The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to historic Deadwood, South Dakota for the 2022 MSPT Deadwood Shootout at Silverado-Franklin Casino.
The $1,110 buy-in, $100K GTD Main Event was one to remember as a total of 422 entries (210 from Day 1a; 212 from 1b) were tallied.
On Sunday, 56 players returned for Day 2 action, and after the dust settled, it was Chris Burke who came out on top to win the $89,725 top prize and his first MSPT title. Burke has made a few MSPT final tables over the years, but the win was his biggest score to date.
"Man you know, I just had a feeling,” said the Waubay, South Dakota native after his win. This was especially true in regards to a pivotal pot he played against Josh Reichard when he made a huge call.
Howard's first MSPT cash came back in 2015 when he finished 5th at Grand Falls Casino for $12,513, and since then he has accumulated around $50,000 in MSPT earnings.
With 45 slated to get paid, only 11 players had to be eliminated before the money was reached. Among those to leave empty-handed was Ryan Remington, Josh Kieval, and Ashly Hafdew, just to name a few.
Once Adam Wilbur bubbled in 46th place, the race to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Louis Anderson (10th - $6,525), bracelet winner Chad Himmelspach(22nd - $3,304), Dylan Meier (23rd - $3,304), Deadwood Champ Gerald Cunniff (24th- $3,303), Richard Dixon (25th- $2,855), and 2018 MSPT player of the year Aaron Johnson (39th - $2,243).
Reichard entered the final table with a stack of 3.1 million, well ahead of the rest of the field as second place was only at 1.2 million. It didn't take long before Wesley Cannon dropped out in ninth place after running his ace-queen into Nick Marchiando’s ace-king.
Soon afterward, Burke won a massive pot off of Reichard when Burke called an all-in raise on the flop with just second pair and held, this was a pivotal moment as Burke then began to stack chips quickly.
After the dinner break, Terence Reid hit the rail after getting it all in with king-jack against Evans’ pocket fives and failed to improve. The next player to be sent home was Day 1a chip leader Aaron Raap, whose ace-jack came up just short of Burkes’s ace-queen.
Dave Ouellette was next on the chopping block after his king-jack was beaten by Burke’s pocket nines. Shortly after, Marchiando departed in fifth place after his king-queen couldn't hold up to Reichard’s pocket aces.
Four-handed play didn't last long before Josh Evans got it in with ace-eight but was dominated against Burke’s ace-ten with both a ten and an eight on the board.
Reichard Takes POY Lead
Three-handed action saw the two big stacks Reichard and Burke get it all in preflop after the latter jammed into ther former. Reichard tank-called with pocket sevens against Burke’s ace-queen. The six-jack-ten flop was safe for Reichard, but a king came on the turn to give Burke a Broadway straight and left Reichard drawing dead as he exited in third.
Reichard's deep finish moved him ahead of Dan Bekavac on the MSPT Season 13 Player of the Year Leaderboard. Reichard now has 5,125 points while Bekavac sits with 4,850. However, with five stops still remaining on the 2022 schedule, it's still anyone's game.
Going into heads-up play, Burke had over 9 million of the total 10.5 million chips in play. The battle between Justin Barnum and Burke lasted a whole three hands before Barnum ripped it in with eight-ten suited against Burke with ace-deuce. Barnum flopped an eight and was looking good until the river came the ace from space to eliminate him in second for $55,467 and awarded Burke the title and trophy.
Barnum, who just placed second in the MSPT Main Event San Diego, when asked about his experience as runner-up again, said…
“It was really great being here in South Dakota with both the poker and the beautiful nature and surroundings… the dealers and staff were awesome...I placed second, again, but one of these times the cards are gonna fall my way and I'm gonna get that trophy.”
Congratulations to Chris Burke on becoming the 2022 MSPT Deadwood Shootout champion!