The #MSPT100, which is what we’ve been calling this weekend’s 100th Main Event, proved to be a record-breaking affair at Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa. In the tour’s 15 previous stops, the largest field was 451 entrants. Thanks to turnouts of 211 and 255 entries on Days 1A and 1B respectively, the total field grew to 466 runners!
That means the prize pool will be distributed to the top 45 players with the eventual winner taking home $108,120. Of the 52 Day 1B survivors, Jon McKamie is best positioned to make a run at it with his stack of 250,500. That is a good bit behind that of Gabriel Neighbors, who bagged the Day 1A lead with 317,500.
McKamie is looking for his first tournament cash since 2010, which is when he took down a $230 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo tournament at the Gold Strike Winter Classic in Tunica. He took home $3,702 for that win.
Others who made it through on Day 1B were Vlad Revniaga (218,000), last year’s MSPT Meskwaki spring champ Keith Heine (212,000), four-time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner Mark Fink (199,500), and 2016 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker champ Andy Rubinberg (196,500), who round out the top five Day 1B stacks.
Some players that made it through on smaller stacks were MSPT Season 5 Running Aces champ Mark Sandness (166,000), 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker champ John Sun (143,000), PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah (117,000), and MSPT Season 4 Ho-Chunk champ Josh Reichard (100,500).
On Sunday, they will join survivors from 1A that include reigning champ Ken Komberec (111,000), the first-ever MSPT Meskwaki champ Moon Ahmed (68,500), MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Mark Hodge (54,500), and former NFL running back Fred Jackson (37,000).
Among those who failed to make it through to Day 2 were Minnesota poker pro Kou Vang, Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup, WSOP bracelet winner John Reading, and former champs Jason Sell, Dan Sun, Peixin Liu, and Blake Bohn.
Day 2 will get underway at 11 a.m. on Sunday and will play until a winner is crowned. Remember, the final table will be live streamed worldwide both here and on Twitch. Be sure to join us then as we bring you all the latest and greatest from the #MSPT100.