Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$328,000
Entries
328
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Peixin Liu Wins Mid-States Poker Tour Running Aces ($85,498)
![[user269803]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The Mid-States Poker Tour at Running Aces saw Peixin Liu best a field of 328 entries to claim the coveted trophy and $85,498 in prize money. Liu is a previous MSPT Champion, having won the Canterbury Park event in Shakopee, Minnesota in December of 2014; as a result, he becomes just the fifth player in history to win two MSPT titles. Furthermore, Liu has now cashed seven times on the MSPT for $300,509 in earnings, which makes him the tour's all-time money winner.
Day 2 started with 61 returning players, and the field lost 25 before making the money. Among the more notable players to fall included MSPT Pros Matt Kirby and Matt Alexander, as well as Kenny Fleming and Cody Lindquist. The bubble officially burst when Nicholas Revello was knocked out in 37th place in Level 18.
Some notable players that were eliminated in the money but before the final table included Erick Wright ($1,963), Mark Hodge ($1,963), Rich Alsup ($1,963), Aaron Johnson ($2,217), Kuo Vang ($3,404), Nancy Anderson ($3,404), Jonathan Hanner ($4,117), and John Reading ($4,117), who busted on the final table bubble in 11th place.
The first to fall at the final table was Mike Gantzer, who was eliminated in 10th place. Gantzer had lost a big hand after he doubled up Derek Lesniak when his 
failed to improve against Lesniak's 
. After that hand, Gantzer was left with only two big blinds. A few hands later, Gantzer found himself all in and was called by four players. His ace-queen failed to improve against Scott Johnson's 
after Johnson had hit a jack on the flop.
Clayton Warner was then eliminated in ninth place by Ben Marsh, the former getting it in with the 
versus the latter's 
. Warner flopped trip jacks when the 
fell, but unfortunately for him Marsh turned a boat when the 
spiked. The river was a blank and Warner was sent home with a $6,333 payday.
Shortly thereafter, on a board reading 
, Muneer Ahmed shoved all in and was called by Liu. Ahmed had flopped an open-ended straight holding the 
but failed to hit any of his outs. Liu’s pair of tens with the 
was enough to send Ahmed home just moments before the player’s first break of the final table.
From there, Lesniak shoved all in from the small blind and Jon Maras quickly called off in the big blind. Maras was ahead holding the 
against Lesniak’s [8,6h], but that changed when Lesniak hit a six on the flop to send Maras out the door in seventh place.
Johnson was then eliminated in sixth place after shoving all in with the 
and getting called by Liu’s 
. Johnson was ahead but that all changed when the flop came down 
. The turn and 
river sealed the deal for Liu, and Johnson was sent home.
Not long after, Dennis Stevermer was eliminated in fifth place when he shoved with pocket sevens but failed to hold against Lesniak’s ace-king when the board ran out 
. Stevermer would take home $18,683 for his efforts.
Shortly before busting in fourth place, Marsh had doubled through DJ Buckley, but a little while later Marsh shoved all in with the 
and was up against Liu’s . The board ran out 
to give Liu a straight, and that was all she wrote for Marsh.
Buckley was eliminated in thirdrd soon after Marsh's departure. Facing a raise of 125,000 in the small blind from Lesniak, Buckley shoved all in from the big blind holding the . Lesniak called with the 
and hit a three on the flop. Buckley never improved and was eliminated from play.
Heads-up play lasted less than an hour. In what would ultimately be the final hand, Liu raised to 200,000, Lesniak reraised all in, and Liu asked for a count before eventually making the call.
Liu:
Lesniak:
The board ran out 
, giving Liu a full house and sending Lesniak home in second place with a $47,499 consolation prize.
Meanwhile, the win vaulted Liu into second place in the MSPT/Holm Audio Player of the Year points race.
Derek Lesniak Eliminated in 2nd Place ($47,499)
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Peixin Liu raised to 200,000. Derek Lesniak reraised all-in. Liu asked for a count and upon hearing the 1,530,000 total, thought for a moment, but eventually made the call.
Liu:
Lesniak:
The board ran out , giving Liu the full house, and sending Lesniak home in 2nd place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,560,000 | 1,580,000 |
|
Busted |
Derek Lesniak Takes it on the River
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Derek Lesniak raised to 200,000 and Peixin Liu called.
Both players checked the flop.
Liu bet out 150,000 when the turn came the , and Lesniak called.
Lesniak led for 250,000 when the 
hit the river, and Liu hesitatingly released his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,980,000 | 2,405,000 |
|
|
1,630,000 | -870,000 |
Level: 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 10,000
Players Now on Break
Level 28
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Play will resume in ten minutes.
DJ Buckley Eliminated in 3rd Place ($29,544)
Level 28
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Derek Lesniak raised to 125,000 in the small blind. DJ Buckley shoved all in from the big blind. Lesniak went into the tank for a solid minute and a half before he made the call.
Lesniak:
Buckley:
"Bring a lady one time," Buckley said.
When the flop came 
Buckley quickly said, "Or a jack."
The turn and river did not improve Buckley's hand and he was sent home in 3rd place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,500,000 | 445,000 |
|
Busted |
Ben Marsh Eliminated in 4th Place ($23,750)
Level 28
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Derek Lesniak opened to 105,000. Ben Marsh shoved all in on the button for 980,000, and Peixin Liu called the all-in from the big blind. Lesniak agonized over the decision but ended up folding his hand.
Marsh:
Liu:
The flop came , giving Marsh the lead with his pair of queens. But the on the turn gave Liu the straight.
"I need a jack here," said Marsh.
But it was the that came on the river.
Lesniak said, "I folded a monster too. Ace-king."
Liu's straight would win the hand, and Marsh was eliminated in 4th place, taking home $23,750.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level: 28
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Dennis Stevermer Eliminated in 5th Place ($18,683)
Level 27
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Dennis Stevermer open-shoved all in and Derek Lesniask called in the big blind.
Stevermer:
Lesniak: 
The board ran out to eliminate Stevermer in 5th place.
DJ Buckley said, "It's nice to see that ace-king can win a flip," referring to the previous hand in which he doubled up Ben Marsh holding Ace-king.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,055,000 | 320,000 |
|
Busted |