Day 1b of the Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces Main Event drew185 entries, which means along with Day 1a’s 159 the total field stands at 344. That smashes the advertised $200,000 guarantee by creating a $344,000 total prize pool.
After 14 levels of play, just 33 players survived with Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Mike Schneider and his stack of 328,500 leading the way. That is ahead of Day 1a chip leader Ron Thompson, who bagged 282,000.
Schneider, who ranks third on Minnesota’s all-time money list with $1,624,974 in career earnings (including a $1 million win in the 2006 partypoker.com Million V Cruise), is seeking his second MSPT final table after finishing third in this very event last season.
Others who punched their ticket to Day 2 were Brian Friesen (236,500), John Alexander (208,000), Peixen Liu (196,500), MSPT Pro Blake Bohn (192,500), recent MSPT Mille Lacs Regional champ Kraig Komrosky (185,500), and MSPT Pro Matt Kirby (23,000).
The surviving players will join the likes of Day 1a survivors MSPT Meskwaki Season 6 champ Rich Alsup (204,500), Vladimir Revniaga (187,500), Rob Wazwaz (186,000), Jeremy Dresch (160,500), MSPT Season 7 Meskwaki champ Keith Heine (143,500), Rick “Moose” Syverud (89,000), and MSPT Running Aces Season 1 winner Jason Seitz (34,000) tomorrow at 11 a.m. local time for Day 2 action.
Of course not everyone could make it through. Among those to fall on Day 1b were former MSPT Running Aces champ Mark Sandness; MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Mark Hodge; father-son combo Brett and Josh Reichard; MSPT Pro and April’s runner-up Matt Alexander; defending champ Luke Arora; and current MSPT Season 7 POY leader John Sun.
Sun’s elimination opens the door for both Rodger Johnson and Travis Lauson, who bagged 85,500 and 91,500 respectively today, to make up some ground in the POY race. Both of those players sit among the top 10 point earners, while Keith Heine, who bagged a stack yesterday, sits in 11th. Things could get interesting.
The returning 59 combined players from the two starting flights will look to make the money at the top 36. We’ll be there every step of the way as the field players through the money bubble on the way to crowing a winner. Be sure to join us tomorrow for all the action and eliminations straight from the floor of Running Aces Casino in Columbus, Minnesota.