Grand Falls Casino

For the first time this season, the MSPT traveled to Iowa's Grand Falls Casino, to play host to a four-event trophy series, headlined by the $1,110 Main Event.

An incredible turnout of 513 entries were recorded over two days, making it the third largest event in venue history for the tour and on Sunday, just 55 players returned for Day 2 with their eyes set on the title.

The final day saw 11 former champs return to the felt after roughly nine hours of play, Angela Jordison who was the one to navigate her way to his second career title along with a payday good for $95,381.

“I was short and card dead,” a shocked Jordison said as after starting off the final table last in chips.

“I lost a big hand right before the final table against TJ in a blind verus blind,” Jordison stated, “I had ace-eight with the nut draw while he had ace-nine with a pair, and I bricked out to be the short stack at the final.”

While sitting at the bottom of the counts, the short stack didn’t seem to faze Jordison, as all her off felt studying came into play.

“To come in short, it’s really something I’ve been working so much on lately, the ICM chops and these short stack situations really came into play here and it really helped me out. All that prep that I do off the felt, the stuff that seems to be really boring or worthless, really came in clutch here.”

While Jordison started moving her small stack around and picking up chips, the cards then started to fall her way as she caught double-up after double-up before ultimately collecting every chip in play.

“It feels really good.. really really good... really great,” a happy Jordison stated after securing another victory. “I was pretty disappointed after seeing the Hall of Fame changes,” Jordison added, “It was something I was gunning for and then felt like it was almost unattainable, like great now I’m never going to get it.”

Jordison then continued to say, “It also took a lot of pressure off of me because I was really pushing to get it this year but after seeing the new requirements I just got to play and have fun.”

The victory not only notched Jordison her second MSPT title, which is a new requirement for the Hall of Fame but also marked her 17^th Main Event MSPT cash which brought her career total to $463,714!

MSPT Season 16 Grand Falls Main Event Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

The final day came back with 55 players already in the money, so action kicked right into gear with Jon Hanner’s pocket kings getting cracked in the very first hand, making him the first elimination of the day.

A spree of eliminations then occurred which saw 2018 Grand Falls champ Ryan Skluzak becoming the first MSPT champ to fall (45^th Place - $2,398) while fellow champs Mo Nuwwarah (37^th Place - $2,398) & Anthony Scarborough (36^th Place - $2,646), MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard (30^th Place - $2,646), and two-time MSPT champ Taylor Howard (29^th Place - $2,646), fell in quick succession, with Scarborough adding another 100 POY points to pad his first place spot.

The fast-paced action kept rolling, as MSPT champ Justin Lynch (20^th Place - $4,482), 2023 Grand Falls champ Curtis Vierstraete (17^th - Place $6,541), MSPT Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz (15^th Place - $5,920), and 2022 Grand Falls champ Beau “Don K. Nado” Wilshire (13^th Place - $5,920) all fell by the wayside setting up the stacked final table.

Final Table Action

After the players returned from their dinner break two double ups needed to happen before Minnesota’s Paul Cross lost a race to WSOP bracelet winner TJ Murphy to become the first final table elimination.

A few hands later saw the MSPT’s top casher DJ Buckley lose a race to Jason Peterson take an eighth place finish, and then Peterson followed him to the payout desk after he was flushed out on the river by Steve “Cherokee” Funderman.

Six-handed action saw two former champs still in contention with Jordison and Jason Sell butting heads in two occasions which saw Jordison coming out on top during both occasions.

The first one saw Jordison’s made hand of deuces hold strong to collect a double and then she finished off Sell after she turned quad tens.

Start of day chip leader Kevin Berthelsen came into the final table second in chips but had a rollercoaster of three hands in a row which ultimately saw him take a fifth place finish for $26,757.

Shortly after Berthelsen’s departure, Iowa’s Fundermann jammed his suited Big Slick into Murphy’s pair of cowboys and ended up walking to the payout desk in fourth place for $35,687.

Three-handed action saw Murphy and Jordison holding the majority of the chips in play between the two, leaving Aaron Knudson needing to make a move.

Knudson then found a suited ace to roll with only to have Murphy river a four-card straight to eliminate him in third place exit for $47,197.

After Knudson’s elimination, a heads-up ICM deal was agreed upon as the two stacks were virtually identical until Jordison flopped a straight to eliminate Murphy in second place for $75,753 while Jordison secured her second Main Event title in under one year!

