Potawatomi Hotel & Casino

Brett Halan Wins 2018 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino for $144,812!

Over the weekend, the 2018 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship attracted 748 entries to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. That surpassed the 701 entries from the 2017 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship to become the largest major poker tournament ($1K+ buy-in) in state history.

In the end it was 27-year-old Brett Halan, a logistics account manager from Naperville, Illinois, who finished as the last player standing for $144,812. It marked the third year in a row a player from Illinois walked away with the MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship title.

“It feels great, honestly it really does. The cards ran great, that’s all I could ask for,” Halan said after the win. “I usually play in the smaller tournaments, this was a big one. I tried to get it in good as best as I could. When I did it seemed to hold up every time.”

Halan, who said he plans to spend some of his winnings on family and friends, wasn’t about to rest on his win. In fact, he had to work just a few hours after capturing one of the Midwest’s most prestigious titles.

“I’ll be in at 5 a.m., I’m committed. It’s my job,” he said.

Prior to the win, Halan had a single MSPT cash of $1,204 for finishing 58^th in the 2017 MSPT Potawatomi Hotel & Casino $350 Regional Event. His prior best score was a modest $4,413 for winning the 2015 WPTDeepStacks Chicagoland Event #16: $250 NLH.

Final Table Results
1 Brett Halan (Naperville, IL) $144,812
2 Joe Freeman (Roselle, IL) $89,059
3 Jeff Cvetezar (Manitowoc, WI) $65,165
4 Ed Rohloff (Wega, WI) $48,440
5 Andre Haywood (Homewood, IL) $36,927
6 Josh Janis (Milwaukee, WI) $28,238
7 Larry Wagner (Middleton, WI) $21,722
8 Joseph Pusateri (Chicago, IL) $16,653
9 Sam DeSilva (Austin, MN) $13,033
10 Josh Hergott (Highland Park, IL) $10,788

Day 2 saw 114 players return to action, but with only 81 getting paid, 33 would leave empty handed including current MSPT Season 9 Player of the Year points leader Aaron Johnson, WSOP Colossus II champ Ben Keeline, WPT champ Keven Stammen, and bubble boy Michael Hudson.

Among those to finish in the money but fall short of making the final table were Rob Wazwaz (15^th - $8,689), MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup (16^th - $7,241), Day 1C champ Ravi Raghavan (17^th - $7,241), 10-time WSOPC ring winner Josh Reichard (20^th - $6,082), 2015 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champ Ben Wiora (23^rd - $5,141), Day 1A chip leader Joe McArthur (28^th - $3,186), the red-hot Nick Pupillo (35^th - $3,186), three-time MSPT champ Blake Bohn (44^th - $2,679), and the start-of-the-day chip leader Byron Ziebell (73^rd - $2,027).

At the final table, it took 42 hands for the first player to fall and happened when Josh Hergott – making his 2^nd MSPT Main Event final table – moved all in with ace-five only to run it into the ace-queen of Josh Janis. He was followed out the door by Minnesota’s Sam “Sammy Whammy” De Silva, who lost a flip with jacks to Andre Haywood’s Big Slick suited. For De Silva, this was his 9th MSPT Main Event cash and 4th Final Table.

Joe Freeman then dispatched Joe Pusateri when ace-queen held against jack-ten suited, and Larry Wagner took his leave after he shoved ace-ten suited and failed to get there against Haywood’s two black kings.

Haywood then notched his third final table knockout after picking up ace-queen and holding against Janis’ ace-ten. Unfortunately for Haywood, his momentum came to a screeching halt and he was next to go after shoving queen-eight suited and getting called by Jeff Cvetezar’s pocket nines.

Ed Rohloff exited in fourth place when his ace-seven was outdrawn by Freeman’s ace-four all in preflop, and then the eventual champ finished off the final two players beginning with Cvetezar. It happened in a big pot where Halan turned straight and flush draws and called the shove of Cvetezar, who held pocket rockets. Halan spiked his flush on the river and Cvetezar, the last player from Wisconsin standing, had to settle for third place and $65,165 in prize money.

“I got lucky. I definitely didn’t think he has aces,” Halan said of the hand. “I thought I had a ton of outs. I had the spade outs and it just happened to hit.”

The heads-up match between Halan and Freeman was a back-and-forth affair with each holding the chip lead on more than one occasion. Eventually, Halan whittled down his opponent and claimed the title when Freeman bluffed all in on the flop. Halan called with flopped trips and Freeman was drawing dead.

