champion Andy Rubinberg (135,500), Loki Abboud (90,500), MSPT Season 2 Running Aces champ (77,500), Rob Wazwaz (74,000), and 2017 MN Magazine Player of the Year Todd Melander (47,000).

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through. Among those to try and fall were former NFL running back Fred Jackson, PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah, Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year Chris Meyers, and WSOP bracelet winner John Reading.

Likewise, Blake Bohn, Dan “DQ” Hendrickson, Jason Ramos, John Sun, and Keith Heine were just some of the former MSPT champs who found themselves on the rail.

All of those players, along with any newcomers, will have the opportunity to try again on Saturday if they so choose as Day 1B will get underway at 4 p.m. Be sure to join us then as we bring you all the latest and greatest straight from the tournament floor of Meskwaki Casino.