Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The remaining players have been sent on their first 15-minute break of the day.
2021 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian
2021 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian
Day: 2
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Shortly after the money burst Saad Ghanem raised from late position and called after a short-stacked player moved all in.
Saad Ghanem: 
All-in Player: 
Ghanem was behind preflop, but that quickly changed after the dealer spread 
on the flop. The 
turn and 
river completed the runout, gave Ghanem a fullhouse and sent his opponent to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
425,000
189,500
|
189,500 |
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
On just the second hand of hand-for-hand play, action folded to Veselin Dimitrov, who limped from the small blind. Noam Muallem then checked his option from the big blind and the flop came down 
.
Dimitrov led out for 10,000 and then snap-called when Muallem raised all in for 77,000. The hand was paused until action completed at all other tables and no other all-in situations occurred. At that point, the hand hands were turned up and Muallem discovered the bad news.
Noam Muallem:
Veselin Dimitrov: 
Muallem had flopped two pair but it was no good as Dimitrov had trips. Neither the 
turn nor 
river was the ten Muallem needed and he was ousted in 105th place while the remaining 104 players are guaranteed a minimum payday of $2,251.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
400,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
We missed the elimination of Jerod Smith, who bowed out just before the official money bubble. Fortunately, he was kind enough to share some details after the fact.
As he told it, he jammed his last 10 big blinds from the small blind with 
and "got slow-rolled" by a player holding 
.
Smith failed to get lucky and had no recourse but to exit the MSPT Venetian empty-handed.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With 105 players remaining, just one more need to leave empty-handed before the money is made. As such, hand-for-hand play has begun.
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Just before the level went up, the under-the-gun player opened for 16,000 and Alexander Polk called next to act. When action reached WSOP bracelet winner Jeremy Pekarek in the cutoff, he three-bet it big to 96,000.
The original raiser folded, Polk four-bet all in for 155,000, and Pekarek quickly called.
Jeremy Pekarek: 
Alexander Polk: 
Polk was on the wrong end of the cooler, but he got lucky when the 
flop delivered him a set. The 
turn made it quads, and he was pushed the pot after the was run out on the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
350,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
|
||
|
335,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 11 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.
On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more.
Here's a look at the top ten MSPT Main Event final table in a single season:
| Player | Hometown | Season | Final Tables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Steele | Chelsea, Michigan | 4 | 4 |
| Brett Kuznia | Stephen, Minnesota | 4 | 4 |
| Dan Sun | Cedar Rapids. Iowa | 3 | 3 |
| Christian Pham | St. Paul, Minnesota | 4 | 3 |
| Everett Carlton | St. Paul, Minnesota | 1 | 3 |
| Kou Vang | Maplewood, Minnesota | 5 | 3 |
| Michael Deis | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 5 | 3 |
| Nick Pupillo | Addison, Illinois | 5 | 3 |
| Mark Hodge | Fernandina Beach, Florida | 6 | 3 |
| DJ Buckley | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | 6 | 3 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
On a board of 
in a headsup pot Corey Hochman, first to act, had a bet of 23,000 sitting in front of him.
His opponent in the hand tanked for almost a minute and even had the calling chips in his hand before he finally folded and looked over at Hochman, who was sitting directly to his right. Hochman then checked his cards once more before sending them to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
128,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
From early position Leonard August opened the action to 15,000.
After it folded around to the big-blind player, who only had 28,000 behind, he tanked and recounted his stack several times before eventually sending his cards to the muck.
August then said, "I wasn't folding." and tabled 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
120,000
-15,500
|
-15,500 |