MSPT Canterbury Park $1,110 Main Event Day 1b | 2021 MSPT Canterbury Park

12-11-2021 02:54 UTC-5

Matt Morfitt Bags Top Stack as 45 Players Survive Day 1b of MSPT Canterbury Park $1,100 Main Event

Anthony Thompson

Level 15 : 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Another full day of action has played to its conclusion at the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Canterbury Park $1,100 Main Event. The second starting flight drew a staggering 324 entries during a massive snowstorm, bringing the two-day total thus far to 565.

Of those 324 total entries, 45 players remained when chips went into bags and Matt Morfitt found himself atop the counts with 507,000. He was the only player above 500k while Rodney Colson (396,000), Tom Zabka (362,00), and MSPT Hall of Famer Pat Steele (361,000) were the only other players to make it over the 300k mark with Bryan Skreens (277,000) rounding out the top five.

Much like Day 1a, the final level of the night saw an onslaught of casualties with chips flying all across the remaining tables in the final level of play that led to a lot of players riding roller coasters with their stack sizes before becoming official for the evening.

Several other well-known players to the MSPT poker scene will also be joining the aforementioned five. Luke Nguyen (231,000), Jason Crews (148,000), Brad Sailor (126,000) and Taylor Howard (117,000) are just a few more of the players to add their names to the Day 2 roster along with the 28 to have already advanced from Day 1a.

Among those to fire and fall in Friday’s flight were MSPT all-time money leader Rich Alsup, along with MSPT Champion's Chad Bjorkman, Steve Wilkie, Erv Bjerga, David Gonia, and John Sun with at least a few if not all of them likely to be seen back in action for the final flight.

All players who haven't found a Day 2 birth still have another shot tomorrow at 3 p.m. for Day 1c so keep it here at PokerNews for updates as all the action unfolds.

Tags: Brad Sailor Bryan Skreens Chad Bjorkman David Gonia Erv Bjerga Jason Crews John Sun Matt Morfitt Pat Steele Rich Alsup Rodney Colson Steve Wilkie Taylor Howard Tom Zabka

12-11-2021 01:53 UTC-5

Nguyen Wins Race to Drop MSPT Deadwood Champ Steffen

Anthony Thompson

Level 14 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Newley crowned MSPT Deadwood Champion Mark Steffen open-jammed for 40,000 and Luke Nguyen called from the small blind.

Mark Steffen:
Luke Nguyen:

Steffen found himself racing once again with a pair of eights and didn't like the flop that gave Nguyen a Broadway draw.

The that fell on the turn didn't change a thing but the river paired Nguyen and eliminated Steffen from tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luke Nguyen	185,000	25,000
Mark Steffen	Busted

Tags: Luke Nguyen Mark Steffen

12-11-2021 00:31 UTC-5

Zabka Flops Top Set Cracking Kings and Queens

Anthony Thompson

Level 12 : 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante

Chad Bjorkman raised from under the gun and found two callers which included Tom Zabka from the big blind.

The flop was checked to Bjorkman who moved all in and the player to his left came over the top. Zabka called having both players covered and the three players tabled their hands.

Chad Bjorkman:
All-In Player:
Tom Zabka:

Zabka held the worst made hand until the flop hit the felt giving him top set, and the river followed by the river secured him the double elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Zabka	247,000	247,000
Chad Bjorkman	Busted

Tags: Chad Bjorkman Tom Zabka

12-10-2021 23:49 UTC-5

Jensen Doubles with Aces

Anthony Thompson

Level 11 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Bradley Jensen was all in preflop for 37,000 from the small blind and was called by the hijack player.

Bradley Jensen:
Opponent:

Jensen was well ahead with his pocket aces and the flop didn't change a thing.

The turn did give Jensen a little sweat but the completed the board on the river and secured his double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bradley Jansen	80,000	63,800

Tags: Bradley Jensen

12-10-2021 23:07 UTC-5

Favreau Sets Up Sladek for KO

Anthony Thompson

Level 10 : 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Brett Reichard raised to 4,000 from middle position and was called by Dan Favreau called directly to his left along with the cutoff before Todd Sladek squeezed for 31,000 from the small blind.

Only Favreau called and the two players were off to the races.

Todd Sladek:
Dan Favreau:

Sladek liked what he saw until the flop hit the felt giving Favreau a set of eights.

The turn wasn't the worst card for Sladek as it gave him more outs with a gutshot straight draw, but the completed the board on the river and he took his exit for the tournament field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brett Reichard	160,000	-4,000
Dan Favreau	113,500	39,000
Todd Sladek	Busted

Tags: Brett Reichard Dan Favreau Todd Sladek

12-10-2021 21:52 UTC-5

Rob Wazwaz Latest Inductee into MSPT Hall of Fame

Anthony Thompson

Level 9 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

By finishing in 11th place in the MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event for $26,753 a couple months back, Minnesota’s Rob Wazwaz, who has been competing in this tournament, notched his 25th MSPT Main Event cash and became the eighth player to ever play their way into the MSPT Hall of Fame.

