Running Aces Casino

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) returned home to host the Season 15 Minnesota Poker State Championship at Running Aces Casino and it was surly one to remember.

Players from across the country traveled to the tundra for the 16-trophy event series which was headlined by the $1,110 buy-in, $500K GTD Main Event which saw total of 861 entries (172 from Day 1a; 303 from 1b; 386 from 1c) tallied generating a $833,670.

On Sunday, 105 players returned for Day 2 action, and after it was said and done, the last player standing was Sean Hinton who came out the victor to win the $142,607 top prize and his first MSPT title!

“It feels really awesome to be honest,” Hinton said after his win, “I moved here from Las Vegas about a year ago with my wife for her job and it feels amazing to come here and be able to close this one out.”

With just over $11,000 in live tournament earnings before the win, Hinton has bursted onto the poker scene with his first six-figure payday and is now the reigning Minnesota State Poker Champion!

MSPT Season 15 Minnesota Poker State Championship Final Table Results

**denotes ICM chop

Day 2 Action

The final day saw 105 players come back to action with only 90 slated of them slated to get paid meaning, 15 players needed to exit before the money was reached.

Among those to leave empty-handed included WSOP bracelet winner’s John Reading & Ian Matakis. Reading’s day started off with him losing a race to Jay Philips, and then picked-up a pair of aces only to have them set-up by Ian Pearson’s pocket nines.

The likes of Paul Carney, Brian Berthiaume, and Wes Cannon fell before Matakis tried to bluff Bee Yang off the best hand but after a clock was called, he tossed out a single chip and rolled over the best hand, starting the hand-for-hand process.

Only two hands were needed to burst the bubble after Matt Alexander straightened-out Peter Creese the march to the final table began.

With everyone left in the money, action hit a new gear with player started dropping by the wayside. MSPT champ Joe Matheson unfortunately happened to fall into the pit fire after his Big Slick fell to Yang’s made hand of threes.

A few levels later, fellow MSPT champ Rodger Johnson succumbed to the same fate as Matheson, taking an earlier exit then planned but only for him, a milestone 25th Main Event cash on the tour was notched, earning himself a seat in the coveted MSPT Hall of Fame.

After Rodger’s departure, players continued to drop like wildfire, among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday included MSPT champ Gerlad Cunniff (28th Place - $3,668), 2011 POY Nate Fair (23rd Place - $5,919), Kitkat Klassen (19th Place - $7,003), MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang (17th Place - $8,337), MSPT champ Mark Jaroslawski (13th Place - $10,004), and David “Digger” Vig (10th Place - $11,671).

Final Table action

Once players took their seats at the final table, it didn't take long for action to kick right into gear as Joseph Larson got his short stack in the middle holding a made hand of tens only to get called by and Robert O’Connell holding a better made hand of kings. Larson was unable to find a set and became the first final table elimination.

Following Larson's exit was Ashton Henry whos patience saw him get his stack in the middle holding a premium hand of ladies from the small blind only to have Eric Seeliger wake-up with a better pair of kings.

Next on the chopping block was Mike Estes who found two suited connectors to roll with but was called by soon to be champ Hinton who held a dominating ace-king, ending his Main Event in seventh place for $24,852.

After Estes was eliminated, chips started to shuffle around the table with players picking up and giving back double-ups until Hinton rivered Broadway to score a double elimination of Chuck Kersey and Seeliger, taking a commanding chip lead into four-way action.

Four-handed play only lasted one short level after O’Connell got his stack in the middle holding a suited queen and was called by Miguel Martinez holding an ace. Martinez was able to connect with his ace on the flop and sent O’Connell home in fourth place for $55,022.

With three players remaining, Hinton held a commanding chip lead, but he dished out a few doubles before Martinez was able to finish off three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto home in third place, taking home $73,696 for his efforts.

After Martinez was able to eliminate Carodenuto, he closed the gap between himself and Hinton, which ultimately led to an ICM chop being agreed upon which saw Martinez take home second-place finish for $120,000 while Hinton took home the top prize along with the title of Minnesota State Poker Champion!

Season 15 of the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) continues this week as we head San Diego's Sycuan Casino for their second Showdown Series of the season which is headlined by the $1,110 buy-in, 300K GTD Main Event and as always, that will be reported by our live reporting team starting Thursday, May 2^nd so make sure to tune in!

After an ICM discussion, Miguel Martinez took a second place finish for $120,000 after satelliting into the tournament earlier in the week.

Three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto raised all in for 3,000,000 from the small blind and Miguel Martinez called from the big blind.

Carl Carodenuto:
Miguel Martinez:

Carodenuto didn’t like seeing he was dominated after the cards were tabled but didn’t mind the paired flop that brought chop possibilities.

