FireKeepers Casino

Photo: Aaron Johnson

MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson raised from the hijack and then called the small blind’s three-bet jam.

Opponent:
Aaron Johnson:

It was a flip, with Johnson calling the correct side, as the runout secured him the knockout.

Aaron Johnson - 95,000

Over the past week, players have been inside the FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, MI, duking it out for the MSPT Season 17 Spade Poker State Championship!

In Event #3: $300 Seniors NLH, 216 strolling seniors took to the trenches and generated a $52,920 prize pool, which was divided among the top 24 elderly players.

Among those to cash but fall before the final table were Kathleen Pike (10^th Place - $953), John Soucie (14^th Place - $794), MSPT Champ Mike O'Neill (18^th Place - $767), Kim Schinco (21^st Place - $593), and fellow MSPT Champ Jeff Copeland (24^th Place - $529).

In the end, two-time MSPT Champ Ken Baime chopped up a senior victory to claim the top prize!

Final Table Results

It’s time for our players’ extended dinner break.

Our remaining players will get forty minutes to step away from the tables, and we’ll take a coverage break as well as gear up for the last levels of Day 1a.

We’ll see you back here for Level 10 in 40 minutes!

There was heads-up action on a board between Michael Paski from middle position and Joseph Ermatinger from the hijack.

Paski led out with a 5,000 bet, but Ermatinger raised all-in for his last 19,100.

The bet put Paski deep in the tank, and after careful consideration, he called.

Joseph Ermatinger:
Michael Paski:

Paski made the correct call, but the river gave Ermatinger Broadway and secured his double-up.

These 25 Players have already earned a $3,500 Seat to the $2M GTD RRPO MSPT Championship Main Event

Matthew Wantman

Kevin Meyers

Zilong Zhang

Vincent Moscati

June 'Oh Geez' Kim

Alex Foxen

Umut Ozturk

Jorden Helstern

Aaron Johnson

Wesley Cannon

Michael Estes

Yuchen "Carson" Chen

Lee Rzentkowski

Hamid Izadi

Sai Mudduluru

Peter Walsworth

Adam Walton

Josh Reichard

Andrew "Hunter" Willis

Mo Nuwwarah

Paul Lampl

Kirby Rogers

Jake Long

Greg Secord

Rob WazWaz

Nicole Lilomaiava

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL POKER OPEN (RRPO)

MSPT Championship (MAJOR)

: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, FL

: Nov. 18 - Dec. 2, 2026

: $3,500 Main Event (1.5X POY) / $2M GTD (Nov. 27 - Dec. 2)

: MSPT will be ADDING a $3,500 RRPO MSPT Championship Seat to every Main Event 1st Place in 2026

Photo: Peter Hotaling II

Peter Hotaling II raised all-in for 13,000, and Michael Plesa looked him up.

Peter Hotaling II:
Michael Plesa:

Hotaling II was ahead holding an ace, and that was all he needed, as the clean runout secured his double-up.

Michael Plesa - 63,400
Peter Hotaling II - 30,000

There was all-in action preflop between Travis Hague from under the gun and Leo Pizzo from the button, with Hague holding the effective stack.

Travis Hague:
Leo Pizzo:

Hague was in rough shape going up against a pair of aces, and the runout didn’t provide any help, sending him to a new table.

Leo Pizzo - 63,400
Travis Hague - 30,000