$

Awarded to date

Grand Falls Casino

April 3 - 7, 2024

 
  • Level: 26
  • Blinds: 40000 / 80000
  • Ante: 80000
 
 
William Chao Wins MSPT Grand Falls Main Event for $79,264
Created 4/7/2024 7:35:34 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

For the first time this season, the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) traveled to Iowa's Grand Falls Casino, for their $1,110 Main Event.

A solid turnout of 373 entries were recorded over two days with 46 players finding their way into Sundays Day 2 with their eyes set on the title.

Only one player was able to do so, and after 6 hours of play, it was William Chao who navigated his way through to the finish line for the $79,264 first-place prize along with his first MSPT title.

The victory marked Nguyen’s third MSPT cash to bring his career total to $222,055 and was able to best his runner-up finish placed at the Venetian in 2021.

Season 15 MSPT Grand Falls Main Event Final Table Results
Place Player Prize POY
1st William Chao $79,264 1,500
2nd Ian Pearson $49,002 1,300
3rd Tigh Johnson $35,671 1,200
4th Jake Long $26,303 1,100
5th Scott Sisler $19,817 1,000
6th Gary Ewald $15,133 900
7th Alex Wheeler $11,890 800
8th Loki Abboud $9,368 700
9th Jon Hanner $6,846 600

Day 2 Action

With 45 slated to get paid, only one person needed to exit before reaching the money and Siphonh Tram, became that unfortunate person after his pocket queens fell to Keith Doering’s full house.

Season 14 Player of the Year Umut Ozturk

After the bubble burst, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk (27th Place - $2,522), MSPT champ Mo Nuwwarah (24th - $2,919), MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup (18th - $3,693), Keerat Bawa (12th Place $5,765) and MSPT champ Gerald Cunniff (11th Place - $5,765).

MSPT Champ Gerald Cunniff’s Reaction After His Aces Were Cracked
Final Table Action

Jon Hanner entered the final table well in the middle of the pack holding an average stack but after had an unfortunate turn of events with two premium hands back-to-back.

He first looked down at a pair of aces and ended up making fives full only to have Gary Ewald roll over quads for half his stack.

The very next hand, Hanner got his remaining chips in the middle holding a premium hand of jacks only to get called by Chao who rolled over a better pair of queens.

Hanner was unable to improve after the board ran out and made his exit as the first final table elimination.

Soon To Be Champ William Chao

The very next level saw fellow Minnesotan Loki Abboud hit the rail after his turned pair of kings was rivered by Jake Long’s ace-jack to take an eighth place finish while Alex Wheeler was able to get a few pay jumps before being eliminated in seventh place just as players were getting ready to go on their dinner break.

Once players returned from their feast, almost a full level was needed before Ewald hit the deck after Scott Sisler flopped a full house eliminating him in sixth place while Sisler’s hot run came to an end in fifth place after being hooked by Long.

Jake Long

The speedy race to crown a new champion continued with Long making a fourth place exit ($26,303), followed by Tigh Johnson in third place ($35,671), and Ian Pearson took home for $49,002 for his second place efforts.

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) will be making its way home to Running Aces Casino from August 18th - 28th to host its Minnesota State Poker Championship with the headlined $1,110 Main Event set to be reported by our live reporting team so make sure to come back then!

  • Level: 26
  • Blinds: 40000 / 80000
  • Ante: 80000
 
 
Ian Pearson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($49,002)
Created 4/7/2024 7:34:40 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Start of day chip leader Ian Parson rod his hot streak to a second place finish for $49,002.

  • Level: 26
  • Blinds: 40000 / 80000
  • Ante: 80000
 
 
Tigh Johnson Eliminated in 3rd Place ($35,671)
Created 4/7/2024 7:29:13 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Tigh Johnson’s hot run came to an end in third place for $35,671.

  • Level: 26
  • Blinds: 40000 / 80000
  • Ante: 80000
 
 
Jake Long Eliminated in 4th Place ($26,303)
Created 4/7/2024 7:22:30 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Jake Long was eliminated in fourth place for $26,303.

  • Level: 26
  • Blinds: 40000 / 80000
  • Ante: 80000
 
 
Scott Sisler Eliminated in 5th Place ($19,817)
Created 4/7/2024 7:21:14 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Scott Sisler raised from the cutoff and then decided to risk majority of his stack after Jake Long three-bet jammed for 1,100,000 from the big blind.

Jake Long:
Scott Sisler:

Long was ahead holding a made hand of jacks and the runout secured his double-up while Sisler was left with just over one big blind.

A few short hands later, Sisler got his remining stack in the middle holding a made hand of ladies only to lose a race to Ian Pearson’s Big Slick ending his tournament in fifth place for $19,817.

Ian Pearson - 4,170,000
Jake Long - 2,200,000
Scott Sisler - Eliminated

  • Level: 25
  • Blinds: 30000 / 60000
  • Ante: 60000
 
 
Gary Ewald Eliminated in 6th Place ($15,133)
Created 4/7/2024 7:10:18 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Gary Ewald open-jammed 480,000 from the hijack and Scott Sisler looked him up from the big blind.

Gary Ewald:
Scott Sisler:

Ewald was behind holding two overs but after a three appeared in the window on the flop, he was left drawing to running cards to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Ewald, the running turn and river weren’t the running cards he was looking for as his Main Event ended in sixth place for $15,133.

Scott Sisler - 1,450,000
Gary Ewald - Eliminated

  • Level: 25
  • Blinds: 30000 / 60000
  • Ante: 60000
 
 
Johnson Jams on Sisler
Created 4/7/2024 6:57:46 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

William Chao raised to 140,000 from the button only to have Scott Sisler three-bet to 380,000 from the small blind.

