2024 Maryland State Poker Championship

$600 Kickoff Event
Day: 1f
Event Info

2024 Maryland State Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
q9
Prize
$77,869
Event Info
Buy-in
$600
Prize Pool
$456,704
Entries
892
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Players Info - Day 1f
Entries
289
Players Left
37

John Wilson Bags Chip Lead After Day 1f of the $600 Kickoff Event

Level 17 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
John Wilson
John Wilson

Day 1f of the $600 Kickoff Event for the 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship has been completed at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. There were 289 entrants, 37 of which bagged up for Day 2. The 37 players who will be advancing to Day 2 have all locked up a minimum cash. The chip leader at the end of the night was John Wilson (557,000).

Wilson who is a Malvern, PA resident, has over $500,000 in career poker earnings. Joining him on the top of the leaderboard is Dale Capuano (467,000) in second, and Matthew Sabia (458,000) in the third.

Day 1f Top 10 Chip Counts

PlacePlayerCountryChip Count
1John WilsonUnited States557,000
2Dale CapuanoUnited States467000
3Matthew SabiaUnited States458,000
4William ChildsUnited States455,000
5Bear BuckleyUnited States449,000
6Eric LucasUnited States403,000
7Daniel IsakUnited States393,000
8John GoveiaUnited States393,000
9Michael ChoeUnited States383,000
10Luis NietoUnited States328,000

Bubble Hand

The bubble was burst in bizarre fashion, with John Basset being the unfortunate bubble boy. Basset jammed all in with a pair of threes and a gut shot straight draw and was snapped by John Goveia with a flopped straight. Basset was drawing to a chop, but didn't even wait to see the river and stormed out of the tournament area after seeing Goveia��s hand.

John Bassett
John Bassett

With this being the final Day 1 flight, the 37 players who made Day 2 will join the 78 players who qualified in the earlier flights on Sunday August 4th starting at 11:15 a.m. local time.

Full Payouts and level information will be released later tonight.

Besides the top prize and trophy, there will also be a Gold Pass to the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event in November given away. PokerStars will be awarding the last online qualifier standing the Gold Pass package, which includes travel, accommodation, and the $5,300 tournament buy-in.

Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates and coverage until the conclusion of this event.

Tags: Dale CapuanoDaniel IsakEric LucasGold PassJohn BassetJohn BassettJohn GoveJohn GoveiaJohn WilsonLuis NietoMatthew SabiaMichael ChoeWilliam Childs

Bassett Is the Unfortunate Bubble Boy

Level 17 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
John Bassett
John Bassett

With players on the stone bubble, action folded to the small blind John Goveia who limped in, and the big blind John Bassett checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came 7?9?10? and Goveia check-called a bet from Bassett for 22,000.

After the 3? on the turn, Goveia checked to Bassett who bet all in, which was snap called by Goveia.

John Bassett: 6?3? All in
John Goveia: 8?6?

Once Bassett saw the straight from Goveia, he didn't even wait to see the river before storming out of the tournament area, despite being able to hit an eight to chop the pot. However, the river was the Q? and Goveia's straight was best, and Bassett was the unfortunate bubble boy.

Player Chips Progress
John Goveia us
John Goveia
393,000
258,000
258,000
John Bassett us
John Bassett
Busted

Tags: John BassettJohn Goveia

Tracy Doubles Before Break

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Trevor Tracy
Trevor Tracy

John Wilson raised to 15,000 from under the gun and Trevor Tracy three-bet shoved all in for 124,500, putting himself at risk. Wilson took some time to think through his decision before eventually making the call.

Trevor Tracy: K?K? All in
John Wilson: 8?8?

The board ran out 9?A?3?A?4? and Tracy's pocket kings held to secure him the double up on the bubble.

Player Chips Progress
John Wilson us
John Wilson
496,500
Day 1F Chip Leader
Trevor Tracy us
Trevor Tracy
258,000
138,000
138,000

Tags: John WilsonTrevor Tracy

Kennedy Dodges Clubs

Level 15 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
James Kennedy
James Kennedy

Jeffrey Benhart raised to 10,500 in middle position and James Kennedy called from the small blind.

The flop came K?7?9? and Kennedy check-raised all in over Benhart's continuation-bet, putting himself at risk. Benhart made the call.

James Kennedy: K?10? All in
Jeffrey Benhart: A?10?

The turn and river rolled off the Q? and 4? respectively, awarding Kennedy the pot.

Player Chips Progress
James Kennedy us
James Kennedy
86,000
86,000
86,000
Jeffrey Benhart us
Jeffrey Benhart
53,000
53,000
53,000

Tags: James KennedyJeffrey Benhart

Richards Chipping Up

Level 13 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Cleveland Richards
Cleveland Richards

The player in early position moved all in for 9,000, putting himself at risk and was called by Mohamed Salem in the small blind and Cleveland Richards in the big blind.

