Grand Falls Casino

For the second time this season, the MSPT traveled to Iowa's Grand Falls Casino for their first Gold Card Series, headlined by the $1,110 Main Event.

A solid turnout of 368 entries was recorded over two days, with 41 players finding their way into Sunday's Day 2 with their eyes set on the title.

The final day saw eight former champs return to the felt, with four of them being Hall of Famers, and after roughly nine hours of play, it was local Siphonh Tran who outlasted the tough field to secure a career payday of $79,960, and his first MSPT title!

“Unbelievable, words can’t describe what I’m feeling right now”, Tran said after his win, “I definitely did not expect this to happen, but it feels good to take the trophy home and keep it local”.

Tran, a Sioux Falls native, has been coming here and playing poker for the past 20 years, and has now earned the title as the MSPT Grand Falls MAin Event Champion!

MSPT Season 16 Grand Falls Main Event Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

The final day came back with 41 players already in the money, so action kicked right into gear with defending champ Angela Jordison being the second player to be sent home, while last year’s ninth-place finisher Kevin McMahon followed her to the payout desk as part of the first batch of eliminations.

Following Bjerga to the payout desk was Jacob Long, who was able to add some more points to his name in this year’s tight POY race, while MSPT Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz and the MSPT’s top casher, DJ Buckley, fell in quick succession shortly after.

Fellow Hall of Famer’s Blake Bohn (25^th Place - $2,544), & Mark Hodge (22^nd Place - $2,944) both deep Day 2 runs, but fell short of a final table appearance while MSPT champ Anthony Scarborough was in the same boat after he was eliminated in brutal fashion to take 19^th place exit for $3,416.

The fast-paced action kept rolling, and players like Minnesota’s Jay Chaudhary (18^th Place - $3,998), Souix Falls native Terence Reid (17^th Place - $3,998), last year’s fifth-place finisher Kevin Berthelsen and 2023 Grand Falls champ Kevin Nguyen (11^th Place - $5,815) all fell by the wayside setting up the stacked final table.

Final Table Action

The final table saw two of the eight former champs still left in contention, but last year’s Grand Falls champ Dave Gonia got his chips in the middle with the best hand, only to be straightened out on the turn by Kyle Knudson, to become the first final table elimination.

A few short hands later, “Wild” Bill Romer was able to collect two double-ups to climb the chip counts, only to be the next to fall after he flopped top pair, only to be out-kicked eighth place by Knudson, while final table short stack Ryan Remmes was able to get a few pay jumps before losing a flip to Jon Hanner to be eliminated in seventh place.

Unfortunately for Hanner, he would be next on the chopping block after soon-to-be champ Tran, connected with live cards on the flop to end his run in sixth place for $15,265.

Kniudson and Tran would continue trading sending players to the rail, with Knudson securing the next two eliminations.

He would start by winning a race against Blaise Poupore, sending him home in fifth place exit for $19,990, and then dropping Mark Bloomberg the very next hand in fourth place for $26,532.

Back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk came into the final table with the second-least amount of chips, but was able to maneuver his way up the payday ladder with a third place finish for $35,982, extending his top spot in the ICON standings, while climbing into the second place spot in the POY race.

After Ozturk’s elimination, the heads-up battle between Knudson and Tran would only last one hand, with Tan out-kincking Knudson in second place for $49,426 while Tran secured his first MSPT title, along with a career payday for $79,960.

This wraps up our coverage of yet another ramazing tournament, so make sure you join us next when we make our way down to the Ameristar in East Chicago, August 12^th - 17^th, and our reporting team will be on hand providing updates for the $300K GTD $1,110 Indiana State Poker Championship, so make sure to come back!

Kyle Knudson raised and then called off his shorter stack after Siphonh Tran three-bet jammed for more.

Kyle Knudson:
Siphonh Tran:

Both players held an ace with Tran holding the better kicker, but the flop came with a sweat as it gave them both a Broadway draw.

