2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a6
Prize
$123,180
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$494,700
Entries
510
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Bubble Time

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante

The clock now reads 55 players, which means it's the official money bubble. One more player will leave empty handed, while the other 54 will be guaranteed a minimum $1,979 payday.

Big Pot Sent to Brown

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante

With nearly 200,000 already in the pot and a board reading {4-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}, Ryan Brown shoved all in for his last 126,000 and Day 1a chip leader Ross Reichert moved all in over the top for 325,000 from the big blind. Aaron Thomas hit the tank on the button.

"This is for all the chips," he said. Thomas was tempted, but ultimately decided to fold.

Brown: {q-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Reichert: {a-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}

Reichert was on the draw, but he missed when the {8-Spades} paired the board on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ryan Brown us
Ryan Brown
450,000
217,000
217,000
Profile photo of Aaron Thomas us
Aaron Thomas
360,000
-10,000
-10,000
Profile photo of Ross Reichert
Ross Reichert
200,000
-230,000
-230,000

Tags: Aaron ThomasRyan BrownRoss Reichert

MSPT Team Pro Nick Pupillo the Latest Victim of William Givens

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante
Nick Pupillo
Nick Pupillo

We picked up the action on the turn with a board reading {6-Clubs}{2-Spades}{10-Hearts}{3-Hearts} when MSPT Team Pro Nick Pupillo bet and William Givens raised. Pupillo thought for a bit before moving all in for what looked to be over 200,000, and Givens snap-called.

Givens: {3-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}
Pupillo: {k-}{k-}

Givens got lucky on the turn to pull ahead of Pupillo's kings, and he held when the {6-Diamonds} peeled off on the river.

Givens is now the clear chip leader, while Pupillo, who currently sits third on the MSPT Season 6 Player of the Year Leaderboard, won't be adding any points here at Golden Gates Casino.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of William Givens
William Givens
950,000
390,000
390,000
Profile photo of Nick Pupillo us
Nick Pupillo
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
MSPT

Tags: Nick PupilloWilliam Givens

Finger Cracks Aces to Stay Alive

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante

We're not sure how the preflop action unfolded, but we do know Nathan Finger got his stack of 88,000 all in preflop and was in dire straits against two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Warga.

Warga: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Finger: {a-Hearts}{k-Clubs}

Finger needed some major help, and he got a little when the {j-Spades}{2-Hearts}{10-Hearts} flop delivered him a gutshot to Broadway. Wouldn't you know it, he hit it too when the {Q-Diamonds} spiked on the turn. The {7-Spades} river was a blank, and Finger shipped the double.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nathan Finger
Nathan Finger
180,000
Profile photo of David Warga us
David Warga
160,000

Tags: David WargaNathan Finger

Finger Cracks Aces to Stay Alive

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante

We're not sure how the preflop action unfolded, but we do know Nathan Finger got his stack of 88,000 all in preflop and was in dire straits against two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Warga.

Warga: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Finger: {a-Hearts}{k-Clubs}

Finger needed some major help, and he got a little when the {j-Spades}{2-Hearts}{10-Hearts} flop delivered him a gutshot to Broadway. Wouldn't you know it, he hit it too when the {Q-Diamonds} spiked on the turn. The {7-Spades} river was a blank, and Finger shipped the double.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nathan Finger
Nathan Finger
180,000
92,000
92,000
Profile photo of David Warga us
David Warga
160,000
-85,000
-85,000

Tags: David WargaNathan Finger

The Defending Champion Falls

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante
Kane Lai
Kane Lai

Back in March, Kane Lai won this very event, and just last week he captured a Heartland Poker Tour title. Lai was looking to defend his title, and he had a shot at it coming into Day 2 on a big stack. Unfortunately for him, the day did not treat him kind.

In what would be his final hand of the tournament, Michael Ermie opened for 23,000 from early position and Lai opted to shove all in for 159,000 from the button. The blinds both folded and Ermie announced a call.

