Xiaoqiong Liu Leads with Only Five Players Left in the $2200 Main Event at the 2024 Maryland State Poker Championship
Day 2 of the $2200 Main Event at the Maryland State Poker Championship has been completed. The day started with 31 players from two Day 1 flights, and the field is down to its final five players. The chip leader coming into Day 3 is Xiaoqiong Liu with 2,600,000.
Liu leads the way after Day 2, with Poker Stars Ambassador Parker Talbot, also known as ""tonkaaaaP" in second with 2,365,000. In third is Day 1b chip leader Nicholas Verderamo with 2,165,000. The defending champion in this event Isiah Ditoto is in fourth with 1,640,000, and the short stack coming into Day 3 is Ben Gazzola with 1,025,000.
Chip Counts after Day 2
| Place | Name | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiaoqiong Liu | United States | 2,600,000 | 65 |
| 2 | Parker Talbot | Canada | 2,365,000 | 59 |
| 3 | Nicholas Verderamo | United States | 2,165,000 | 54 |
| 4 | Isiah Ditoto | United States | 1,640,000 | 41 |
| 5 | Ben Gazzola | United States | 1,025,000 | 27 |
The bust outs came fast and furious to start the day, with several players busting in the first few levels. Notable bust outs prior to the final table include Alvin Anton (23rd Place) who ran his jacks into Tim Faro��s kings. Brandon Mueller (17th Place) got hiskings cracked after Isiah Ditoto turned Broadway. Dale Capuano (12th Place) was down to a single 1,000 chip after level 1 of Day 1 and battled all the way back before being eliminated by the ace-king of Nicholas Verderamo.
Final Table
Besides our five players returning for Day 3, also making the final table was David Urban (9th Place) who was eliminated after running into the pocket 10��s of the big blind Xiaoqiong Liu. Nicholas Banyas (8th Place) was sent to the rail after he was unable to crack the aces of Isiah Ditoto. Then Tim Faro (7th Place) tried a big river bluff after his pocket deuces got counterfeited by a double paired board. He was called by Liu with an ace high flush. Then Michael Bills (6th) was eliminated after flopping top pair, but Parker Talbot's aces sent him to the rail just before the night ended.
The remaining five players have all locked up at least $29,952, with the top prize being worth $110,578.
Remaining Prize Pool
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $110,578 |
| 2 | $73,719 |
| 3 | $53,832 |
| 4 | $39,868 |
| 5 | $29,952 |
Play will resume Monday August 12 at 2:15 p.m. local time at Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland in Level 24 at the 20,000/40,000/40,000 blind levels. They will play 60-minute levels, and there will be a 15-minute break after every two levels, with a dinner break to be determined.
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