2019 MSPT Canterbury Park

$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2019 MSPT Canterbury Park

Event Info
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$776,940
Entries
802
Players Left
802
Average Chip Stack
20,000
Total Chips
16,040,000
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
50,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
263
Players Left
34

"Farmer" Phil Mader Leads as 34 Players Bag on Day 1b of the MSPT Season 10 Finale

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Phil Mader
Phil Mader

Day 1b of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Season 10 finale saw 263 entrants take to the felt, which along with 1a’s 172 brought the total field up to 435 entries with Saturday’s final flight still to go. After nearly 15 levels of play, just 34 bagged with Phil Mader and his stack of 397,000 leading the way. That is a little behind of Day 1a chip leader Bill Kachel, who made it through with 406,500.

Others to bag big stacks were Steve Wilkie (354,500), MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson (326,000), Charles Costanzo (266,500), and Chan Pelton (266,000), who round out the top five.

They were joined by players like Rob Wazwaz (253,500), Jonathan Kim (203,500), Ryan Phan (167,000), Vlad Revniaga (149,500), Barb Blechinger (110,500), James Gibson (104,000), Tom Stambaugh (102,500), and Craig Trost (92,500).

Of course, not everyone was so lucky. Among those to fire and fall on Day 1b were Colorado’s Sammy Aweida, WSOP bracelet winner John Reading, two-time Minnesota Magazine Player of the Year Saad Ghanem, former MSPT commentator Matt Alexander, 2019 HPT Player of the Year Nick Pupillo, Randy “Fish” Oyarzabal, three-time MSPT champs Matt Kirby and Blake Bohn, and both Dan “DQ” Hendrickson and Kou Vang, the only two players to have cashed all 10 seasons of the MSPT.

Those players, as well as any newcomers, have one more opportunity to play. Day 1c will get underway at 3 p.m. local time on Saturday. The surviving players from all three flights will then return to Canterbury at 11 a.m. on Sunday to play down to a winner. The final table will be live-streamed worldwide on a 15-minute delay.

Tags: Phil Mader

Min Flops Set to Eliminate Vang

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Kou Vang
Kou Vang

Kou Vang opened for 8,500 from the cutoff and Jason Min jammed from the small blind. Action folded back to Vang who called for less.

Jason Min: {8-Diamonds}{8-Spades}
Kou Vang: {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}

Vang was in a good position to grab a late double up until the {k-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}{8-Clubs} flop dropped giving Min a set of snowmen.

The {2-Hearts} turn was no help for Vang as he needed to set-up to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Vang, the river fell the {9-Hearts} ending his run in the last level of the night but the MSPT Hall of Famer showed class act shaking hands and telling everyone. "I'll see you on Sunday."

Player Chips Progress
Jason Min us
Jason Min
200,000 100,000
Kou Vang us
Kou Vang
Busted

Tags: Kou VangJason Min

"Farmer Phil" Sets Up Taleb

Level 12 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Phil Mader
Phil Mader

After Jeff Maas limped from early position, MSPT Grand Falls champ Ahmed Taleb raised to 4,500 next to act. Nebraska farmer Phil Mader, who was next in line, then three-bet to 15,000. Action folded back to Maas, who folded, and then Taleb called to see a {3-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}{8-Spades}.

Both Taleb and Mader checked and the dealer burned and turned the {j-Spades}. Taleb led out for 13,000 and Mader paused for a few beats before making the call.

When the {a-Spades} completed the board on the river, Taleb returned to checking and Mader thought for a bit before sliding out a bet of 40,000. Taleb asked for a count, cut out chips of his own, and called.

Mader rolled over the {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds} for a flopped set of kings and Taleb just shook his head as he sent his hand to the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Phil Mader us
Phil Mader
220,000 70,000
Ahmed Taleb us
Ahmed Taleb
95,000 -65,000

Tags: Ahmed TalebPhil Mader

Berman Eliminated by Torgerson

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Bradley Berman
Bradley Berman

The player under the gun opened for 3,000 and was called by Craig Trost from the hijack along with Bradley Berman from the cutoff. Action was on Eric Torgerson who three-bet to 11,000 on the button and the initial raiser folded along with Trost. Action was back on Berman who moved all in for 43,800 sending Torgerson in the tank. After a few minutes, the clock was called and once the tournament director started, Torgerson tossed in the chips for the call.

Eric Torgerson: {a-Hearts}{q-Spades}
Bradley Berman: {j-Spades}{j-Diamonds}

Berman was ahead but it didn't last long as Torgerson spiked an ace on the {4-Spades}{3-Clubs}{a-Clubs} flop.

