Golden Gates Casino

Mike Itoafa Wins 2018 MSPT Denver Poker Open at Golden Gates Casino for $81,735

The 2018 MSPT Denver Poker Open $1,100 Main Event began with 383 runners (78 from 1A, 109 1B, and 196 1C), but on Sunday night it was 46-year-old dentist Mike Itoafa vanquishing the competition to win the title and $81,735 first-place prize.

“I’m feeling great, I’m excited,” said Itoafa, who back in August won the Colorado Poker Championship Main Event for $49,679. It marked his second major title at th venue in less than four months.

“This win feels even better because it’s a bigger prize,” added Itoafa, whose first MSPT cash was a victory. “The CPC was awesome, it was a home tournament here in Colorado that meant a lot to me. They’re equally great. There’s no better feeling than winning a tournament.”

Final Table Results
1 Mike Itoafa (Henderson, NV) $81,735
2 Shawn Kjetland (Colorado Springs, CO) $50,525
3 Rich Monroe (Highlands Ranch, CO) $36,779
4 Ben Keeline (Longmont, CO) $27,120
5 Bobby Opila (Denver, CO) $20,433
6 Rob Baker (Denver, CO) $15,603
7 Dapo Ajayi (Littleton, CO) $12,260
8 Josh Williamson (Aurora, CO) $9,659
9 Kent Biel (Fort Lupton, CO) $7,059
10 Hugh Rowe (Denver, CO) $5,944

Day 2 saw 57 players (10 from 1A, 18 from 1B, and 29 from 1C) return to action, but with only 45 slated to get paid, a dozen of them left emptyhanded. They included Keith Wright, Kanat Ozturk, and bubble boy Mike Mounts, who fell when his pocket sixes lost a flip to Jason Vanstrom’s ace-jack.

Among those to make the money but fall short of the final table were Sammy Aweida (13^th - $4,830), Nils Bardsley (16^th - $4,087), Day 1B chip leader Tye Rogers (18^th - $4,087), Bobby Sanoubane (23^rd - $3,009), Phil Mader (27^th - $2,601), WSOP bracelet winner John Beauprez (34^th - $2,229), and Day 1C chip leader Matt Livingston (45^th - $2,043).

The final table got off to a quick start with WSOP Colossus II champ Ben Keeline notching a trio of eliminations. First, he knocked out Hugh Rowe, who ran sixes into nines, and then Kent Biel followed him out the door when his ace-ten failed to get there against Keeline’s Big Slick.

Not long after, Keeline got lucky with ace-eight all in preflop against Josh Williamson’s pocket kings when an ace spiked on the flop. Williamson took home $9,659 for finishing in eighth place.

It was at that point Itoafa earned his first final table knockout sending Dapo Ajayi home in seventh place when his ace-queen held against jack-ten. Soon thereafter, Itoafa flopped an open-ended straight draw and got it in against Rob Baker, who had kings. Itoafa rivered the straight and took over the chip lead.

Day 1A chip leader Bobby Opila exited in fifth place after running pocket tens into HPT champ Richard Monroe’s kings, and Keeline fell when his aces were cracked by Itoafa’s pocket nines all in preflop.

After Shawn Kjetland dispatched Monroe in third place, he took a slight chip lead into heads-up play against Itoafa. However, things went Itoafa’s way right off the bat and he soon pulled out to a healthy lead.

In the final hand of the tournament, Itoafa jammed the button holding Big Slick and Kjetland called off with king-queen. Kjetland didn’t get so much as a sweat and had to settle for second place and a $50,525 consolation prize.

“There were a lot of great players at this final table,” Itoafa said after the win. “I know Ben Keeline won the Colossus, he’s an excellent player. The table was solid all around, a lot of respect there.”

Just two stops remain in Season 9 of the MSPT starting with the 2018 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship, which begins Thursday at Milwaukee’s Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. That will be followed by the MSPT Canterbury Park Season 9 finale Dec. 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.

Shawn Kjetland Eliminated in 2nd Place ($50,525)

Mike Itoafa jammed from the button to put Shawn Kjetland all in for his last 1.8 million, and Kjetland called.

Itoafa:
Kjetland:

Itoafa woke up with a monster, and Kjetland was left looking for a king after the flop. The was no help to Kjetland, and the river left Kjetland as our runner-up, while Itoafa takes down the Denver Poker Open!

