Running Aces Casino

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned home to the tundra for the Season 14 Winter Poker Classic at Running Aces Casino, and the 16-trophy event series was headlined by the $1,110 Main Event.

The highlight event was one to remember as a total of 866 entries (195 from Day 1a; 280 from 1b; 391 from 1c), were tallied, generating a $838,520.

On Sunday, 102 players returned for Day 2 action, and after it was said and done, it was Minnesota native, Allan Secord coming out on top to win the $163,511 top prize and his first MSPT title.

“It’s pretty surreal,” said the Minnesotan who made a two-hour trip down from Duluth to play in the tournament, “Everyone always dreams about winning so it’s pretty awesome to be able to do it.”

Secord came into the day in the middle of the pack but was able to ride out the storm until coming away with his first MSPT title in only his third ever Main Event and the timing couldn’t have been better.

“My wife Torri and I just had a kid a few days ago,” stated Secord as he continued to say, “I had this marked down on my calander for a while and she was kind enough to let me play so I know she’ll be siked when she see’s I won.”

Winter Poker Classic Main Event Final Table Results

With 90 slated to get paid, only 12 players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were Luke McCorry, Mike Puccio, Bob Van Scykle, and Alex Maas, just to name a few.

Only one full level needed to pass before the hand-for-hand process began with Gary Ewald missed Broadway against Jon Hanner to burst the bubble.

After Hanner felted Ewald on the money bubble, the march to the final table began.

Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday included MN State Poker Championship runner-up Rory Linton (12th Place - $11,739), two-time MSPT champ Jeremy Dresch (13th Place - $10,062), Season 14 POY front-runner's Umut Ozturk (22nd Place - $5,953) & Rob WazWaz (42nd Place - $3,019) and defending five-time champ Blake Bohn (67th Place - $2,348).

Final Table Action

After the final table was set, it didn't take long for Mike Han Wang to get his short stack in the middle holding a king-queen offsuit and was called by Hanner holding a suited ace-nine.

Wang was unable to connect with either of his live cards and made was the first player eliminated at the final table.

Following Wang's departure was Robert Schoonover who jammed his pocket tens into soon to be champ Secord's pocket aces.

Next on the chopping block was Steve Houle who got his chips in the middle after flopping a top pair of kings but was called by Michael Crawford who held a dominating ace-king, ending his Main Event in seventh place for $24,317.

Shortly after, Pej "Primo" Niyati found a premium in a made hand of jacks only to run into Michael Crawford's cowboys. Niyati was unable to make a set, and his Main Event run ended in sixth place for $31,864.

The very next hand saw Hanner ship his short stack in the middle for a battle of the blinds but unfortunately for him, he was sent home by fellow Minnesotan Loki Abboud, taking $41,926 for his fifth-place finish.

Unfortunately for Abboud, he would be the next to fall after his dominating ace-queen was turned by Chou Chang's ace-ten, and he made his exit in fourth place for $55,342.

Three-handed action saw Secord holding over half the chips in play while Crawford sat in a comfy second, that was until Chang went on a double-up spree and leapfrogged Crawford after he jammed into his aces and was sent home in third place for $74,125.

From there, the heads-up battle saw Secord continue to build his stack, applying pressure to Chang until he finally held all the chips in play as he sent Chang home in second place for $100,627.

MSPT Race for Player of the Year

The MSPT is headed back to the Venetian Las Vegas December 28th - 30th for the Season 14 finale and is the last event for players gather points for the Player of the Year.

MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk was able to take back the lead from fellow Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz after both players made it deep into the money during the Main Event.

WazWaz and Ozturk have been neck-to-neck throughout the season, racking up a record 16 cashes with five final table appearances apiece, and both will be looking to make a deep run in the final event to claim the top spot.

Make sure you tune in to find out who will be walking away the top dog of the season.

Chou Chang raised all in and Allan Secord called.

Chou Chang:
Allan Secord:

Chang was behind holding two live cards, but an ace appeared in the window on the flop left him needing running cards to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Chang, the paired the board on the turn, leaving him drawing dead to the river which ended his Main Event runner-up for $100,627.

Allan Secord - 25,980,000
Chou Chang - Eliminated

Over the past week, players have been inside Running Aces Horse Track & Casino duking it out for the MSPT Winter Poker Classic in Columbus, MN.

In Event #16: $135 NLH Last Dance, 75 players took to the felt and generated a $7,500 prize pool that was paid out to the top 15 players.

Among those to cash but fall before the final table were Peun Kham (10th place - $221), Ryan West (11th place - $221), and Brian Knoop (12th place - $221).

Coming out on top was Minnesota native John Volgren who took home the top prize along with the MSPT Winter Poker Classic trophy!

Final Table Result

*denote chop

Michael Crawford raised all in for 2,500,000 from the button and Chou Chang went over the top from the small blind giving him isolation.

Michael Crawford:
Chou Chang:

Crawford didn’t like seeing Chang roll over a pair of aces, but an eight did appear in the window on the flop giving him a little hope.

The turn left Crawford needing any nine or eight to fall on the river to stay alive, but the completed the board and ended his Main Event in third place for $74,125.

Allan Secord - 16,600,000
Chou Chang - 9.380,000
Michael Crawford - Eliminated

Michael Crawford raised to 800,000 from the small blind and Chou Chang defended his big blind to see a flop.

Crawford continued for 800,000 only to muck his hand after Chang raised all-in.

Allan Secord - 14,000,000
Michael Crawford - 6,000,000
Chou Chang - 5,980,000

Allan Secord raised to 600,000 and was called by Michael Crawford from the small blind, along with Chou Chang from the big blind.

The flop was checked to Chu who fired out a 600,000 bet and only Secord called to see the turn.

Chang wasted little time moving his remaining stack in the middle and Secord released his hand into the muck.

Allan Secord - 11,600,000
Michael Crawford - 8,100,000
Chou Chang - 5,500,000

Chou Chang raised the button and then called Loki Abboud’s three-bet jam from the big blind.

Loki Abboud:
Chou Chang:

Abboud had Chang dominated and the flop didn’t change that fact.

However, things changed after the was turned as it left Abboud needing any spade or queen to fall on the river to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Abboud, the completed the board on the river and ended his Main Event run in fourth place for $55,342.

Chou Chang - 2,950,000
Loki Abboud - Eliminated

Over the past week, players have been duking it out at Running Aces Casino in Columbus MN, for the MSPT Winter Poker Classic!

In Event #15: $250 NLH Black Chip Bounty, 140 bounty hunters took to the felt and generated a $28,000 prize pool that was paid out to the top 15 players.

Among those to cash but fall before the final table were Two-time MSPT champ Peixin Liu (10th place - $287 + bounties), Audri Mansour (11th place - $287 + bounties), Aaron Funk (12th place - $287 + bounties).

In the end, it was Wisconsin native John Gallenberg who collected the last bounty and captured the MSPT Winter Poker Classic Trophy, along with $3,920 + bounties!

Final Table Results

Action folded to John Hanner who raised all in for 850,000 from the small blind and Loki Abboud looked him up from the big blind.

Jon Hanner:
Loki Abboud:

The flop paired both players but didn’t change the fact that Hanner was behind and needed some help to stay alive.

The turn wasn’t the worst card for Hanner as it brought possible chop outs, but he still wanted to see either a king or seven fall on the river to double-up.

Unfortunately for him, the paired the board on the river and ended his Main Event in fifth place for $41,926.

Loki Abboud - 3,000,000
Jon Hanner - Eliminated