Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$494,700
Entries
510
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000
Phanora Prom Wins MSPT Golden Gates Casino for $123,180
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
The Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino attracted a record 510 entries to Black Hawk, Colorado to compete for their share of a $494,700 prize pool. On Sunday, the final 87 players returned to the famed poker parlor to battle down to a winner. After 13 hours of play, Phanora Prom emerged as the last man standing to collect the $123,180 first-place prize.
Prom, who hails from nearby Denver, had $75,744 in live tournament earnings before the win, which included a ninth-place finish in the MSPT's visit to Black Hawk back in March 2014.
When the day began, 33 players needed to hit the rail to make the money. Among those to leave empty handed were MSPT Grand Falls champ Alan Curl, Kevin "1sickdisease" Eyster, World Poker Tour One to Watch Jose Serratos, Colorado poker pro Bryan Devonshire, MSPT Team Pro Nick Pupillo, and defending champ Kane Lai, who began the day with a ton of chips but ultimately picked the wrong spot to shove.
With 55 players remaining, David Gutfreund opened for 23,000 from early position and Igor Balaban three-bet to 40,000. When action reached Ben Marsh on the button, he four-bet jammed for 141,000, and Gutfreund shoved all in over the top, which inspired Balaban to fold.
Marsh: 
Gutfreund: 
Marsh was in big trouble, and it got even worse when Gutfreund flopped a full house on the 
flop. A third on the turn meant Marsh could chop if the fourth lady appeared on the river, but it wasn't in the cards. Marsh exited as the bubble boy in 55th place, ensuring the remaining players a minimum $1,979 payday.
From there until the final table was set, the in-the-money eliminations racked up and included reigning World Series of Poker Millionaire Maker champ Adrian Buckley (50th - $1,979); the last woman in the field Norelia Austin (35th - $2,474); MSPT Golden Gates $360 Regional champ and start-of-the-day chip leader Bobby Sanoubane (32nd - $2,474); MSPT Team Pro Matt Alexander (20th - $2,721); and two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Warga (13th - $4,947).
When the final table of 10 was reached, Don Angstead led the pack, but with the blinds so high it was really anyone's game. The short-stacked George Clark was the first to go after running 
into Michael Sanders' pocket queens, and then Corey Zedo exited in ninth place after losing a race to Ben Keeline.
Day 1a chip leader Ross Reichart was the next to go after running pocket jacks into the queens of Prom, and then Dave Kohnke saw his 
go down in flames to the 
of Aaron Thomas.
From there, Sanders was crippled after running king-jack into the pocket aces of Prom, and then busted a hand later to Thomas. One hand after that, Keeline shoved with the 
only to run into the of Prom.
Prom then eliminated Angstead in fourth place – the former's holding against the latter's 
in a blind-versus-blind battle – and took a big chip lead into three-handed play.
Prom then eliminated Thomas in third place after turning trips, and finished off Sammy Aweida in just two hands of heads-up play. In the first hand, Prom shoved the button and Aweida folded. in the second hand, Aweida shoved and Prom called.
Prom: 
Aweida: 
Aweida held the better kicker with his ace, so he was primed to double in those instances there wasn't a chop or Prom got lucky. However, Prom spiked two pair on the 
flop, and neither the 
turn nor 
river helped Aweida, who fell in second place for $69,258.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phanora Prom | $123,180 |
| 2 | Sammy Aweida | $69,258 |
| 3 | Aaron Thomas | $44,523 |
| 4 | Don Angstead | $35,370 |
| 5 | Ben Keeline | $27,730 |
| 6 | Michael Sanders | $22,755 |
| 7 | Dave Kohnke | $18,056 |
| 8 | Ross Reichert | $14,098 |
| 9 | Corey Zedo | $9,839 |
| 10 | George Clark | $6,431 |
The MSPT will now head to Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells in Baraboo, Wisconsin for the penultimate stop of Season 6. That $1,100 Main Event will kick off Friday, and you can find out all the details here.
Sammy Aweida Eliminated in 2nd Place ($69,258)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
On the first hand of heads-up play, Phanora Prom shoved the button and Sammy Aweida folded. On the second hand, Aweida shoved and Prom called.
Prom:
Aweida:
Aweida held the better kicker with his ace, so he was primed to double in those instances there wasn't a chop or Prom got lucky. Well, this was one of those times for Prom, who spiked two pair on the flop. Neither the turn nor river helped Aweida, and he was eliminated in second place for $69,258.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
15,300,000 | 2,155,000 |
|
Busted |
Heads-Up Chip Counts
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,145,000 | 5,190,000 |
|
|
2,170,000 | -280,000 |
Aaron Thomas Eliminated in 3rd Place ($44,523)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Aaron Thomas opened for 500,000 from the button and Phanora Prom defended from the big blind to see a 
flop. Prom check-called a bet of 500,000 and then checked the 
turn. Thomas bet 700,000, Prom shoved all in, and Thomas called off.
Thomas: 
Prom: 
Prom turned trips to take the lead, and he actually improved to a full house on the river. Meanwhile, Thomas was eliminated in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Three-Handed Chips Counts (full)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,955,000 | 3,745,000 |
|
|
4,910,000 | -590,000 |
|
|
2,450,000 | 850,000 |
Don Angstead Eliminated in 4th Place ($35,370)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Action folded to Don Angstead in the small blind and he moved all in for what looked to be 2.7 million. Phanora Prom called from the big.
Prom:
Angstead:
Angstead was behind but drawing to two live cards. However, the 
flop paired Prom and left Angstead drawing to runner-runner. The 
turn took away any chance of that happening, and after the meaningless 
was put out on the river, Angstead shook hands with the table and then took his leave in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Ben Keeline Eliminated in 5th Place ($27,730)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
In the first hand after Michael Sanders' elimination, Ben Keeline moved all in under the gun for 1 million and Phanora Prom called from the button.
Prom:
Keeline: 
Keeline was a big underdog, and he watched helplessly as the board ran out 
to send him out the door in fifth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Michael Sanders Eliminated in 6th Place ($22,755)
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Michael Sanders got what was left of his chips all in preflop and was at risk against Aaron Thomas.
Thomas:
Sanders: 
Sanders was drawing to two live cards, but they failed to come as the board ran out 
. Sanders will take home $22,755 for his sixth-place finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,500,000 | 200,000 |
|
Busted |
Sanders Runs Smack Dab Into Pocket Rockets
Level 33
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Michael Sanders moved all in from the cutoff and action folded to Phanora Prom, who snap-called off for 1.96 million in the big blind.
Sanders:
Prom:
Sanders ran smack dab into aces, and while the flop paired him, he needed more help to eliminate Prom. The 
didn't do it, and neither did the 
river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,210,000 | 1,210,000 |
|
|
470,000 | -1,290,000 |