Ermie: {8-Hearts}{8-Spades}
Lai: {9-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}

Lai picked a bad spot to make a move, and it got even worse when the {4-Clubs}{q-Hearts}{8-Clubs} flop delivered Ermie a set. The {7-Diamonds} turn officially left Lai drawing dead, and he made his way to the exit after the {K-Hearts} was run out on the river. With that, the MSPT Golden Gates Casino is assured a new champion.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Ermie us
Michael Ermie
500,000
278,000
278,000
Profile photo of Brad Lien us
Brad Lien
Busted
Profile photo of Bruce Russell us
Bruce Russell
Busted
Profile photo of Kane Lai us
Kane Lai
Busted

Tags: Kane LaiMichael Ermie

Level: 20

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 1,000

Dixon Gets Bogged Down in the Marsh

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 1,000 ante

After Nader Wahdan limped, Rich Dixon moved all in for 29,000 from the small blind. Ben Marsh then three-bet all in over the top from the big, and Wahdan folded.

Dixon: {a-Clubs}{10-Hearts}
Marsh: {k-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}

Dixon got it in good and actually improved to two pair on the {a-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} flop. Unfortunately for him, the turn was the {K-Spades} to give Marsh the lead with a set. The {3-Clubs} river was no help to Dixon, and he exited just at the tail end of Level 19.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Marsh us
Ben Marsh
150,000
82,000
82,000
Profile photo of Rich Dixon us
Rich Dixon
Busted

Tags: Ben MarshRich Dixon

A Round of Chip Counts

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 1,000 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of James Wilson us
James Wilson
575,000
75,000
75,000
Profile photo of Bobby Sanoubane us
Bobby Sanoubane
525,000
59,000
59,000
Profile photo of Ross Reichert
Ross Reichert
430,000
210,000
210,000
Profile photo of Derek McMaster us
Derek McMaster
425,000
-25,000
-25,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of David Gutfreund us
David Gutfreund
415,000
220,000
220,000
Profile photo of Nader Wahdan us
Nader Wahdan
400,000
-22,500
-22,500
Profile photo of Aaron Thomas us
Aaron Thomas
370,000
145,000
145,000
Profile photo of Steve Baca us
Steve Baca
340,000
-83,000
-83,000
Profile photo of Cuong Van Nguyen
Cuong Van Nguyen
300,000
36,500
36,500
Profile photo of Lou Mortellaro
Lou Mortellaro
280,000
-72,500
-72,500
Profile photo of Paul Hoch us
Paul Hoch
260,000
17,500
17,500
Profile photo of Corey Zedo us
Corey Zedo
255,000
114,000
114,000
Profile photo of Julian Levy
Julian Levy
250,000
116,500
116,500
Profile photo of Adrian Buckley us
Adrian Buckley
250,000
40,000
40,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Matt Alexander us
Matt Alexander
250,000
-20,500
-20,500
MSPT
Profile photo of Norelia Austin
Norelia Austin
230,000
180,000
180,000
Profile photo of Nick Pupillo us
Nick Pupillo
230,000
30,000
30,000
WSOP 1X Winner
MSPT
Profile photo of Svetlana Martie us
Svetlana Martie
220,000
82,500
82,500
Profile photo of Doug Foster
Doug Foster
213,000
24,500
24,500
Profile photo of Robert Schneegas us
Robert Schneegas
210,000
20,000
20,000
Profile photo of Mansour Alipour-Fard us
Mansour Alipour-Fard
195,000
15,000
15,000
Profile photo of Bruce Russell us
Bruce Russell
190,000
-43,000
-43,000
Profile photo of Kane Lai us
Kane Lai
180,000
-220,000
-220,000
Profile photo of Danny Gonzalez
Danny Gonzalez
149,000
41,000
41,000
Profile photo of David Warga us
David Warga
80,000
20,000
20,000

Read full

Keeline Dodges a Ton of Outs

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 1,000 ante

Mitchell Lekarczyk opened for 16,000 under the gun, and Ben Keeline, who began the day on a big stack but only went downhill, three-bet all in for 64,000 from the button. The blinds both folded, and Lekarczyk hit the tank before making the call.

Lekarczyk: {k-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds}
Keeline: {k-Clubs}{q-Spades}

Keeline had his opponent dominated, but the {8-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{10-Spades} flop delivered Lekarczyk an open-ended straight draw. The {2-Diamonds} turn gave him added flush outs, but Keeline survived with trips when the {Q-Hearts} paired the board on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mitchell Lekarczyk us
Mitchell Lekarczyk
200,000
-64,000
-64,000
Profile photo of Ben Keeline us
Ben Keeline
135,000
71,000
71,000

Tags: Mitchell LekarczykBen Keeline