Ho-Chunk Gaming WI Dells

The 2016 Wisconsin State Poker Championship, hosted by the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, proved poker in the Badger State is alive and well. A massive 489 entrants – up from 463 in the inaugural event last year – ponied up the $1,100 buy-in to take their shot at poker glory.

That created a $489,000 prize pool, more than twice the advertised $200,000 guarantee, which was awarded to the top 45 finishers. On Day 2, 91 players returned looking for their slice of the pie – specifically the $120,808 first-place prize -- but three dozen of them left empty handed.

Among those to fall short of the money were MSPT Pro Matt Kirby; the last woman in the field Janel Englebert; MSPT Potawatomi champ Dan Goepel; World Series of Poker bracelet winner John Reading; and Grant Slayton, owner of Baraboo's popular Brothers On Oak tavern.

Slayton earned the distinction of finishing as bubble boy after falling in 46^th place, the result of his ace-ten failing to get there against his opponent's pocket tens. From there, the in-the-money bust outs came quick as players like Michigan's Mark Johnson (43^rd - $2,364); WSOP bracelet winner Nick Jivkov (41^st - $2,364); Jason Bender (35^th - $2,601), who was the MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year leader leading up to the stop; Day 1a chip leader Nick Pupillo (23^rd - $2,932); Day 1b chip leader Nicola Ditrapani (15^th - $4,728), and MSPT Pro Matt Alexander (14^th - $4,728).

Several of the players at the final table had impressive résumés including Josh Reichard, who won the 2013 MSPT Ho-Chunk Main Event; MSPT champs Rich Alsup and Kou Vang; and Byron "MadisonAce29" Ziebell, who finished runner-up in the 2010 World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP) $215 Razz for $36,787.50.

Final table action was quick to say the least. Madison's Jason Reno was the first to go in 10^th place for $6,147 after running pocket fives into the queens of Ziebill, and a short time later Iowa's Anthony Knepper followed him out the door in ninth place for $9,457.

Then, on a flop, Scott Johnson checked from the big blind and Andrew Rubinberg bet 150,000 from the button. Johnson proceeded to check-raise all in holding the for overs and a gutshot, and Rubinberg thought long and hard before making a good call with the . The turn and river failed to help Johnson, and he was out in eighth place for $13,172.

From there, Ramos' fell in seventh place for $17,968 when his failed to get there against Ziebell's in a monster pot, and then Reichard took his leave in sixth place for $22,454 when his failed to hold against Vang's after the board ran .

In the very next hand Bruce Swart fell in fifth place for $26,951 when his ace-king failed to get there against Vang's pocket jacks, which left Alsup as the short man on the totem poll. He exited in fourth place for $34,280 two hands later when he shoved his last 231,000 under the gun holding ace-three, and Vang defended the big blind with jack-eight only to flop two pair and score his third elimination in a four-hand span.

The final three players were all sitting on big stacks but that didn't stop two of them from clashing. It happened when a preflop raising war saw Ziebill get his stack in holding pocket tens against the ace-queen of Vang to create a 6.2 million pot. Ziebill was just looking to hold, but he couldn't do it as Vang flopped two pair to score his fourth elimination in a row. Ziebill's elimination in third place for $42,555 ensured the Wisconsin State Poker Championship title would be leaving the state.

Despite Vang beginning heads-up play with a 2-1-chip lead, the match proved a long and grueling affair that last more than four hours. During that time the chip lead exchanged hands multiple times, but eventually the blinds caught up to force action. In what would be the final hand, Rubinberg flopped middle pair and called when Vang shoved a heart flush draw. Rubinberg's hand held, and Vang was vanquished in second place for $69,742.

As for Rubinberg, the win was extra special because it was his first. His tournament cashes date all the way back to 2007, but his win in the 2016 Wisconsin State Poker Championship marked his first-ever tournament victory. Accordingly, the $120,808 first-place prize was the largest of his career and was more than half the $220,585 in lifetime earnings he had entering the event.

