MSPT Sycuan $1,110 Main Event Day 1b | 2021 MSPT Showdown Series

05-08-2021 01:35 UTC-7

Alex Greenblatt Leads After Day 1b of the MSPT Showdown Series $1,100 Main Event

Chad Holloway

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

Day 1b of the MSPT Showdown Series $1,100 Main Event at San Diego’s Sycuan Casino attracted 218, which along with the 131 from Day 1a brought the total field up to 349 entries with Saturday’s Day 1c still to go.

After a little over 14 levels of play the field was whittled down to the final 31 with Alex Greenblatt and their stack of 400,000 leading the way. That is still well behind that of Day 1a chip leader Adam Friedman, who bagged a staggering 816,000.

Others to bag on Day 1b were Jason Crews (355,000), Asad Abdullah (343,000), MSPT champ Ken Baime (336,000), and Luke Nguyen (328,000), who round out the top five stacks. Others to advance were WSOP bracelet winner Sandeep Pulusani (308,000), Kyna England (224,000), DJ Buckley (157,000), Alex Winter (141,000), Gary Herstein (110,000), and Dennis Stevermer (90,000).

Among those to fall on Day 1b were three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto, MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup, Michigan’s Jason Kapoor, Blake Whittington, WSOP bracelet winner Ben Moon, Andrew Moreno, Scott Stewart, and Minnesota’s Dan “DQ” Hendrickson, the only man to have cashed every season of the MSPT since 2009.

There is still one more starting flight to be had with Day 1c taking place at 3 p.m. on Saturday. PokerNews will be on hand to capture all the action, so be sure to join us then.

Tags: Alex Greenblatt

05-08-2021 00:19 UTC-7

Alex Greenblatt Eliminated "The Real" Chris Smith

Chad Holloway

Level 13 : 2,000/3,000, 3,000 ante

Chris Smith got his last 36,000 all in preflop and found himself in dire straits against Alex Greenblatt, who appears to be the chip leader down the stretch here on Day 1b.

Alex Greenblatt:
Chris Smith:

Smith needed to get lucky, but that didn't happen as the board ran out to give Greenblatt the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alex Greenblatt	545,000
Chris Smith	Busted

Tags: Chris Smith Alex Greenblatt

05-07-2021 23:08 UTC-7

Ohio's Ken Po Wins Event #7: $360 PLO8 for $8,369

Chad Holloway

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

In addition to the $1,100 Main Event happening here at the MSPT Sycuan Casino, there were 10 other side events that awarded trophies. One of them was Tuesday's Event #7: $360 PLO8, a tournament that attracted 93 runners and awarded a $27,900 prize pool to the top dozen finishers.

Among those to cash were Daniel Griffen (12th - $642), Luanne Uligan (9th - $753), DJ Buckley (7th - $1,088), and Ajay Chabra (3rd - $3,711).

In the end, Ken Po of Seven Hills, Ohio beat Brian Caplan in heads-up play to win the trophy and $8,369 first-place prize.

Event #7 Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Ken Po	Seven Hills, Ohio	$8,369
2	Brian Caplan	Richboro, Pennsylvania	$5,162
3	Ajay Chabra	San Diego, California	$3,711
4	Michael Shields	Newport Beach, California	$2,651
5	Whitney Brayton	Pinon Hills, California	$1,869
6	Derrick Herron	Santee, California	$1,367
7	DJ Buckley	Shakopee, Minnesota	$1,088
8	Richard Niminski	La Mesa, California	$893

Tags: Ken Po

05-07-2021 19:59 UTC-7

Bob Chow Wins Event #6: $250 NLHE Turbo Super Stack

Chad Holloway

Level 7 : 400/800, 800 ante

In addition to the $1,100 Main Event happening here at the MSPT Sycuan Casino, there were 10 other side events that awarded trophies. One of them was Monday's Event #6: $250 NLHE Turbo Super Stack, a tournament that attracted 200 players and awarded $40,000 in prize money.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Anthony Nguyen (17th - $520), Carol Smith (14th - $696), Chad Holloway (13th - $696), and final table bubble boy Daniel Gonzalez (9th - $1,004).

The tournament ended in a six-handed deal that saw three-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Bob Chow claim the trophy and $6,098 in prize money.

Event #6 Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Bob Chow	Las Vegas, Nevada	$6,098*
2	Brandon Lee	Chula Vista, California	$5,799*
3	David Patchel	Marysville, Michigan	$4,704
4	Gary Waters	Phoenix, Arizona	$4,183
5	Rip Fritzer	El Cajon, California	$4,166*
6	Kalvinci Ewing	Spring Valley, California	$4,082*
7	Diah Jibro	El Cajon, California	$1,440
8	Michael Murdock	San Marcos, California	$1,200

_{*Denotes 6-handed deal.}

Tags: Bob Chow

05-07-2021 19:09 UTC-7

Jason “TheRealClozer” Kapoor Makes the Journey from Michigan

Chad Holloway

Level 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

Jason "Clozer" Kapoor, 26, resides in Redford, Michigan, and has established himself as one of the state's fiercest players. He spent five years selling cars before opting to play poker full time beginning at the end of 2019.

