The MSPT returned home to host the Season 15 Minnesota Poker State Championship at Running Aces Casino and it was surly one to remember.
Players from across the country traveled to the tundra for the 16-trophy event series which was headlined by the $1,110 buy-in, $500K GTD Main Event which saw total of 861 entries (172 from Day 1a; 303 from 1b; 386 from 1c) tallied generating a $833,670.
On Sunday, 105 players returned for Day 2 action, and after it was said and done, the last player standing was Sean Hinton who came out the victor to win the $142,607 top prize and his first MSPT title!
“It feels really awesome to be honest,” Hinton said after his win, “I moved here from Las Vegas about a year ago with my wife for her job and it feels amazing to come here and be able to close this one out.”
With just over $11,000 in live tournament earnings before the win, Hinton has bursted onto the poker scene with his first six-figure payday and is now the reigning Minnesota State Poker Champion!
Day 2 Action
The final day saw 105 players come back to action with only 90 slated of them slated to get paid meaning, 15 players needed to exit before the money was reached.
Among those to leave empty-handed included WSOP bracelet winner’s John Reading & Ian Matakis. Reading’s day started off with him losing a race to Jay Philips, and then picked-up a pair of aces only to have them set-up by Ian Pearson’s pocket nines.
The likes of Paul Carney, Brian Berthiaume, and Wes Cannon fell before Matakis tried to bluff Bee Yang off the best hand but after a clock was called, he tossed out a single chip and rolled over the best hand, starting the hand-for-hand process.
Only two hands were needed to burst the bubble after Matt Alexander straightened-out Peter Creese the march to the final table began.
With everyone left in the money, action hit a new gear with player started dropping by the wayside. MSPT champ Joe Matheson unfortunately happened to fall into the pit fire after his Big Slick fell to Yang’s made hand of threes.
A few levels later, fellow MSPT champ Rodger Johnson succumbed to the same fate as Matheson, taking an earlier exit then planned but only for him, a milestone 25th Main Event cash on the tour was notched, earning himself a seat in the coveted MSPT Hall of Fame.
After Rodger’s departure, players continued to drop like wildfire, among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday included MSPT champ Gerlad Cunniff (28th Place - $3,668), 2011 POY Nate Fair (23rd Place - $5,919), Kitkat Klassen (19th Place - $7,003), MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang (17th Place - $8,337), MSPT champ Mark Jaroslawski (13th Place - $10,004), and David “Digger” Vig (10th Place - $11,671).
Final Table action
Once players took their seats at the final table, it didn't take long for action to kick right into gear as Joseph Larson got his short stack in the middle holding a made hand of tens only to get called by and Robert O’Connell holding a better made hand of kings. Larson was unable to find a set and became the first final table elimination.
Following Larson's exit was Ashton Henry whos patience saw him get his stack in the middle holding a premium hand of ladies from the small blind only to have Eric Seeliger wake-up with a better pair of kings.
Next on the chopping block was Mike Estes who found two suited connectors to roll with but was called by soon to be champ Hinton who held a dominating ace-king, ending his Main Event in seventh place for $24,852.
After Estes was eliminated, chips started to shuffle around the table with players picking up and giving back double-ups until Hinton rivered Broadway to score a double elimination of Chuck Kersey and Seeliger, taking a commanding chip lead into four-way action.
Four-handed play only lasted one short level after O’Connell got his stack in the middle holding a suited queen and was called by Miguel Martinez holding an ace. Martinez was able to connect with his ace on the flop and sent O’Connell home in fourth place for $55,022.
With three players remaining, Hinton held a commanding chip lead, but he dished out a few doubles before Martinez was able to finish off three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto home in third place, taking home $73,696 for his efforts.
After Martinez was able to eliminate Carodenuto, he closed the gap between himself and Hinton, which ultimately led to an ICM chop being agreed upon which saw Martinez take home second-place finish for $120,000 while Hinton took home the top prize along with the title of Minnesota State Poker Champion!
Season 15 of the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) continues this week as we head San Diego's Sycuan Casino for their second Showdown Series of the season which is headlined by the $1,110 buy-in, 300K GTD Main Event and as always, that will be reported by our live reporting team starting Thursday, May 2nd so make sure to tune in!