Ohio poker pro Adam Friedman has had some great success during Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) events at JACK Cleveland Casino. When the MSPT first visited Cleveland for a $1,100 Main Event back in January 2018, Friedman finished third out of 581 runners for $52,976.
This past January, he once again placed third, this time out of 725 entrants, for an additional $63,293, and over the weekend he was not only at the final table again, but managed to top a 596-entry field to win it for $121,405 and his first MSPT title.
Friedman, primarily a cash mixed-game player, brought his lifetime tournament earnings up over $3 million, which was also boosted over the summer when he won the 2019 WSOP Event #35: $10,000 Dealers Choice Championship 6-Handed for $312,417 and bracelet three.
Others to cash the tournament were Michael Ermie (12th - $8,672), 2-time MSPT Champion Dan Bekavac (15th - $6,937), popular Cleveland radio personality Michael “Triv” Trivisonno (16th - $5,781), former champ Abdul Amer (28th - $2,775), MSPT Season 4 POY Pat Steele (38th - $2,486), and MSPT Champ & Season 8 POY Chris Meyers (61st - $2,197).
Final Table Action
Friedman steadily chipped up at the final table and wouldn’t notch his first elimination until five-handed play. That is when Matthew McKenzie got his stack all-in preflop holding the ace-nine of clubs only to see Friedman roll over ace-queen. The superior ace held and McKenzie was ousted in fifth place for $30,640.
Not long after, Friedman picked up two black jacks to bust Daniel Swartz, who failed to get lucky with ace-jack all in preflop, and in the very next hand the eventual champ dispatched Agostino Ragozzino. It happened when Ragozzino jammed holding ace-five and Friedman woke up with pocket nines. Ragozzino flopped a five but that was all the help he got before busting in third place for $54,343.
Friedman took a more than 3:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Spencer Wright. On the very first hand, Wright called off with pocket aces when Friedman 3-bet jammed a flush draw. Wright’s aces failed to hold as Friedman rivered the diamond he needed. Wright had to settle for second place and $74,585 in prize money.
Season 10 of the MSPT continues this weekend with a $350 Regional Event at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.