"I don’t have much family, my mom just passed away five months ago," Kapoor told PokerNews. "I'm really trying my best to ship a tournament soon to dedicate a win to her."

Kapoor started playing poker avidly in 2017. He always knew the basics of the game, but like so many, he wasn't aware of just how in-depth the game could be.

Kapoor didn't graduate high school and actually left home when he was just 14 years old. He spent 70 hours a week working at a Dunkin Donuts when he was 16 years old just to pay rent and bills. To succeed in poker, one has to grind and deal with hardships. Kapoor has real-life experience in both.

"I was in survival mode my whole life, so I had to get good at reading people," he explained. "Knowing how people worked. What they wanted to hear and see. It’s sad but true. In my opinion, this really helps in poker, one of my best abilities is knowing where I’m at a lot of the time."

When not playing online poker, Kapoor sniffs out the action. For the past five months, he's traveled to what little live events there have been. Primarily a cash game player at the $5/$10 level, Kapoor added tournament play to his skill set in 2019. His biggest live tournament cash to date is $12,051 for finishing 19th in the 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship for $12,051.

"I can’t wait for the world to reopen. I’m beyond blessed to have this ability to make this kind of living considering where I came from and everything I’ve had to overcome throughout my life," he said. "Poker is not just a hobby. It’s a lifestyle, and I can’t see myself ever giving it up. I’ve met some of the best friends I could ever have from poker."

He added: "If you see me at the tables, you will either love me or hate me. I’m a talker, it’s part of my game. I mean no harm, I just want your chips!"

Kapoor traveled into San Diego today and hopped into the Day 1b contest not long ago.

PokerNews will be keeping an eye out for Kapoor to see how he fares in today's flight.

Tags: Jason Kapoor

05-07-2021 18:40 UTC-7

Joseph Szegedy Wins MSPT Sycuan Seniors Event

Chad Holloway

Level 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

In addition to the $1,100 Main Event happening here at the MSPT Sycuan Casino, there were 10 other side events that awarded trophies. One of them was Monday's Event #5: $360 Seniors, which attracted 173 runners and awarded $51,900 in prize money.

That was paid out amongst the top 20 finishers including Vernon Waite (18th - $675), Michael Khan (15th - $773), MSPT champ Ken Baime (11th - $1,074), and final table bubble girl Christine Blake (9th - $1,303).

In the end, it was Joseph Szegedy of Winnetka, California beating Andrew Bodewin in heads-up play to win the title, though the two had struck a deal that saw them lock up $7,981 and $7,438 in prize money respectively.

Event #5: $360 Seniors Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Joseph Szegedy	Winnetka, California	$7,981*
2	Andrew Bodewin	Riverside, California	$7,438*
3	Michael Murphy	Palmetto, Florida	$7,067
4	Louis Anthony Guadagni	Las Vegas, Nevada	$5,940
5	Jasmin Grabic	San Diego, California	$4,958
6	William Glaser	Rockport, Massachusetts	$3,171
7	Veronica Daly	Carlsbad, California	$2,982
8	Jay Chavkin	Caro Beach, California	$1,557

_{*Denotes deal.}

Tags: Joseph Szegedy

05-07-2021 18:33 UTC-7

Avino vs. Nguyen in Six-Bet All-In Pot

Chad Holloway

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

It appeared as if Chris Avino raised the button and Luke Nguyen three-bet to 3,200 from the big blind. Avino pushed back with a four-bet to 7,500, Nguyen five-bet to 19,200, and Avino jammed for 28,200 total. Nguyen called and the hands were turned up.

Chris Avino:
Luke Nguyen:

Avino had the superior pocket pair and he scored the double after the board ran out a safe .

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Avino	60,000
Luke Nguyen	40,000	-30,000

Tags: Chris Avino Luke Nguyen

05-07-2021 17:53 UTC-7

Victoria Davidson-Castillo Victorious in Event #4: $200 NLHE Ladies Event

Chad Holloway

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

In addition to the $1,100 Main Event happening here at the MSPT Sycuan Casino, there were 10 other side events that awarded trophies. One of them was Event #4: $200 NLHE Ladies Event in conjunction with Poker League of Nations (PLON).

The tournament attracted 79 runners and awarded a $13,825 prize pool to the top eight finishers. One player there who cashed was PLON founder Lena Evans, who finished in third place for $1,908.

"The opportunity to host an MSPT PLON Powered Ladies Event at Sycuan in San Diego was originally suggested by PLON Executive Committee member Allen Kessler," Evans previously told PokerNews. "Allen connected me with MSPT President Bryan Mileski. Bryan and I then organized the details of our partnership together, and the first MSPT PLON event was born!"

It marked PLON's first live event back since March 2020.

