FireKeepers Casino

The latest MSPT FireKeepers $1,100 Main Event was the largest poker tournament in Michigan history with 1,287 runners (surpassed the previous record of 1,067 set in 2017). After a long weekend of play, Indiana’s Mark Brazis emerged victorious to capture a $221,323 top prize.

“The MSPT FireKeepers is a great tournament, I really enjoyed it,” said the 36-year-old Brazis, who was playing his first MSPT event and only had to fire one bullet. “The structure was wonderful, no too slow, not too fast. FireKeepers has a great establishment here, they’re always first class. You’ll see me more on the MSPT and at FireKeepers Casino.”

Prior to the win, Brazis had just three tournament cashes on his poker resumé, with his prior best being $25,018 for finishing fifth in the 2014 World Series of Poker Horseshoe Hammond Event #1: $365 NLH.

In other news, Kou Vang became the first player inducted into the MSPT Hall of Fame while at FireKeepers. One of the criteria for induction is to notch 25 MSPT cashes with either one MSPT win or Player of the Year title. Vang, who won a title back in Season 2, cashed the MSPT FireKeepers to become the inaugural inductee.

Here’s a look at the final table payouts:

Final Table Results

1^st Mark Brazis (Syracuse, IN) $221,323
2^nd Bryant Miller (West Unity, OH) $137,158
3^rd Henry Zou (Saginaw, MI) $99,751
4^th Bryan Norris (Farmington Hills, MI) $76,185
5^th Kou Vang (Maplewood, MN) $57,357
6^th Justin Lee (Grand Haven, MI) $43,641
7^th Michael Reardon (St. Claire Shores, MI) $33,666
8^th Jason Zarlenga (Lansing, MI) $26,185
9^thAaron Soulliere (Ontario, Canada) $21,197
10^th Charles Baryames (East Lansing, MI) $17,456

Day 2 saw 173 players return to action, but with only 135 slated to get paid, 38 would leave empty-handed. They included Day 1C chip leader Frank Lagodich, two-time champ Jeremy Dresch, and Chad Furbay, who exited in 136^th place as the bubble boy.

From there, the in-the-money finishes came quick and included current Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 9 Player of the Year points leader Aaron Johnson (15^th - $13,715), World Poker Tour champ Kevin Saul (25^th - $6,983), MSPT Season 6 FireKeepers champ Harry Tisdale (29h - $5,237), MSPT Season 4 POY Pat Steele (43^rd - $4,115), poker pro Kenna James (57^th - $3,242), two-time champ Greg Himmelbrand (68^th - $2,993), MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers winner Aaron Massey (87^th - $2,743), #MSPT100 victor Jason Ramos (96^th - $2,618), and Minnesota’s all-time money leader Blake Bohn (124^th - $2,120).

At the final table, Charles Baryames was the first to go after jamming with the and failing to hold against the of Bryant Miller on a runout. Not long after, Aaron Soulliere busted after flopping top pair only to run into the bottom set of Bryan Norris.

Two-time MSPT champ Jason Zarlenga, who entered the final table as the short stack, saw his quest for a third title come to an end in eighth place. He shoved his short stack holding the and was called by Norris, who held the . The board contained a jack and that was all she wrote for Zarlenga.

Before the first break of the final table, a cooler flop sent Michael Reardon to the rail in seventh place. It happened when he raised to 400,000 from the small blind with the and Day 1B chip leader Justin Lee defended the big blind with the . The flop saw Reardon bet 800K with his two pair and Lee, who flopped the nuts, just called. They got the rest in on the turn and Readon failed to boat up on the river, which was the .

Despite winning that hand, Lee was next to go after running into the of Vang, who in turn followed him out the door in fifth place. Vang lost most of his stack in a flip against Henry Zou when his pocket eights failed to hold against the latter’s Big Slick. Vang then lost his remaining chips after getting it in with ace-deuce and failing to hold against Miller’s king-queen suits.

Norris took his leave in fourth place after running his into Miller’s , and then Zou hit the rail when his pocket nines lost a race to Miller’s ace-ten. That allowed Miller to take a 2-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Brazis, but the tables were soon turned.

