Ameristar East Chicago

For the second time this season, the MSPT traveled to the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, to host the Season 16 Indiana Poker State Championship, and the turnout did not disappoint.

A total of 534 entries were tallied after three starting flights, and generated an $516,480 prize pool.

On Sunday, 59 players returned for Day 2 action, and after roughly 12 hours of action, it was John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman who outlasted the challenging field to secure a career payday of $90,324, while claiming the MSPT 2025 Indiana Poker State Championship!

“It feels great”, Kurfman said after his victory, “I’ve gotten two of these gold cards in the last two weeks while the POY leader doesn’t have any, so that makes it even better”, Kurfman jokingly said before walking away with his trophy.

MSPT Season 16 Indiana Poker State Championship Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

The final day came back with 59 players already in the money, and action kicked right into gear with George Pappas being the first elimination of the day while 2023 Ameristar champ Marc Bernal and Jill Bryant followed him to the payout desk as part of the first batch of eliminations.

Players then continued dropping like wildfire while other making moves to gain chips as MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard (45^th Place - $2,475), Dennis Stevermer (39^th Place – $2,475), MSPT champ’s Richard Bai (28^th Place - $2,728), & Jeff Copeland (28^th Place - $2,728), all fell in quick succession, along with the MSPT’s top casher DJ Buckley (20^th Place - $4,597).

Only five former champs then remaind in the field on the hunt for their second title, but Kyna England took a 19^th place for $4,597, while Matt Porter (14^th Place - $6,061) and Corey Wick (12^th Place - $7,577) both fell before the final table as well, leaving just two remaining in the quest.

Final Table Action

Once the players took their seats, action picked right up with the two remaining former champs getting into a raising war which saw Lee Rzentkowski jam his made hand of tens, only to run into Jason Mendoza’s pocket aces to become the first final table elimination.

A few hands later, Mendoza found himself sending another to the rail after winning a race against Varkey James to send him home in eighth place, while Ariel Pressman lost a race of his own to take a seventh place finish.

Michael Holm sat down at the final table second in chips, but ended up next on the chopping block after calling the wrong sipe of a flip against Pawel Kotara, ending his run in sixth place for $20,710.

After Holm’s departure, Kotara would continue his elimination spree after he won a battle of the blinds against Ben Stuart, ending his run in fifth place for $27,276.

While Paul Choi started the final table with the chip lead, he ran into ‘Farmboys’ pocket aces in back-to-back levels to take a fourth-place departure for $36,368.

With Kurfman starting to gain some momentum, Mendoza was able to stop him in his tracks after he won a flip against Kotara to send him home third place for $48,087, taking a 2:1 chip advantage in the heads-up duel.

Even with Mendoza holding a 2:1 chip lead, it didn’t take long for the final two to agree upon an ICM deal, which saw the play tighten up a little bit until ‘Farmboy’ secured two doubles to take the chip lead.

It wouldn’t take long from that point for Kurman to finish off Mendoza in second-place finish for $84,000, denying him his second title, while Kurfman secured the MSPT Season 16 Indiana Poker State Championship for his first career title and career score of $90,324.

This wraps up our coverage of another eventful tournament, so make sure you join us when we make our way back to the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, MO, for the for their $1,110 Main Event August 19^th - 24^th and as always, the MSPT live reporting team will be on hand providing updates for that event so make sure to come back!

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman raised the button and then called MSPT champ Jason Mendoza’s 5,100,000 three-bet jam.

Jason Mendoza:
John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman:

Mendoza was ahead holding a suited ace, until the flop paired Kurfman.

The turn left Mendoza needing an ace on the river to stay alive, but the double-paired the board on the river, ending his run in second place for $84,000.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 16,020,000
Jason Mendoza - Eliminated

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman raised to 600,000, and MSPT champ Jason Mendoza defended to see a flop.

Action went check-check, and the dealer turned the .

Mendoza wasted little time moving all-in, and Kurfman called off his 4,550,000 stack.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman:
Jason Mendoza:

Kurfman was ahead holding two-pair, and he faded the river to take the chip lead.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 10,520,000
Jason Mendoza - 5,500,000

The midway point of Season 16 has passed, and the race for Player of the Year is currently a nail-biter.

Sitting atop the tight leaderboard is Jake Long, who, after securing a runner-up finish at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort for $94,499, sits atop the leaderboard with 5,521 points, while back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk currently sits in a close second.

Full POY Leaderboard: https://msptpoker.com/statistics/MSPTSeasonPoints.aspx

MSPT Champ Jason Mendoza limped in and then snap-called John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman’s 2,750,000 all-in raise.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman:
Jason Mendoza:

It was a classic for the ages with the runout securing Kurfman’s double to stay alive.

Jason Mendoza - 10,520,000
John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 5,500,000

Join us August 19-24 for the MSPT Festival at Hollywood Casino St. Louis

: Hollywood Casino St. Louis - Maryland Heights, MO

: August 19-24, 2025

: 10 Gold Card Events

: Main Event 292

: $300,000 GTD Main Event

: Senior Tour Event Included

: https://msptpoker.com/.../book-today-for-the-mspt...

msptpoker.com

Pawel Kotara raised all in from the small blind, and MSPT champ Jason Mendoza snap-called from the big blind.

Pawel Kotara:
Jason Mendoza:

Kotara was racing for his tournament life, but fell way behind after the flop paired Mendoza’s ace, while also giving him the ace-high flush draw.

Unfortunately for Kotara, the turn left him with one out, and the that fell on the river wasn’t it, ending his tournament.

Jason Mendoza - 10,690,000
John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 5,330,000
Pawel Kotara - Eliminated

Paul Choi was all in from the small blind and was called by John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman from the button.

Paul Choi:
John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman:

Choi ran into Kurman’s pair of aces again in back-to-back levels, with the runout ending his tournament in fourth place for $36,368.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 5,900,000
Paul Choi - Eliminated

Last Season, MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk became the first player in tour history to win the Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons, while also winning the inaugural ICON of the Year award as well.

This season, Ozturk finds himself once again on top of the Icon leaderboard at the halfway mark, while also sitting second in the POY standings.

Full Icon Leaderboard: https://msptpoker.com/statistics/MSPTSeasonPoints.aspx

There was all in action between John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman from the button, and Paul Choi from the small blind, with Kurfman holding 1,435,000 effective.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman:
Paul Choi:

Kurfman rolled over the best made hand, and the runout secured him a double.

John ‘Farmboy’ Kurfman - 3,100,000
Paul Choi - 2,600,000