Bally's Black Hawk Casino

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to the beautiful mountainside at Bally's Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado, and hosted a 15-trophy Showdown Series which was headlined by its $1,110 buy-in, $300K GTD Main Event.

A total of 822 entries (171 from Day 1a; 264 from 1b; 387 from 1c) were tallied through three starting flights and generated a $795,840 prize pool.

On Sunday, 101 players returned for Day 2 action, and after roughly 12 hours of action, it was Mo Nuwwarah who came out on top to win the $155,189 top prize and his first MSPT title!

“It feels great,” Nuwwarah continued to say after his victory, “I mean, I started playing these (MSPT) events when I started covering them for work and that was about 10 years ago so, I had a couple close shaves but was final able to close one out.”

The shaves Nuwwarah mentioned included a second place finish back in 2019 for $42,349 but he was able to top that today with a career best six-figure score, bringing his MSPT earnings to $274,709.

MSPT Season 15 Bally's Black Hawk Showdown Main Event Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

With 90 slated to get paid, only six players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were Nick Bossard, Josh Remitio, Ryan Galpern, Allan Salloum, and two-time MSPT champ Nick Barksdale just to name a few.

Once the tournament reached the hand-for-hand process, only a few hands were played before Sherry Hammers pocket aces were set up by Roger Low’s pocket queens, and the march to the final table began.

Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Michael Campbell (10th Place - $11,142), three-time MSPT champ Carl Carotenuto (11th Place - $11,142), MSPT Season 14 Player of the Year Umut Ozturk (21st Place - $6,685), Angela Jordison (23rd Place - $5,650), and MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard (26th Place $4,616).

Final Table action

Once the final table was set, Nuwwarah sat at the bottom of the counts while Jeremy “Woody” Wood sat at the top of the counts, but after three levels of double-ups took place, Nuwwarah was able to come out with the first elimination after his pocket kings flushed out Michael Giardina’s pocket aces on the river.

After that action hand, Shant Marashlian found himself in a similar cooler holding a made hand of kings against Antonio Vargas’ pocket aces.

Unlike Nuwwarah, Marashlian’s cowboys were unable to pull ahead and became the second final table elimination.

Following Marashlian to the payout desk was Sean Lee, who roller coaster of a final table came to an end after he failed to hit live cards against Nuwwarah.

Nuwwarah would continue his elimination spree after his Big Slick dominated Mansour Alipourfard’s ace-jack, eliminating him his in sixth place and then quickly followed with another knockout after he flushed out Jack Corrigan’s ace-king in fifth place for $39,792.

After Corrigan departed, four-handed action saw a three-way all-in with Nuwwarah’s pair of ladies ahead of the shared ace-king hands of Jeff Soffer and Vargas.

Luckily for Nuwwarah, his ladies held strong to score the double elimination sending Soffer home in fourth place for $52,535, while Soffer took 3rd place for $70,352.

From there, Wood was able to take a quick double-up against Nuwwarah in their heads-up battle, but he couldn’t catch enough steam as he was set-up a few short hands later and took a runner-up finish for $95,469 while Nuwwarah secured his first MSPT trophy and career payday good for $155,189!

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) will be making its way to JACK Cleveland Casino from January 31st - February 4th to host another trophy series, and MSPT team will be on hand providing updates for the $500K GTD $1,110 Main Event so make sure to come back!

Jeremy "Woody" Wood raised all-in and Mo Nuwwarah called.

Jeremy "Woody" Wood:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Wood was behind holding two overs but fell in a deep hole after the flop gave Nuwwarah a set of deuces.

The turn wasn’t a good sight for Wood as it left him drawing dead to the river which ended his Main Event runner-up for $93,497.

Mo Nuwwarah - 24,660,000
Jeremy "Woody" Wood - Eliminated

Mo Nuwwarah raised all in and Jeremy “Woody” Wood called off his 3,275,000 stack.

Jeremy “Woody” Wood:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Wood woke-up with a dominating hand and the runout secured his first double-up in the heads-up match.

