Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour FireKeepers Casino
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour FireKeepers Casino
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
559
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Michael Ferraroti, originally from Redford, Michigan, says he is mostly a cash game player and that he only started playing tournaments in 2014, with the exception of possibly one tournament in 2013.
"My wife would always ask me, why don't you ever do well in tournaments?" he said. "I told her that I don't play very many, but after that I figured I could focus more on getting better at tournaments."
Ferrarotti took down the first prize of $134,642 when he topped a field of 559 entries in the 2015 Mid-States Poker Tour FireKeepers Casino Main Event, and it seems like his focus has paid off. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. As Ferrarotti put it, he spent a lot of time over the two days of the tournament "surviving."
"I had 20,000 chips for like four hours," he said. "But I'm a champion now. No one can take that away from me."
Ferrarotti came into the final table second in chips and seemed to stay out of the way while Bill Rogers knocked out four of the final table players. Ferrarotti says he was in for two buy-ins in the MSPT Michigan State Championship and that this is his fourth MSPT event. He mainly plays cash games in Detroit.
Early on Day 1a, Ferrarotti was all in and won a race for his tournament life. The player from the under-the-gun position raised to 3,000 and Ferrarotti reraised all in for his last 11,525. The under-the-gun player called and showed the 
. Ferrarotti showed the 
. The board ran out 
, and Ferrarotti doubled up.
After "surviving" for two days, Ferrarotti made a run at the right time. Plus, it also doesn't hurt to river a full house in the final hand to win the title and $134,642.
That will do it from the MSPT Michigan State Championship. Congratulations to all the winners, but especially to the champion, Michael Ferrarotti.
The next MSPT champ will be crowned at Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa, in November. The $1,110 Main Event takes place from Nov. 6-8, and you can find more information at MSPTpoker.com.
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
After a pretty one-sided heads up match, Michael Ferrarotti eliminated Bill Rogers to become the MSPT Michigan State Poker Champion.
Ferrarotti limped the button and Rogers raised to 350,000. Ferrarotti reraised all in and Rogers snap called. Ferrarotti turned over 
and Rogers turned over 
.
The two players stood up as they waited for the dealer to put out the flop. It seems like the cards know when people are watching, and the flop provided a bit of a sweat when it came 
. Ferrarotti had a commanding lead, but Rogers still had some outs to double up.
The turn was the , which gave Rogers a broadway straight. The river was as sweet for Ferrarotti as it was agonizing for Rogers, when it came , giving Ferrarotti a full house and the win. Rogers has now finished second in the last two MSPT FireKeepers events.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
11,200,000
2,415,000
|
2,415,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Michael Ferrarotti makes it 400,000 to go preflop. Rogers, who has been folding often to Ferrarotti, makes it 1-million. Ferrarotti does what seems like a double take, he moves his hand forward as if to go all in, stops himself, then says, "all in."
"Have you not caught a hand," Rogers says in frustration. He stands up then eventually folds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,785,000
2,600,000
|
2,600,000 |
|
|
2,415,000
-2,335,000
|
-2,335,000 |
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Michael Ferrarotti raised to 320,000 preflop and Bill Rogers called. The flop was 
and Rogers checked. Ferrarotti bet 300,000 and Rogers called. The turn was the 
and Roger checked again. This time Ferrarotti bet 500,000 and Rogers folded.
On the next hand, Rogers made it 320,000 preflop and Ferrarotti called. The flop was 
and both players checked. The turn was the and Rogers made it 400,000 to go. Ferarroti made it 1-million and Rogers folded.
Ferarroti limped from the small blind on the next hand and Rogers checked his option. The flop was 
and Rogers checked and Ferrarotti made it 500,000, Rogers quickly folded.
The chips are gradually flowing toward Ferraroti at the moment, but Rogers has bounced back with a vengance in previous spots.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,185,000
1,285,000
|
1,285,000 |
|
|
4,750,000
-1,545,000
|
-1,545,000 |
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Michael Ferrarotti and Bill Rogers are heads up for the MSPT Michigan State Championship at FireKeepers. Rogers finished second in this event in May.
Level 31
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
After 20 minutes of passing chips back and forth, and no one gaining any ground, Bill Rogers and Mike Ermie got it all in preflop. Ermie had 
and Rogers had 
. The board ran out 
and Rogers eliminated Ermie.
Rogers is now heads up with Michael Ferrarotti. Rogers finished second in the MSPT FireKeepers event in May and will be looking to finish one spot better today. First prize is $134,642 and Second is $75,703. There are no deals, so the pay jump is quite big between first and second.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,295,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
|
4,900,000
2,145,000
|
2,145,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 30
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Another statistic from the MSPT RFID table.
| Player | Went to Showdown |
| Bill Rogers | 66% |
| Mike Ermie | 37% |
| Michael Ferrarotti | 12% |
Level 30
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Mike Ermie and Michael Ferrarotti were all in preflop. Ermie had 
and Ferrarotti had . Ermie was the short stack. The board ran out 
and Ermie doubled up.
The next hand, Ferrarotti raised to 400,00 preflop and Ermie shoved all in again. This time Ferrarotti folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,265,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
2,755,000
-1,590,000
|
-1,590,000 |
|
|
2,180,000
1,190,000
|
1,190,000 |
Level 30
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Mike Ermie went all in preflop and Bill Rogers called. Ermie had and Rogers had 
. The board ran out 
and the river queen gave Ermie a second life, putting him back to almost 1-million chips.
Meanwhile, Michael Ferrarotti is staying pretty quiet and sitting at a little over 4-million chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,865,000
-355,000
|
-355,000 |
|
|
4,345,000
1,170,000
|
1,170,000 |
|
|
990,000
215,000
|
215,000 |