Jason Smith Leads the 40 Day 1c Survivors with Stack of 278,000
The Mid-States Poker Tour Michigan State Poker Championship starting flights at FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, are over, and the surviving 110 players are set to play for the title on Sunday. On Saturday, 40 players managed to advance from Day 1c – which attracted 213 entrants to bring the total field up to 559 entries.
Jason Smith leads the pack with 278,000, though that's the lowest of the end-of-day chip leaders. Smith hovered around 100,000 or so for a lot of the day and finally topped 200,000 when he got 
against a player holding 
. The two players got it all in preflop and Smith's aces held up. That hand was in the penultimate level and set Smith up nicely to finish the day with the chip lead. Mike Ermie (250,500) and Mark Garrod (250,000) round out the top three.
MSPT Pro Nick Pupillo was able to work his stack up to 174,000, above the average going into Day 2. Pupillo got paid by top pair in a 70,000 pot where he held two pair. Pupillo is probably stoked after busting earlier today and making it to Day 2 on this last bullet.
He will join fellow MSPT Pro Jason Zarlenga in the Day 2 field, as well as MSPT regulars Steve Anderson (151,000) and Mark Hodge (26,000), the latter of which is contending for the MSPT Player of the Year title.
Meanwhile, Tony Pena played in multiple Day 1 flights, but he was unable to make it to Day 2. He busted a few levels before the end of the day when he played a hand with Paul Prentis. Pena raised all in preflop for his last 12,800 and action folded to Prentis, who was sitting directly to Pena's right. Prentis asked for a count and then called. He showed the 
and Pena showed the 
. The board ran out 
and Prentis won the pot eliminating Pena.
Others who fell on Day 1c include Mark Ader, John Hoppas, Chuck Newcomb, Steve Berra, and Shane Raikes.
Day 2 will start at 11 a.m. local time Sunday. Check back then to see who is crowned the Michigan State Poker Champion and walks away with the $134,642 first-place prize.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
278,000
-64,000
|
-64,000 |
|
250,500
199,500
|
199,500 |
|
250,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
|
185,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
174,000 | |
|
||
|
|
168,500
168,500
|
168,500 |
|
|
165,000
165,000
|
165,000 |
|
157,500
157,500
|
157,500 |
|
|
154,500
-39,500
|
-39,500 |
|
151,000
-30,100
|
-30,100 |
|
|
133,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
107,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
102,000
102,000
|
102,000 |
|
100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
97,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
|
86,500
-71,500
|
-71,500 |
|
82,500
82,500
|
82,500 |
|
80,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
79,500
79,500
|
79,500 |
|
|
66,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
|
|
66,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
|
65,500
-62,500
|
-62,500 |
|
|
65,000
-45,000
|
-45,000 |
|
|
65,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
|
63,500
63,500
|
63,500 |
|
56,000
56,000
|
56,000 |
|
|
49,000
49,000
|
49,000 |
|
|
47,500
12,700
|
12,700 |
|
47,000
47,000
|
47,000 |
|
43,500
43,500
|
43,500 |
|
42,500
5,500
|
5,500 |
|
|
40,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
35,500
-3,000
|
-3,000 |
|
34,500
34,500
|
34,500 |
|
|
31,500
31,500
|
31,500 |
|
26,000
3,600
|
3,600 |
|
25,500
1,500
|
1,500 |