Battle at Bally’s – Vinny Moscati Denies Kyna England & Faraz Jaka Second MSPT Titles
Table Of Contents
Season 17 of the Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) continued over the weekend with a stop at Bally’s Black Hawk, not far from Denver, Colorado.
The $1,110 buy-in MSPT Bally’s Black Hawk Showdown Series Main Event attracted 528 runners, which crushed the $300K guarantee by offering up a $508,720 prize pool. On Sunday, the surviving 59 players from a trio of starting flights returned to battle down to a winner, and after nearly 12 hours of play, it was start-of-the-day chip leader Vincent Moscati defeating former MSPT Player of the Year and cohost of the MSPT Podcast Kyna England.
“Feels great,” Moscati told MSPT reporter Anthony Thompson. “Seems like I’m always here on Day 2, but for like 15 bullets, but this time it was on one, and it feels good to get the win.”
He added, “It was great coming into the day with the chip lead, and when we got to the final table, I was second in chips next to Faraz [Jaka]. I lost my first six all-ins, which were all flips, but I ran hot at the right time and was able to get them back.”
In addition to the title and six-figure score, Moscati also received a $3,500 seat into the MSPT Championship Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO), which will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, Nov. 18 – Dec. 2, boasting a $2,000,000 GTD Main Event!
MSPT Bally’s Black Hawk Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize | POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vinny Moscati | $107,376 | 1,600 |
| 2 | Kyna England | $66,930 | 1,400 |
| 3 | Faraz Jaka | $48,694 | 1,300 |
| 4 | Justin Lynch | $35,959 | 1,200 |
| 5 | Roger Low | $26,969 | 1,100 |
| 6 | Kent Biel | $20,476 | 1,000 |
| 7 | Scott Horvath | $15,982 | 900 |
| 8 | Corey Dodd | $12,486 | 800 |
| 9 | Jeremy Ahillen | $9,489 | 700 |
Others to cash the tournament were Ding “Son” Nguyen (15th - $5,993), Aaron Thomas (19th - $4,295), Ben Keeline (23rd - $3,646), DJ Buckley (27th - $3,096), MSPT Hall of Famer Gerald Cunniff (28th - $2,697), and Jim Casement (32nd - $2,697).
Side Event Winners
The MSPT Bally's Black Hawk stop was comprised of 17 Gold Card events, which included Event #1: $400 Mini Main Event. That tournament attracted 853 entries and saw Danny Gonzalez come out on top to win the title and $54,578 in prize money.
Others to claim titles were Zach Gutierrez (Event #6: $300 Ultimate Stack NLH for $7,500), Aaron Thomas (Event #8: $300 Epic Stack NLH for $9,331), and Jay Yates (Event #13: $300 Seniors 50+ Monster Stack for $10,528), just to name a fews.
Here’s a look at all those who captured titles during the latest MSPT Bally’s Black Hawk stop.
MSPT Bally's Black Hawk Side Event Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 Mini Main | 853 | Danny Gonzalez | $54,578 |
| Event #2: $200 Nightly NLH | 29 | Eric Person | $2,320 |
| Event #3: $200 Nightly NLH | 53 | Ralph Bozeman | $3,181 |
| Event #4: $200 Nightly NLH | 94 | Leo Bernal | $4,512 |
| Event #5: $200 Nightly NLH | 71 | Caleb Durham | $3,862 |
| Event #6: $300 Ultimate Stack NLH | 127 | Zach Gutierrez | $7,500 |
| Event #7: $200 Nightly NLH | 47 | Josh Edgell | $3,008 |
| Event #8: $300 Epic Stack NLH | 136 | Aaron Thomas | $9,331 |
| Event #9: $200 Nightly NLH | 44 | Darin Lindgren | $2,350 |
| Event #10: $250 Mega Stack NLH | 105 | Warren Rudman | $2,919 |
| Event #11: $300 Pot-Limit Omaha | 53 | Jason Laackmann | $4,336 |
| Event #12: $200 Nightly NLH | 25 | Brennen Nagen | $2,000 |
| Event #13: $300 Seniors 50+ Monster Stack | 212 | Jay Yates | $10,528 |
| Event #14: $300 Mixed PLO/NLH | 53 | Eric Pfenning | $4,116 |
| Event #15: $1,110 Main Event | 528 | Vincent Moscati | $107,376 |
| Event #16: $200 Nightly NLH | 52 | Edward Apodaca | $3,119 |
| Event #17: $300 Ultimate Stack NLH | 95 | Antonio Vargas | $6,983 |
What's Coming Up?
The MSPT is currently hosting its first major of Season 17 in Arizona. A full schedule of side events will lead into this weekend's $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Diamond Poker Championship at Arizona’s Talking Stick Resort from Jan. 24-Feb. 1.
Right after, the MSPT will return to the Venetian Las Vegas Feb. 4-7 for the $1,600 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Poker Bowl X.
Here’s a look at the current MSPT Season 17 schedule. More details can be found at msptpoker.com.
| Dates | Venue | State | Event | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 24-Feb. 1 | Talking Stick Resort | Arizona | Major Diamond Poker Championship | $1,000,000 |
| Feb. 4-7 | The Venetian | Nevada | $1,600 Poker Bowl X | $1,000,000 |
| Feb. 10-16 | JACK Cleveland | Ohio | Ohio Poker State Championship | TBD |
| Feb. 17-22 | Potawatomi Casino | Wisconsin | Major Club Poker Championship | $1,000,000 |
| March 11-15 | Grand Falls Casino | Iowa | MSPT Festival | $200,000 |
| March 17-22 | Riverside Casino | Iowa | MSPT Festival | $500,000 |
| March 24-29 | Ameristar St. Charles | Missouri | Missouri Poker State Championship | TBD |
| April 7-19 | Running Aces Casino | Minnesota | Minnesota Poker State Championship | TDB |
| April 21-26 | Ameristar East Chicago | Indiana | MSPT Festival | $300,000 |
| April 28-May 3 | Potawatomi Casino | Wisconsin | MSPT Festival | $1,000,000 |
| May 12-17 | FireKeepers Casino | Michigan | Michigan Poker State Championship | $1,000,000 |
| May 13-25 | Sycuan Casino | California | Showdown Series | TBD |
| June 2026 | The Venetian | Nevada | Diamond Poker Championship | TDB |
| June 2026 | The Venetian | Nevada | TBD | TDB |
| July 21-26 | Riverside Casino | Iowa | Iowa Poker State Championship | $500,000 |
| July 22-Aug. 2 | Bally’s Black Hawk Casino | Colorado | Colorado Poker State Championship | $600,000 |
| September 2026 | The Venetian | Nevada | Nevada Poker State Championship | TDB |
| Sept. 22-27 | Potawatomi Casino | Wisconsin | Wisconsin Poker State Championship | $1,000,000 |
| Oct. 13-18 | FireKeepers Casino | Michigan | Major Spade Poker Championship | $1,500,000 |
| Nov. 3-8 | Riverside Casino | Iowa | MSPT Festival | $500,000 |
| Nov. 18-Dec. 2 | Seminole Hard Rock | Florida | Major Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO) | $2,000,000 |
| Dec. 1-13 | Running Aces Casino | Minnesota | Winter Poker Classic | $700,000 |
*Images courtesy of MSPT / Tyler Abrams.





