Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Potawatomi Casino
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 Mid-States Poker Tour Potawatomi Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$487,000
Entries
487
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Jason Zarlenga Wins MSPT Potawatomi for $120,164 & 2nd Title; Becomes All-Time MSPT Money Leader
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
On Sunday, the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Potawatomi Hotel & Casino – the second largest in MSPT history – came to an end as the final 83 players from a 487-entry field played down to a winner. It took a full day of action, but eventually Jason Zarlenga emerged victorious to capture the $120,164 first-place prize.
This marks the second MSPT title Zarlenga has captured in Season 5, joining the likes of Matt Kirby and Dan Sun as two-time champions. His previous victory came back in May when he conquered a field of 411 entrants to win the MSPT FireKeepers for $101,482. What’s more, Zarlenga now finds himself as the MSPT’s all-time money leader and in contention for Season 5 Player of the Year honors.
Just 45 players were slated to get paid, which meant 38 had to leave empty handed. Early on in Level 15, Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin opened for 6,000 from early position only to have Madison's Steve Verrett three-bet to 16,000. Action folded back to Baldwin, and he thought for a bit before moving all in for roughly 50,000. Verrett called and the cards were turned up.
Baldwin: 
Verrett: 
Baldwin was in bad shape, and it got even worse when the 
flop delivered Verrett top set. The 
turn left Baldwin drawing dead, and after a was put out on the river, he took his leave from the tournament.
Others who fell short of the money were start-of-the-day chip leader David Brown, Mark Sandness, Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon, Ian Demrow, Toby Stubbs, Steve Belland, and Jim Boone.
After Frank Swierczynski fell as the bubble boy after running kings into aces, the in-the-money finishes began to mount. Among those who earned a payday were Doug Timmer (45th - $2,352), Mike Holm (41st - $2,352), Steve Verrett (36th - $2,587), Larry Ormson (34th - $2,587), “Wild Bill” Romer (32nd - $2,587), Ken Baime (26th - $2,916), reigning MSPT Player of the Year Pat Steele (22nd - $2,916), and Mike Deis (17th - $3,715), who passed Kou Vang atop the Season 5 MSPT POY leader board.
The first elimination of the final table came when MSPT regular Adam Lamphere committed with Big Slick on an ace-high board only to run into the flopped set of queens of chip leader Sunny Ali. Not long after, David Sutton and Tuan Nguyen joined him on the rail, and then Steve Anderson followed them all out the door in seventh place after his pocket threes failed to hold up against the 
of Paul Mattioda.
Despite winning that hand, Mattioda was the next to go, and then local player John Sun bowed out in fifth. Four-handed play proved to be an extended affair, but finally ended in Level 29 (40,000/80,000/10,000) when Ben Keeline in the small blind and he moved his short stack into the middle. Ali made the call, but regretted it the moment the cards were tabled.
Keeline: 
Ali: 
"I should have believed you," Ali admitted. Things looked good for Keeline on the 
flop, but then disaster struck as the dealer burned and turned the 
. Ali spiked his ace, and Keeline was knocking on elimination's door. The 
river wasn't the jack he needed, and he was felled in fourth place for $34,097.
Rob Edelstein followed him out the door in third place after his 
failed to win a race against Ali’s 
, and that left Ali holding a decent lead over Zarlenga. That changed though as Zarlenga doubled into the lead and then got lucky to lay claim to the title.
Congratulations to Jason Zarlenga, the MSPT Potawatomi champion for $120,164!
MSPT Potawatomi Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jason Zarlenga | $120,164 |
| 2nd | Sunny Ali | $69,370 |
| 3rd | Rob Edelstein | $42,328 |
| 4th | Ben Keeline | $34,097 |
| 5th | John Sun | $26,808 |
| 6th | Paul Mattioda | $22,340 |
| 7th | Steve Anderson | $17,872 |
| 8th | Tuan Nguyen | $13,639 |
| 9th | David Sutton | $9,414 |
| 10th | Adam Lamphere | $6,109 |
That does it for PokerNews’ coverage from Milwaukee. The next MSPT will run from September 13-21 at Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, Minnesota, which will be followed by the MSPT Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells from September 20-28. For more information on both, visit msptpoker.com.
Sunny Ali Eliminated in 2nd Place ($69,370)
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The final hand of the tournament proved to be a doozy.
It began when Sunny Ali opened for 170,000 from the button and Jason Zarlenga raised to 580,000 from the big blind. Ali pushed back with a four-bet to 2 million, and then snap-called off when Zarlenga announced that he was all in.
