$

Awarded to date

bestbet

January 15 - 25, 2015
Main Event: 421 Entrants
Winner: Brian Arbaugh
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EVENT RECAP

The first stop of the Mid-States Poker Tour Season 6 concluded on Sunday at bestbet Jacksonville, Brian Arbaugh had two career five-figure live scores, both at the Florida venue for about $55,000 total. After 14 hours of grueling Day 2 play, he added a six-figure score that trumped the rest of his cashes combined, topping the 421-entry field to capture the $102,806 first-place prize. Arbaugh defeated a tough final table that included 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Greg Raymer, who bowed out in ninth.

Out of 421 runners, a field that produced a prize pool more than double the guarantee, 71 made their way into the Florida card room for Day 2 play. Of those, 45 would make the money. A couple of former champs,Jason Zarlenga and Ryan Dykhouse, were among those to fall before the bubble. Tour regulars Steve Anderson and Jim Boone also left empty-handed. Judd Greenagel and former MSPT Player of the YearPatrick Steele fell during the money as the pace of play picked up until two tables remained.

Longtime chip leader James Wilson, who was seeking a second straight final table, sent Arbaugh a massive double during Level 22 (10,000/20,000/3,000) on a Q♠8♦2♦ flop in a three-bet pot. Wilson bet out and called a raise, then check-called a 483,000 shove with A♦3♦ after the 3♠ turned. Arbaugh had K♣K♥, which held up on the river, and Wilson was done shortly thereafter.

Eventual runner-up Jeff Klein nailed a couple of sets on the river to bust opponents, and when Raymer's A♣K♣ held up against the KxJx of Ken Taffaro, the final table was set. Klein and Arbaugh had sizable leads over the field at that point with around 1.4 million, while third-place Toby Boashad 880,000 with blinds at 15,000/30,000/5,000.

Mark Hodge was eliminated in 10th after coming seventh at the last MSPT of 2014. Later in the same level, Raymer elected to take a passive line after three-betting from the blinds and flopping top pair against Boas on an A♠2♣9♥. Both players checked the flop, and Raymer check-called 160,000 on the 10♠ turn and 200,000 on the 3♥ river. Boas turned two pair with 10♣9♣, and Raymer was done in ninth in a double knockout shortly thereafter when Boas picked up kings and also busted Wil Augenstein in eighth.

Daren Wooten fell in seventh, followed by KC Collins in sixth. Then, Arbaugh blasted off most of his stack to Boas when the latter rivered a set of tens in a three-bet pot. Arbaugh was under 20 big blinds at that point but he survived the elimination of Andrew Dykeman in fifth and clawed his way back to the co-lead with Klein again when Klein sent Boas packing by binking a three-outer with A♦J♦ against A♥Q♠.

Arbaugh looked to be out the door all in preflop with the K♦10♠, having had his three-bet shove called by Klein and his A♠J♥. Klein needed a queen on the river after an A♥J♦5♦9♠ run out, and he got the Q♥ for new life.

Stubborn short stack Tim Forsberg finally hit the rail in third after numerous doubles, also courtesy of Klein and ace-jack yet again, as Klein flopped aces full against Forsberg's queens to take a three-to-one heads-up lead.

First Arbaugh doubled up with A♠10♦ all in preflop against Klein's K♦Q♥. Then, the key pot of heads up happened when Arbaugh made a backdoor flush after Klein turned a gutshot and the latter paid him off for a huge river bet. Two hands later, Arbaugh sealed the deal with aces against second pair to take the title.

The MSPT will return in a couple of weeks with another stop at Running Aces in Minnesota, and PokerNews will be on hand for more coverage. For more information visit msptpoker.com.

result

The RESULTS

Rank
Player Name
City
State
Amount
Points
1
Akron 
OH 
$102,806
1,500
2
GA 
$59,350
1,300
3
FL 
$36,213
1,200
4
Sylva 
NC 
$29,172
1,100
5
FL 
$22,935
1,000
6
GA 
$19,113
900
7
GA 
$15,290
800
9
NC 
$8,047
600
10
MN 
$5,231
500
11
NC 
$5,231
500
12
FL 
$5,231
500
13
Tampa 
FL 
$4,024
400
14
FL 
$4,024
400
15
GA 
$4,024
400
16
MN 
$3,179
300
17
FL 
$3,179
300
18
FL 
$3,179
300
19
FL 
$2,495
200
20
MI 
$2,495
200
21
FL 
$2,495
200
22
GA 
$2,495
200
23
SC 
$2,495
200
24
FL 
$2,495
200
26
FL 
$2,495
200
27
MN 
$2,495
200
28
FL 
$2,213
100
29
GA 
$2,213
100
30
SC 
$2,213
100
31
NV 
$2,213
100
32
FL 
$2,213
100
33
FL 
$2,213
100
34
FL 
$2,213
100
35
OH 
$2,213
100
36
SC 
$2,213
100
37
MN 
$2,012
50
38
FL 
$2,012
50
39
FL 
$2,012
50
40
GA 
$2,012
50
42
MI 
$2,012
50
43
FL 
$2,012
50
44
SC 
$2,012
50
45
FL 
$2,012
50