This wraps up our coverage of yet another amazing tournament so make sure you join us next when we make our first stop to Riverside, Iowa for their $1,110 Main Event at the Riverside Casino March 25^th - 30^th!

After an ICM heads-up deal was made, WSOP bracelet winner TJ Murphy raised to 200,000 and MSPT champ Angela Jordison defended to see a flop.

Jordison check-raised to 675,000 after Murphy made a 225,000 continuation bet and was called.

Once the hit the turn, Jordison led out with a 1,300,000 bet and Murphy called to see the complete the board on the river.

Jordison then kept her foot on the pedal leading out with an all-in bet and Murphy called off his shorter stack.

Jordison revealed for the flopped straight which was good as Murphy tossed into the muck ending his tournament in second place for $76,736.

For Jordison, she has secured her second Main Event title in under the year and jumped into the top ten in this years POY race.

A full recap will follow.

Angela Jordison - 15,400,000
TJ Murphy - Eliminated

Aaron Knudson raised all in for 665,000 from the small blind and WSOP bracelet winner TJ Murphy looked him up from the big blind.

Aaron Knudson:
TJ Murphy:

Knudson was ahead holding a suited ace with the flop not changing much.

However, the dealer then turned the , pairing Knudson while also giving Murphy the king-high straight draw.

Unfortunately for Knudson, Murphy was able to find lady luck on the river as the fell eliminating Knudson in third place for $47,197.

Angela Jordison - 8,220,000
TJ Murphy - 7,170,000
Aaron Knudson - Eliminated

WSOP bracelet winner TJ Murphy raised from the button and then snap-called Steve Fundermann’s three-bet jam from the big blind.

Steve Funderman:
TJ Murphy:

Funderman was at risk holding a suited Big Slick but didn’t find any help on the runout, ending his run.

TJ Murphy - 8,800,000
Steve Funderman - Eliminated

For the first time this season, the MSPT has traveled to Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, IA for their first Trophy Series!

In Event #3: $150 No-Limit Hold'em Nightly, 69 night walkers take to the tables and when the dust settled, it was 2022 Grand Falls MSPT champ Curtis Vierstraete who came out on top with the lion's share of the prize pool, along with a new piece of hardware!

Results

After a double-up and a lost race, Kevin Berthelsen found himself all in once again under the gun and MSPT champ Angela Jordison looked him up from the big blind.

Kevin Berthelsen:
Angela Jordison:

Berthelsen was ahead holding an ace until the flop fell pairing Jordison’s king.

The dealer then turned the keeping things interesting as it gave Berthelsen straight and flush draws, but the river was a brick ending his tournament.

Angela Jordison - 2,600,000
Kevin Berthelsen - Eliminated

MSPT champ Jason Sell was all in for roughly 600,000 from late and position and fellow champ Angela Jordison went over the top from the button giving him isolation.

Jason Sell:
Angela Jordison:

Sell was at risk needing help but after a ten appeared in the window on the flop his chance became slim.

The dealer then stuck a dagger in Sell after they dropped the case on the turn which improved Jordison to quads while the needle river ended Sell’s run.

Angela Jordison - 1,900,000
Jason Sell - Eliminated

Minnesota Poker State Championship Series

: Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack - Columbus, MN

: April 3-13, 2025

: 15 Trophy Events

: $500,000 GTD Main Event / $100,000 GTD Kickoff

: runaces.com/deals/

msptpoker.com

Running Aces Poker Tournaments

Jason Peterson was all in preflop for roughly 2,000,000 from the button and Steve Fundermann looked him up from late position.

Jason Peterson:
Steve Fundermann:

It was another classic with Peterson holding the lead with a made hand of tens until the board ran out giving Funderman the ace-high flush to end his run.

Steve Fundermann - 4,400,000
Jason Peterson - Eliminated

MSPT champ Angela Jordison raised all in for 460,000 from the hijack and fellow MSPT champ Jason Sell went over the top from the small blind giving her isolation.

Angela Jordison:
Jason Sell:

Jordison was ahead holding a made hand of deuces with nothing changing after the flop hitting the felt.

The board then paired after the hit the turn giving Jordison a sweat, but the completed the board and secured her much-needed double.

Jason Sell - 1,200,000
Angelas Jordison - 1,100,000