The flop of 9?K?10? went check-check, bringing the 8? turn. Salem check-called a bet of 6,000 from Richards.

Both players checked the 7? river and all hands were tabled. Richards' A?10? for a pair of tens bested the 3?3? of Salem and the A?3? of early position.

Player Chips Progress
Mohamed Salem us
Mohamed Salem
185,000
127,500
127,500
Cleveland Richards us
Cleveland Richards
85,000
85,000
85,000

Tags: Cleveland RichardsMohamed Salem

Zambanini Rivers a Straight to Get the Knockout

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Matthew Zambanini
Matthew Zambanini

Matthew Zambanini raised under the gun to 6,000, and was called by Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi, and a player in the big blind.

After the flop came 9?J?6? the big blind and Zambanini checked to Sanjay Kumar Sethi who bet out 11,000. Then the big blind raised to 35,000. Zambanini then three-bet all in for 77,300. Sanjay Kumar Sethi quickly folded, and the big blind called for his last 22,700.

Big Blind: Q?J? All in
Matthew Zambanini: 10?8?

The big blind was ahead with his pair of jacks but would need to fade a queen or seven which would give Zambanini a straight. The 3? was a safe one, but the 7? on the river gave Zambanini the straight to scoop the pot and eliminate the player in the big blind.

Player Chips Progress
Matthew Zambanini us
Matthew Zambanini
160,500
125,500
125,500
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi us
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi
88,400
-35,600
-35,600

Tags: Matthew ZambaniniSanjay Kumar Sethi

Kaye Finds the Double Up

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
David Kaye
David Kaye

Ari Eiblum shoved all in from early position for 21,300 and was called by PokerStars ambassador David Kaye in the small blind, who had 16,500 total.

David Kaye: 8?8? All in
Ari Eiblum: A?J?

The board of 7?5?2?3?5? ran out low and clean for Kaye, who secured the much needed double up.

Player Chips Progress
David Kaye us
David Kaye
38,000
11,200
11,200
Ari Eiblum us
Ari Eiblum
4,800
4,800
4,800

Tags: Ari EiblumDavid Kaye

Limber's Queens Scoop Three-Way All In

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Gerald Limber
Gerald Limber

Gerald Limber raised from middle position and was called by Eric Florczak in the hijack. Then a player on the button three-bet all in, and the small blind Daniel Beavers four-bet all in. Once it got back to Limber, he made the call to put his tournament at risk, and Florczak folded.

Button: A?K? All in
Gerald Limber: Q?Q?
Daniel Beavers: A?J?

Limber was ahead with his pocket queens, but after the 6?K?7? flop the player on the button took the lead with his pair of kings. But the Q? turn left the player on the button drawing dead after Limber turned a set of queens. Limber would need to fade a 10 which would give Beavers a Broadway straight. He did just that after the 5? river to eliminate the player on the button and scoop the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Gerald Limber us
Gerald Limber
102,500
102,500
102,500
Daniel Beavers us
Daniel Beavers
75,500
-9,500
-9,500
Eric Florczak us
Eric Florczak
46,300
7,900
7,900

Tags: Daniel BeaversEric FlorczakGerald Limber

Tuttle Wins a Flip to Double Up

Level 10 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Gina Tuttle
Gina Tuttle

After several limps preflop, Gina Tuttle was last to act in the big blind and opted to move all in for 25,500, putting herself at risk. Robert Kosydar, who was in the hijack, made the call.

Gina Tuttle: A?Q? All in
Robert Kosydar: 7?7?

The board ran out 9?6?9?4?Q?, with Tuttle pairing her queen on the river to secure the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Gina Tuttle us
Gina Tuttle
55,800
55,800
55,800
Robert Kosydar us
Robert Kosydar
16,100
-12,400
-12,400

Tags: Gina TuttleRobert Kosydar

Sanjay Kumar Sethi's Pocket Nines are Best

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Sanjay Kumar Sethi
Sanjay Kumar Sethi

Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi raised to 2,500 in middle position, the player in the cutoff three-bet shoved all in for 13,600, putting himself at risk, and Charlie Chien cold called in the big blind. Sanjay Kumar Sethi then four-bet all in for 32,500 total and Chien made the call.

Cutoff: 4?4? All in
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi: 9?9? All in
Charlie Chien: 4?5?

The board ran out 5?8?2?7?10? and Sanjay Kumar Sethi's pair of nines held to earn him the sizable pot.

Player Chips Progress
Charlie Chien us
Charlie Chien
220,000
35,000
35,000
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi us
Anuj Sanjay Kumar Sethi
80,100
80,100
80,100

Tags: Charlie ChienSanjay Kumar Sethi