Brazis got lucky with king-queen to double through Miller, who had him crushed with ace-queen. Eventually, the two got it in preflop again, this time with Miller holding the and Brazis the . It was a classic flip, and Brazis held on the runout to win the tournament.

“It was a hard battle, he played really well,” Brazis said after the win. “He took some bad beats but always handled himself well. He fought me to the end. I’m happy I was able to win tonight. You take bad beats earlier in the tournament, you win some you lose some. Just gotta be happy to come out on top.”

Season 9 of the MSPT continues this summer at The Venetian in Las Vegas. It’s there that we’ll be hosting five events with a combined $12 million in GTDs. That includes the famed $1,100 MSPT Venetian ($3.5 million GTD) from June 3-8.

Bryant Miller limped the button, and Mark Brazis raised to 1.4 million from the big blind. Miller then limp-shoved for 7.3 million and Brazis snapped him off!

Miller:
Brazis:

It was a classic coin flip, and the flop was good for Brazis, leaving Miller drawing to an ace, king, or running hearts.

The turn meant Brazis just had to dodge six outs to take down MSPT Firekeepers, and he did just that when the fell on the river.

Bryant Miller - Eliminated in 2nd place for $137,158

Mark Brazis raised to 1 million on the button, then snapped off his last 9 million when Bryant Miller jammed from the big blind.

Miller:
Brazis:

Miller was five cards away from taking the title, but he hung his head after a flop gave Brazis top pair and the lead. The on the turn gave Miller some hope with a gutshot in addition to his ace, but he bricked off on the river.

Mark Brazis - 18.1 million
Bryant Miller - 8.3 million

Mark Brazis raised to 1 million on the button and was called by Bryant Miller in the big blind.

Both players checked a flop, and Miller bet 600,000 on the turn. Brazis called.

The hit the river, and Miller bet 4 million. Brazis tanked for a bit, then called.

Miller tabled for a full house, and Brazis mucked.

Bryant Miller - 22 million
Mark Brazis - 3.8 million

Henry Zou jammed his last 2.4 million and Bryant Miller snapped him off in the big blind.

Zou:
Miller:

Miller hit the flop hard when the flop gave him trips. Zou needed a nine to stay alive, but the turn and river sent him packing.

Bryant Miller - 18.335 million
Henry Zou - Eliminated in 3rd place for $99,751

Bryant Miller raised to 700,000 from UTG, then called a three-bet shove to 2.2 million from Bryan Norris in the small blind.

Miller:
Norris:

Miller’s kicker held on the flop, but the turn gave Norris a gutshot to go along with his six for outs. He bricked off on the river, however, and he bows out in fourth.

Bryant Miller - 16 million
Bryan Norris - Eliminated in 4th place for $76,185

Bryant Miller raised to 550,000 on the button, then called the three-bet shove to 2.5 million from Kou Vang in the big blind.

Miller:
Vang:

Vang held on the flop, but the turn left Vang seeking an ace or deuce to keep his coronation as the inaugural member of the MSPT Hall Of Fame continuing, but the river means he has to settle for a fifth place showing here at MSPT Firekeepers.

Bryant Miller - 9.1 million
Kou Vang - Eliminated in 5th place for $57,357

Kou Vang raised to 520,000 from the cutoff, and Henry Zou jammed for 4.1 million from the small blind. Vang went into the tank for sometime before making the call.

Vang:
Zou:

Vang held on the flop, but Zou pumped his fist when the hit the turn, giving him top pair and the lead. He held on the river and scored a massive double.

Henry Zou - 8.6 million
Kou Vang - 2.5 million

Kou Vang raised to 520,000 from UTG, then snapped off a three-bet shove from Justin Lee to 1.3 million in the big blind.

Vang:
Lee:

Vang gained a hammerlock on the hand with a turn and ended Lee’s day on a turn and river.

Kou Vang - 6.88 million
Justin Lee - Eliminated in 6th place for $43,641