Riverside Casino

A lengthy day has wrapped up during Day 1b of the MSPT Season 16 $1,110 Main Event at Riverside Casino, as the second of three flights drew 169 entries to bring the two-day total thus far to 259, solidifying that the $300K GTD will be surpassed in tomorrow’s final flight.

Of those 169 entries, only 19 players remained when chips went into bags, and it was MSPT champ Jeff Copeland (674,000), who outdistanced himself from the rest to bag this flight’s chip lead, which is also good enough for the Day 2 top stack thus far as well.

Following behind Copeland was Andrew Maker,who was seen stacking chips throughout the day to put 561,000 into his bag, while fellow MSPT champ Steve Federspiel (432,000), Anthony Kastelic (418,000), and WSOP bracelet winner Michael Wilklow (397,000) rounded out the top five stacks.

Much like Day 1a, the final levels of the night saw an onslaught of casualties, with players such as Ryan Eamon, three-time MSPT champ Nick Barksdale, and MSPT Hall of Famer Keith Heine among those to be eliminated before play concluded for the night with chips flying all across the remaining tables.

Several other familiar players will also be joining the aforementioned five. As Dennis Stevermer (303,000), MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson (209,000), MSPT champ Joe Matheson (190,000), fellow Hall of Famer Rich Alsup (182,000), and 2022 Riverside champ Craig Trost (122,000) are just a few more of the players to add their names to the Day 2 roster, along with the 10 to have already advanced from Day 1a.

The final starting flight will get underway tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Late registration and re-entries will remain open through Level 12 (approximately 10:40 p.m.).

MSPT Season 16 Riverside Festival Remaining Schedule

Make sure to come back and tune in to see who makes it through the final flight to Day 2!

Photo: Dave Bashel

MSPT champ Jeff Copeland raised to 15,000 from the button, only to have Dalton Jones three-bet jam 50,000 in the middle from the small blind, and fellow champ Craig Trost go over the top from the big blind, giving Jones isolation.

Dalton Jones:
Craig Trost:

Jones rolled over the inferior made hand, only to pull ahead after the flop gave him a set to take the lead.

The then fell on the turn, keeping Jones in the lead, while the river secured his double-up.

Shortly after that hand, there was another all-in, which involved Dave Bashel, who turned a jack-high flush, only to run into a king-high flush to fall on the bubble.

Craig Trost - 120,000
Dalton Jones - 120,000
Dave Bashel - 0

After the elimination of MSPT Hall of Famer Keith Heine, just 20 players remain, meaning the hand-for-hand process has now begun.

Photo: Aaron Johnson

MSPT champ Craig Trost raised the button, only to call MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnon’s 60,000 three-bet jam.

Aaron Johnson:
Craig Trost:

Johnson rolled over a dominating hand, and the runout secured him his double-up.

Craig Trost - 135,000
Aaron Johnson - 120,000

Photo: Dennis Stevermer

There was all-in action preflop between Dennis Stevermer from the cutoff and the player under the gun, with Stevermer holding 78,000 effective.

Dennis Stevermer:
Opponent:

Stevermer ran into aces, but didn’t mind the flop that gave him a diamond flush draw.

Fortunately for him, the dealer quickly turned the , completing his flush, and then dropped the on the river to secure his double-up.

Dennis Stevermer - 164,000

Photo: Joe Matheson

Ron Scott opened under the gun with a raise, and then called MSPT champ Joe Matheson’s 48,000 three-bet jam from the small blind.

Joe Matheson:
Ron Scott:

Matheson rolled over the superior made hand and faded a seven on the runout to collect a double-up.

Joe Matheson - 100,000
Ron Scott - 98,000

Over the past week, players have been inside Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, duking it out for the MSPT Gold Card Festival in Riverside, IA.

In Event #2: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Epic Stack, 158 epic players took to the tables and created a $31,600 prize pool, which was reserved for the top 18 players.

Among those to cash but fall before the final table were Ryan Ellis (10thPlace - $600), Jose Cervantes (11^th Place - $600), Robert Reck (12^th Place - $600), Andrew Leopard (13^th Place - $506), Mary Wiemelf (14^th Place - $506), Wayne Tweeton (15^th Place - $506), Mark Vasey (16^th Place - $442), Scott Reilly (17^th Place - $442) and Ron Hager (18^th Place - $442).

When the dust settled, it was West Des Moines native Ken Coy who walked away with the epic victory to claim the top prize!

Final Table Results

Photo: Steve Federspiel

Boshaung Gao opened for 9,000 from the cutoff, only to call a 27,000 three-bet MSPT champ Steve Federspiel made from the button.

The two went heads-up to a flop and Gao check-called Federspiel’s 20,000 continuation bet, bringing the turn.

Both players checked, and the completed the board on the river.

Federspiel then called a 35,000 bet from Gao, and both hands were tabled.

was then shown to Federspiel, but it was no good, as he happily tabled to scoop the pot.

Steve Federspiel - 325,000
Boshaung Gao - 250,000