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

08-03-2024 12:01 UTC-5

Kaufman Makes a Boat

Tyler Boyer

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Eric Florczak raised to 800 from under the gun, and was called by Dillion Matthew in middle position, and Benjamin Kaufman in the cutoff/

The flop came 8♠8♦2♦ and Florczak bet out 1,200 which was called by both Matthew and Kaufman.

After the 3♥ turn Florczak again bet, this time for 4,200. Both Matthew and Kaufman made the call.

The river was the 2♥ and Florczak and Mathhew elected to check to Kaufman, who bet out 6,000. Florczak made the called, and Matthew folded.

Kaufman tabled A♥8♥ for a full house, eights full of deuces, and took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Kaufman	49,800
Eric Florczak	38,400
Dillon Matthew	26,600

Tags: Benjamin Kaufman Eric Florczak

08-03-2024 12:03 UTC-5

Frutchey Cracks Jacks

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Nick Becker

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

The player in early position limped, John MacDonell raised to 1,600 in the hijack, and David Frutchey flatted on the button. Early position got out of the way.

The flop of 2♣Q♣3♦ went check-check, bringing the A♣ turn. MacDonell check-called a bet of 2,000 from Frutchey.

The river brought the K♥ and both players checked. Frutchey tabled A♦10♥ for a pair of aces, besting the pocket jacks of MacDonell.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Frutchey	36,500
John MacDonell	29,000

Tags: David Frutchey John MacDonell

08-03-2024 12:10 UTC-5

Martin Goes for it All

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Nick Becker

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Action was caught on the flop of 10♥9♣Q♦ in a hand between John Martin in early position and Steven Cho in the cutoff.

With over 17,000 in the middle, Martin bet 8,000 and Cho made the call, bringing the A♥ turn.

Martin moved all in for 12,000, putting himself at risk. Cho, who had 12,100 behind, thought for a moment but ultimately tossed his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Martin	45,500 45,500	45,500
Steven Cho	12,100 5,400	5,400

Tags: John Martin Steven Cho

08-03-2024 12:17 UTC-5

Hakami Finds a Nice River

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Tyler Boyer

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Michael Hakami from the hijack raised to 1,900, and was called by Eric Lucas in the small blind, and the big blind Riva Noches Arthur.

The flop came 6♦7♥2♠ and it was checked to Hakami who bet 3,200. Lucas called and Arthur folded.

Lucas check-called a bet of 5,000 after the 4♥ and a bet of 7,000 after the J♦ river.

Hakami tabled K♠J♥ for a pair of jacks, which was good enough to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Riva Noches Arthur	62,000 62,000	62,000
Michael Hakami	53,800 53,800	53,800
Eric Lucas	45,800 45,800	45,800

Tags: Eric Lucas Michael Hakami Riva Noches Arthur

08-03-2024 12:17 UTC-5

First Break of the Day

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Nick Becker

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Players are on a 15-minute break and will return to blinds at 300/500 with a 500 big blind ante.

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

08-03-2024 12:32 UTC-5

Life Outside Poker: Ian Simpson Thinks Science Can Save the World

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Connor Richards

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.

In the 13th episode, Connor speaks with 888poker ambassador and Twitch streamer Ian Simpson, who talked about first learning poker as a kid, getting a degree in biotechnology and becoming a biology teacher, poker streaming and his breakout year of live poker in 2013 that saw him winning the Irish Poker Open for $339,604.

Simpson also discussed the importance of being a responsible poker ambassador and how science can change the world for the better.

The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Ian Simpson by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.

Learn More About Life Outside Poker!

Tags: Connor Richards Ian Simpson

08-03-2024 12:47 UTC-5

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 12:52 UTC-5

Radiologist & Ladies Champion Lara Eisenberg Making a Run in Maryland

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Connor Richards

Level 5 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

As a radiologist, Dr. Lara Eisenberg is used to examining patients and reading medical reports. But Eisenberg is doing a different kind of reading this weekend as she picks up tells on opponents and accumulates chips in the $600 Kickoff Event at the PokerStars 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship.

Eisenberg, who in her spare time is a serious poker enthusiast nearly seven figures in Hendon Mob earnings, bagged third in chips in yesterday's starting flight and will likely enter Day 2 of the $300,000 guaranteed event with a top-ten stack.

“It’s been a great event," she told PokerNews after bagging on Friday night. "They always run amazing tournaments here. The table’s been fun. I was at the same table all day and we’ve had a great time.”

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