The MSPT’s ninth visit to FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan proved to be a record-setting affair. Four years ago, the first-ever MSPT event at the venue drew 272 total entries. The latest swelled to 1,066 entrants, which surpassed last October’s MSPT field of 884 to make it the largest poker tournament in Michigan history!
Day 1C of MSPT FireKeepers Casino drew 452 runners, which along with Day 1A’s 250 and 1B’s 364, brought the total field up to over 1,000 runners. It marked the first time in tour history that a MSPT Main Event outside of Las Vegas not only reached the four-figure mark, but will also award an over $1 million prize pool to players.
The top 99 are slated to get paid a minimum of $2,272, while the eventual winner will take home $216,829. In addition, the runner-up will also receive a six-figure payday of $131,646. The man from Day 1C best positioned to make a run at it is Jason Smith, who bagged the chip lead among the 82 surviving players with 331,000.
That is behind Day 1B chip leader Travis McIntosh (362,500) but ahead of Day 1A chip leader Brian Eklund (238,000). Smith is a familiar face on the MSPT and has even done commentary work for us. He has three MSPT final tables under his belt including a third-place finish here at FireKeepers one year ago, good for $69,228.
Others who survived the Day 1C fracas were big stacks Joseph Rahman (314,500), Daniel Panone (266,500), and Firas Sadou (262,500). They were joined by the inaugural MSPT FireKeepers champ (185,500), WSOP bracelet winner Adam Friedman (149,500), EPT4 Copenhagen champ Tim Vance (97,500), and Nick Pupillo (52,000)
Among the notables that failed to make it through to Day 2 were World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Jivkov, MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup, two-time champ Jason Zarlenga, #MSPT100 champ Jason Ramos, and defending champ Brett Blackwood.
The surviving 86 players from Day 1C will join the 120 (48 from Day 1A and 72 from 1B) from the first two flights, meaning 206 players will return on Sunday.
Day 2 will kick off at 11 a.m. local time on Sunday and play down to a winner no matter how long it takes. Join us then as we bring you all the action straight from the tournament floor of the FireKeepers Casino Poker Room.