Unfortunately for the three-time champ, neither the turn nor the river were cards he wanted to see as his tournament ended in third place for $73,696.

Sean Hinton - 15,630,000
Miguel Martinez - 10,200,000
Carl Carodenuto - Eliminated

For the eighth stop of its 15th season, the MSPT traveled back home to host the Minnesota State Poker Championship and players have been duking it out over the past week inside Running Aces Casino for its 16-trophy event series!

In Event #14: $150 No-Limit Hold'em Nightly, a 92-player field took to the felt and generated a $10,580 prize pool which was reserved for the top 12 players.

Among those to cash but fall before the final table were MSPT champ Curtis Vierstraete (10th Place - $222), Charles Edwards (11th Place - $222), and fellow MSPT champ Max Havlish (12th Place - $222).

Coming out on top as the outright winner was Minnesota native Clint Leitheiser who walked away the victor for the top prize and Spadey trophy!

Final Table Result

A series of preflop raises led to Sean Hinton getting his 8,825,000 stack in the middle from the big blind and was called by three-time MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto from the button.

Sean Hinton:
Carl Carodenuto:

It was a flip with Hinton calling the correct end as the runout paired his ten for him to take a commanding chip lead.

Sean Hinton - 17,500,000
Miguel Martinez - 6,500,000
Carl Carodenuto - 1,200,000

Robert O’Connell open-jammed 2,400,000 under the gun and Miguel Martinez looked him up from the big blind.

Robert O’Connell:
Miguel Martinez:

O’Connell was at risk needing some help but his chances fell slim after the flop gave Martinez top pair.

Things got worse for O’Connell after the dealer turned the leaving drawing dead to the river.

Miguel Martinez - 6,500,000
Robert O’Connell - Eliminated

Don’t look now, but Michigan is one of the country’s hottest spots for poker, a fact evidenced by massive tournament fields.

Case in point, recent stops of the MSPT, which will visit FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek for the first time in Season 15 May 16th - 19th.

A series of $70 and $265 qualifiers will take place in the weeks leading up to the $1,110 buy-in, $1,000,000 guarantee Main Event, which is once again expected to draw a massive field.

The Main Event, which requires players be 21 years of age to participate, will feature three starting flights beginning with Day 1a at Noon on Thursday, May 16th.

The next two starting flights, Days 1b and 1c will then be held at the same time on Friday, May 17th, and Saturday, May 18th respectively. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday, May 19th at 10:00 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned.

Last May, a venue record of 2,473 entrants packed the poker room and, in the end, it was MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang who took home a career-best $314,145 for the win.

That event was followed up by the MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship in October which set a new bar with 2,883 entrants tallied and saw Travis Young walk away with a $297,977 first-place prize.

Some others who've notched wins at FireKeepers are Matthew Davis (October 2022 for $344,446), Dan Bekavac (May 2022 for $198,175), Bobby Noel (October 2019 for $262,145), and Chris Moon (May 2019 for $258,407).

For more information, visit firekeeperscasino.com.

For a full look at the MSPT FireKeepers schedule, click here.

Chuck Kersey open-jammed 1,000,000 from the cutoff and Sean Hinton went over the top from the small blind.

Action was on Eric Seeliger who looked down at his cards and decided they were good enough to risk his 1,325,000 stack.

Chuck Kersey:
Eric Seeliger:
Sean Hinton:

Seeliger made the correct call as he was ahead holding a made hand of eights and nothing changed after the flop hit the felt.

However, the dealer turned the giving Hinton a Broadway draw and then proceeded to follow with the on the river to secure him the double elimination.

Sean Hinton - 11,400,000
Eric Seeliger - Eliminated
Chuck Kersey - Eliminated

Sean Hinton raised from the cutoff and Chuck Kersey defended his big blind to see a flop.

Kersey check-raised to 1,500,000 after Hinton continued for 700,000 and Hinton three-bet jammed for 3,950,000.

Action was back on Kersey who took little time before making the call, and the two players tabled their hands.

Sean Hinton:
Chuck Kersey:

Hinton was ahead holding a made hand of kings and fade the turn and river to take the final table chip lead.

Sean Hinton - 8,800,000
Chuck Kersey - Eliminated

Robert O’Connell was all in preflop for 3,325,000 from the button and Eric Seeliger called from the big blind.

Robert O’Connell:
Eric Seeliger:

It was a classic with the flop giving O’Connell s gutshot straight draw.

The turn fell the completing O’Connell’s straight but it wasn’t without a sweat as it also gave Seeliger the nut flush draw.

Luckily for O’Connell, the paired the board on the river and secured his double-up.

Robert O’Connell - 6,800,000
Eric Seeliger - 525,000