$1,200 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2024 The Commerce Casino Hold'Em Series
$1,200 Main Event
Day: 1a
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a at The Commerce Hotel Casino in the $1,200 Main Event has been completed. The first of five flights saw 27 entrants, with three players making the money and advancing to Day 2. The chip leader at the end of the night was Brian Hastings, who bagged 409,000.
Hastings is a six-time World Series of Poker Bracelet winner with over $5,000,000 in career poker earnings. Hastings is by far the most accomplished player in the field, and on the other end of the spectrum is the player sitting in second, Preston Patz. The Villa Park, Ca resident has just over $40,000 in career poker earnings, and is looking to top his career best score of $11,487 with a deep run in this event. Third in chips is Fred Lavassani, who is just shy of $300,000 in career poker earnings.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts
| Place | Name | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Hastings | United States | 409,000 |
| 2 | Preston Patz | United States | 370,000 |
| 3 | Fred Lavassani | United States | 301,000 |
With only six players remaining, a wild hand got the players on the money bubble, when Preston Patz scored a double knockout after a three-way all-in preflop. Patz flopped a set of queens to crack the aces of Chris Nelson, to eliminate him and Marc Fiorenti who held pocket tens.
The unfortunate bubble boy was Michael Casella, who got eliminated in brutal fashion, after a cooler from the hands of the chip leader Brian Hastings. Casella flopped trip aces with his ace-jack, but Hastings flopped a full house with his ace-six suited. After the board ran out, Casella was eliminated, and the massive pot gave Hastings the chip lead as the night concluded.
Remaining Schedule for $1,200 Main Event
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1b | September 18 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 1c | September 19 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 1d | September 20 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 1e | September 21 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 2 | September 22 | 11:00 a.m. |
For the Day 1 flights, players will start with 40,000 chips at the 100/200 blind levels. There will be 40-minute blind levels, until the final table where they will play 60-minute levels. Players will have a 15-minute break after every three levels of play. This event has unlimited rebuys, with registration for this event concluding after the start of Level 10, and Day 1 flights ending after the players make the money. 1 out of 10 players will make the money. Players may play multiple Day 1 flights after bagging to improve their Day 2 stack. Any player who bags multiple times will have their smaller stack taken out of play, and receive a min cash for their stack.
Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates and coverage throughout the entirety of this event.
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Play has concluded for the day, with the three remaining players bagging up. They will return Sunday at 11:00 a.m. local time for Day 2, where they will all be in the money.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
409,000 | |
|
||
|
370,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
|
301,000 | |
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Action folded to Brian Hastings who limped in the small blind, before Michael Casella raised to 15,000. Hastings called to see a flop.
The flop came A♥A♦6♥ and Hastings checked to Casella who bet out 15,000. Hastings then raised to 35,000, before Casella three-bet all in for 180,000. Hastings quickly called to put Casella at risk.
Michael Casella: A♣J♠ 
Brian Hastings: A♠6♠
It was a cooler for Casella who flopped trip aces, but Hastings flopped a boat. The board ran out K♠ on the turn, and 8♥ on the river, to give Hastings the pot with his full house, and burst the bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
409,000
309,000
|
309,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Action folded to the small blind Preston Patz, who raised to 15,000, before the big blind Brian Hastings three-bet to 35,000. Patz quickly called to see the flop.
After the 6♥3♦9♥ flop, Patz checked to Hastings, who bet out 18,0000. Patz then raised to put Hastings all in for his last 100,000, which got a quick folded to Patz the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
470,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
|
100,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Level 13
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Action folded to Preston Patz on the button, and he raised to 10,000, before the small blind Chris Nelson three-bet to 29,000. Then Marc Fiorenti four-bet all in for 55,000. Patz then five-bet to put Nelson all in for his last 110,000, who quickly called to put himself at risk.
Marc Fiorenti: 10♦10♣
Chris Nelson: A♥A♣
Preston Patz: Q♠Q♦
It was a massive cooler with three big pairs in late position. Nelson was in a great spot to triple up and overtake the chip lead, but when the board ran out 7♣Q♣2♠5♦3♠ the pocket queens of Patz improved to a set of queens, which cracked the aces of Nelson, which eliminated him and Fiorenti in the process.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
435,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Level 13
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Action was picked up with Naoya Morozumi all in for his last 40,000, and Michael Casella calling to put him at risk.
Naoya Morozumi: 10♣9♣
Michael Casella: 3♥3♦
It was a flip, and Morozumi would need to improve to stay in the tournament. The 4♠5♠6♦ flop was no help for Morozumi, but the 4♥ on the turn did give him more counterfeit outs. But the river was the J♣ and the pocket threes of Casella remained best, and Morozumi was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
235,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 13
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Fred Lavassa raised to 8,000 from the cutoff, and was called by the big blind Chris Nelson.
The flop came 9♣5♦3♥ and Nelson checked to Lavassa, who bet out 15,000. Nelson then raised to 30,000, before Lavassa three-bet all in for Nelson's last 115,000. After thinking it over, Nelson mucked his hand to give the pot to Lavassa.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
230,000
115,500
|
115,500 |
|
|
115,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Action folded to Marc Fiorenti who raised to 8,000 from middle position, and was called by Michael Casella on the button.
Both players checked to the turn after the K♦9♠J♠ flop, which brought the 4♣. Fiorenti then check-called a bet of 15,000 from Casella.
The river was the 9♥ and Fiorenti checked to Casella again, who fired out 30,000 this time. After debating his decision for nearly a minute, Fiorenti made the call. Casella tabled A♣9♣ for trip nines to take the pot, as Fiorenti seemed shocked, and said "wow" as he tossed his cards in the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
205,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
|
80,000
-9,000
|
-9,000 |