The then fell on the turn, leaving Knudson needing a deuce to stay alive, but the completed the board on the river, ending his run in second place for $49,426.

Siphonh Tran - 11,000,000
Kyle Knudson - Eliminated

Kyle Knudson opened for 250,000 from the button, and was called by Siphonh Tran from the small blind before back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk squeezed his 695,000 stack in the middle from the big blind.

Knudson quickly got out of the way while Tran called, and both hands were tabled.

Umut Ozturk:
Siphonh Tran:

Ozturk was behind holding suited cards, and didn’t mind the flop that fell, giving him a club flush draw.

Unfortunately for the Hall of Famer, both the turn and river were bricks, ending his Main Event run.

Siphonh Tran - 8,500,000
Kyle Knudson - 2,500,000
Umut Ozturk - Eliminated

Mark Bloomberg open-jammed 615,000 from the cutoff, and Kyle Knudson looked him up from the big blind.

Mark Bloomberg:
Kyle Knudson:

Bloomberg was behind holding live cards, but needed help after the flop paired Knudson’s king.

The dealer then turned the , giving Bloomberg a glimmer of hope, only to follow with the on the river, ending his run.

Kyle Knudson - 5,545,000
Mark Bloomberg - Eliminated

Kyle Knudson raised all in from the button, and Blaise Poupore called off his 1,150,000 stack from the small blind.

Blaise Poupore:
Kyle Knudson:

Poupore was racing for his tournament life, but wasn’t able to take the lead as the runout ended his Main Event run.

Kyle Knudson - 4,900,000
Blaise Poupore - Eliminated

Jon Hanner moved his 415,000 stack in the middle from the hijack, and Siphonh Tran looked him up from the big blind.

Jon Hanner:
Siphonh Tran:

Hanner was ahead holding an ace until the flop fell pairing Tran’s nine.

The turn left left Hanner needing to connect with the river to stay alive, but the completed the boar and ended his run.

Siphonh Tran - 4,500,000
Jon Hanner - Eliminated

Kyle Knudson opened for 125,000 from the cutoff, and then called back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk’s 460,000 three-bet jam from the big blind.

Umut Ozturk:
Kyle Knudson:

Ozturk rolled over a dominating hand and enjoyed the flop that paired his seven.

The dealer then turned the , keeping things sweaty, but followed with the on the river to secure his double-up.

Kyle Knudson - 3,800,000
Umut Ozturk - 1,000,000

Jon Hanner raised all in for 495,000 from the button, and Blaise Poupore looked him up from the big blind.

Jon Hanner:
Blaise Poupore:

Hanner was ahead holding an ace until a jack appeared in the window on the flop, putting Poupore in the lead.

However, the dealer then turned the , giving Hanner a diamond flush draw, and then followed with the on the river to keep his Main Event hopes alive.

Blaise Poupore - 1,350,000
Jon Hanner - 1,100,000

Ryan Remmes open jammed 385,000 from middle position, and Jon Hanner called off his 335,000 stack from the cutoff.

Jon Hanner:
Ryan Remmes:

Remmes was ahead holding a pair of deuces, and nothing changed after the flop hit the felt.

The turn kept Remmes in the lead, and he was looking good until the dealer peeled off the on the river, securing Hanner’s double-up.

Remmes was then left with just one big blind and was eliminated a few hands later.

Jon Hanner - 800,000
Ryan Remmes - Eliminated

Jon Hanner opened under the gun for 100,000, and was called by Kyle Knudson next to act, along with "Wild" Bill Romer from the big blind.

The flop was checked to Knudson, who fired out a 100,000 bet, and Romer check-raised to 350,000.

After Hanner released his hand into the muck, Knudosn calpped back with a three-bet jam, and Romer called off his 1,350,000 stack.

"Wild" Bill Romer:
Kyle Knudson:

Both players flopped top pair, but Romer had kicker issues and wasn’t able to improve on with the turn and river completing the board, ending his run.

Kyle Knudson - 5,000,000
"Wild" Bill Romer - Eliminated