Mo Nuwwarah - 18,110,000
Jeremy “Woody” Wood - 6,550,000

Mo Nuwwarah raised the button only to have Jeff Soffer three-bet jam for 2,500,000 from the small blind, and Antonio Vargas go over the top for 8,300,000 from the big blind.

Action was back on Nuwwarah who called, and all three players tabled their hands.

Jeff Soffer:
Antonio Vargas:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Nuwwarah found himself ahead holding a made hand of ladies while both Vargas and Soffer shared the same hand.

Unfortunately for both of them, the runout sent Soffer home in fourth place for $52,535, while Soffer took 3rd place for $70,352.

Mo Nuwwarah - 20,660,000
Jeremy “Woody” Wood - 4,000,000
Antonio Vargas - Eliminated

The MSPT (Mid States Poker Tour) Returns to the Venetian Las Vegas February 6th - 10th with back-to-back Events for the infamous Poker Bowl!

A new addition to the Poker Bowl this year is the $1,100 $200K GTD Mystery Bounty! The tournament will have bounty amounts ranging from $250 - $25,000 and gives players a 25,000 starting stack with two starting flights.

Day 1a will be getting started bright and early at 11:10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6th, and Day 1b will take place at the same time on Wednesday, February 7th.

All surviving players from both flights returning for Day 2 at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 8th, and will play until a winner is crowned.

Late registration for each flight will remain open until approximately 5:55 p.m. local time.

From February 8th - 10th, the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) will play host to a $1,600 $300K GTD Main Event.

Day 1a will get started at 11:10 a.m. on February 8th, and players will start with 30,000 in chips with blind levels lasting 40 minutes.

Day 1b will take place at the same time on Friday, February 9th, with Day 2 being held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 10th.

Past MSPT Venetian Poker Bowl winners include Zack Fuentes ($117,060), James Romero ($171,167), Ron West ($168,488), Johnny Oshana ($130,000), Brian Wilson (143,929), Kfir Nahum (108,410), and Jordan Young (117,381).

Who will be next to add their names to the list of aforementioned Poker Bowl champions?

The MSPT live reporting crew will be on hand to provide live updates as the answer to that question is determined.

Mo Nuwwarah opened under the gun and then called Jack Corrigan’s 585,000 three-bet jam from the button.

Jack Corrigan:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Corrigan was ahead until the dealer dropped a flop giving Nuwwarah the flush off the bat.

The turn left Corrigan drawing dead, and the river ended his MAin Event run.

Mo Nuwwarah - 8,600,000
Jack Corrigan - Eliminated

Mo Nuwwarah raised from the cutoff and then called Mansour Alipourfard’s 875,000 three-bet jam from the small blind.

Mansour Alipourfard:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Nuwwarah had Alipourfard dominated, and the no help came on the runout ending his Main Event in sixth place for $30,242.

Mo Nuwwarah - 9,030,000
Mansour Alipourfard - Eliminated

Mo Nuwwarah raised the button and then called Sean Lee’s 1,565,000 three-bet jam from the big blind.

Sean Lee:
Mo Nuwwarah:

Lee was behind holding live cards but couldn’t find either on the runout and his Main Event ended his seventh place for $23,079.

Mo Nuwwarah - 5,765,000
Sean Lee - Eliminated

Shant Marashlian raised to 250,000 from late position only to have Antonio Martinez three-bet to 650,000 from the button.

Action folded back to Marashlian who four-bet jammed for 1,500,000 and Vargas snap-called.

Shant Marashlian:
Antonio Vargas:

It was another cooler with Marashlian unable to pull ahead as the runout ended his Main Event run.

Antonio Vargas - 5,500,000
Shant Marashlian - Eliminated

Sean Lee opened under the gun for 240,000 and Michael Giardina smooth called from the next seat over before Mo Nuwwarah three-bet to 1,5000,000 from the small blind.

Action folded back to Giardina who four-bet jammed and Nuwwarah called off his remaining 200,000.

Mo Nuwwarah:
Michael Giardina:

It was a cooler situation for Nuwwarah until the board ran out giving him the king-high flush for the double while Giardina was left short and eliminated the very next hand.

Mo Nuwwarah - 3,700,000
Sean Lee - 1,540,000
Michael Giardina - Eliminated