Grand Falls Casino

William Chao Wins MSPT Grand Falls Main Event for $79,264

For the first time this season, the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) traveled to Iowa's Grand Falls Casino, for their $1,110 Main Event.

A solid turnout of 373 entries were recorded over two days with 46 players finding their way into Sundays Day 2 with their eyes set on the title.

Only one player was able to do so, and after 6 hours of play, it was William Chao who navigated his way through to the finish line for the $79,264 first-place prize along with his first MSPT title.

The victory marked Nguyen’s third MSPT cash to bring his career total to $222,055 and was able to best his runner-up finish placed at the Venetian in 2021.

Season 15 MSPT Grand Falls Main Event Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

With 45 slated to get paid, only one person needed to exit before reaching the money and Siphonh Tram, became that unfortunate person after his pocket queens fell to Keith Doering’s full house.

After the bubble burst, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk (27th Place - $2,522), MSPT champ Mo Nuwwarah (24th - $2,919), MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup (18th - $3,693), Keerat Bawa (12th Place $5,765) and MSPT champ Gerald Cunniff (11th Place - $5,765).

Final Table Action

Jon Hanner entered the final table well in the middle of the pack holding an average stack but after had an unfortunate turn of events with two premium hands back-to-back.

He first looked down at a pair of aces and ended up making fives full only to have Gary Ewald roll over quads for half his stack.

The very next hand, Hanner got his remaining chips in the middle holding a premium hand of jacks only to get called by Chao who rolled over a better pair of queens.

Hanner was unable to improve after the board ran out and made his exit as the first final table elimination.

The very next level saw fellow Minnesotan Loki Abboud hit the rail after his turned pair of kings was rivered by Jake Long’s ace-jack to take an eighth place finish while Alex Wheeler was able to get a few pay jumps before being eliminated in seventh place just as players were getting ready to go on their dinner break.

Once players returned from their feast, almost a full level was needed before Ewald hit the deck after Scott Sisler flopped a full house eliminating him in sixth place while Sisler’s hot run came to an end in fifth place after being hooked by Long.

The speedy race to crown a new champion continued with Long making a fourth place exit ($26,303), followed by Tigh Johnson in third place ($35,671), and Ian Pearson took home for $49,002 for his second place efforts.

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) will be making its way home to Running Aces Casino from August 18th - 28th to host its Minnesota State Poker Championship with the headlined $1,110 Main Event set to be reported by our live reporting team so make sure to come back then!

Ian Pearson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($49,002)

Start of day chip leader Ian Parson rod his hot streak to a second place finish for $49,002.

Tigh Johnson Eliminated in 3rd Place ($35,671)

Tigh Johnson’s hot run came to an end in third place for $35,671.

Jake Long Eliminated in 4th Place ($26,303)

Jake Long was eliminated in fourth place for $26,303.

Scott Sisler Eliminated in 5th Place ($19,817)

Scott Sisler raised from the cutoff and then decided to risk majority of his stack after Jake Long three-bet jammed for 1,100,000 from the big blind.

Jake Long:
Scott Sisler:

Long was ahead holding a made hand of jacks and the runout secured his double-up while Sisler was left with just over one big blind.

A few short hands later, Sisler got his remining stack in the middle holding a made hand of ladies only to lose a race to Ian Pearson’s Big Slick ending his tournament in fifth place for $19,817.

Ian Pearson - 4,170,000
Jake Long - 2,200,000
Scott Sisler - Eliminated

Gary Ewald Eliminated in 6th Place ($15,133)

Gary Ewald open-jammed 480,000 from the hijack and Scott Sisler looked him up from the big blind.

Gary Ewald:
Scott Sisler:

Ewald was behind holding two overs but after a three appeared in the window on the flop, he was left drawing to running cards to stay alive.

Unfortunately for Ewald, the running turn and river weren’t the running cards he was looking for as his Main Event ended in sixth place for $15,133.

Scott Sisler - 1,450,000
Gary Ewald - Eliminated

Johnson Jams on Sisler

William Chao raised to 140,000 from the button only to have Scott Sisler three-bet to 380,000 from the small blind.

Tigh Johnson called from the big blind while Chao folded, and the two players went heads-up to a flop.

Sisler fired out a 270,000 continuation bet only to muck his hand to a 1,035,000 all-in raise from Johnson who tabled the before collecting the pot.

Tigh Johnson - 2,100,000
Scott Sisler - 1,275,000

MSPT Running Aces Minnesota State Poker Championship April 18 - 28th!

The MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) is making its way back home for the Season 15 Minnesota Poker State Championship at Running Aces Casino April 18 - 28th!

Our $360 NLH Regional will be kicking off the 16-event series and will offer three starting flights beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, April 18th.

The series will run into its headlined $1,110 Minnesota State Poker Championship which will be held April 25th - 28th, with three starting flights being held before the field combines on Sunday to compete for the title.

For the complete schedule click here.

Updated Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
William Chao	2,430,000	3,600,000
Jacob Long	2,180,000	2,150,000
Scott Sisler	2,040,000	1,600,000
Ian Pearson	1,940,000	1,810,000
Tigh Johnson	1,445,000	1,610,000
Gary Ewald	1,000,000	1,350,000

Dinner Break

The final six players are on their 40-minute dinner break, action will resume at 6:15 p.m. local time.