Silverado Casino

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to historic Deadwood for the 2023 MSPT Deadwood Shootout @SilveradoCasino!

The $1,110 buy-in, $200K GTD Main Event saw a total of 374 entries (160 from Day 1a; 214 from 1b) were tallied, generating a $361,280 prize pool.

On Sunday, 48 players returned for Day 2 action, and after the dust settled, it was Montana native Leo Valenzuela coming away with the lion's share of the prize pool and his first MSPT title!

The win marks Valenzuela’s fourth cash on the tour with his first dating back in 2019 when he finished in eighth place at the Golden Gates Main Event and has since started putting more time into his game.

After spending 12-years on the railroad, Valenzuela decided to take a step away after an accident on the job and decided to pursue his passion for poker.

“I quit my job about a year and a half ago after suffering an unfortunate accident on the job”, Valenzuela continued to say after his victory, “This is my first good solid score since then and this just lets me know I can do this and I’m on the right track with the decision I made.”

2023 MSPT Deadwood Shootout Table Results

Day 2 Action

With 48 slated to get paid, only three players needed to exit before players reached. Josh Matti and Roy Kohler were the first two players to fall with Wes Cannon tripping-up Igor Gavrilov on bubble shortly after, leaving the remaining players in the money.

Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Alex Wheeler (12th place - $5,780), Mikiyo Aoki (15th - $4,691), MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard (17th place - $3,974), defending shootout champ Chris Burke (19th place - $3,396), and 2023 South Dakota State Poker Champion John Schroer (21st place - $3,396).

Final Table Action

With food being served in the poker room, there was no need for a dinner break and players jumped right into action.

Lawrence Vigil found himself at a second final table at Deadwood this season but unlike his first, he become the first elimination after he failed to complete his flush draw against 2021 shootout champ Mark Steffen.

A few minutes later, Taylor Hughes hit the rail in eighth place after being outkicked by Valenzuela while business owner Mike Estes got short stack in the middle the very next level only to come up short against Valenzuela as well.

Another full level would pass before Ralph Kingan called off his remaining stack after flopping a top pair or jacks only to have Steffen roll over a made hand of aces. Kingan was unable to improve and departed in sixth place for $15,174.

With five players remaining, William Leavitt felt it was time to get his short stack in the middle from the small blind only to have Tom Hammers wake-up with aces in the big blind. Leavitt was unable to crack Hammers’ aces and took a fifth place exit for $19,870.

Four-handed action saw Steffen and Valenzuela holding identical stacks with MSPT champ Umut Ozturk sitting at the bottom of the counts.

Ozturk didn’t have to wait long to find a hand to roll with only to find out Valenzuela was holding a lucky hand of sevens and rivered quads to send Ozturk home in fourth place for $26,373.

With his final table finish Ozturk, padded his POY standings while Valenzuela was able to take the chip lead and from there, he continued to pile the chips until he had them all, as he eliminated Hammers in third place for $35,767, and followed that with denying Steffen his second shootout title ($49,134) leaving him the victor as he collected $79,482 to go along with the coveted Deadwood Shootout custom trophy!

The MSPT will be heading back to the Ameristar in East Chicago October 24th - 29th so make sure to tune in for our live coverage for the $1,110 Main Event!

Mark Steffen got his short stack in the middle and was snap-called by Leo Valenzuela.

Mark Steffen:
Leo Valenzuela:

Valenzuela picked up the best made hand at the most opportune time, but a victory wouldn’t come easy without a sweat as the flop did pair Steffen’s queen.

The turn left Steffen needing any queen or six to stay alive, but the completed the board on the river and ended his run in second place for $49,134.

Leo Valenzuela - 11,220,000
Mark Steffen - Eliminated

Leo Valenzuela raised all in from the small blind and Tom Hammers called off his small stack from the big blind.

Tom Hammers:
Leo Valenzuela:

Hammers had Valenzuela dominated until the dealer dropped a flop pairing Valenzuela’s deuce.

The paired the board on the turn bringing possible chop outs, but the river gave Valenzuela a full house to eliminate Hammers in third place for $35,767.

Leo Valenzuela - 9,120,000
Mark Steffen - 2,100,000
Tom Hammers - Eliminated

Once again, the MSPT is headed to Riverside Casino in Riverside, IA from November 2nd - 5th!

A series of $70 and $265 satellites will feed into the $1,110 buy-in MSPT238 Main Event, which requires players be 21+ to play.

The tournament, which boasts a $300K GTD, will offer three starting flights with Day 1a beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 2nd.

Day 1b will take place at the same time on Friday, November 3rd, with Day 1c following suit Saturday, November 4th.

The surviving players from all starting flights will return at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 5th, to play down to a winner.

Also, on that Sunday, there will be a $360 NLH Last Chance Showdown Event beginning at Noon.

MSPT champ Umut Ozturk was all in for 1,100,000 from the small blind and Leo Valenzuela called from the big blind.

Umut Ozturk:
Leo Valenzuela:

Ozturk was racing for his tournament and saw a jack in the window on the flop, but there was a seven hiding underneath giving Valenzuela a set of sevens.

The turn was no help to Ozturk as it left him drawing dead to the river that gave Valenzuela quad sevens.

Leo Valenzuela - 5,000,000
Umut Ozturk - Eliminated

Leonardo Valenzuela limped-in from the button only to have William Leavitt raise all in for 475,000 from the small blind and Tom Hammers go over the top from the big blind.

Action was back on Valenzuela who quickly released his hand, and the two players tabled their cards.

William Leavitt:
Tom Hammers:

Leavitt was behind needing help but the runout ended his tournament in fifth place for $19,870.

Leonardo Valenzuela - 3,125,000
Tom Hammers - 1,800,000
William Leavitt - Eliminated

Mark Steffen opened under the gun for 130,000 and Ralph Kingan called from the cutoff.

The two took to a flop and Steffen continued for 105,000 only to call 275,000 raise from Kingan.

Once the dealer peeled off the on the turn, Steffen check-jammed after Kingan fired out a 300,000 bet, and Jingan called off his remaining 855,000 after some careful thought.

Ralph Kingan:
Mark Steffen:

Kingan was behind needing help, but the river wasn’t it and he was eliminated in sixth place for $15,174.

Mark Steffen - 4,000,000
Ralph Kingan - Eliminated

Ralph Kingan raised to 120,000 under the gun and then called the 680,000 three-bet jam Tom Hammers made from the button.

Tom Hammers:
Ralph Kingan:

Hammers was ahead holding to ladies and faded an ace as the runout secured his double-up.

Tom Hammers - 1,375,000
Ralph Kingan - 850,000

Action folded to Mike Estes who raised all in from the cutoff and Leo Valenzuela looked him up from the small blind.

Mike Estes:
Leo Valenzuela:

Estes was behind but didn’t mind the flop that gave him the spade flush draw.

The paired the board on the turn and Estes needed to connect with the river to stay alive.

Unfortunately for him, the that fell didn’t improve his hand and he was eliminated in 7th place for $11,922.

Leonardo Valenzuela - 2,675,000
Mike Estes - Eliminated