Action Underway in the $600 Kickoff Event at the Maryland State Poker Championship
The Maryland State Poker Championship is underway at Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland, with Day 1b of the $600 Kickoff Event taking place at 11:15 a.m. local time. The PokerStars sponsored tournament will feature a $300,000 guaranteed prize pool, with six Day 1 starting flights taking place over four days. Players who advance from each flight will combine and return for Day 2 on Sunday, August 4, where a winner will be crowned.
Last year's installment of the event attracted 1,016 competitors and resulted in a three-way chop, with Ryan Donnelly, John Lanese, and Chad Beatty all taking home $54,898.
2023 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Donnelly | $54,898* |
| 2 | John Lanese | $54,898* |
| 3 | Chad Beatty | $54,898* |
| 4 | Solomon Woldmariam | $26,149 |
| 5 | Michael Warren | $19,962 |
| 6 | Jane Hitchcock | $15,636 |
| 7 | Samuel Curlee | $12,248 |
| 8 | Gregory Parker | $9,642 |
| 9 | Chris Bilinsky | $7,610 |
*Denotes three-way deal
Day 1a concluded last night, with 96 runners entering the first flight, but only 12 making it through to Day 2. It was Tim Faro who bagged the massive chip lead, with 679,000.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Faro | 679,000 |
| 2 | Michael Marsico | 395,000 |
| 3 | Kevin Solomon | 324,000 |
| 4 | Chaloemphon Phuangchit | 301,000 |
| 5 | Allen Alvarez | 246,000 |
| 6 | Marshall Tarzy | 223,000 |
| 7 | James Dike | 152,000 |
| 8 | Andy Schmegel | 142,000 |
| 9 | Brian Funk | 127,000 |
| 10 | Shiraz Hasan | 114,000 |
Players will begin each starting flight with 30,000 in chips and blinds will begin at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Blinds will increase every 30 minutes on Day 1 and every 40 minutes on Day 2. Play for Day 1 flights will conclude once 12.5% of the field remains, and those who bag will be in the money for Day 2.
Late registration and re-entries are permitted through level 8, with 15-minute breaks taking place every four levels. Unlimited re-entries are allowed and players may play additional Day 1 flights in an attempt to increase their chip counts. Should a player choose to play multiple Day 1 flights, only the highest qualifying stack will be permitted to continue to Day 2.
Event 2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1a | July 31 | 6:15 p.m. |
| Day 1b | August 1 | 11:15 a.m. |
| Day 1c | August 1 | 6:15 p.m. |
| Day 1d | August 2 | 11:15 a.m. |
| Day 1e | August 2 | 6:15 p.m. |
| Day 1f | August 3 | 11:15 a.m. |
| Day 2 | August 4 | 11:15 a.m. |
Also up for grabs is a Gold Pass to the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event in November. PokerStars will be awarding the last online qualifier standing the Gold Pass package, which includes travel, accommodation, and the $5,300 tournament buy-in.
Be sure to follow PokerNews throughout the entirety of the $600 Kickoff Event here at the Maryland State Poker Championship.