MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event | MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event (Jan. 2021)

MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event

Day 2 Completed

01-24-2021 23:35 UTC-5

Chad Bjorkman Wins MSPT Grand Falls for First Title and a $101,450 Payday

Anthony Thompson

Level 30 : 100,000/150,000, 30,000 ante

This past weekend, the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to Grand Falls Casino for an $1,100 buy-in, $200K GTD Main Event and it was just as successful as the last. The second MSPT Main Event of the year attracted 488 entries (230 from Day 1a; 257 from 1b) and generated a $471,860 prize pool, putting it just behind the record-breaking field from this past August.

While Grand Falls Casino is situated just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota, it is technically located just across the border in Larchwood, Iowa. Despite being a bit remote, players flocked from the Midwest as well as Colorado, Florida, and Las Vegas. The turnout was evidence that, despite the current pandemic, there is a big demand for live tournament poker.

On Sunday, 67 players returned for Day 2 action, and at the end, it was Minnesota native Chad Bjorkman coming out on top to win a $101,450 top prize and his first MSPT title.

"Feels good," Bjorkman said after his win. "It still hasn't quite sunk in but I'm giggly, happy, and warm."

It was a triumphant return to live poker for Bjorkman, who hadn’t played since August when the MSPT last visited Grand Falls.

"I didn't do too well the last go around I was here but the atmosphere is great, the staff is great, and the stay was wonderful, so it was an easy choice to come back," stated Bjorkman.

It was the correct choice for Bjorkman made to come back as he secured the largest payday of his career. He plans on investing his winnings into some future MSPT's.

"I was looking at the schedule and am definitely planning playing the Venetian and then map out more future events."

MSPT Grand Falls Final Table Results

Place	Player	Prize	MSPT POY Points
1	Chad Bjorkman	$101,450	1,600
2	Cory Nordstrand	$62,339	1,400
3	Dave Sanderson	$44,921	1,300
4	Cy Church	$33,974	1,200
5	Anthony Scarborough	$25,480	1,100
6	Ha Nguyen	$19,346	1,000
7	Phil Gioia	$15,100	900
8	Drazen Ilich	$11,797	800
9	Larry Loose	$8,965	700

With 54 spots slated to get paid, more than a dozen players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang, MSPT Champs David Gonia and Erv Bjerga, just to name a few.

Once Shanda Myers bubbled in 55th place, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Marc Harrell (10th - $7,078), Tim Garles (12th - $7,078), Day 1a chip leader Paul Carney (13th - $5,662), Cory Cove (24th - $3,633), Kyna England (25th - $3,161), Lori Johnson (29th - $2,548), and Lyman Woodworth (50th - $2,123).

Final Table action

Cy Church entered the final table with a stack of 2.9 million, well ahead of the rest of the field ,and once players returned from their dinner break it didn't take long before Larry Loose dropped in ninth place holding ace-nine against Bjorkman's ace-queen suited.

A few minutes later, Drazen Ilich hit the rail after losing the majority of his stack holding ace-jack against Cory Nordstrand's pocket kings. Day 1b chip leader Phil Gioia was the next player to fall after his pocket queens came up just short after Ha Nguyen rivered a king with big slick. Unfortunately for Nguyen, he woke up in back-to-back spots holding an inferior ace and was sent him home in sixth place.

Five-handed play went on for a full level before the next body drop when Anthony Scarborough jammed his ace-king suited into Dave Sanderson's pocket aces. In the same level, Cy Church got his short-stack in the middle holding live cards but couldn't connect with the runout and he took his exit in fourth place for $33,974.

Three-handed action turned into a one-sided affair after Bjorkman sent Sanderson home in third place and Nordstrand was flushed out on the river for a second-place finish worth $62,339.

The MSPT will be heading back to the Venetian in Las Vegas for its next stop of Season 12 with the $350,000 GTD, $1,100 buy-in Main Event being held February 4-6.

Tags: Anthony Scarborough Chad Bjorkman Cory Cove Cy Church Dave Sanderson David Gonia Drazen Ilich Erv Bjerga Ha Nguyen Kou Vang Kyna England Larry Loose Lyman Woodworth Marc Harrell Paul Carney Phil Gioia Shanda Myers Tim Garles

01-24-2021 23:30 UTC-5

Cory Nordstrand Eliminated in 2nd Place ($62,339)

Anthony Thompson

Level 30 : 100,000/150,000, 30,000 ante

Cory Nordstrand raised all in for 1,600,000 and Chad Bjorkman called.

Chad Bjorkman:
Cory Nordstrand:

The flop came pairing Nordstrand's deuce but it also gave the flush draw.

Nordstrand improved to two-pair after the dropped on the turn and just needed to fade a club on the river to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Nordstrand, the fell on the river completing Bjorkman's flush and Nordstrand took his exit in second place for $62,339.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chad Bjorkman	12,200,000 1,600,000	1,600,000
Cory Nordstrand	Busted

01-24-2021 23:10 UTC-5

A Look at the MSPT Hall of Fame

Anthony Thompson

Level 30 : 100,000/150,000, 30,000 ante

The MSPT Hall of Fame, established in 2017, is proud to recognize those individuals who have shown superior skill and achieved specific long-term accomplishments.

The criteria to earn a spot on the MSPT Hall of Fame is as follows:

Achieve a minimum of 25 MSPT Main Event Cashes and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year; or
Achieve a minimum of 10 MSPT Main Event Final Tables and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year

To see which players are close to achieving HOF status, refer to the comprehensive MSPT Stats page.

As of today, seven players are currently enshrined in the MSPT Hall of Fame.

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/150,000

Ante: 30,000

01-24-2021 22:55 UTC-5

Dave Sanderson Eliminated in 3rd Place ($44,921)

Anthony Thompson

Level 29 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante

Dave Sanderson opened for 275,000 and Chad Bjorkman three-bet to 675,000 from the small blind. Cory Nordstrand folded his big and action was back on Sanderson who took some time before he jammed for roughly 2.7 million.

Bjorkman snap-called and the two players tabled their hands.

Chad Bjorkman:
Dave Sanderson:

Sanderson wasn't thrilled after seeing what he was up against and for good reason as he couldn't find a set on the runout, ending his tournament in third place for $44,921.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chad Bjorkman	10,600,000 4,000,000	4,000,000
Cory Nordstrand	1,600,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000
Dave Sanderson	Busted

Tags: Chad Bjorkman Cory Nordstrand Dave Sanderson

01-24-2021 22:44 UTC-5

Most MSPT Main Event Final Tables in History

Anthony Thompson

Level 29 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante

Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 11 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.

On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more.

Several players in today's field are looking to climb on the leaderboard for "Most MSPT Main Event Final Tables."

Here's a look at the top eight MSPT Main Event final tables in tour history:

Place	Player	Hometown	Main Event Final Tables
1	Richard Alsup	New Hope, Minnesota	12
2	Kou Vang	Maplewood, Minnesota	10
3	Blake Bohn	Eden Prairie, Minnesota	9
4	Rob WazWaz	Minneapolis, Minnesota	9
5	Jason Bender	Keota, Iowa	9
6	Aaron Johnson	Red Wing, Minnesota	9
7	Jeremy Dresch	Fridley, Minnesota	8
8	Everett Carlton	St. Paul, Minnesota	8
9	Joe Matheson	Monticello, Minnesota	7
10	Dan "DQ" Hendrickson	Faribault, Minnesota	7