Shawn Kjetland - Eliminated in 2nd Place for $50,525

Mike Itoafa Catches A Huge Bluff

Mike Itoafa raised to 175,000 on the button, and Shawn Kjetland called in the big blind.

Both players checked the flop, and Kjetland checked the turn. Itoafa bet 200,000, and Kjetland check-raised to 650,000. Itoafa called.

Kjetland fired 900,000 on the river. “Did you really spike a four?” Itoafa asked Kjetland, before immediately following up with, “Call.”

Kjetland could only muster for a missed flush draw, while Itoafa had and the winner.

Mike Itoafa - 5.95 million (74 bb)
Shawn Kjetland - 1.72 million (22 bb)

Mike Itoafa with Momentum

Mike Itoafa has been getting the better of Shawn Kjetland here in the early goings of heads-up play.

In one hand, Itoafa raised to 170,000 preflop and Kjetland called to see a flop. Kjetland check-called a bet of 225,000 and then both players checked the turn.

When the completed the board on the river, Kjetland called and Itoafa called.

“Jack,” Kjetland said. Before he could show Itoafa tabled the and Kjetland mucked.

Mike Itoafa - 4,165,000 (52 bb)
Shawn Kjetland - 3,505,000 (44 bb)

Rich Monroe Eliminated In 3rd Place ($36,779)

Rich Monroe jammed for 1.28 million on the button, and Shawn Kjetland called in the big blind.

Monroe:
Kjetland:

“Good luck, boss.” Kjetland told Monroe.

Monroe picked up a gutshot on the flop, but lost a few outs when the turn gave Kjetland a flush draw. The river] completed the flush for Kjetland, and Monroe takes his leave, while Kjetland and Mike Itoafa prepare for heads-up play.

Rich Monroe - Eliminated in 3rd place for $36,779

Rich Monroe Doubles Through Shawn Kjetland

Shawn Kjetland raised to 135,000 on the button, then called the three-bet shove for 890,000 from Rich Monroe in the small blind.

Kjetland:
Monroe:

The flop hit both players, and Kjetland now needed a king or jack to eliminate Monroe. The turn and river were bricks for Kjetland, and Monroe doubled up.

Shawn Kjetland - 2.94 million (49 bb)
Rich Monroe - 1.87 million (31 bb)

Richard Monroe Sliding

On a flop, Shawn Kjetland bet 75,000 from the small blind and Richard Monroe called from the big.

The latter then called a bet of 225,000 on the turn and the completed the board on the river.

Kjetland checkd and Monroe bet 400,000. Kjetland quickly called with the , which barely bested the of Monroe.

Shawn Kjetland - 4,270,000 (71 bb)
Richard Monroe - 1,020,000 (17 bb)

Shawn Kjetland Extends His Chip Lead

Shawn Kjetland raised to 135,000 from the button, and Mike Itoafa called in the big blind.

Itoafa checked the flop, then called a bet of 185,000 from Kjetland.

Both players checked the turn, and Itoafa checked the river. Kjetland bet 320,000 and Itoafa called.

Kjetland showed and Itoafa mucked, saying, “That’s a tough hand. You cooler me a lot, bro.”

Shawn Kjetland - 3.56 million (59 bb)
Mike Itoafa - 2.31 million (39 bb)

Ben Keeline Eliminated in 4th Place ($27,120)

Richard Monroe raised to 125,000 on the button only to have Mike Itoafa three-bet to 525,000 from the small blind. Ben Keeline then called off for 510,000 in the big and Monroe got out of the way.

Keeline:
Itoafa:

It looked like Keeline woke up with aces at just the right time to get back in the game, but then disaster struck when the flop came down to give Itoafa a set.

Neither the turn nor river helped Keeline and he hit the rail in fourth place.

Mike Itoafa - 2,655,000 (44 bb)
Ben Keeline - Eliminated in 4th place for $27,120

Shawn Kjetland Takes A Chunk Out Of Ben Keeline

Ben Keeline raised to 160,000 from the small blind, and Shawn Kjetland called in the big blind.

Keeline bet 90,000 on the flop. Kjetland called.

On the turn, Keeline checked, and Kjetland bet 300,000. Keeline called.

The hit the river, and Keeline checked a third time. Kjetland bet 625,000 and Keeline thought for a bit before calling.

Kjetland tabled for fives-full, and Keeline mucked.

Shawn Kjetland - 3.285 million (55 bb)
Ben Keeline - 540,000 (9 bb)