$600 Kickoff Event Day 1f | 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship

08-03-2024 20:23 UTC-5

John Wilson Bags Chip Lead After Day 1f of the $600 Kickoff Event

Tyler Boyer

Level 17 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Day 1f of the $600 Kickoff Event for the 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship has been completed at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. There were 289 entrants, 37 of which bagged up for Day 2. The 37 players who will be advancing to Day 2 have all locked up a minimum cash. The chip leader at the end of the night was John Wilson (557,000).

Wilson who is a Malvern, PA resident, has over $500,000 in career poker earnings. Joining him on the top of the leaderboard is Dale Capuano (467,000) in second, and Matthew Sabia (458,000) in the third.

Day 1f Top 10 Chip Counts

Place	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	John Wilson	United States	557,000
2	Dale Capuano	United States	467000
3	Matthew Sabia	United States	458,000
4	William Childs	United States	455,000
5	Bear Buckley	United States	449,000
6	Eric Lucas	United States	403,000
7	Daniel Isak	United States	393,000
8	John Goveia	United States	393,000
9	Michael Choe	United States	383,000
10	Luis Nieto	United States	328,000

Bubble Hand

The bubble was burst in bizarre fashion, with John Basset being the unfortunate bubble boy. Basset jammed all in with a pair of threes and a gut shot straight draw and was snapped by John Goveia with a flopped straight. Basset was drawing to a chop, but didn't even wait to see the river and stormed out of the tournament area after seeing Goveia’s hand.

With this being the final Day 1 flight, the 37 players who made Day 2 will join the 78 players who qualified in the earlier flights on Sunday August 4th starting at 11:15 a.m. local time.

Full Payouts and level information will be released later tonight.

Besides the top prize and trophy, there will also be a Gold Pass to the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event in November given away. 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 for live updates and coverage until the conclusion of this event.

Tags: Dale Capuano Daniel Isak Eric Lucas Gold Pass John Basset John Bassett John Gove John Goveia John Wilson Luis Nieto Matthew Sabia Michael Choe William Childs

08-03-2024 19:42 UTC-5

Bassett Is the Unfortunate Bubble Boy

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Tyler Boyer

Level 17 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

With players on the stone bubble, action folded to the small blind John Goveia who limped in, and the big blind John Bassett checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came 7♦9♣10♥ and Goveia check-called a bet from Bassett for 22,000.

After the 3♣ on the turn, Goveia checked to Bassett who bet all in, which was snap called by Goveia.

John Bassett: 6♠3♦ All in
John Goveia: 8♦6♣

Once Bassett saw the straight from Goveia, he didn't even wait to see the river before storming out of the tournament area, despite being able to hit an eight to chop the pot. However, the river was the Q♠ and Goveia's straight was best, and Bassett was the unfortunate bubble boy.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Goveia	393,000 258,000	258,000
John Bassett	Busted

Tags: John Bassett John Goveia

08-03-2024 19:02 UTC-5

Tracy Doubles Before Break

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Nick Becker

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

John Wilson raised to 15,000 from under the gun and Trevor Tracy three-bet shoved all in for 124,500, putting himself at risk. Wilson took some time to think through his decision before eventually making the call.

Trevor Tracy: K♥K♦ All in
John Wilson: 8♦8♥

The board ran out 9♦A♥3♠A♦4♦ and Tracy's pocket kings held to secure him the double up on the bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Wilson	496,500

Trevor Tracy	258,000 138,000	138,000

Tags: John Wilson Trevor Tracy

08-03-2024 18:20 UTC-5

Kennedy Dodges Clubs

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Nick Becker

Level 15 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Jeffrey Benhart raised to 10,500 in middle position and James Kennedy called from the small blind.

The flop came K♠7♣9♣ and Kennedy check-raised all in over Benhart's continuation-bet, putting himself at risk. Benhart made the call.

James Kennedy: K♥10♥ All in
Jeffrey Benhart: A♣10♣

The turn and river rolled off the Q♦ and 4♥ respectively, awarding Kennedy the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Kennedy	86,000 86,000	86,000
Jeffrey Benhart	53,000 53,000	53,000

Tags: James Kennedy Jeffrey Benhart

08-03-2024 17:28 UTC-5

Richards Chipping Up

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Nick Becker

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The player in early position moved all in for 9,000, putting himself at risk and was called by Mohamed Salem in the small blind and Cleveland Richards in the big blind.

The flop of 9♣K♣10♥ went check-check, bringing the 8♣ turn. Salem check-called a bet of 6,000 from Richards.

Both players checked the 7♠ river and all hands were tabled. Richards' A♥10♣ for a pair of tens bested the 3♣3♦ of Salem and the A♠3♥ of early position.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed Salem	185,000 127,500	127,500
Cleveland Richards	85,000 85,000	85,000

Tags: Cleveland Richards Mohamed Salem

08-03-2024 16:39 UTC-5

Zambanini Rivers a Straight to Get the Knockout

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Tyler Boyer

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Matthew Zambanini raised under the gun to 6,000, and was called by Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi, and a player in the big blind.

After the flop came 9♦J♦6♣ the big blind and Zambanini checked to Sanjay Kumar Sethi who bet out 11,000. Then the big blind raised to 35,000. Zambanini then three-bet all in for 77,300. Sanjay Kumar Sethi quickly folded, and the big blind called for his last 22,700.

Big Blind: Q♥J♣ All in
Matthew Zambanini: 10♣8♣

The big blind was ahead with his pair of jacks but would need to fade a queen or seven which would give Zambanini a straight. The 3♥ was a safe one, but the 7♦ on the river gave Zambanini the straight to scoop the pot and eliminate the player in the big blind.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew Zambanini	160,500 125,500	125,500
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi	88,400 -35,600	-35,600

Tags: Matthew Zambanini Sanjay Kumar Sethi

08-03-2024 16:03 UTC-5

Kaye Finds the Double Up

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Nick Becker

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Ari Eiblum shoved all in from early position for 21,300 and was called by PokerStars ambassador David Kaye in the small blind, who had 16,500 total.

David Kaye: 8♣8♦ All in
Ari Eiblum: A♦J♥

The board of 7♠5♦2♠3♥5♠ ran out low and clean for Kaye, who secured the much needed double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Kaye	38,000 11,200	11,200

Ari Eiblum	4,800 4,800	4,800

Tags: Ari Eiblum David Kaye

08-03-2024 15:57 UTC-5

Limber's Queens Scoop Three-Way All In

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Tyler Boyer

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Gerald Limber raised from middle position and was called by Eric Florczak in the hijack. Then a player on the button three-bet all in, and the small blind Daniel Beavers four-bet all in. Once it got back to Limber, he made the call to put his tournament at risk, and Florczak folded.

Button: A♠K♥ All in
Gerald Limber: Q♠Q♣
Daniel Beavers: A♣J♦

Limber was ahead with his pocket queens, but after the 6♥K♦7♣ flop the player on the button took the lead with his pair of kings. But the Q♦ turn left the player on the button drawing dead after Limber turned a set of queens. Limber would need to fade a 10 which would give Beavers a Broadway straight. He did just that after the 5♦ river to eliminate the player on the button and scoop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gerald Limber	102,500 102,500	102,500
Daniel Beavers	75,500 -9,500	-9,500
Eric Florczak	46,300 7,900	7,900

Tags: Daniel Beavers Eric Florczak Gerald Limber

08-03-2024 15:25 UTC-5

Tuttle Wins a Flip to Double Up

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Nick Becker

Level 10 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

After several limps preflop, Gina Tuttle was last to act in the big blind and opted to move all in for 25,500, putting herself at risk. Robert Kosydar, who was in the hijack, made the call.

Gina Tuttle: A♥Q♥ All in
Robert Kosydar: 7♠7♦

The board ran out 9♠6♣9♥4♦Q♠, with Tuttle pairing her queen on the river to secure the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gina Tuttle	55,800 55,800	55,800
Robert Kosydar	16,100 -12,400	-12,400

Tags: Gina Tuttle Robert Kosydar

08-03-2024 14:31 UTC-5

Sanjay Kumar Sethi's Pocket Nines are Best

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Nick Becker

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi raised to 2,500 in middle position, the player in the cutoff three-bet shoved all in for 13,600, putting himself at risk, and Charlie Chien cold called in the big blind. Sanjay Kumar Sethi then four-bet all in for 32,500 total and Chien made the call.

Cutoff: 4♠4♥ All in
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi: 9♣9♠ All in
Charlie Chien: 4♦5♣

The board ran out 5♥8♠2♦7♥10♣ and Sanjay Kumar Sethi's pair of nines held to earn him the sizable pot.