Hollywood Casino

For the second time this season, the MSPT returned to Hollywood Casino and hosted its $1,110 Main Event and the turnouts did not disappoint.

A total of 734 entries were tallied and generated a $710,480 prize pool.

On Sunday, 87 players returned for Day 2 action, and after roughly 15 hours of action it was St. Louis native Jeff Sauer coming out on top to win the $142,396 top prize and his first MSPT title.

“Feels great,” Sauer said after his victory, “I got lucky in the middle of the tournament with nine-four of diamonds and was able to catch the right cards at the right time.”

Sauer finished by saying, “This was a tough final table with really good players, but I love playing poker and I had a great time here.”

Season 14 MSPT Hollywood Casino Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

With 81 slated to get paid, only six bodies needed to drop exit before players reached the money.

Among those to leave empty-handed were Matt Morfitt, Matt Holland, and Trent Wilson just to name a few.

Players continued to drop like wildfire, so fast that the hand-for-hand process occurred before the first level of play with Carlos Loving setting up Dor Elharari on the bubble and the march to the final table began.

Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Wayne Nichelson (10th Place - $10,609), Maxx Holland (14th Place - $8,544), MSPT Hall of Famers Mark Hodge (17th Place - $7,120) & Rob WazWaz (33rd Place - $3,133), and MSPT champ Keith Heine (34th Place - $3,133).

Final Table Action

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Once the player returned from their dinner break, George Harris collected an early double with pocket kings to catapult his short stack into the middle of the pack while Adam Tolander's top three stack dwindled to a ninth place finish, making him the first elimination at the final table.

After Tolander's departure, Paul Fehlig had some ups and downs until he was straightened out by Lance Brendel.

In the same level, Jovan Sudar picked his spot to move his chips on with an ace-ten only to have Tyler Dietz wake up with a superior ace-queen. Sudar was unable to pull ahead and departed in seventh place.

A few levels went by with chips shuffling across the table as double-ups were being handed out like candy on Halloween, that was until Brendel jammed his ace-six into Aaron Johnson's pocket kings, eliminating him in sixth place.

After Brendel was dropped, Travis Burch went on quite the rollercoaster ride only to end up taking a fifth place finish for $36,311.

Four-handed action saw Harris and Dietz tussle back-and-forth exchanging double-ups until Harris got his final chips in the middle with ace-nine suited and was called by Sauer holding king-eight off.

Sauer was able to take the lead after pairing his king on the flop and Harris was unable to pull ahead as he took a fourth-place finish for $47,631.

With three players remaining, Sauer started to catch steam and was able to drop the MSPT Hall of Famer Johnson in third place ($64,072), and sent Dietz home in second place ($87,574) after only one hand in the heads-up battle.

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) is making its way to East Chicago August 8th - 13th to host its inaugural $300K GTD $1,110 Main Event at the Ameristar Casino and the MSPT live reporting team will be on hand providing updates for the so make sure to come back!

Tyler Dietz raised all in for 6,050,000 and Jeff Sauer snap called.

Tyler Dietz:
Jeff Sauer:

Dietz was behind holding live cards but the flop left him drawing slim as it gave Sauer top pair.

The turn wasn’t a good sight to Dietz as it left him drawing dead to the river, ending his Main Event in second place for $87,574.

Jeff Sauer - 22,020,000
Tyler Dietz - Eliminated

MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson moved his 1,200,000 short stack in the middle from the small blind and Jeff Sauer looked him up from the big blind.

Aaron Johnson:
Jeff Sauer:

Johnson was behind holding live cards but didn’t get any help from the runout and he was eliminated in third place for $64,072.

Jeff Sauer - 16,000,000
Tyler Dietz - 6,050,000

Jeff Sauer raised to 1,000,000 from the small blind and Tyler Dietz defended his big blind to see a flop.

Sauer check-jammed for 7,000,000 after Dietz fired out a 900,000 bet and Dietz released his hand.

Jeff Sauer - 12,000,000
Tyler Dietz - 7,500,000
Aaron Johnson - 2,500,000

For the first time, the Mid States Poker Tour (MSPT) is headed to the Ameristar Casino Hotel in East Chicago, Illinois from August 8th - 13th!

A $400 NLH Tag Team Championship will kick things off, with a series of $70, $135, and $265 satellites will feed into the $1,110 buy-in MSPT229 Main Event, which requires players be 21+ to play.

The tournament, which holds a $300K GTD, will offer three starting flights with Day 1a beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 10th.

Day 1b will take place at the same time on Friday, August 11th with Day 1c following suit Saturday, August 12th.

The surviving players from all starting flights will then return at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 13th to play down to a winner.

Also, on that Sunday there will be a $250 NLH Last Chance Showdown Event beginning at Noon.

Tyler Dietz raised all in from the button and Jeff Sauer called off his 1,275,000 stack from the big blind.

Jeff Sauer:
Tyler Dietz:

Sauer was at risk needing help and found a little after the flop gave him more outs with a gut shot straight draw.

The turn left Sauer needing any king, jack, or ten to stay alive and luckily for him, the was dropped on the river keeping his Main Event hopes alive.

Tyler Dietz - 12,000,000
Aaron Johnson - 7,000,000
Jeff Sauer - 3,020,000

Action folded to George Harris who raised all in for 2,250,000 from the small blind and Jeff Sauer called off his 2,100,000 stack from the big blind.

George Harris:
Jeff Sauer:

Harris was in the lead until the dealer dropped a flop pairing Sauer’s king.

The turn came the pairing Harris but it wasn’t enough to get the job done as the paired the board on the river and secured Sauer his double-up.

Harris was left with just 150,000 and was eliminated a few short hands later.

Jeff Sauer - 4,200,000
George Harris - Eliminated

George Harris raised from the cutoff and then called Tyler Dietz’s 4,025,000 three-bet jam from the small blind.

Tyler Dietz:
George Harris:

Harris was ahead, that was until the dealer dropped a flop giving Dietz trip aces.

The turn was of no consequence to Dietz, nor was the river that secured his double-up.

Tyler Dietz - 8,650,000
George Harris - 5,000,000

George Harris raised to 650,000 from the cutoff and then called off his 4,200,000 stack after Tyler Dietz three-bet jammed for more from the small blind.

George Harris:
Tyler Dietz:

Harris was ahead holding an ace and didn’t have much of a sweat as the runout secured his double-up.

George Harris - 8,400,000
Tyler Dietz - 3,000,000