In order to gain induction, a player must do one of two things. First, they can achieve a minimum of 25 MSPT Main Event cashes along with either an MSPT win or MSPT Player of the year title. Second, they can achieve a minimum of 10 MSPT Main Event final tables along with either an MSPT win or an MSPT Player of the year title.

For Wazwaz, his 25 Main Event cashes complimented his 2018 win in the MSPT Canterbury Park for $109,375. All told, Wazwaz has $349,559 in lifetime MSPT earnings including nine final table appearances.

Wazwaz joined the ranks of Jason Seitz, Blake Bohn, Pat Steele, Mark Hodge, Aaron Johnson, Rich Alsup, and Kou Vang in the MSPT Hall of Fame, which was established in 2017.

Tags: Rob Wazwaz

12-10-2021 21:30 UTC-5

Wilkie Runs into Leshovsky's Aces

Anthony Thompson

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

A series of preflop raises saw Matt Leshovsky five-bet to 17,800 from the under the gun and MSPT Champ Steve Wilkie called from the button.

Once the flop hit the felt, Leshovsky moved all in and Wilkie called off his 20,000 stack.

Steve Wilkie:
Matt Leshovsky:

Both players held made hands but Wilkie was way behind and couldn't catch up as the turn followed by the river ended his tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Leshovsky	120,000
Steve Wilkie	Busted

Tags: Matt Leshovsky Steve Wilkie

12-10-2021 20:59 UTC-5

Peppe Out Kicked by Brozowski

Anthony Thompson

Level 7 : 400/800, 800 ante

There was three-way action after a flop and with 8,000 already in the middle, Vic Peppe led out for 6,000 from late position.

Action was on John Brzozowski who raised all in from the cutoff and got a fold from the button while Peppe called off his 20,000 stack.

Vic Peppe:
John Brzozowski:

Both players flopped top pair, but Peppe had kicker issues and neither the turn nor the river changed a thing as he reentered the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Brzozowski	93,200	93,200
Vic Peppe	25,000	-29,300

Tags: John Brzozowski Vic Peppe

12-10-2021 19:50 UTC-5

Kielpinski Hooks Double Elimination

Anthony Thompson

Level 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

There was three-way all-in action preflop between Heather Kielpinski from the button, the small blind and a player from early position with Kielpinski have both players covered.

All-In Player:
Small Blind:
Heather Kielpinski:

Kielpinski held a made hand of jacks but was trailing the pocket kings of the small blind and the flop didn't change a thing.

The paired the board on the turn while putting three hearts on the board, giving both of Kielpinski's opponents a flush draw, but luckily for her, the completed the board on the river and secured her the double elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Heather Kielpinski	80,000	80,000

Tags: Heather Kielpinski

12-10-2021 19:39 UTC-5

Minnesota’s Jason Seitz Earns Coveted Spot in MSPT Hall of Fame

Anthony Thompson

Level 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

At the beginning of 2021 at the MSPT Venetian opener, a new inductee won their way into the exclusive MSPT Hall of Fame.

Minnesota's Jason Seitz, 45, made the money on Day 2 of the MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event finishing in 32nd place for $5,677. It marked his 25th-career MSPT Main Event cash, which meant in coordination with his Season 2 win at the MSPT Running Aces, Seitz became just the seventh player to win their way into the MSPT Hall of Fame.

Seitz joined the likes of Blake Bohn, Patrick Steele, Mark Hodge, Aaron Johnson, Richard Alsup, and Kou Vang as the only players to achieve the remarkable feat.

While at the MSPT Canterbury Park, Seitz was celebrated and awarded his Hall of Fame trophy.

The MSPT Hall of Fame, established in 2017, is proud to recognize those individuals who have shown superior skill and achieved specific long-term accomplishments.

The criteria to earn a spot on the MSPT Hall of Fame is as follows:

Achieve a minimum of 25 MSPT Main Event Cashes and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year; or
Achieve a minimum of 10 MSPT Main Event Final Tables and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year

A former poker dealer at Minnesota’s Canterbury Park and tournament director at Running Aces, Seitz has $171,277 in career MSPT earnings. The family man – he and his wife, April, are expecting their fourth child in April – actually learned the game while serving as a dealer back in 2000.

“I played a lot of limit poker my first seven years,” Seitz said. “That made an easy transition to no-limit poker. Nowadays, I play a lot of mixed cash games either $10-$20 or $40-$80 mix. Luckily, I’m able to travel for the MSPT. I played my first MSPT in 2011 and won the event and ever since I was hooked. I play it every year.”

While winning his way into the MSPT Hall of Fame is an honor he cherishes, it’s actually his second most-proud poker accomplishment.

“My proudest poker accomplishment was winning the Poker Night in America at Canterbury Park for $101,755. It is my only six-figure score.”

As for the MSPT, making the Hall of Fame was on Seitz’s radar.

“I was aware and it was my 2020 poker goal to get into the MSPT Hall of Fame,” Seitz told PokerNews. “With the pandemic, there were only a few chances. Luckily, I cashed my last three MSPTs to become eligible. So now for 2021, I plan on staying home more with a new baby on the way. I’ll still play MSPT in the Midwest and probably play a few WSOP events this summer if it happens.”

For more on Seitz follow him on Twitter @Seitzjason.

Tags: Jason Seitz