| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
We found Nesbitt Coburn with an all-in wager of 8,250 in front of him against a tanking opponent. With the board reading 
, Coburn's opponent called after thinking long and hard.
Coburn: 
Opponent: 
Coburn's set was ahead, but he could still lose if his opponent caught up with a diamond flush on the river. It was Coburn who improved, however, when the dealer burned and turned the 
to give him quads.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
26,000 | 17,750 |
Jeff Fielder fired 5,000 on the river with the board reading 
. His opponent pushed all in, and Fielder called, tabling 
for a set that beat his opponent's 
two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
59,400 | 59,400 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Level: 5
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 50
The last few rebuys and entries are being processed at the window, and registration will close as soon as the tournament resumes from a 10-minute break momentarily.
In one of the last hands before the break, "Wild" Bill Romer got his last few chips all in preflop against two opponents. After the 
flop, Josh Hofschulte bet and the third player folded.
Hofschulte: 
Romer: 
The 
and completed the board, and Hofschulte sent his opponent to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,400 | |
|
Busted |
The MSPT exploded in Season 3, and the 311 players that turned out at Running Aces – the largest up to that point – created a juicy prize pool of $309,600. The man that walked away with the title and $79,185 in prize money was Rodger Johnson of Grand Forks, ND. Johnson, who was in the farming and banking business, was actually the second in his family to win an MSPT as his brother, Brian Johnson, won the Season 1 stop at Northern Lights Casino.
“I come to Minneapolis to play some,” said Johnson, who actually flew himself to the stop. “I saw it on the internet so I came down. I get out to play quite a bit.”
Johnson direct bought into Day 1b and advanced to Day 2 with just sixteen big blinds. He got those chips in with 
offsuit at one point and managed to survive against 
.
“I won that hand then started picking up some cards,” Johnson explained. “But I played the entire tournament, both days, without picking up aces … My brother and I have a little competition going about who’s got the larger cash. His was over $50k; he’s had me beat until now. This gives me a lot of room.”
Here’s a look at the Season 3 MSPT Running Aces final table:
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rodger Johnson | $79,185 |
| 2 | Erick Wright | $43,328 |
| 3 | Elias Monette | $28,686 |
| 4 | Leo Fussy | $19,423 |
| 5 | Sam Hanson | $14,941 |
| 6 | Rob Westrom | $11,952 |
| 7 | David Westrom | $10,458 |
| 8 | Jeff Grobe | $8,964 |
| 9 | Tom Westbrock | $7,470 |
Players are being eliminated quicker as the pace picks up with the rising blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
A player in the small blind bet 5,000 into two opponents, and Blake Johnson shoved all in for 18,425 on the 
flop. John Hayes tanked for about a minute before folding his hand, and the small blind thought for about 30 seconds before making the call, asking if his opponent held fives for a set.
Instead, Johnson turned over for a gutshot straight draw, which was way behind his opponent's 
. The turn was the , bringing the possibility of a backdoor flush. A 
river caused the small blind to smack the table in frustration, and Johnson took the pot with his flush.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
41,000 |
