$1,110 USPC Main Event
Day 2 Completed
$1,110 USPC Main Event
Day 2 Completed
Matt Paten rode the final table rollercoaster at the 2021 MSPT United States Poker Championship $1,100 Main Event final table, but his steady play and endurance in the final hours of Day 2 paid off. Paten took down the tournament championship at San Diego's Sycuan Casino on Sunday night, pocketing $94,782 in the win.
The pinnacle event of the recently-revived United States Poker Championship wrapped up when Paten became the latest player to put his name into the MSPT Main Event record books after topping a field of 456 entries.
Place | Name | Prize |
---|---|---|
1 | Matt Paten | $94,782 |
2 | Jonathan McGowan | $58,232 |
3 | Mike Rosado | $41,966 |
4 | Gary Hansen | $31,739 |
5 | Pej Niyati | $23,804 |
6 | Lucy Hargett | $18,704 |
7 | Rubin Chappell | $14,106 |
8 | Vladimir Medvinsky | $11,021 |
9 | Allen Galutera | $8,376 |
The Main Event featured three starting flights, with 60 players combined coming out of those three phases. Day 2 began with 60 players competing for 54 money spots.
By the time that field played down to the final nine, Paten entered final table play in a virtual tie for the chip lead. It took more than an hour for the first player to fall at the final table, and the Main Event remained eight-handed for another 75 minutes after that.
The eliminations started coming faster after that, eventually narrowing down to Gary Hansen (4th -$31,739), Mike Rosado (3rd - $41,966), and eventual runner-up Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan (2nd - $58,238).
Paten was on the brink of entering heads-up play with more than a four-to-one chip lead against Rosado. One big hand saw Paten limp from the small blind, and McGowan shove for 1.8 million.
Paten called, showing ace-three of spades against McGowan's seven-deuce of spades. Trip sevens came in on the runout for McGowan, however, evening the match considerably.
"When you have him dominated with ace-three of spades, you're feeling confident," Paten said. "But when he flops a seven and turns a seven, I'm drawing dead."
"You don't like it; you miss an opportunity to knock out another player with the worst hand in poker."
Paten endured, however, and eventually faced McGowan head-up, which lasted only a few hands with Paten picking off an all-in bluff on the river from McGowan to clinch the tournament.
Other final table finishers included Pej Niyati (5th - $23,804), Lucy Hargett (6th - $18,704), Rubin Chappell (7th - $14,106), Vladimir Medvinski (8th - $11,021), and Allen Galutera (9th - $8,376).
The Main Event came a week after Chris Smith won the MSPT Sycuan Casino $360 Regional for $33,149.
The MSPT continues in October with two stops in Las Vegas at the Ventian. From October 12-16, there will be an $1,100 buy-in, $1 million GTD Main Event followed by a $1,600 buy-in, $1 million GTD Main Event from October 18-22. PokerNews will be on-site to live report both tournaments. For more information, visit msptpoker.com.
On a board of and approximately 500,000 in the middle, Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan moved all-in and he was called by Matt Paten who had him covered.
Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan:
Matt Paten:
Paten had picked off the bluff and will walk away with the lion's share of the prize.
Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan takes home an impressive $58,232 for the effort.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Matt Paten |
11,000,000
6,400,000
|
6,400,000 |
Jonathan McGowan | Busted |
Players are on a ten-minute break.
Mike Rosado moved all-in preflop and was called by Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan.
Mike Rosado:
Jonathan McGowan:
The board ran , clean for "Cosmo" McGowan as he secured the elimination.
Rosado exits with a nice payday of more than $40,000.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jonathan McGowan |
5,300,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
Mike Rosado | Busted |
Matt Paten limped in the small blind and Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan moved all-in for 1,800,000.
Paten called and the hands were revealed.
Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan:
Matt Paten:
Paten was ahead but McGowan still had live cards.
The board came and "Cosmo" McGowan is still alive.
"Don't show that hand," said McGowan. "My friends will make fun of me."
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Matt Paten |
4,600,000
-1,800,000
|
-1,800,000 |
Jonathan McGowan |
3,600,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
Mike Rosado moved all-in and everyone folded.
On the next hand Jonathan McGowan limped in the small blind, Mike Rosado moved all-in and McGowan called.
Mike Rosado:
Jonathan McGowan:
The board came and Rosado doubled.
The next hand Mike Rosado made it 310,000 and Matt Paten called. The flop came and both players checked. On the turn, Rosado checked, Paten bet 200,000 and Rosado called. The river was the and Rosado check-folded to a bet of 750,000.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Matt Paten |
6,400,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
Mike Rosado |
2,000,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Matt Paten |
7,000,000
2,100,000
|
2,100,000 |
Jonathan McGowan |
3,300,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
Mike Rosado |
1,100,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
Jonathan "Cosmo" McGowan opened to 225,000 and Gary Hansen called.
The flop came and Hansen checked. McGowan bet 600,000 and Hansen moved all-in. McGowan called and the hands were tabled.
Gary Hansen:
Jonathan McGowan:
Hansen was ahead with a pair but he would need to dodge a plethora of outs.
The turn brought the and the river fell the giving McGowan a flush and the knockout.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jonathan McGowan |
4,400,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
Gary Hansen | Busted |
Matt Paten opened to 220,000 from the cutoff, Mike Rosado shoved, and Paten called off for 2,420,000 total.
Matt Paten:
Mike Rosado:
Board:
Paten took the chip lead after scooping the nearly five-million pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Matt Paten |
4,900,000
2,375,000
|
2,375,000 |
Jonathan McGowan |
2,900,000
-850,000
|
-850,000 |
Mike Rosado |
1,600,000
-1,750,000
|
-1,750,000 |
Gary Hansen |
1,500,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |