The Venetian

Anthony Scarborough Wins MSPT Season 16 Venetian Poker Bowl!

The MSPT returned to beautiful Venetian Resort in Las Vegas for the second time this season to host the Season 16 $1,600 Poker Bowl IX!

A total of 892 entries (166 from Day 1a; 263 from 1b; 463 from 1c) were tallied and on Monday, just seven players returned to action for the final day in hopes of securing the top prize from the $1,271,100 prize pool.

When the dust finally settled, it was South Dakota’s Anthony Scarborough who walked away with the incredible victory, securing the six-figure payday, along with the MSPT Season 16 Venetian Poker Bowl trophy.

“I don’t really know what to say, I’m pretty speechless right now,” a happy Scarborough said after his win, “It was an extremely tough field, but we are here and I’m happy to get the win.”

While the incredibly tough field included the likes of multiple bracelet winners, WPT champs and former MSPT champs, the newly crowned Scarborough paid homage to his fellow mid-western players who have been raking in success of their own.

“Winning this title means everything to me,” Scarborough went on to say, “I’ve followed Minnesota poker for a while now and truly believe that it’s one of the hardest states to win a poker tournament in.”

“That’s the reason I started playing the MSPT,” Scarborough continued to add, “I would travel to Minnesota to play these tournaments and now just watching guys like Umut Ozturk, Ian Matakis, Richard Alsup, Rob WazWaz, I mean I can list off over 25 players from that state that are just crushers, that’s what got me playing the MSPT and I finally got a win.”

Scarborough has now notched his sixth Main Event cash in the last four years and has added a title to his resume, one in which he amounts as a pretty high accolade for his poker achievements.

“It was a bucket list poker win,” Scarborough stated after his victory, “this is the only Midwest tour that comes where I’m from so it’s like I would rather win this I think then a bracelet to be honest.”

MSPT Season 16 Venetian Poker Bowl Final Table Results

*denotes 4-way deal

Day 3 Action

Once the final players got mic’d up for action, things kicked right into gear with former Venetian Poker Bowl champ Kfir Nahum losing three of the first four significant hands to start off the day, losing his massive chip lead off-the-bat.

While Nahum continued to drop down the chip counts, Stan Weng decided it was time to take a stand with a suited ace-seven only to have two-time bracelet winner Dan Heimiller roll over a dominating Big Slick.

Weng didn’t receive any help from the runout and became the first elimination of the day while the former champ Nahum, followed him out the door in fifth place after his Big Slick fell victim to Alex Kim.

After coming into the final day at the bottom of the chip counts, Michael Ung was able to receive a few pay jumps until he got frisky in a battle of the blinds to take a fifth place exit for $61,820.

From that point, the final four players agreed on a ICM chop that would see them continue play for an extra $40,000, along with the Season 16 Venetian Poker Bowl trophy.

The deal was made with Heimiller getting the top ICM amount as he sat atop the chip counts, but he would end up losing back-to-back crucial hands to Scarborough to take a fourth place exit for $136,124.

After Heimiller’s departure, Rick Green set-up Kim for a double to take the chip lead, only to be set-up himself by Kim and then lost a battle of the blinds against Scarborough to take a third place finish for $123,936.

Scarborough's final table reign would continue in the heads-up battle with him holding over a 2:1 chip advantage against Kim, as the match only needed a half level before Kim would miss his open-ended straight draw to take a runner-up finish while Scarborough secured his first MSPT title.

This concludes our coverage for the Venation Poker Bowl IX, but Season 16 of the MSPT continues this week as we head to JACK Cleveland Casino February 11th - 17th to host another trophy series, and MSPT team will be on hand providing updates for the $500K GTD $1,110 Main Event so make sure to come back

Alex Kim Eliminated in 2nd Place ($105,000)

Anthony Scarborough raised all in and Alex Kim called off his shorter stack.

Alex Kim:
Anthony Scarborough:

Kim was behind holding live cards but the flop gave Scarborough top pair.

The turn was a card Kim needed, as it kept him live heading to the river with an open-ended straight draw, but the completed the board on the river ending his run.

Anthony Scarborough - 26,800,000
Alex Kim - Eliminated

Rick Green Eliminated in 3rd Place ($123,936)

Rick Green raised all in for 6,950,000 from the small blind and Anthony Scarborough looked him up from the big blind.

Rick Green:
Anthony Scarborough:

Green was at risk needing help but the flop gave Scarborough top two-pair, leaving him needing running cards to stay alive.

The dealer then gave Green some life by turning the only to follow with the on the river to end his tournament.

Anthony Scarborough - 18,550,000
Alex Kim - 8,250,000
Rick Green - Eliminated

Kim Follows with a Set Up of His Own

Alex Kim limped in from the small blind and Rick Green checked his option from the big, bringing about a flop.

Kim then led out with a 400,000 bet only to snap off his 3,900,000 stack after Green raised all-in for more.

Alex Kim:
Rick Green:

Kim was ahead after flopping a top set of tens and the turn followed by the river secured his double-up.

Alex Kim - 8,200,000
Rick Green - 5,600,000

Green Sets Up Kim for a Double

Alex Kim opened for 900,000 from the button only to have Rick Green three-bet jam for 5,650,000 from the small blind.

Action quickly folded back to Kim who decided to make the call, and both hands were tabled.

Rick Green:
Alex Kim:

Green was in a race for his tournament life and kept the lead after the flop hit the felt.

The turn improved Green to a set of eights and he faded the river to collect the healthy double.

Rick Green - 12,100,000
Alex Kim - 4,100,000

Dan Heimiller Eliminated in 4th Place ($136,124)

Two-time bracelet winner Dan Heimiller got his remaining 1,550,000 stack in the middle from the button and Anthony Scarborough went over the top from the small blind giving him isolation.

Dan Heimiller:
Anthony Scarborough:

Heimiller woke-up with an ace to roll with but unfortunately for him, Scarborough tabled a better one, and the runout ended his run.

Anthony Scarborough - 10,700,000
Dan Heimiller - Eliminated

Scarborough Doubles Through Heimiller, Leaving Him on Fumes

Two-time bracelet winner Dan Heimiller raised to 850,000 from the small blind and Anthony Scarborough defended his big blind to see a flop.

Heimiller then led out with a 900,000 bet, only to be faced with a 3,175,000 all-in raise from Scarborough.

After getting a confirmed amount, Heimiller talked himself into making the call, and the two hands were tabled.

Anthony Scarborough:
Dan Heimiller:

Scarborough was ahead holding top pair with an open-ended straight draw, and the turn gave him even more with the spade flush draw.

Luckily for Scarborough the river kept him in the lead and secured his double-up.

Anthony Scarborough - 8,400,000
Dan Heimiller - 1,550,000

Heimiller Takes from Scarborough

Anthony Scarborough opened for 600,000 with from the cutoff and two-time bracelet winner Dan Heimiller defended his big blind with to see a flop.

Heimiller then led out with a 650,000 bet and Scarborough called bringing the turn.

Both players then knocked on the table and the dealer dropped the on the river completing the board.

A 1,150,000 stack was then pushed in the middle by Heimiller putting Scarborough to the test and after some careful thought he decided to let his hand go.

Dan Heimiller - 5,725,000
Anthony Scarborough - 5,075,000

Green Gets Frisky in a Battle of the Blinds Against Kim

Action folded to Alex Kim who limped in from the small blind and Rick Green checked his option from the big, bringing a flop.

Both players quickly knocked on the table, and the dealer turned the .

Things then got interesting after Kim led out with a 300,000 bet, only to be faced with a 600,000 raise from Green.

Kim then followed with a 1,000,000 three-bet and surprisingly, Green clapped back with a 2,200,000 four-bet.

With Kim holding the nuts, he just smooth called bringing the river.

Kim then decided to just smooth check hoping Green would bleed out some more chips, but he decided to check back taking action to showdown.

Kim then proceeded to table for quad fours and Green stuck his head down while pushing into the muck.

Alex Kim - 8,200,000
Rick Green - 7,050,000

The MSPT Takes Flight to JACK CLEVELAND! for the Season 16 Ohio State Poker Championship!

For the first time this season, the MSPT is headed to JACK Cleveland, February 11th - 17th for the 2025 Ohio State Poker Championship!

A $400 No-Limit Hold'em Tag Team Event will award the first trophy of the series starting at 4:15 on Tuesday, February 11th, followed by Event #2: $300 NLH Seniors on Wednesday, February 12th at 11:15 a.m.

A series of $70 and $265 satellites will feed into the $1,110 buy-in Ohio State Poker Championship, which requires players to be 21+ to play.

The Main Event, which will offer a $500K GTD, will offer three starting flights with Day 1A beginning at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 13th.

Day 1B will follow at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, February 14th with the final starting flight beginning at the same time on Saturday, February 15th.

The surviving players from all starting flights will then return at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, February 16th to play down to a winner.

Closing out the trophy series will be a $350 President's Day Monster Stack NLH beginning at 2:15 p.m.

In addition, the entire Main Event will be live reported in the MSPT live blog.
Click here for a look at the full schedule.