Running Aces Casino

Jeremy Dresch Ties Two Tour Records After Winning MSPT Running Aces for $83,045

Way back in Season 1 of the MSPT, which was then known as the Minnesota State Poker Tour, 42-year-old Jeremy Dresch won the tour’s second stop and first-ever at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. In the years that followed, Dresch racked up 10 MSPT cashes for $172,258 and seven final table appearances.

This past weekend, he became the eighth player to win two MSPT titles while tying Everett Carlton for most final tables (8) in tour history. Five months after finishing sixth in the same event, Dresch topped a field of 344 entries (159 on Day 1a; 185 1b) to win the MSPT Running Aces Main Event for $83,045, which surpassed his previous best live cash of $71,705.

The win brought Dresch’s live tournament earnings up to $659,057 and saw him leapfrog four players into 22^nd place on Minnesota’s all-time money list. He’s also a three-time Heartland Poker Tour champ (the first to go back-to-back on that tour).

“Long time coming,” Dresch said of the win. “I never look beyond the weekend, I’ll decide what to play on Wednesdays. I didn’t even know this tournament was going on, I had no idea. My buddy told me earlier in the week so I played it.”

Dresch, who said he plans to use the money wisely and pay his mortgage, late registered the tournament on Day 1a. He only fired one bullet and bagged 160,500, which put him 18^th among the 59 players returning for Day 2.

The tournament, which surpassed the advertised $200,000 guarantee by creating a $344,000 total prize pool, paid 36 spots, which meant 23 players left empty handed on Sunday including MSPT Pro Matt Kirby; MSPT Potawatomi champ Travis Lauson; and bubble boy Mike Juszczak.

Among the players to cash the event were Running Aces Season 2 champ Jason Seitz (34^th - $2,093), two-time MSPT champ Peixin Liu (28^th - $2,093), the original MSPT Running Aces winner Joe Matheson (18^th - $3,322), Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Mike Schneider (15^th - $4,651), and MSPT Pro Blake Bohn (13^th - $4,651).

The final table began Dresch holding the chip lead, and it didn’t take long for the action to heat up. Chris Korent was the first to go after flopping a flush only to have Vic Peppe suckout by rivering an ace-high flush, and then Andy Beberg followed him out the door in ninth place. Beberg’s finish was especially impressive as he had finished eighth in the same event back in April.

Kraig Komrosky, who was a month removed from topping a field of 458 entrants to win the MSPT Regional Grand Casino Mille Lacs, exited in eighth after his aces were cracked by Jim Boone’s king-queen of hearts. Short stacks Reg Powell and former MSPT champ Rich Alsup soon joined him on the rail in seventh and sixth place respectively.

After Bradley Demotts bowed out in fifth, the result of his pocket kings falling to Dresch’s Big Slick, Canada’s Brian Friesen exited in fourth place after flopping top pair against Peppe’s set of tens. Boone’s third-place finish was his best yet on the tour, and he earned a career-high score of $32,321.

Heads-up play began with Peppe holding a little lead over Dresch, and it turned into quite the battle. Dresch used his vast experience to slowly chip away at Peppe. After an hour, he held a significant chip lead and was just waiting for the right spot to finish off his foe. Eventually he got it in with pocket fives against Peppe’s jack-six and faded the overs.

1 – Jeremy Dresch (Fridley, MN) $83,045
2 – Vic Peppe (Corcoran, MN) $49,827
3 – Jim Boone (Lakeville, MN) $32,321
4 – Brian Friesen (Winnipeg, Canada) $22,588
5 – Bradley Demotts (Lino Lakes, MN) $16,941
6 – Rich Alsup (New Hope, MN) $13,287
7 – Reg Powell (Elk River, MN) $11,294
8 – Kraig Komrosky (Moorhead, MN) $9,301
9 – Andy Beberg (Stillwater, MN) $7,974
10 - Chris Korent (Hudson, WI) $6,311

The MSPT continues October 8-16 at FireKeepers Casino with a series of satellites and an $1,100 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed Michigan State Poker Championship Main Event. For more information on that event, click here.

Vic Peppe Eliminated in 2nd Place ($49,827)

In the last hand of the tournament, Vic Peppe moved all in for 1.3 million and Jeremy Dresch called.

Peppe:
Dresch:

It was another flip, and this time the proverbial coin came down in Dresch’s favor after the board ran out .

Vic Peppe – Eliminated in 2nd place for $49,827

Vic Peppe Wins a Flip to Double

Vic Peppe moved all in for 1.54 million from the button and Jeremy Dresch asked for a count before making the call.

Dresch:
Peppe

Peppe needed to improve to stay alive, and he did after the board ran out .

Jeremy Dresch - 3.78 million
Vic Peppe - 3.1 million

Checking It Down

Vic Peppe raised to 300,000 from the button and Jeremy Dresch called from the big blind.

Both players proceeded to check it down as the board ran out and Peppe tabled the . It was good as Dresch simply mucked.

Jeremy Dresch - 4.68 million
Vic Peppe - 2.21 Million

Last Hand of Level 29

On Hand #131 of the final table, Jeremy Dresch raised to 165,000 from the button and Vic Peppe called from the big blind. Both players checked the flop and then Dresch called a bet of 250,000 from Peppe on the turn.

When the completed the board on the river, Peppe led out for 400,000 and Dresch folded.

The final two players are now on a scheduled break.

Jeremy Dresch - 4.545 million
Vic Peppe - 2.27 million

Jeremy Dresch Flips the Script

There has been a dramatic turnaround as the heads-up match has swung dramatically in Dresch’s favor. There haven’t been many showdowns, but there have been big bets followed by folds. Most hands seem to be going Dresch’s way, and right now it looks like he has Peppe on the ropes.

Jeremy Dresch - 5.2 million
Vic Peppe - 1.7 million

Counts After Hand #95

It’s been slow in heads-up play thus far. There have been 95 hands played at the final table.

Vic Peppe - 4.11 million
Jeremy Dresch - 2.705 million

Approximate Heads-Up Chip Counts

Vic Peppe - 3.9 million
Jeremy Dresch - 2.8 million

Jim Boone Eliminated in 3rd Place ($32,321)

Jim Boone raised the button to 255,000 only to have Vic Peppe three-bet all in from the small blind. Jeremy Dresch folded from the big blind and action was back on Boone.

“I have your hand, Vic,” he said. “I’ll call.”

Boone called off for roughly 1.5 million total and the cards were turned up.

Boone:
Peppe:

Boone was looking for either an ace or other help, but he didn’t get any as the board ran out a dry .

Jim Boone – Eliminated in 3rd place for $32,321

Brian Friesen Eliminated in 4th Place ($22,588)

After losing all but 70,000 of his chips to Vic Peppe -- the result of flopping top pair of aces against a set of tens -- Brian Friesen moved all in under the gun the next hand. Jeremy Dresch called from the small blind, Jim Boone checked his option, and the two active players checked it down as the board ran out .

Dresch:
Friesen:
Boone:

Dresch’s three sixes were best and Friesen was sent to the rail in fourth place.

Brian Friesen – Eliminated in 4th place for $22,588