Ali: 
Zarlenga: 
Both players held pocket pairs, but Ali's was best... that is until the flop came down 
.
"Nice hand, bud," Ali told his opponent. The 
turn meant Ali needed a king and a king only to stay alive, but it wasn't meant to be as the 
completed the board on the river. "Congratulations," Ali offered genuinely before walking around the table to shake hands with Zarlenga, the MSPT's third two-time champ and now all-time money leader.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,740,000 | 4,020,000 |
|
Busted |
The Tables Have Turned
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Jason Zarlenga raised the button to 170,000 and then called when Sunny Ali three-bet to 350,000, which brought about a flop of 
. Ali bet 300,000, Zarlenga called, and the dealer burned and turned the 
.
This time Ali checked, and Zarlenga bet 350,000. Ali announced that he was all in and Zarlenga couldn't call off his 2.12 million fast enough.
Zarlenga:
Ali: 
Ali had flopped two pair, but Zarlenga took the lead on the turn when he made a straight. The 
river failed to help Ali, and Zarlenga doubled into the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,720,000 | 2,930,000 |
|
|
4,060,000 | -2,930,000 |
"Ali, Buddy"
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
After Jason Zarlenga took a few pots early in the heads-up match, Sunny Ali got the chips back and then some.
It began when Ali opened for 170,000 from the button and then called when Zarlenga raised to 490,000. The 
flop saw Ali call a bet of 375,000 from Zarlenga, who then checked the turn. Ali took the opportunity to move all in, and Zarlenga didn't seem to like it.
"Ali, buddy," he sighed. "You hit that six? You can't have a six, Ali. Why would you freak out like that?"
Zarlenga thought for a couple of minutes before finally releasing his hand, but not before showing the . Ali then indicated that he had a ten.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,990,000 | 355,000 |
|
|
2,790,000 | -355,000 |
Heads-Up Chip Counts
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Jason Zarlenga is seeking to become just the third player to win multiple MSPT titles, but no matter where he finishes now, he will become the MSPT's all-time money leader.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,635,000 | 1,955,000 |
|
|
3,145,000 | -410,000 |
Rob Edelstein Eliminated in 3rd Place ($42,328)
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Action folded to Rob Edelstein in the small blind and he opted to limp. The ever-aggressive Sunny Ali then raised 300,000 more from the big blind, and Edelstein responded by moving all in. Ali snap-called.
Edelstein:
Ali:
It was a classic flip, but Edelstein needed to improve if he hoped to keep his title hopes alive. The 
flop didn't hit him directly, but it did give him a wheel draw to go with his overs. The 
turn was a safe card for Ali, and all he needed to do was dodge a three, ace and ten on the river to score the knockout.
The dealer burned one last time and put out the . Edelstein missed and finished in third place for $42,328.
"I limped to induce," Edelstein explained to his friends after the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Ben Keeline Eliminated in 4th Place ($34,097)
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Action folded to Ben Keeline in the small blind and he moved his short stack into the middle. Sunny Ali made the call, but regretted it the moment the cards were tabled.
Keeline:
Ali:
"I should have believed you," Ali admitted. Things looked good for Keeline on the flop, but then disaster struck as the dealer burned and turned the . Ali spiked his ace, and Keeline was knocking on elimination's door. The river wasn't the jack he needed, and he was felled in fourth place for $34,097.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,680,000 | 1,610,000 |
|
Busted |
"Here Comes a Diamond"
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Jason Zarlenga opened for 145,000 on the button only to have Rob Edelstein three-bet shove for 745,000 more from the small blind. Ben Keeline folded the big, and Zarlenga thought long and hard before making the call.
Zarlenga: 
Edelstein:
Zarlenga seemed excited that his read was right, but his demeanor changed a bit when the 
flop delivered Edelstein the lead with a pair of sixes.
"Here comes a diamond," said 10th-place finisher Adam Lamphere, who is on the rail supporting his fellow Michigan native. Sure enough, the dealer burned and turned the . Unfortunately for Zarlenga, he wouldn't find another as the blanked on the river to give Edelstein the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,555,000 | -1,075,000 |
|
|
1,950,000 | 1,075,000 |
One for Zarlenga
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Sunny Ali raised to 220,000 from the under-the-gun position and then called when Jason Zarlenga three-bet to 570,000 from the button. Both players proceeded to check it down as the board ran out 
and Ali announced, "Jack high."
Zarlenga then rolled over the 
to claim the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,630,000 | 750,000 |
|
|
3,070,000 | 475,000 |
|
|
1,205,000 | -495,000 |
|
|
875,000 | -490,000 |