MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event ($2M GTD)
Day 3 Completed
MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event ($2M GTD)
MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event ($2M GTD)
Day: 3
Chance Kornuth Takes Down MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event ($412,086)
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,600 Main Event attracted 2,011 entries over three starting days, which resulted in a massive $2,865,675 prize pool. By the time the last river was dealt – it was none other than poker pro Chance Kornuth who emerged victorious to take down the title and $412,086 top prize.
Kornuth was already a massively accomplished poker player before the event with two World Series of Poker bracelets to his name and over $7 million in live tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob. Now he can add another six-figure score to his poker resume along with a coveted MSPT Main Event title.
Kornuth said he almost forgot about the event until a friend, who wanted to stay at his place, reminded him about it. As far as future plans go, Kornuth said he is busy working on his business Chip Leader Coaching and being a new dad.
“I’ve been focusing on dad life,” Kornuth said. “I couldn’t be happier.”
MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize | MSPT POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chance Kornuth | $412,086 | 2,000 |
| 2 | Peter Braglia | $282,269 | 1,800 |
| 3 | Eric Baldwin | $209,194 | 1,700 |
| 4 | Nick Phoenix | $157,612 | 1,600 |
| 5 | Michael Zulker | $120,358 | 1,500 |
| 6 | Ryan Torgersen | $93,134 | 1,400 |
| 7 | Brock Wilson | $71,642 | 1,300 |
| 8 | Bobby Po | $55,881 | 1,200 |
| 9 | Raman Afanasenka | $44,991 | 1,100 |
Day 3 began with just 15 players and fittingly, Kornuth would be the one to eliminate four of the first five players with Rheet Rademacher, Esther Fedorkevich, Tan Nguyen, and Kelly Kielbasa all falling to Kornuth within the first three levels of play. Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin would eliminate Donys Agnelli just shy of the final table after busting Agnelli’s pocket queens with pocket kings.
The final table began with Kornuth in a commanding position, having twice as many chips as his closest opponent. Raman Afanasenka, Bobby Po, Brock Wilson and Ryan Torgersen all came into the final table with short stacks and were eliminated in that order as they found themselves getting all-in preflop and failing to double up.
Michael Zulker would drop out in fifth place after being dominated in two separate all-in preflop affairs. First against Nick Phoenix with ace-queen losing to ace-king, and again against Peter Braglia with queen-jack losing to king-queen.
Phoenix had an impressive run considering he was tied for the second-shortest stack when the final table began. He nursed a short stack for some time, but eventually fell to Kornuth after running middle pair into bottom two-pair all-in on the flop and failing to improve.
Baldwin, who, like Kornuth, holds two WSOP gold bracelets, found himself short and ran pocket treys into Baglia’s pocket fours to go out in third place.
Heads-up play began with Kornuth having a slight chip advantage over Braglia. They jousted for a little while, beating each other out of small pots, but it didn’t take long for play to come to a head. The final hand occurred when Kornuth flopped a set of sevens and got all in against Braglia on the turn after Braglia shoved with a pair of treys, which left him drawing dead.
That wraps things up here for PokerNews at the MSPT $1,600 Venetian Main Event. Be sure to check out upcoming MSPT events, including events at the Riverside Casino on July 23-25 and Grand Falls Casino on August 20-22.
Peter Braglia Eliminated in 2nd Place ($282,269)
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
In what would be the final hand of the tournament, Chance Kornuth opened to 1.4 million on the button and Peter Braglia called.
The flop came 
and Braglia checked to Kornuth, who downbet to 1.1 million. Braglia responded by check-raising to 3.4 million. Undeterred, Kornuth re-raised to 9.7 million total and Braglia called.
The 
fell on the turn and Braglia shoved for his last 12 million. Kornuth announced a call turned over 
for a flopped set. Braglia could only turn over 
for a pair of treys and found himself drawing dead.
The 
dutifully completed the board and eliminated Braglia in second place.
Stay tuned for a recap of the event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
60,000,000 | 26,000,000 |
|
Busted |
Heads-up Chip Counts
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
34,000,000 | 6,000,000 |
|
|
26,000,000 | 4,000,000 |
Eric Baldwin Eliminated in 3rd Place ($209,194)
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Peter Braglia opened to 1.2 million from the button and action folded to Eric Baldwin in the big blind, who shoved for a bit less than six million. Braglia called.
Braglia: 
Baldwin:
Braglia held an overpair, and the 
runout kept him in front — eliminating Baldwin in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Kornuth Trips Up Baldwin
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Chance Kornuth completed from the small blind and Eric Baldwin checked his option from the big.
The flop came 
and Kornuth led out for 600,000. Baldwin called.
Kornuth bet 2.1 million on the 
turn and Baldwin again called.
The 
completed the board and Kornuth fired once more — this time for four million.
Baldwin tanked and stared down Kornuth a while before eventually sticking in a call. Kornuth revealed for trip threes and Baldwin mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
28,000,000 | 6,000,000 |
|
|
6,000,000 | -10,000,000 |
Level: 37
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Back in Action
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Players have returned and cards are back in the air.
Impromptu 15-minute Break
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Although there are still about six minutes to play in the level, the remaining three players have agreed to go on their break a bit early.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,000,000 | -1,000,000 |
|
|
22,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
|
|
16,000,000 | -1,000,000 |
Nick Phoenix Eliminated in 4th Place ($157,612)
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Chance Kornuth opened the button and was called by Nick Phoenix in the big blind.
The flop came 
and Phoenix checked to Kornuth, who continued for 1.7 million. Phoenix then check-shoved for about six million and Kornuth quickly called.
Kornuth: 
Phoenix: 
Kornuth had flopped two pair and had Phoenix's naked pair of tens in rough shape.
The and completed the board, changing nothing and knocking Phoenix out in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
23,000,000 | 11,000,000 |
|
Busted |