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

08-03-2024 14:57 UTC-4

Rippy Rivers a Straight

Nick Becker

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The player in middle position moved all in for 6,300, putting himself at risk, and was called by Arthur Rippy in the hijack and John Bassett on the button.

The flop came 3♥10♣7♦ and Rippy check-called a bet of 5,000 from Bassett, bringing the Q♠ turn which went check-check.

On the J♥ river, Rippy shoved all in for 28,800, putting himself at risk, and Bassett folded.

Rippy tabled 9♦8♦ for a rivered straight, besting the A♦9♠ of middle position, who was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arthur Rippy	59,700
John Bassett	43,500

Tags: Arthur Rippy John Bassett

08-03-2024 14:29 UTC-4

Martin Wins Big with Two Pair

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Nick Becker

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Action was caught on the flop of Q♦J♠6♥ in a hand between Michael Choe in the hijack and John Martin in the cutoff.

With 13,100 in the pot, Choe check-called a bet of 7,500 from Martin, bringing the A♦ turn.

Choe checked again and Martin bet 11,500. Choe then came over the top and moved all in, putting Martin at risk, who had 37,800 behind. Martin thought for a moment and reluctantly put in the call.

John Martin: A♥Q♥ All in
Michael Choe: J♣10♥

The river landed the 8♣ and Martin's two pair, aces and queens, earned him the pot and the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Martin	139,800 94,300	94,300
Michael Choe	7,200

Tags: John Martin Michael Choe

08-03-2024 13:56 UTC-4

Barrera Spikes a King to Double Up

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Tyler Boyer

Level 5 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Benjiman Brown limped in under the gun, and when it folded to Toby Barrera, he raised to 1,500. Mohamed Salem in the small blind, Ivan Loh in the big blind, and Brown all made the call.

The flop came 7♥4♥6♣ when Salem and Loh checked, before Brown led out for a bet of 3,500. Barrea then announced all in for 16,200. Salem then three-bet all in as well, which made Loh and Brown quickly fold, leaving the players heads up, with Barrea at risk.

Toby Barrera: K♥6♥ All in
Mohamed Salem: A♦7♣

Salem had the best hand with his top pair, top kicker. But after the K♣ on the turn, it was Barrera with best hand. The 2♦ river was no help for Salem, and Barrera secured the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed Salem	57,500 33,500	33,500
Benjiman Brown	39,700
Toby Barrera	39,200
Ivan Loh	30,500

Tags: Ivan Loh Mohamed Salem Toby Barrera

08-03-2024 13:47 UTC-4

Chien Turns a Flush to Double Up

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Nick Becker

Level 5 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Action went five-ways to a flop of 3♣8♥4♣, with 8,000 in the middle. Charlie Chien checked in the small blind, David Slotkin who was under the gun bet 4,500, and it folded back around to Chien who called.

The turn landed the 6♣ and Chien led out with a bet of 10,000. Slotkin made the call.

The river brought the 5♠ and Chien moved all in for 10,800, putting himself at risk. Slotkin made the call and saw the bad news when Chien turned over J♣5♣ for a flush.

"Bad time for a set," said Slotkin, as he tossed his cards into the muck.

Slotkin was left with about 20,000 but busted the next hand when his ace-four ran into ace-jack on an ace-high flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Charlie Chien	58,600
David Slotkin	Busted

Tags: Charlie Chien David Slotkin

08-03-2024 12:47 UTC-4

Lake Pulls off Big Bluff

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Nick Becker

Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Action picked up on the river in a hand between Dominic Lake in late position, the player in the hijack, and James Freeze in the big blind.

With a little over 16,000 in the middle and the board reading 9♥4♥K♦9♠8♣, Freeze checked, and Lake moved all in for 16,500.

The hijack got out of the way and Freeze went into the tank, thinking out loud of the possible hands Lake could have.

Freeze ultimately decided to give up his hand and Lake showed J♠10♣ for a busted straight draw.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominic Lake	32,800 32,800	32,800
James Freeze	26,500 26,500	26,500

Tags: Dominic Lake James Freeze

08-03-2024 12:35 UTC-4

Tracy Doubles Up with Big Slick

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Nick Becker

Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

The player in middle position raised to 800 and Trevor Tracy three-bet to 2,200 from the small blind. John Lamplugh cold called in the big blind and middle position called as well.

The flop came Q♦A♥J♣ and Tracy led out for 2,500. Lamplugh raised to 7,000, middle position folded, and Tracy called.

The turn landed the 8♠ and Tracy check-called a bet of 12,000 from Lamplugh.

The river brought the K♣ and Tracy moved all in for 8,300, putting himself at risk. Hands were tabled and Tracy's A♠K♦ for two pair, aces and kings, bested the A♦J♦ of Lamplugh, who had two pair, aces and jacks.

Lamplugh was left with just 2,300 and busted the very next hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Trevor Tracy	61,500 61,500	61,500
John Lamplugh	Busted

Tags: John Lamplugh Trevor Tracy

08-03-2024 11:59 UTC-4

Kings Hold in 6-Bet Pot

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Tyler Boyer

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Mohamed Salem raised to 300 under the gun, and once it folded to a player in the cutoff, he three-bet to 1,500. Then Steven Cho four-bet to 4,000, before David Slotkin five-bet to 15,000 from the big blind. Salem folded, as did the player in the cutoff. With action back on Cho, he sat in the tank for nearly a minute before six-betting to put Slotkin all in for 29,900, and he quickly called.

David Slotkin: K♠K♣ All in
Steven Cho: J♥J♦

Slotkin Kings were best, and after the board ran out 8♥5♥4♣10♦6♦ they were still best hand, to secure a double up for Slotkin.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Slotkin	61,600 61,600	61,600
Mohamed Salem	24,000 24,000	24,000
Steven Cho	6,700 6,700	6,700

Tags: David Slotkin Mohamed Salem Steven Cho

08-03-2024 10:13 UTC-4

Maryland State Poker Championship $600 Kickoff Event Continues with Day 1f

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Nick Becker

The final flight of the $600 Kickoff Event is underway here at the Maryland State Poker Championship hosted by Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. The PokerStars sponsored tournament features a $300,000 guaranteed prize pool, with five flights already having been completed. Players who advance from each flight will combine and return for Day 2 on Sunday, August 4, where a champion will be named.

Last year's edition of the event attracted 1,016 runners, and through five starting flights so far, 603 entrants have ponied up the $600 buy-in this year. Only 78 of those competitors will be advancing to Day 2, all of whom have already made the money.

Overall Top 10 Chip Counts

Place	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	Justin Arnwine	United States	707,000
2	Tim Faro	United States	679,000
3	Nick Kocman	United States	646,000
4	Lara Eisenberg	United States	537,000
5	Andrew Chang	United States	512,000
6	Yaser Al-Keliddar	United States	503,000
7	Sean Gomez	United States	475,000
8	Glenn Segal	United States	462,000
9	Sean Magness	United States	450,000
10	Rishi Tangri	United States	422,000

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. After the first five flights, three qualifiers have advanced to Day 2, Michael Lavin (302,000), Rahul Agarwal (62,000), and Joseph Weaver (59,000).

Players begin each starting flight with 30,000 in chips and blinds will start 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 who have played previous flights may play the final flight 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.