Hauge Rides Late Flip to Lead
Matt Hauge got hot late on Day 1b of Mid-States Poker Tour Potawatomi in Milwaukee to finish with 320,500, enough to lead a pack of 38 survivors by a narrow margin over Rick Syverud (312,000).
The second of two flights drew a total of 216 entries, pushing the total to 462. That created a prize pool of $462,000, and the latest MSPT champ will claim $114,117 when he or she conquers a Day 2 field of 80 players who'll return on Sunday.
Hauge gambled it up and came out ahead in a big race during Level 14 (1,200/2,400/400), the final level of the night. He opened for a raise in middle position and saw Igor Hot make it 16,200 to go from the small blind. Hauge shipped all in, enough to put Hot at risk for about 100,000, and the latter called off.
Hot: 
Hauge: 
A board of 
meant Hauge's kings overtook the queens on the turn and he dragged the massive pot. A short time later, his heater continued as he busted former MSPT champ "DQ" Dan Hendrickson with 
on an 
board when Hendrickson got it in with the 
.
Louis Hoeflich (225,000), Brian Smith (201,000), Rob Wazwaz (200,500), Jim Boone (132,000), Howard Hankin (91,500), Travis Lauson (86,500), and MSPT Team Pro Matt Alexander (67,000) also bagged and advanced.
Alexander couldn't get a lot going for much of the day until he picked up the 
late and three-bet shoved from the blinds over a raise from Syverud, who doubled Alexander with the 
just before the night ended.
Alexander's fellow team pros Blake Bohn and Matt Kirby weren't so lucky as they hit the rail on Day 1b, along with Mark Hodge, Larry Ormson, Gennady Shimelfarb, Nicholas Revello, former champ Jason Mirza, and PokerNews' own Chad Holloway.
Day 2 commences at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. A Day 2 seating assignment can be found here. Be sure to come back and find out who the next MSPT champ will be.