Matt Kirby Leads Day 1A Pack

There are many usual suspects who advanced to Day 2 here at Northern Lights including 3 past MSPT champs. Naz, who is fresh off an HPT win, soared to a massive chip lead early but eventually relinquished all his chips to Flight 1A chip leader Matt Kirby of Bemidji, MN. The majority of those chips came on hand in which Kirby slow-played trip-threes in postion on a 3-A-3 board. Naz fired three bullets on the flop, turn and river. Kirby called every step of the way with Q3 to double up. He would eventually take out Naz and Matt Alexander in the same hand while holding Aces. Kirby ended Day 1 with 167,200. 

Defending 2011 MSPT Northern Lights Champion Tom Stambaugh has also advanced to Day 2 with 79,800. Former MSPT champs Kou Vang and Jeremy Dresch also fairing well as usual with 105,900 and 79,200 respectively.

Tom Hammers is looking to become the 1st to get his name listed in all four MSPT Leaderboard categories posted on the wall here at Northern Lights, he needs a cash this weekend to do so. Todd Piotrowski traveled in from Milwaukee and advanced to Day 2 in his first MSPT event, holding 52,200. MSPT Runner-up Blake Bohn has 61,700, Chris “Fox” Wallace holds 41,100 and MSPT IronMan Adam Whiting brings 92,400 through Day 1.

Day 1B will begin Saturday at 5PM. There is still another $250 qualifier at 10:30AM Saturday morning. Players advancing to Day 2 will resume play on Sunday at 10:00AM. The Final Table will be broadcast live worldwide on Sunday evening at approximately 7PM.

View list of chip counts HERE