Tropicana Evansville

Tim Burden Wins 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship at Tropicana Evansville for $68,149

The 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship attracted 307 entries (145 on 1A; 162 1B) to Tropicana Evansville, which sits on the Ohio River just across the border from Kentucky. After a full weekend of play, Tim Burden of Central City, Kentucky walked away with the title and $68,149 top prize, his first ever MSPT cash.

“It’s just been a long day, and I’m very thankful,” said Burden, a rental property owner who was railed by his wife, Pam. “She gave me a kiss when I won, and like I said, she hadn’t kissed me all weeks. I’m gonna get in trouble now.”

Burden, who is talkative at the table, has been playing for approximately eight years and prefers tournament play.

“I enjoy the lighter side of life, I really do, and it’s been fun,” he continued. “Austin made it fun heads-up. I’ll give the money to my wife and take all my kids, and my three beautiful grandkids, on a vacation.”

Prior to the win, Burden’s best cash came over the summer when he finished 852^nd in the World Series of Poker Main Event for $18,340. Back in February, he also won the Cherokee Poker Classic Event #4: $200 NLH for $12,883.

Final Table Results
1 Tim Burden (Central City, KY) $68,149
2 Austin Clements (Nashville, TN) $42,073
3 Leonard Browning (Spencer, IN) $30,518
4 Martin Timm (Jasper, IN) $22,518
5 John Mingus (Louisville, KY) $16,889
6 Ken Baime (Glenview, IL) $13,037
7 Donnie Phan (Nashville, TN) $10,074
8 James Burns (Smyrna, TN) $8,000
9 John Cameron (Evansville, IN) $6,192
10 Dharmesh Patel (Newburgh, IN) $5,007

Day 2 saw 39 players return to action, and with 36 slated to get paid just three needed to leave empty handed before the money was made. The triumvirate included Cameron Kieffer, Jon Midler, and bubble boy Jeff Minnerly, who raced for his tournament life with queen-nine and flopped two pair. Unfortunately for him, Tim Burden turned a set to burst the bubble.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were nine-time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner Robert Hankins (32^nd - $2,074), 2016 MSPT Indiana State Poker Champion Earl Potter (28^th - $2,074), reigning Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year Chris Meyers (16^th - $3,407), and final table bubble boy Raymond Lantz (11^th - $5,007).

On the very first hand of the final table, Dharmesh Patel flopped an up-and-down straight draw against Martin Timm’s pocket aces. The chips went in and Patel hit the rail when the straight failed to come in. A few hands later, John Cameron got his short stack all in against two players and flopped a set of threes. Unfortunately for him, John Mingus turned a straight to win the pot.

James Burns followed them out the door in eighth place when his pocket sixes lost a race to Forrest Browning’s ace-nine, and then Donnie Phan, who finished fourth in the same event one year early, busted in seventh when he turned a pair of aces but had a kicker problem against Austin Clements.

Ken Baime, who won the MSPT Season 5 Majestic Star, then got his stack all in preflop holding the against Burden’s . The board ran out and Baime had to settle for sixth place and $13,037.

Mingus, who finished third in the 2017 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship, took his leave after his failed to get there against Clements’ on a run out. Not long after, a short-stacked Timm moved in with the and was called by Browning, who held the . The board ran out and that was all she wrote for Timm.

Browning’s elimination in third place – the result of flopping top pair with a mediocre kicker against Burden’s top pair with top kicker – set up a heads-up match between Burden and Clements. The former held a lead and maintained it throughout.

In the final hand of the tournament, Clements jammed holding the and Burden called with the . The board ran out and Burden turned a flush to lock up the tournament and take the state title across the border to Kentucky.

Season 9 of the MSPT continues next weekend with a $1,100 buy-in, $150K GTD Main Event at Grand Falls Casino, which is situated just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota. From there, the tour will head out west to the Las Vegas Venetian for a $1,100 buy-in, $250K GTD Main Event during NFL Kickoff weekend September 7-9.

Michael Clements Eliminated In 2nd Place ($42,073)

In the last hand of Level 31, Michael Clements ripped his last 900,000 from the button, and Tim Burden called in the big blind.

Clements:
Burden:

Burden flopped the nut flush draw on the flop, reducing Clements to six outs to take the lead. The tournament ended one card early when the fell on the turn, and Burden stood up to shake Clements’ hand before the hit the river.

Michael Clements - Eliminated in 2nd place for $42,073

Tim Burden Takes A Chunk From Michael Clements

Michael Clements raised to 360,000 from the button, and Tim Burden called from the big blind.

On the flop, Burden checked and Clements checked behind.

The fell on the turn, and Burden checked again. Clements bet 425,000, and Burden called.

The hit the river, and Burden jammed for 760,000 effective. Clements folded.

Tim Burden - 5.385 million
Michael Clements - 760,000

Tim Burden Fights Back

Michael Clements limped from the button and Tim Burden checked his option in the big blind.

The flop saw Burden check, and Clements bet 345,000. Burden snap-called.

On the turn, Burden checked and Clements checked behind.

The completed the board on the river, and Burden bet 350,000. Clements folded.

Tim Burden - 4.44 million
Michael Clements - 1.705 million

Michael Clements Keeps Climbing

Tim Burden raised to 275,000 and Michael Clements called in the big blind.

The flop was checked by Clements, and Burden checked behind.

On the turn, Clements bet 375,000, and Burden called.

The fell on the river saw Clements jam for 900,000, and Burden fold.

Tim Burden - 3.9 million
Michael Clements - 2.245 million

Michael Clements Recovers

Tim Burden limped the button and Michael Clements checked his option in the big blind.

On the flop was checked by Clements, and Burden bet 200,000. Clements called.

The fell on the turn, and Clements checked again. Burden bet 375,000, and Clements called again.

On the river, Clements jammed for 500,000, and Burden quickly folded.

Tim Burden - 4.275 million
Michael Clements - 1.87 million

Tim Burden Pulling Away

Michael Clements raised to 325,000 from the button, and Tim Burden called in the big blind.

On the flop, Burden checked, and Clements bet 475,000. Burden tanked for a few minutes before making the call.

The fell on the turn and Burden immediately jammed for 1.41 million effective. Clements folded.

Tim Burden - 4.735 million
Michael Clements - 1.41 million

Heads Up Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Tim Burden	3865000	4565000
Michael Clements	2280000	1465000

Leonard Browning Eliminated In 3rd Place ($30,518)

Michael Clements raised to 180,000 on the button, and Tim Burden called in the small blind. Leonard Browning three-bet to 475,000 from the big blind, Clements folded, and Burden called.

The flop was checked by Burden. Browning jammed for 1.5 million and Burden called, having Browning barely covered.

Browning:
Burden:

Burden got a big scare when the fell on the turn, giving Browning a flush draw, but the river gave both players straights, with Burden’s superior Broadway straight bringing us to heads-up play.

Leonard Browning - Eliminated in 3rd place for $30,518

Updated Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Leonard Browning	2595000	2400000
Michael Clements	1955000	1900000
Tim Burden	1595000	1460000