Canterbury Park

Carl Carodenuto Successfully Defends MSPT Canterbury Title; Becomes 7th Two-Time Champ

In its seven-season history the Mid-States Poker Tour has experienced some noteworthy records including a back-to-back winner, six two-time champs, and the first female champ. However, until tonight no one had successfully defended his or her title.

The MSPT Canterbury Park Main Event in Shakopee, Minnesota attracted 376 entries (184 Day 1a; 192 Day 1b) and created a total prize pool of $376,000, nearly double the advertised $200,000 guarantee. After an unusually speedy Day 2, 31-year-old Carl Carodenuto, who topped a field of 470 entrants to win this very event back in December, once again walked away with the title, not to mention a $90,805 first-place prize.

"I'm pretty mesmerized," said Carodenuto, who qualified for the tournament via a $250 satellite." "I'm in shock. It hasn't completely hit me all the way, but I'm just really proud of myself."

Carodenuto added that he will be out in Las Vegas this summer, but can you expect him back at Canterbury Park at the end of December?

"Absolutely, I've got to try to defend again," he said. With the win, which also made him the tour's seventh two-time champ, Carodenuto brought his lifetime tournament earnings up to $305,106.

Day 2 say 64 players returned to action, which meant 28 needed to go before the money was reached. Among those to leave empty handed were MSPT Pro Blake Bohn, high-rolling businessman John Morgan, and the MSPT's all-time money winner Peixin Liu. Likewise, Everett Willberg, who had won his way into the tournament via a bar league freeroll, fell as bubble boy in 37^th place, the result of flopping top pair with a flush draw only to run into bottom set.

Among those to notch a cash were brothers Tony & Ryan Hartmann (31^st and 35^th respectively); father-and-son combo Brett & Josh Reichard (13th and 30^th); as well as the last woman standing, Jay Philips (27^th - $2,906), two-time MSPT champ Johnny Hayes (23^rd - $2,906); MSPT Potawatomi champ Travis Lauson (18^th - $3,632); and World Series of Poker bracelet winner John Reading (17^th - $3,632).

There were some interesting storylines at the final table including the appearance of bracelet winner Adam Friedman and former champ Dan "DQ" Hendrickson, though all eyes were focused on Carodenuto, who began the final table as chip leader and proceeded to steamroll the competition.

Hendrickson's run at a second title came up short when he ran Big Slick straight into aces, and not long after Scott Johnson did the exact same thing to bust in ninth place to Carodenuto.

The "Crazy Carl" show continued as one by one his opponents hit the rail until he found himself heads up holding a significant chip lead against local cash game pro Gennady Shimelfarb, who had previously made a MSPT final table on three occasions, never finishing better than eighth.

Shimelfarb held his own for a bit, but ultimately fell when his king-queen was flushed by Carodenuto's ace-jack suited.

Final Table Results

The MSPT continues May 7-15 at FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan. That stop features a $300,000 guaranteed Main Event, which you can read about by clicking here. Then, from June 6-10, the MSPT will be in Las Vegas for a $1,100 buy-in, $2 million guarantee at Venetian. You can learn more about that highly anticipated event here.

Gennady Shimelfarb Eliminated in 2nd Place ($54,483)

In what would be the last hand of the tournament, Gennady Shimelfarb opened for 150,000 from the button only to have Carl Carodenuto put in a big three-bet. Shimelfarb responded by moving all in for 2 million and Carodenuto snap-called.

Carodenuto:

Shimelfarb:

Shimelfarb pulled ahead on the flop, but Carodenuto picked up a flush draw. True to form -- that is him running hot all final table -- Carodenuto hit it when the spiked on the turn. Shumelfarb could still win with either a king or queen on the river, but neither appeared as the peeled off instead.

Gennady Shimelfarb - Busted

Jeff Taylor Eliminated in 3rd Place ($35,341)

Carl Carodenuto raised to 150,000 from the button only to have Jeff Taylor three-bet to 500,000 from the small blind. Gennady Shimelfarb folded the big, Carodenuto moved all in, and Taylor snap-called off for 1.2 million total.

Carodenuto:

Taylor:

Once again Carodenuto held a big hand, and he held on the flop. However, that’s when the dealer burned and turned the to give Taylor the lead. It was short lived though as Carodenuto, who can’t seem to miss, hit the on the river to make a winning flush.

Carl Carodenuto - 6,235,000

Gennady Shimelfarb - 1,235,000

Jeff Taylor - Busted

Adam Friedman Eliminated in 4th Place ($24,699)

A short-stacked Adam Friedman, who won a World Series of Poker bracelet back in 2012, moved all in for his last 685,000 from the under-the-gun position only to have Gennady Shimelfarb three-bet all in over the top from the button. Both blinds folded and Friedman discovered he was in a bad spot.

Friedman:

Shimelfarb:

Friedman was behind, though all hope was not lost as he was drawing to two live cards. That said, the flop didn’t do anything for him; in fact, it took away outs as Shimelfarb picked up a flush draw. The turn meant Friedman needed to hit the river to survive, but it didn’t happen as the blanked on the river.

Gennady Shimelfarb - 1,803,000

Adam Friedman - Busted

Updated Chip Counts at the Break

The final four players are now on a 10-minute break.

Carl Carodenuto - 3,660,000

Jeff Taylor - 1,485,000

Gennady Shimelfarb - 1,371,000

Adam Friedman - 955,000

JK Song Eliminated in 5th Place ($18,524)

Action folded to JK Song on the button and he moved all in for 572,000, which Jeff Taylor called from the big blind.

Song:

Taylor:

Song was in need of some help, but he didn’t get it as the board ran out in favor of Taylor.

Jeff Taylor - 1,565,000

JK Song- Busted

Pete Bigelow Eliminated in 6th Place ($14,529)

Pete Bigelow, a former Heartland Poker Tour champ who began the day as the chip leader, got his last 454,000 all in preflop and found himself at risk against WSOP bracelet winner Adam Friedman.

Friedman:

Bigelow:

Bigelow was drawing to two live cards, but he was left wanting as the board ran out a dry .

Adam Friedman - 1,800,000

Pete Bigelow - Busted

Tim Signore Eliminated in 7th Place ($12,349)

After Carl Carodenuto opened for 100,000 from early position, Tim Signore three-bet all in for 392,000. Action folded back to Carodenuto and he made the call.

Carodenuto:

Signore:

Signore was a huge favorite thanks to his kicker, and he looked good on the . However, the turn, while it paired him, gave Carodenuto a ton of out. He hit one of them too when the spiked on the river to give Carodenuto a flush.

Carl Carodenuto - 2,980,000

Tim Signore - Busted

Justin Thurlow Eliminated in 8th Place ($10,170)

Carl Carodenuto opened for 83,000 and received a call from Pete Bigelow on the button. Justin Thurlow then three-bet all in for 381,000 from the small blind, Carodenuto jammed over the top, and Bigelow got out of the way.

Carodenuto:

Thurlow:

Thurlow picked a bad spot, and he paid for it with his tournament life after the board ran out .

Carl Carodenuto - 2,585,000

Justin Thurlow - Busted

Another Aces vs. Big Slick Situation

JK Song opened for 80,000 from early position and Adam Friedman called from the cutoff. Tim Signore then three-bet to 210,000 from the button, both blind folded, and Song shipped all in. Friedman got out of the way and Signore snap-called off for 585,000.

Signore:

Song:

It was a familiar situation, and once again the aces would hold after the board ran out .

Tim Signore - 1,200,000

JK Song - 685,000