In the end, Victoria Davidson-Castillo of West Covina, California bested Mary Jane Sarver in heads-up play to win the title for $4,701, the MSPT trophy, and a Tiffany bracelet. Additionally, all the finalists received a PLON backpack with gifts including apparel from Flop the World (FTW) and PLON merchandise, "The Biggest Bluff" book signed by Maria Konnikova, Solar Rain Water, Spades Sunshades sunglasses, Poker Elephant chips, and other goodies!

Event #4 Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Victoria Davidson-Castillo	West Covina, California	$4,701
2	Mary Jane Sarver	Carlsbad, California	$2,917
3	Lena Evans	Beverly Hills, California	$1,908
4	Rejoice In Providence	Ham Lake, Minnesota	$1,341
5	Patsy Cortez Karimi	San Diego, California	$995
6	Joanne Byrd	Coon Rapids, Minnesota	$774
7	Lucille Hargett	Carlsbad, California	$636
8	Tracey Mayfield	Chula Vista, California	$553

Tags: Victoria Davidson-Castillo

05-07-2021 16:09 UTC-7

Fadi Yakou Wins Event #3: $250 NLHE Sunday Feast

Chad Holloway

Level 2 : 100/200, 200 ante

Last weekend, the MSPT Showdown Series at Sycuan Casino hosted Event #3: $250 NLHE Sunday Feast, a tournament that attracted 251 entrants and awarded $50,200 in prize money.

Among those to finish in the top 32 spots and make the money were Christine Blake (31st - $437), Tristan Ziemann (28th - $437), Don Burr (21st - $502), Ronal Oeding (14th - $728), and final table bubble boy Johnny Tan (9th - $1,104).

The tournament ended with a heads-up deal between Fadi Yakou and Vernon Waite. The latter officially finished in second place for $7,121 while the former took the title and $7,221 in prize money.

Event #3: $250 NLHE Sunday Feast Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Fadi Yakou	San Marcos, CA	$7,221*
2	Vernon Waite	San Diego, CA	$7,121*
3	Payman Daghigh=Delavar	San Diego, CA	$5,243
4	Michael Salazar	Santee, CA	$4,701
5	Eric Magallan	Chula Vista, CA	$4,357
6	Kalvinci Ewing	Spring Valley, CA	$4,357
7	Brad Sailor	Lombard, IL	$1,657
8	Jacob Quammen	Laguna Niguel, CA	$1,355

_{*Denotes heads-up deal.}

Tags: Fadi Yakou

05-07-2021 15:57 UTC-7

2021 MSPT South Dakota State Poker Championship Coming Up May 14-16

Chad Holloway

Level 2 : 100/200, 200 ante

After the MSPT leaves California, they’ll head back to the Midwest to Silverado-Franklin Casino in Deadwood for the $1,100 South Dakota State Poker Championship from May 14-16, 2021.

In the past, the South Dakota State Poker Championship has been a standalone event at Silverado-Franklin dating back to 2011, but in 2018 they joined forces with the MSPT. In 2017, Ryan Skluzak topped a field of 136 entries to win the 2017 South Dakota State Poker Championship for $37,500. The first year partnered with the MSPT, the field grew to 286 runners and saw Rick Burleson take it down for $63,462, and in 2019 it was Sergio Mireles besting a 258-entry field to win it for $60,946.

The Silverado-Franklin Hotel & Gaming Complex offers more than 360 different slot machines, Deadwood’s largest table games area (Caribbean Stud, 4-Card Poker, Let It Ride, and 3-Card Poker all with a $1,000 betting limit), and a poker room. In addition, there is great food and drink options at Legends Steakhouse, Silverado Grand Buffet, and the Veranda, which offers unique views of historic Mount Moriah Cemetery, White Rocks, and the town of Deadwood.

Deadwood is known for many things but for poker players it's perhaps best known for aces and eights, otherwise known as the Deadman’s Hand. In 1876, Wild Bill Hickok held that hand in a game of poker at a saloon just a few blocks from the present-day Silverado when he was shot by Jack McCall.

Travel Information

The Black Hills are serviced from Rapid City Regional Airport by three major airlines: Northwest, United, and Delta, which provide direct flights from Denver, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, and Chicago. Interstate 90, which runs along the eastern and northern boundaries of the Black Hills, is the region's major thoroughfare.

MSPT South Dakota Schedule

Date	Time	Tournament	Chips
Saturday, May 8	Noon	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
	6:30 p.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
Sunday, May 9	Noon	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
	4:00 p.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
Monday, May 10	6:30 p.m.	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
Tuesday, May 11	1 p.m.	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
	6:30 p.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
Wedneday, May 12	1 p.m.	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
	6:30 p.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
Thursday, May 13	Noon	$65 Satellite - 1/5 Advance to $260 Satellite	12,000
	6:30 p.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
Friday, May 14	10 a.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
	3 p.m.	$1,110 Main Event Day 1a ($100K GTD)	25,000
Saturday, May 15	10 a.m.	$260 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $100K GTD Main Event	15,000
	3 p.m.	$1,110 Main Event Day 1b ($100K GTD)	25,000
Sunday, May 16	11 a.m.	$1,110 Main Event Day 2 Restart	-