Tropicana Evansville

The 2017 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship at Tropicana Evansville drew 320 entrants (147 runners on Day 1A, 173 on 1B), and in the end, it all came down to “Big” Al Hedin, who was less than a month removed from finishing sixth in the MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship, and Michigan’s Satish Thakur.

After a lengthy heads-up battle where the chip lead changed hands multiple times, Thakur closed it out to win his first major tournament for $71,047. Thakur, 32, is an IT programmer for the state of Michigan, but he enjoys playing poker on the side.

“Feeling great, man, it’s a dream,” he said after the win. “I drove all the way from Michigan. I play the MSPT a lot, especially at FireKeepers/ I was really short at one point, big al had a huge chip stack, but patience paid off.”

It was the largest score of Thakur’s playing career, which has been comprised solely of MSPT events. He previously had three cashes on the tour, all at his home venue, FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan. His previous best cash was $19,944 for finishing eighth in the 2016 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship.

“I have my wife, she will be coming here from India this weekend,” Thakur said when asked what he’ll do to celebrate. He also said we can expect to see him at this year’s MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship come October.

Final Table Results
1 Satish Thakur (Lansing, MI) $71,047
2 “Big” Al Hedin (Keystone, CO) $43,864
3 John Mingus (Louisville, KY) $31,817
4 Donnie Phan (Nahsville, TN) $23,476
5 Charles Payne (Westphalia, IN) $17,607
6 Kurt Jewell (Frankfort, Kentucky) $13,592
7 Craig Welko (St. Louis, MO) $10,503
8 Ross Bryant (Elkhart, IN) $8,340
9 Terrence Esparza (Evansville, IN) $6,456
10 Aaron Gamino (Murfreesboro, TN) $5,220

With 65 players returning for Day 2 and only 36 of them getting pair, 29 would leave empty handed including MSPT Season 6 Tropicana Evansville champ Mike O’Neill, MSPT Season 5 Tropicana Evansville champ Charlie Dawson, and Henry Tran.

Once Jay Baggett exited as the bubble boy, the in-the-money finishes came quick and included World Series of Poker bracelet winner and MSPT champ Nick Jivkov (29^th - $2,162), the last MSPT champ in the field Adam Thomas (27^th - $2,255), MSPT first-timer Mike Reick (24^th - $2,471), last woman standing Patricia Till (23^rd -$2,471), three-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Bob Castoire (19^th- $3,243), Day 1B chip leader and final table bubble boy Kevin Brenner (11^th - $5,220).

The first final table elimination came when Aaron Gamino, who began the day second to last in chips (64^th out of 65 player), got it in with ace-king against ace-jack only to fall to a one outer on the river. From there, Terrence Esparza fell when his king-queen failed to overcome the pocket jacks off Thakur, and then satellite winner Ross Bryant exited after getting his short stack in with seven-eight suited and failing to get there against the ace-jack of John Mingus.

After Craig Welko exited in seventh place, the result of his pocket fours losing a race, arguably the most experienced player at the final table followed him out the door. Kurt Jewell, who sat third on Kentucky’s all-time poker money list with $1,092,248 in live tournament earnings, is a five-time WSOP Circuit ring winner and also finished 32^nd out of 3,273 entries in the 2017 MSPT Venetian for $10,906. He began the day as chip leader but bowed out when he failed to catch with ace-jack against Hedin’s pocket queens.

Charles Payne, who was second in chips at the time, was the next to go after shoving top pair into the overpair of Hedin. In the very next hand, Donnie Phan turned a king-high club flush but busted to the ace-high flop of Hedin, who took a massive chip lead into three-handed play.

Still, it wasn’t easy as both Thakur and Mingus put up a lengthy fight. Eventually the latter shoved with queen-ten and ran into the ace-jack of Hedin, and an ace on the flop spelt doom for Mingus. That set up a heads-up match with Hedin holding a nearly 3-1 chip lead over Thakur, but it was far from over.

The duo battled for nearly three hours, and eventually Thakur pulled out to a big lead of his own. It was then that he flopped top two pair while Hedin flopped top pair with a straight draw. The chips went in and Thakur held to become the 2017 MSPT Indiana State Poker Champion!

Season 8 of the MSPT continues next weekend with an $1,100 buy-in, $150,000 guaranteed Main Event at Grand Falls Casino just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“Big” Al Hedin got his 1.4 million chip stack in against Satish Thakur on a flop.

Hedin:
Thakur:

Thakur had flopped a monster on Hedin, who needed to hit a gutshot to survive.

The fell on the turn, and Hedin needed a on the river to stay in this match.

The river? The !

Congratulations to “Big” Al Hedin on his second place finish after finishing sixth at the Iowa State Poker Championship last month! He pockets $43,864 for his efforts.

And a big congratulations goes out to Satish Thakur for winning the MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship for $71,047! A full recap will be up shortly.

Satish Thakur - Winner Of The MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship ($71,047)
”Big” Al Hedin - Runner-Up Of The MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship ($43,864)

Satish Thakur limped the button, and “Big” Al Hedin checked his option.

The two checked the flop, then Hedin led 200,000 on the turn. Thakur called.

Hedin fired 300,000 at the river, and Thakur mucked.

“Big” Al Hedin - 3.535 million
Satish Thakur - 2.84 million

“Big” Al Hedin – 3.38 million
Satish Thakur - 3 million​​​​​​​

Satish Thakur called from the button and “Big” Al Hedin checked his option.

The flop was checked through.

On the turn, Hedin led for 300,000, and was swiftly called by Thakur.

The river saw Hedin check, Thakur bet 500,000, and Hedin quickly fold.

Satish Thakur - 4.55 million
“Big” Al Hedin - 1.825 million

Satish Thakur raised to 350,000 from the button, and “Big” Al Hedin made it 700,000 from the big blind. Satish called.

On the flop, Hedin thought breifly then shoved for his last 1.5 million. Thakur quickly released his hand.

Satish Thakur - 3.46 million
”Big” Al Hedin - 2.92 million

Satish Thakur raised to 250,000 from the button, and “Big” Al Hedin made the call.

The duo checked through the flop, and Hedin led for 400,000 on the turn.

Thakur raised to 1.2 million, and Hedin released, giving Thakur his first chip lead in this heads-up duel.

Satish Thakur - 3.51 million
”Big” Al Hedin - 2.87 million

“Big” Al Hedin limped the button, and Satish Thakur checked his option.

The flop saw Thakur check/call a 200,000 bet from Hedin.

The turn had Thakur check again. Hedin bet 300,000 and Thakur quickly jammed for 590,000 total. Hedin didn’t look thrilled about it, but called.

Hedin:
Thakur:

Sure enough, Thakur had spiked trips, and the meant that Thakur had secured yet another double.

“Big” Al Hedin - 4.62 million
Satish Thakur - 1.76 million

Satish Thakur shoved for 730,000 from the button. “Big” Al Hedin thought about it for a bit then flicked in a call.

Thakur:
Hedin:

Thakur held the best hand, and it improved on the flop. The turn and river did nothing to improve Hedin further, and Thakur doubled up.

“Big” Al Hedin - 4.9 million
Satish Thakur - 1.48 million

“Big” Al Hedin limped the button, and Satish Thakur shoved for his last 500,000. Hedin thought briefly then flicked a chip in to call.

Hedin:
Thakur:

Thakur had Hedin dominated, and the flop took one of Hedin’s outs away. The on the turn changed nothing, and the river was the , which gave Hedin a pair but Thakur a flush.

“Big” Al Hedin - 5.36 million
Satish Thakur - 1.02 million