Bally's Black Hawk Casino

Photo: Vinny Moscati

MSPT Champ Vinny Moscati raised the button, and Barb Visher called from the small blind to see a flop.

Visher check-called a 1,200 continuation bet from Moscati, and the paired the board on the turn.

Another check from Visher saw Moscati fire out a 2,200 bet, and it did the trick as she tossed her hand into the muck and was shown .

Vinny Moscati - 39,400
Barb Visher - 24,200

For the second time this season, the MSPT traveled to the beautiful mountainside of Black Hawk, Colorado, and players have been inside Bally's Casino, duking it out over the past week for the 2026 Colorado Poker State Championship!

The series started off with a bang after Event #1: $400 Mini Main NLH recorded a 1,222-entry field, the second largest at Black Hawk, creating a $407,870 prize pool that smashed the $100k guarantee and paid out to the top 133 players.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Eric Smidinger (11^th Place - $5,700), James Coca (14^th Place - $4,479), Reza Yardi (22^nd Place - $2,647), Barb Visher (29^th Place - $1,710), and Reza Sheykhi (50^th Place - $1,222).

In the end, it was defending Colorado Poker State Champ and newly crowned bracelet winner Antonio Vargas who took down the opening event for the $48,124 top prize, along with his second Gold Card!

Final Table Results

Photo: Mykel Robble

Mykel Robble opened under the gun for 1,000 and found one caller before Jon McCray squeezed his 6,500 stack into the middle from the big blind.

With action back on Robble, he decided to give McCray isolation with a 16,000 four-bet, and both players tabled their cards.

Jon McCray:
Mykel Robble:

McCray was ahead holding a pair of jacks until the flop fell, giving Robble top two-pair.

The turn then left McCray needing a jack on the river to stay alive, but the completed the board and sent him to a new table.

Mykel Robble - 48,700
Jon McCray - 30,000

Photo: Jason Vanstrom

Justin Gish opened for 1,500 from the hijack and was called by Jason Vanstrom from the cutoff, along with the big blind.

The flop was checked to the turn, where Vanstrom led out with a 2,800 bet, and only the big blind check-called to see the complete the board on the river.

Vanstrom’s opponent knocked on the table one last time only to fold to a final 5,000 bet.

Jason Vanstrom - 59,800

There were three players who took to a flop, and action was checked to Randy Nguyen, who fired out a 3,500 bet from the button.

Only one of Nguyen’s opponents check-called, bringing about the turn.

Another knock on the table saw Nguyen toss out a 6,000 bet, and it did the trick as his opponent quickly released their hand into the muck.

: Rivers Casino - Des Plaines, IL

: August 4-9, 2026

: Illinois Poker State Championship

: $1,110 Main Event / $750,000 GTD

$3,500 MSPT CHAMPIONSHIP SEAT ADDED TO MAIN EVENT 1ST PLACE

: 11 Gold Card Tournaments

: https://www.riverscasino.com/desplaines/visit/where-to-stay

Event Schedule: https://msptpoker.com/showpdf.aspx?eventID=723