Hank Mlekoday Wins 2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship
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Over the last two weeks of March, Canterbury Park just south of the Twin Cities played host to the 2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship, a series of tournaments that culminated with a $1,100 buy-in Main Event this past weekend.
That tournament drew 180 runners from across the Midwest, which generated a $174,600 prize pool. The final table was filled with some of Minnesota’s best, but in the end, it was Hank Mlekoday of Minneapolis who claimed the title and accompanying $47,144 first-place prize.
The win brought Mlekoday’s lifetime tournament earnings up to $460,068. It was his second-largest cash behind $50,752 he won for finishing 145th in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event. Other highlights on his poker résumé include 16th in the 2016 WSOP Colossus II for $44,740, seventh in the 2018 WSOP Circuit Planet Hollywood Main Event for $28,621, and 470th in the 2009 WSOP Main Event for $25,027.
2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hank Mlekoday | $47,144 |
| 2 | Jeff Minnerly | $29,507 |
| 3 | Jeremy Dresch | $20,952 |
| 4 | Umut Ozturk | $14,841 |
| 5 | Sandeep Cherukuri | $11,349 |
| 6 | Kou Vang | $8,905 |
| 7 | Dedric Henderson | $6,809 |
| 8 | Eric Eelkema | $5,238 |
| 9 | Kevin Fowler | $4,190 |
Others to cash the Main Event were Matt Hamilton (11th - $3,317), Vlad Tkachuk (14th - $2,794), Joe Barnard (15th - $2,794), Ian Matakis (16th - $2,444), and 2017 MN Poker Mag Player of the Year Todd Melander (17th - $2,444).
Hamilton and Hersch Victorious
While the Main Event was the main attraction, the Minnesota State Poker Championship was comprised of several other tournaments including a Crazy Pineapple, Tag Team, and both Seniors and Ladies Events.
In terms of prize pools, the two biggest tournaments outside the Main Event were a pair of $350 buy-in events. The first was the Black Chip Bounty which attracted 121 runners and created a $37,168 prize pool. Matt Hamilton wound up winning that event for $7,047 plus a bunch of bounties.
Meanwhile, the $350 Monster Stack NLH drew 213 entries and created a $61,983 prize pool. Joshua Hersch claimed that title and was rewarded with a $15,493 top prize for his efforts.
2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship Side Event Results
| Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $125 NL Crazy Pineapple | 91 | $8,736 | Ray Luterbach | $2,655 |
| $350 Mix | 55 | $16,555 | Louis Hillman | $5,794 |
| $250 Seniors NLH | 113 | $23,504 | Stephen Shanks | $7,050 |
| $350 Black Chip Bounty | 121 | $37,168 | Matt Hamilton | $7,047 |
| $250 6-Max NLH | 109 | $22,672 | Rob Maier | $6,802 |
| $250 Tag-Team NLH | 179 (55 teams) | $17,184 | Raymond Cabillot & Bulut Ozturk | $5,241 |
| $125 Ladies NLH | 35 | $3,600 | Phalla Phan | $1,332 |
| $350 Monster Stack NLH | 213 | $61,983 | Joshua Hersch | $15,493 |
| $150 Double Stack NLH | 208 | $24,960 | Dan Sherman | $6,491 |
| $1,100 Main Event | 180 | $174,600 | Hank Mlekoday | $47,144 |
Images courtesy of Canterbury Park.
