MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event (Jan. 2021)

MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

MSPT Grand Falls $1,100 Main Event (Jan. 2021)

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
108
Prize
$101,450
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$471,860
Entries
488
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
100,000 / 150,000
Ante
30,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
67
Players Left
1

Chad Bjorkman Wins MSPT Grand Falls for First Title and a $101,450 Payday

Level 30 : 100,000/150,000, 30,000 ante
Chad Bjorkman MSPT Grand Falls Champion
Chad Bjorkman MSPT Grand Falls Champion

This past weekend, the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to Grand Falls Casino for an $1,100 buy-in, $200K GTD Main Event and it was just as successful as the last. The second MSPT Main Event of the year attracted 488 entries (230 from Day 1a; 257 from 1b) and generated a $471,860 prize pool, putting it just behind the record-breaking field from this past August.

While Grand Falls Casino is situated just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota, it is technically located just across the border in Larchwood, Iowa. Despite being a bit remote, players flocked from the Midwest as well as Colorado, Florida, and Las Vegas. The turnout was evidence that, despite the current pandemic, there is a big demand for live tournament poker.

On Sunday, 67 players returned for Day 2 action, and at the end, it was Minnesota native Chad Bjorkman coming out on top to win a $101,450 top prize and his first MSPT title.

"Feels good," Bjorkman said after his win. "It still hasn't quite sunk in but I'm giggly, happy, and warm."

It was a triumphant return to live poker for Bjorkman, who hadn’t played since August when the MSPT last visited Grand Falls.

"I didn't do too well the last go around I was here but the atmosphere is great, the staff is great, and the stay was wonderful, so it was an easy choice to come back," stated Bjorkman.

It was the correct choice for Bjorkman made to come back as he secured the largest payday of his career. He plans on investing his winnings into some future MSPT's.

"I was looking at the schedule and am definitely planning playing the Venetian and then map out more future events."

MSPT Grand Falls Final Table Results

PlacePlayerPrizeMSPT POY Points
1Chad Bjorkman$101,4501,600
2Cory Nordstrand$62,3391,400
3Dave Sanderson$44,9211,300
4Cy Church$33,9741,200
5Anthony Scarborough$25,4801,100
6Ha Nguyen$19,3461,000
7Phil Gioia$15,100900
8Drazen Ilich$11,797800
9Larry Loose$8,965700

With 54 spots slated to get paid, more than a dozen players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang, MSPT Champs David Gonia and Erv Bjerga, just to name a few.

Once Shanda Myers bubbled in 55th place, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Marc Harrell (10th - $7,078), Tim Garles (12th - $7,078), Day 1a chip leader Paul Carney (13th - $5,662), Cory Cove (24th - $3,633), Kyna England (25th - $3,161), Lori Johnson (29th - $2,548), and Lyman Woodworth (50th - $2,123).

Final Table action

MSPT Grand Falls Final Table
MSPT Grand Falls Final Table

Cy Church entered the final table with a stack of 2.9 million, well ahead of the rest of the field ,and once players returned from their dinner break it didn't take long before Larry Loose dropped in ninth place holding ace-nine against Bjorkman's ace-queen suited.

A few minutes later, Drazen Ilich hit the rail after losing the majority of his stack holding ace-jack against Cory Nordstrand's pocket kings. Day 1b chip leader Phil Gioia was the next player to fall after his pocket queens came up just short after Ha Nguyen rivered a king with big slick. Unfortunately for Nguyen, he woke up in back-to-back spots holding an inferior ace and was sent him home in sixth place.

Five-handed play went on for a full level before the next body drop when Anthony Scarborough jammed his ace-king suited into Dave Sanderson's pocket aces. In the same level, Cy Church got his short-stack in the middle holding live cards but couldn't connect with the runout and he took his exit in fourth place for $33,974.

Three-handed action turned into a one-sided affair after Bjorkman sent Sanderson home in third place and Nordstrand was flushed out on the river for a second-place finish worth $62,339.

The MSPT will be heading back to the Venetian in Las Vegas for its next stop of Season 12 with the $350,000 GTD, $1,100 buy-in Main Event being held February 4-6.

Tags: Anthony ScarboroughChad BjorkmanCory CoveCy ChurchDave SandersonDavid GoniaDrazen IlichErv BjergaHa NguyenKou VangKyna EnglandLarry LooseLyman WoodworthMarc HarrellPaul CarneyPhil GioiaShanda MyersTim Garles