Ameristar East Chicago

Lee Rzentkowski Wins Season 17 Ameristar East Chicago Main Event for Second Career Title!

For the first time this season, the MSPT traveled to Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, IN, hosting an 11-Gold Card Event Festival.

Our featured $1,110 buy-in, $300K GTD Main Event headlined the series, attracting 386 entrants after three starting flights, and on Sunday, only 43 players returned for Day 2 action.

After roughly 10 hours of play, it was Wisconsin native Lee Rzentkowski, who navigated his way through the challenging field to come out on top to win the $82,955 top prize and his second career MSPT title!

“I’ve been on a heater here lately”, Rzentkowski stated after his win, “Only I’ve come up short back-to-back times, so it feels really good to close this one out”.

Rzentkowski is referring to his back-to-back final table appearances here at Ameristar in the last two outings, with him finishing in ninth and fifth place, respectively.

With this being his third final table appearance in a row here, Rzentkowski knew he had to close this one out and had a bunch of support along the way.

“It was really nice just knowing I had my family in my corner the whole time”, said Rzentkowski, “They were cheering for me from afar, but it feels nice knowing they had my back and were rooting for me”.

The victory marked Rzentkowski’s 17th Main Event cash to go along with his second title on the tour, and his first since 2022, bringing his career MSPT earnings over $300k.

Along with the win, Rzentkowski has earned himself a seat in the $3,500 MSPT Championship Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO), which will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, Nov. 18 – Dec. 2, boasting a $2,000,000 GTD Main Event!

MSPT Season 17 Ameristar East Chicago Final Table Results

The final day came back with 43 players already in the money, and action kicked right into gear with MSPT Champ Anthony Kastelic’s pocket seven’s being set up by Jeff Stephens’ pair of fours, becoming the first elimination of the day, while Tom Koral and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Scott Bohlman followed him to the payout desk as part of the first batch of eliminations.

Players then started to line up at the payout desk as the fast-paced action saw Cody Brinn (34^th Place - $2,262), Kevin Maahs (28^th Place - $2,262), DJ Buckley (23^rd Place - $3,054), and Ryan Scully (14^th Place - $4,902) all fall along the way to the final table.

Final Table Action

The final table started with two-time MSPT Champ Mike Estes sitting at the bottom of the chip counts while on the hunt for his third title, but he lost an early race against the soon-to-be fellow two-time MSPT Champ Rzentkowski, making him the first final table elimination.

Rzentkowski would then continue to add to his final table top stack after he rivered a full house against Allen Pritchett’s four-card flush, sending him home in eighth place, while Day 2 chip leader Jinha Park followed him to the payout desk in seventh place.

Shortly after, Del Beiler would see his tournament come to an end after his pair of snowmen was melted in the heat by Aaron Brown’s pair of nines, and he departed in sixth place.

A few hands later would see final table short-stack Daniel Johnson’s pay jumping excursion come to an end after he was out-kicked by Jeff Stephens in fifth-place, while Stephens fate would end in fourth place ($27,526) after Rzentkowski flopped two-pair to send him packing.

After knocking out a third of the final table, Rzentkowski sat with over half of the chips in play when three-handed action started, but Brown closed the distance after he knocked out the “second” Mike Estes in third place for $37,286, setting the stage for the heads-up battle.

The heads-up duel began with Rzentkowski holding a slight edge over Brown, and the two would tussle only for a few brief hands before all the chips went into the middle, with Brown holding a flush draw, and Rzentkowski two-pair.

Brown would then take the lead on the turn after he completed his flush, only to have the dealer drop a third nine on the river, giving Rzentkowski a full house to secure him his second MSPT Main Event title, while Brown finished runner-up for $51,286.

This wraps up our coverage of another eventful tournament, so make sure you join us when we make our way back to the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, WI, for another 11-Gold Card Event Festival, April 28^th - May 5^th, and as always, the MSPT live reporting team will be on hand providing updates for the $1,110 Main Event, so make sure to come back!

Aaron Brown Eliminated in 2nd Place ($51,286)

MSPT Champ Lee Rzentkowski raised, and Aaron Brown defended to see a flop.

Brown led out with a 700,000 bet only to have Rzentkowski fire out a 2,200,000 raise.

An all-in bet was then made by Brown, and he was snap-called by Rzentkowski.

Aaron Brown:
Lee Rzentkowski:

Brown was behind holding a flush draw until the dealer peeled off the on the turn, giving him the lead.

All then was looking good for Brown to turn the tide, but the dealer had other ideas as they dropped the on the river, giving Rzentkowski a full house to end Brown’s tournament with a runner-up finish.

