The MSPT returned to FireKeepers Casino for the final time this season to host the second-ever MSPT Spade Poker Championship, and the turnout was another mouth-dropper.
The $1,110 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Main Event was one to remember, as a total of 2,442 entries were tallied, generating an impressive $2,367,240 prize pool.
After an action-packed weekend, it was none other than two-time Player of the Year Umut Ozturk, who rose to the occasion once again, emerging victorious to claim his largest career score of $280,290 and his third career title!
Ozturk was one of four players who found a double bag, and he did well with it as he positioned himself with a top 20 stack to begin the day, and even after having his aces cracked early on in the day, he kept a poised head on his shoulders all the way to a very special victory.
“Last time I was here in May, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so I had to leave and go back home.” Ozturk continued, “She passed away a couple of months later, and I told myself, when I come back to Michigan, I was going to ship it.”
Ozturk finished, “Even though she wasn’t here with me physically, I felt her the entire weekend, so this one is dedicated to my mother.” Ozturk’s biggest victory came with his largest dedication, and the meaningful win added to the decorated Hall of Famer’s accolades.
The victory not only was the largest of his career, but it came with 19th final table appearance and 75th cash on the tour, which catapulted him to the top of the MSPT Career Earnings , with a whopping $1,337,177.
Final Day Action
The final day came back with all 266 players already in the money, so action kicked right into gear with players like 2022 FireKeepers Champ Matthew Davis, MSPT Champ Craig Trost , WSOP bracelet winner Keven Stammen, and MSPT Hall of Famer Gerald Cunniff all falling in the first batch of eliminations.
The rush of players to the payout line continued with fellow MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup, (201st Place $2,786), MSPT Champ Kirby Rogers (179th Place $3,018), WSOP bracelet winner Brian Altman (152nd Place $3,250), and POY points leader Mike Wilklow (136th Place $3,250), all had their final day cut much shorter than anticipated.
With the march to the final table in full swing, others to fall along the way albeit with a payday, were the MSPT’s top casher DJ Buckley (125th Place - $3,482), WSOP bracelet winner Robert Mitchell (84th Place - $3,496), three-time bracelet winner Dash Dudley (74th Place - $4,178), MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang (49th place - $5,757), defending champ Merritt Kuhn (40th Place - $6,685), and last lady standing, Jennifer Lin (18th Place - $18,570).
Final Table Action
Once players took their seats at the final table, Randy Froelich sat third in chips, but got frisky against Derek Gregory to become the first final table elimination, while reigning Player of the Year Jake Long was out-kicked by to follow him to the payout desk.
The departure marked Long’s 19th cash on the season, and shot him up into the third-place spot in this season’s POY race.
Once Long hit the deck, Frank Lagodichi would be the next body to drop after some failed aggression against Gregory, while two-time bracelet winner Scott Bohlman lost a battle of the blinds against Greg Wiggins to fall shortly after.
With five players remaining, Gregory sat with a third of the chips in play, but he would lose with pocket kings to Wiggins holding a suited ace to fall to the bottom of the chip counts, and Wiggins would finish him off in a race, giving him a fifth place finish for $96,798.
After Gregory hit the deck, decorated MSPT Champ Dan Sepiol found himself at the bottom of the chip counts and made a move from the small blind, only to be called by Gian Bencivenga from the big blind, who rolled over a dominating hand. Sepiol found no help on the runout and walked away in fifth place with his 19th Main Event cash for $123,028.
The fast-paced action continued with Bencivenga risking his slightly shorter stack with a suited king-queen against soon-to-be champ Ozturk, who held a suited ace, and Bencivenga wasn’t able to find any connection on the runout, ending his run in third-place for $164,811.
The heads-up match started with the two players holding slightly even stacks, but after a few hands, the two players agreed on an even chop with Wiggins holding a little fewer chips and taking a runner-up finish, while Ozturk secured his largest career score en route to claiming the Season 17 Spade Poker Championship trophy!
This wraps up our coverage of yet another amazing MAJOR event, but Season 17 of the MSPT continues as we head to Grand Falls next in Larchwood, IA, October 28th - November 1st. and as always, our reporting team will be on hand providing updates, so make sure to come back!!