For just the second time the MSPT introduced its new Regional Series format at Grand Falls Casino March 6-10 which included a $250 Tag Team, $125 Seniors (50+) and a $125 Turbo Deepstack and was capped off with the popular $350 Regional Main Event.
The $250 Tag Team event kicked off the series on Wednesday, March 6. The poker room was at max capacity for this one as the field consisted of 41 teams and 158 total entries. In the end it was the team of Isaac Carrasco and John McDonald that earned the win, splitting the $5,064 first place prize.
56 total runners came out to participate in the 10am $125 MSPT Seniors (50+) Championship on Thursday, March 7. James Klosterbuer of Luverne, MN defeated local John Richter of Grand Falls, SD to take home the $2,101 first place prize. Richter pocketed $1,299 for the runner-up finish.
It was Shaun Skrondahl of Sioux Falls, SD who bested a 85-entrant field to take down the 10am $125 Turbo Deepstack to earn $2,721. Skrondahl and teammate Eric Woehlhaff placed 5th in the opening Tag Team event for a combined $1,168. Skrondahl would cap off the hat trick by placing 17th in the $350 Main Event for $1,123 meaning he cashed in 3 of the 4 premiere events in the series, only missing the Seniors (50+) event that he was too young to enter.
The series capped off with the popular $350 Regional Main Event where Eric Atchison of Dakota Dunes, SD defeated a 339-entrant field to take home $22,457! For Atchison this was his second MSPT cash and his largest career score. His previous MSPT cash was $6,947 for an 11th place finish just 3 weeks prior in the $1,100 Canterbury Park Main Event. Atchison defeated Josh Matti heads up who earned his third MSPT $350 Regional cash. Mattiās prior MSPT $350 scores included a 12th and 4th place finish. Matti has now earned $35,435 on the MSPT.