Tigh Johnson called from the big blind while Chao folded, and the two players went heads-up to a flop.

Sisler fired out a 270,000 continuation bet only to muck his hand to a 1,035,000 all-in raise from Johnson who tabled the before collecting the pot.

Tigh Johnson - 2,100,000
Scott Sisler - 1,275,000

  • Level: 25
  • Blinds: 30000 / 60000
  • Ante: 60000
 
 
MSPT Running Aces Minnesota State Poker Championship April 18 - 28th!
Created 4/7/2024 6:42:49 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) is making its way back home for the Season 15 Minnesota Poker State Championship at Running Aces Casino April 18 - 28th!

Our $360 NLH Regional will be kicking off the 16-event series and will offer three starting flights beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, April 18th.

The series will run into its headlined $1,110 Minnesota State Poker Championship which will be held April 25th - 28th, with three starting flights being held before the field combines on Sunday to compete for the title.

For the complete schedule click here.

  • Level: 25
  • Blinds: 30000 / 60000
  • Ante: 60000
 
 
Updated Chip Counts
Created 4/7/2024 6:27:56 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

Player NameChip CountPreviousProgress
William Chao2,430,0003,600,000
Jacob Long2,180,0002,150,000
Scott Sisler2,040,0001,600,000
Ian Pearson1,940,0001,810,000
Tigh Johnson1,445,0001,610,000
Gary Ewald1,000,0001,350,000

  • Level: 24
  • Blinds: 30000 / 50000
  • Ante: 50000
 
 
Dinner Break
Created 4/7/2024 5:36:38 PM CST by Anthony Thompson

The final six players are on their 40-minute dinner break, action will resume at 6:15 p.m. local time.

 
 
Legend:  #  - Main Event Champ   #  - Player of the Year  H  - Hall of Fame
 
Player Name
Chips
Progress
 
City
State
Country
William Chao
11x Main Event Champion
11,190,000  
8,760,000 
 
CA 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
ND 
0  
Busted 
 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
Novi 
MI 
0  
Busted 
 
ND 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
Gerald Cunniff
11x Main Event Champion
HMSPT Hall Of Fame
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
Omaha 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
IA 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
Fargo 
ND 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
Richard Alsup
11x Main Event Champion
11x Player Of The Year
HMSPT Hall Of Fame
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
 
 
0  
Busted 
 
Ekhara 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
ND 
0  
Busted 
 
Groton 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
IA 
0  
Busted 
 
IA 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
Trent 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
ND 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
Mo Nuwwarah
11x Main Event Champion
0  
Busted 
 
Omaha 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
NE 
0  
Busted 
 
Perham 
MN 
Umut Ozturk
11x Main Event Champion
22x Player Of The Year
HMSPT Hall Of Fame
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
0  
Busted 
 
SD 
0  
Busted 
 
MN 
Rank
Player Name
City
State
Country
Amount
Points
1
CA 
$79,264 
1,100 
2
MN 
$49,002 
1,100 
3
ND 
$35,671 
1,100 
4
NE 
$26,303 
1,100 
5
Novi 
MI 
$19,817 
1,000 
6
ND 
$15,133 
900 
7
SD 
$11,890 
800 
8
MN 
$9,368 
700 
9
MN 
$6,846 
600 
10
MN 
$5,765 
500 
11
MN 
$5,765 
500 
12
Omaha 
NE 
$5,765 
500 
13
SD 
$4,684 
400 
14
IA 
$4,684 
400 
15
SD 
$4,684 
400 
16
Fargo 
ND 
$3,963 
300 
17
SD 
$3,963 
300 
18
MN 
$3,963 
300 
19
ND 
$3,387 
200 
20
MN 
$3,387 
200 
21
MN 
$3,387 
200 
22
SD 
$2,919 
150 
23
Ekhara 
NE 
$2,919 
150 
24
Omaha 
NE 
$2,919 
150 
25
SD 
$2,522 
100 
26
Groton 
SD 
$2,522 
100 
27
MN 
$2,522 
100 
28
NE 
$2,162 
75 
29
SD 
$2,162 
75 
30
SD 
$2,162 
75 
31
SD 
$2,162 
75 
32
ND 
$2,162 
75 
33
SD 
$2,162 
75 
34
MN 
$2,162 
75 
35
MN 
$2,162 
75 
36
IA 
$2,162 
75 
37
Trent 
SD 
$1,982 
50 
38
SD 
$1,982 
50 
39
Perham 
MN 
$1,982 
50 
40
SD 
$1,982 
50 
41
MN 
$1,982 
50 
42
MN 
$1,982 
50 
43
NE 
$1,982 
50 
44
NE 
$1,982 
50 
45
IA 
$1,982 
50 
LEVEL & TOURNAMENT INFO
Level
26
Blinds
40000 / 80000
Ante
80000
Entries
373
Players Remaining
1
Average Chip Stack
11,190,000
Total Chips
11,190,000
LEVEL INFO
Level
26
Blinds
40000 / 80000
Ante
80000
TOURNAMENT INFO
Entries
373
Players Remaining
1
Average Chip Stack
11,190,000
Total Chips
11,190,000
TOP 10 CHIP COUNT
RANK
PLAYER
CHIPS
11,190,000
0
0
0
0
0
SEASON TOP 10 POY POINTS
RANK
PLAYER
POINTS
2,900
2,250
1,800
1,700
1,700
1,675
1,617
1,600
1,600
10 
1,500