Lee Rzentkowski - 11,580,000
Aaron Brown - Eliminated

George Koutsloukos Earns His First Gold Card!

For the first time this season, the MSPT made its way to East Chicago, IN, and players have been duking it out over the past week inside the Ameristar Casino for its 11-Gold Card Festival!

In Event #4: $300 Ultimate Stack NLH, 128 ultimate players took to the tables and created a $31,360 prize pool, reserved for the top 18 players.

Among those to take a piece of the prize pool but fall before the final table were Vishal Antiya (10^th Place - $731), Mark Perales (11^th Place - $731), Garrett Christie (12^th Place - $615), Sami Shurbaji (13^th Place - $533), Angelo Kozonis (14^th Place - $533), and Jordan McBain (15^th Place - $533).

Walking away with the ultimate victory was George Koutsloukos, who claimed the outright victory for his first Gold Card!

Final Table Results

Mike Estes Eliminated in 3rd Place ($37,330)

Mike Estes raised all-in for 1,200,000 from the button, and Aaron Brown looked him up from the big blind.

Mike Estes:
Aaron Brown:

Estes was behind holding live suited connectors, and the flop paired both players, keeping Brown in the lead.

The dealer then turned the , giving Estes more outs with a gutshot straight draw, but the completed the board on the river, ending his run.

Lee Rzentkowski - 6,980,000
Aaron Brown - 4,600,000
Mike Estes - Eliminated

Brown Trips Up Rzentkowski for Survival

Photo: Aaron Brown

MSPT Champ Lee Rzentkowski limped in from the small blind, and Aaron Brown checked his option, bringing about a flop.

Rzentkowski led out with a 115,000 bet, and Brown called to see the turn.

A 300,000 bet was then tossed in the middle from Lee Rzentkowski, who then called Brown’s 1,130,000 all-in raise.

Aaron Brown:
Lee Rzentkowski:

Brown was ahead holding trip eights, and faded the river to collect a double.

Lee Rzentkowski - 6,800,000
Aaron Brown - 2,900,000

The MSPT's New Top GOAT

Our MSPT GOAT Leaderboard tracks those who have amassed the most points ALL TIME (vs World Ranking = last 50 Main Events only with a weighted multiplier favoring more recent)

Josh Reichard took over the #1 spot this season, surpassing Rob WazWaz, who held it down since nearly the inception!

Full List: https://msptpoker.com/statistics/goatpoy.aspx

Jeff Stephens Eliminated in 4th Place ($27,526)

MSPT Champ Lee Rzentkowski raised to 125,000 from the button and then called a 330,000 three-bet Jeff Stephens made from the small blind.

Once the flop hit the felt, Stephens led out with a 175,000 continuation bet, only to have Rzentkowski fire out a 400,000 raise.

Stephens then clapped back with a 2,375,000 three-bet jam and was snap-called.

Jeff Stephens:
Lee Rzentkowski:

Stephens saw the bad news as he was out flopped by Rzentkowski, as the turn, followed by river, ended his Main Event.

Lee Rzentkowski - 6,200,000
Jeff Stephens - Eliminated

Daniel Johnson Eliminated in 5th Place ($20,739)

Daniel Johnson open-jammed 530,000 under the gun, and action folded to Jeff Stephens, who looked him up from the big blind.

Daniel Johnson:
Jeff Stephens:

Johnson rolled over a dominated hand, and the flop didn’t provide much help.

The turn did bring a chop possibility if a non-club four were to fall on the river, but the completed the board and ended Johnson’s run.

Jeff Stephens - 2,600,000
Daniel Johnson - Eliminated

Del Beiler Eliminated in 6th Place ($15,837)

Del Beiler raised all-in from the cutoff, and Aaron Brown went over the top from the button, giving him isolation.

Del Beiler:
Aaron Brown:

Beiler saw he was in rough shape after rolling over an inferior made hand, and the runout ended his Main Event run.

Aaron Brown - 3,500,000
Del Beiler - Eliminated

Jinha Park Eliminated in 7th Place ($12,443)

Jinha Park raised all-in for 205,000 from middle position and was called by Jeff Stephens from the cutoff, along with Del Beiler from the small blind.

The dealer then dropped a flop, and action was checked to the turn.

Beiler check-called a 150,000 bet from Stephens, and the river was checked to showdown.

Stephens quickly showed for nines and sevens, and it was good as Beiler tossed into the muck while Park did the same with , ending his tournament.

Jeff Stephens - 2,005,000
Del Beiler - 735,000
Jinha Park - Eliminated