The {4-Hearts} turn was no help to Berman nor was the {7-Diamonds} river and he took his exit from the tournament field.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Torgerson us
Eric Torgerson
190,000 190,000
Craig Trost us
Craig Trost
50,000 -7,600
Bradley Berman us
Bradley Berman
Busted

Tags: Craig TrostEric TorgersonTony Hartmann

Outgoing POY Ships a Double in Cooler Spot

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson

It looked as if Tom Hammers had opened with a raise to 2,500 from the cutoff and MSPT Season 9 Player of the Year Aaron Johnson called from the button. The player in the small blind then three-bet to 6,600, Hammers called, and Johnson four-bet to 16,000.

The player in the small blind five-bet by spiking out some chips, Hammers folded, and Johnson said all in to make everything official, which wound up seeing him at-risk for 21,800 total.

Aaron Johnson: {a-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}
Small Blind: {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

It was a cooler and Johnson was on the right end of it. There would be no bad beat as the board ran out a clean {9-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{8-Diamonds} to give Johnson the double.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Johnson us
Aaron Johnson
60,000 49,000

Tags: Aaron Johnson

Dresch Hooked by Vang

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante
Jeremy Dresch
Jeremy Dresch

There was heads-up action after the flop between Jeremy Dresch from the cutoff and Kou Vang on the button.

The board read {a-Spades}{3-Spades}{8-Hearts} and with 13,500 already in the middle, Dresch moved all in for 23,000. Vang thought for a few moments then tossed in his chips for the call.

Kou Vang: {j-Clubs}{j-Hearts}
Jeremy Dresch: {8-Spades}{6-Spades}

Dresch was behind but had outs heading to the turn and river.

The {10-Clubs} turn was no help to Dresch nor was the {4-Clubs} river and the former MSPT champ took his exit.

Player Chips Progress
Kou Vang us
Kou Vang
78,900 33,900
Jeremy Dresch us
Jeremy Dresch
Busted

Tags: Kou VangJeremy Dresch

Carlton Wakes Up with Rockets; Doubles Through Valenzuela

Level 4 : 200/300, 300 ante
Everett Carlton
Everett Carlton

After three initial limpers, Leonardo Valenzuela raised to 2,100 from the small blind and Everett Carlton three-bet to 5,200 from the big blind. Action folded back to Valenzuela who four-bet to 13,000 and Carlton jammed for 16,800, Valenzuela called.

Everett Carlton: {a-Clubs}{a-Spades}
Leonardo Valenzuela: {q-Spades}{q-Hearts}

Both Valenzuela and Carlton woke up with premium hands in the blinds but Carlton held the better of them.

There wasn't much sweat for Carlton as the board ran out {5-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{2-Hearts}{8-Spades} giving him the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Everett Carlton us
Everett Carlton
38,000 38,000
Leonardo Valenzuela us
Leonardo Valenzuela
8,000

Tags: Everett CarltonLeonardo Valenzuela

Welcome to Day 1b of the $1,100 MSPT Main Event at Canterbury Park

MSPT Sign
MSPT Sign

The final stop for Season 10 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) continues today as Day 1b of the $1,100 buy-in, $500K GTD Main Event at Minnesota’s Canterbury Park gets underway at 3 p.m.

Yesterday saw 172 runners take part in Day 1a action but when the dust settled, only 20 players remained with Bill Kachel and his stack 406,500 leading the way.

Others to bag big stacks were MSPT Hall of Famer and all-time money leader Rich Alsup (335,000), MSPT champ Mark Sandness (319,000), and Jeff Petronack (279,500).

They were joined by players like poker reporter Brandon Temple (175,500), Loki Abboud (163,000), WSOP bracelet winner Derek McMaster (136,500), Ian Matakis (112,500), and Luke Vrabel (90,000).

Today's schedule will mirror yesterday's starting flight as players will start with 20,000 in chips with blinds lasting 40-minutes in length. Players will receive a 10-minute break after the completion of every three levels.

Registration will remain open until the beginning of level 13. If a player is eliminated they will have the opportunity to re-buy one time per flight until the registration period has ended with play is scheduled through 15 levels of action.

The surviving players from each flight will then return at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8 to play down to a winner with the final table set to be live-streamed worldwide on a 15-minute delay.

Stay tuned in here as PokerNews will be on the tournament floor bringing you all of the live updates throughout the weekend.

Tags: Brandon TempleDerek McMasterIan MatakisJeff PetronackLuke VrabelMark SandnessRich Alsup