Just one stop remains in Season 9 – the MSPT Canterbury Park Season 9 finale December 6-9 in Shakopee, Minnesota. It’s there players will have the opportunity to win a $30,000 Platinum Pass to the 2019 PSPC. Click here for details.

Joseph Freeman Eliminated In 2nd Place ($89,060)

Joseph Freeman raised to 700,000 from the button, and Brett Halan called in the big blind.

Halan checked a flop, and Freeman ripped his last 2.3 million in the pot. Halan snap-called.

Freeman:
Halan:

Freeman was actually drawing dead to Halan’s trip jacks, and after the turn and river fell to improve Halan to a straight, Freeman finished as the runner-up and Halan secures the 2018 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship!

Joseph Freeman - Eliminated in 2nd place for $89,060

Joseph Freeman Doubles Through Brett Halan

Joseph Freeman jammed for 2.15 million on the button, and Brett Halan called in the big blind.

Freeman:
Halan:

Halan was safe on the flop, but the turn propelled Freeman to the lead, and he doubled up after the bricked off on the river.

Brett Halan - 10.515 million
Joseph Freeman - 4.05 million

Joseph Freeman Under Ten Big Blinds

Brett Halan raised to 800,000 from the button, and Joseph Freeman called in the big blind.

Both players checked the flop, and Freeman bet 1.2 million on the turn. Halan jammed for 3.575 million effective, and Freeman thought for a moment, then folded.

Brett Halan - 12.59 million (42 bb)
Joseph Freeman - 2.375 million (8 bb)

Brett Halan Applies The Pressure

Joseph Freeman raised to 700,000 on the button, and Brett Halan called in the big blind.

Both players checked the flop, and Halan bet 800,000 on the turn. Freeman called.

Halan bet 2.5 million on the river.

“Why so big, why so much?” Freeman said after a minute in the tank. He thought a bit longer, then folded, telling Halan he mucked sixes.

Brett Halan - 10.84 million (45 bb)
Joseph Freeman - 4.125 million (17 bb)

Brett Halan Widens The Gap

Brett Halan raised to 700,000 from the button, and Joseph Freeman defended his option in the big blind.

Both players checked a flop, and Freeman checked the turn. Halan bet 800,000 and Freeman called.

Both players checked the river. “Nine-ten,” Freeman said, saying he missed a straight draw. Halan showed for a pair of fives and the winner.

Brett Halan - 9.71 million (40 bb)
Joseph Freeman - 5.255 million (22 bb)

Brett Halan Doubles Through Joseph Freeman; Break Time

Brett Halan raised to 500,000 from the button, and Joseph Freeman three-bet shoved for 3.875 million effective. Halan snapped him off.

Halan:
Freeman:

Freeman was dead on the turn of a board, and the stacks have evened out heading to the break.

Brett Halan - 7.81 million (39 bb)
Joseph Freeman - 7.155 million (36 bb)

Joseph Freeman Doubles Through Brett Halan

Joseph Freeman raised to 600,000 on the button, and Brett Halan defended the big blind.

Halan checked the flop, and Freeman bet 700,000. Halan called.

On the turn, Halan checked. “One million!” Freeman said with a grin, and Halan made the call again.

The came on the river, and Halan checked a third time. Freeman jammed for 2.675 million and Halan called after some thought.

Freeman tabled for a runner-runner Broadway straight, and Halan showed for a flopped two pair, and the duo essentially flip stacks.

Joseph Freeman - 9.5 million (48 bb)
Brett Halan - 5.4 million (27 bb)

Jeffrey Cvetezar Eliminated In 3rd Place ($65,165)

Brett Halan raised to 500,000 from the small blind and Jeffrey Cvetezar called in the big blind.

Halan checked a flop, then called a bet of 600,000 from Cvetezar.

On the turn, Halan checked, and Cvetezar jammed for 2.15 million. Halan tanked for a while before calling.

Halan:
Cvetezar:

Halan had a big draw, but was behind the aces of Cvetezar. The river gave him the flush, however, and we’re now heads up for the MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship title!

Brett Halan - 10 million (50 bb)
Jeffrey Cvetezar - Eliminated in 3rd place for $65,165

Jeffrey Cvetezar Falls Into Third

Jeffrey Cvetezar raised to 500,000 from the small blind, and Joseph Freeman called in the big blind.

Cvetezar bet 600,000 on the flop, and Freeman called.

On the turn, Cvetezar checked then folded to a 950,000 bet from Freeman.

Joseph Freeman - 4.575 million (23 bb)
Jeffrey Cvetezar - 3.57 million (18 bb)