It was also redemption for the 47-year-old computer consultant, who found himself in a similar spot two years ago when he finished runner-up in the 2014 MSPT Ho-Chunk Main Event.

The MSPT next heads to bestbet Jacksonville for a $350 Regional from Feb. 25-28 followed by a $1,100 Main Event from March 4-6. For more information visit msptpoker.com.

The 2016 Wisconsin State Championship at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells includes a slew of notable players including 2013 MSPT Ho-Chunk champ Josh Reichard; chip leader Andrew Rubinberg, who finished runner-up in the MSPT Ho-Chunk two years ago and then bubbled the final table here last year; MSPT Canterbury champ and Minnesota poker icon Kou Vang; MSPT Meskwaki champ Rich Alsup; and Jason Reno of the Madison Poker Club.

Here’s a look at how things stack up

The final table will kick off at 7:45 p.m. local time, which is about a half hour from now. Live updates will cease and our coverage will now shift to the live stream, which will be shown on a 15-minute delay with cards up. Simply click the “Live Stream” tab above and enjoy the action.

Upon completion of play, be sure to come back to the blog or visit msptpoker.com for a full event recap.

After Josh Reichard raised to 65,000 from the cutoff and Byron Ziebell called from the button, William Koenig three-bet all in for 265,000 more from the big blind. Reichard released, and Ziebell thought long and hard before making the call.

Ziebell:

Koenig:

It was a big flip on the final table bubble, but Koenig was the one at risk and in need of improvement. Unfortunately for him, his cards never came in as the board ran out .

The final 10 players will now redraw to the final table before taking a 45-minute dinner break. They will then return to play down to a winner.

A short-stacked Justin Thurlow moved all in from the hijack for what looked to be 30,000 and Byron Ziebell moved all in over the top from the cutoff, which cleared out the rest of the field.

Ziebill:

Thurlow:

Thurlow had a kicker issue and it only got worse when Ziebill paired his on the flop. The turn left Thurlow drawing dead, and he made his way to the payout desk in 12th place after the completed the board on the river.

Ryan Page and Rich Alsup just clashed in a big all-in preflop pot, one that essentially decided the fate of one of them.

We’re not sure of the action, but Alsup was all in for 344,000 and at risk against Page, who had 363,000.

Page:

Alsup:

It was a big flip, but the proverbial coin came down in Alsup’s favor when the flop fell . The turn left Page looking for a jack, but it didn’t come as the blanked.

Page was left with just 15,000 in chips, which he lost in the very next hand.

Action folded to MSPT Pro Matt Alexander on the button and he moved all in, which inspired Anthony Knepper to call off for 218,000 from the small blind.

Knepper:

Alexander:

Knepper was way out in front and shipped the double after the board ran out .

Alexander was left with just 10,000 after the hand, doubled it through Kou Vang, and then busted one hand after that.

Nicola Ditrapani began the day as the chip leader, but his run at the 2016 Wisconsin State Poker Championship title just came to an end in 15th Place.

It happened when Andrew Rubinberg raised to 80,000 from the hijack and then snap-called Ditrapani’s shove of roughly 250,000 from the big blind.

Rubinberg:

Ditrapani:

The board ran out and Ditrapani hit the rail.

A short-stacked Jeff Fielder open-shipped the button for his last 91,000 holding only to run into the of Jason Reno in the big blind. The board ran out clean and that was all she wrote for Fielder.

Last year, Thomas Peebles finished runner-up to Ben Wiora in the inaugural Wisconsin State Poker Championship for $66,108. Peebles had his eyes set on making back-to-back final tables in this event, but that just came to a screeching halt.

It happened when Jason Ramos raised to 75,000 from the button and Peebles shipped all in for 530,000 from the big blind. Ramos snap-called with the and Peebles had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar with the .

The flop gave Peebles a sweat, but neither the turn nor gave him the win.

Peebles manahed to double his stack through Ramos in the very next hand, but busted to him one hand later when his failed to get there against Ramos’ .

Players are now on a 10-minute break.