For the first time this season, the MSPT traveled to Iowa's Grand Falls Casino, for their $1,110 Main Event.
A solid turnout of 373 entries were recorded over two days with 46 players finding their way into Sundays Day 2 with their eyes set on the title.
Only one player was able to do so, and after 6 hours of play, it was William Chao who navigated his way through to the finish line for the $79,264 first-place prize along with his first MSPT title. This was Chao’s 3rd MSPT cash, all Top-10 finishes including a 1st and 2nd place, all totaling $222,055 in MSPT Career Earnings.
The victory marked Nguyen’s third MSPT cash to bring his career total to $222,055 and was able to best his runner-up finish placed at the Venetian in 2021.
Day 2 Action
With 45 slated to get paid, only one person needed to exit before reaching the money and Siphonh Tram, became that unfortunate person after his pocket queens fell to Keith Doering’s full house.
After the bubble burst, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk (27th Place - $2,522), MSPT champ Mo Nuwwarah (24th - $2,919), MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup (18th - $3,693), Keerat Bawa (12th Place $5,765) and MSPT champ Gerald Cunniff (11th Place - $5,765).
Final Table Action
Jon Hanner entered the final table well in the middle of the pack holding an average stack but after had an unfortunate turn of events with two premium hands back-to-back.
He first looked down at a pair of aces and ended up making fives full only to have Gary Ewald roll over quads for half his stack.
The very next hand, Hanner got his remaining chips in the middle holding a premium hand of jacks only to get called by William Chao who rolled over a better pair of queens.
Hanner was unable to improve after the board ran out and made his exit as the first final table elimination. For Hanner, this was his 18th MSPT cash and 8th MSPT final table totaling $304,762 in MSPT Career Earnings!
The very next level saw fellow Minnesotan Loki Abboud hit the rail after his turned pair of kings was rivered by Jake Long’s ace-jack to take an eighth place finish while Alex Wheeler was able to get a few pay jumps before being eliminated in seventh place just as players were getting ready to go on their dinner break. Loki has now accumulated 20 MSPT cashes and 6 MSPT Top-10 finishes, amassing $211,190 in MSPT Career Earnings.
Once players returned from their feast, almost a full level was needed before Ewald hit the deck after Scott Sisler flopped a full house eliminating him in sixth place. This was Ewald’s 8th MSPT cash and 2nd Top-10 finish.
Sisler’s hot run came to an end in fifth place after being hooked by Long. For Sisler, he now has 11 MSPT cashes and 4 Top-10’s, with $117,977 in MSPT earnings.
The remaining four players executed an ICM chop with Chao taking home the lion’s share of the cash and the MSPT trophy!
The MSPT will be making its way home to Running Aces Casino from August 18th - 28th to host its Minnesota State Poker Championship with the headlined $1,110 Main Event set to be reported by our live reporting team so make sure to come back then!