Ameristar East Chicago

Kirby Rogers Wins MSPT 2026 Indiana Poker State Championship for First Career Title!

For the second time this season, the MSPT traveled to the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago to host the Season 17 Indiana Poker State Championship, and the turnout did not disappoint.

A total of 544 entries were tallied after three starting flights, generating an impressive $526,180 prize pool, and on Sunday, 61 players returned for Day 2 action, and after roughly 10 hours of action, it was Kirby Rogers who outlasted the challenging field to secure a career payday of $111,344 while claiming the MSPT 2026 Indiana Poker State Championship!

“It feels really good,” Rogers said after his win. “I’ve put in a lot of time over the years on this tour and have had a bunch of top-twenty and top-ten finishes with a couple of second-place finishes, so it feels really good to get it done.”

The victory marked Rogers’ fourth top-10 finish in his decade-long career on the tour, bringing his MSPT career earnings to $440,741 and the win not only marked his largest career score, but with it, he also received a $3,500 seat into the 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.

MSPT Season 17 Indiana Poker State Championship Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

The final day came back with 61 players already in the money, and action kicked right into gear with Joseph Saltanovitz being the first elimination of the day, while Mike Pucciol and Kirstin Ives followed him to the payout desk as part of the first batch of eliminations.

Players then continued dropping like wildfire while other making moves to gain chips as Brett "Pops” Reichard (51^st Place - $2,121), MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson (41^st Place – $2,280), fellow Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz (32^nd Place - $2,598), WSOP bracelet winner Garrett Dwire (27^th Place - $3,181), all fell in quick succession, of each other.

The fast -paced action continued with Clint Lilienthal (23^rd Place - $3,871), WSOP bracelet winner Jean “Prince” Gaspard (20^th Place - $4,560), MSPT Champ Matt Porter (14^th Place - $5,302), and Jeff Halcomb (10^th Place - $7,577) all falling before the final table.

Final Table Action

Once the players took their seats, action picked right up with Imran Sajwani running his pair of fives into Tom Koral’s pair of aces to become the first final table elimination, while Alin Cotolan’s Big Slick was set up by David Orlando’s pair of threes to follow him to the payout desk.

A few hands later, Shimon Braun found himself at risk in a battle of blinds holding a dominating ace-king to Koral’s ace-queen, but Koral was able to river a straight to send him home with a seventh-place finish.

Once the short stacks hit the deck, action slowed down for a few levels before two-time bracelet winner Scott Bohlman’s dominating ace-five was out-flopped by soon-to-bet champ Rogers’ king-five, ending his run in sixth place for $21,208.

After Bohlman’s departure, Tyler Schmidt moved his short stack into the middle with a suited ace from the small blind, only to have Dustin Bowling wake up with a pair of snowmen in the big blind, ending his run in fifth place for $28,260.

Action then sped up with Rogers securing back-to-back knockouts of Koral (4^th Place - $37,115) and Orlando (5^th Place - $49,84) to take a slight chip lead over Bowling in the heads-up duel.

The two players started with nearly even stacks, and an ICM deal came up, but Rogers declined it because he wanted the outright win, and he did just that, as he chipped away at Bowling until all of the chips were in his possession as Bowling took a second-place finish for $68,392, while Rogers secured the MSPT Season 17 Indiana Poker State Championship for his first career title and career score of $111,344!

This wraps up our coverage of another eventful tournament, so make sure you join us when we make our way back to the Ameristar Casino in St. Louis, MO, for the $1,110 Ameristar Poker Open Main Event September 3^rd - 6^th, and as always, the MSPT live reporting team will be on hand providing updates for that event, so make sure to come back!

Dustin Bowling Eliminated in 2nd Place ($68,392)

Kirby Rogers raised to 250,000, and Dustin Bowling defended to see a flop.

Bowling check-raised to 425,000 after Rogers tossed out a 150,000 continuation bet, and was called.

The turn then saw Bowling fire out another check-raise to 775,000 after Rogers made a 375,000 bet, and Rogers called to see the complete the board on the river.

Bowling then went for the biscuit with an all-in bet and got a quick call from Rogers.

Rogers quickly tossed over for a rivered set of eights, and it was way good, as frustrated Bowling tossed into the muck.

Kirby Rogers - 16,320,000
Dustin Bowling - Eliminated

Rogers Trips Up Bowling to Extend Chip Lead

Dustin Bowling raised to 250,000, and Kirby Rogers called to see a flop.

Action was checked to the turn, where Rogers check-raised to 1,100,000 after Bowling made a 225,000 bet, and Bowling called to see the complete the board on the river.

Rogers then led out with a healthy 3,600,000 bet, and Bowling looked him up.

“Trip fives,” Rogers said before tabling , and it was good as Bowling tossed his hand into the muck.

Kirby Rogers - 10,795,000
Dustin Bowling - 5,525,000

David Orlando Eliminated in 3rd Place ($49,840)

David Orlando was all-in after a flop from the big blind, and Kirby Rogers called from the button.

David Orlando:
Kirby Rogers:

Orlando was behind holding a two-way staright draw, but the board completed with running ladies on the turn and river, ending his Main Event.

Kirby Rogers - 8,615,000
Dustin Bowling - 7,705,000
David Orlando - Eliminated

Mark Your Calendars for the 2026 MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas❗

: The Venetian Resort Las Vegas

: September 10-13, 2026

: Nevada Poker State Championship

: $1,100 Main Event / $300,000 GTD
$3,500 MSPT CHAMPIONSHIP SEAT ADDED TO MAIN EVENT 1ST PLACE

: Gold Card Tournament

Event Schedule: https://msptpoker.com/showpdf.ashx?eventID=523

: https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/.../poker/suite-rates.html

Hear from the Poker Room Manager, Tommy LaRosa HERE.

Tom Koral Eliminated in 4th Place ($37,115)

Kirby Rogers raised to 200,000 from the button and then called Tom Koral’s 1,200,000 three-bet jam from the big blind.

Tom Koral:
Kirby Rogers:

Koral was ahead holding Big Slick, but the flop brought a sweat, as it gave Rogers an open-ended straight draw.

Unfortunately for Koral, the sweat didn’t last long, as the dealer turned the to complete Rogers' straight, and then followed with the on the river, ending his tournament.

Kirby Rogers - 5,800,000
Tom Koral - Eliminated

Tyler Schmidt Eliminated in 5th Place ($28,260)

Tyler Schmidt raised all-in for 830,000 from the small blind, and Dustin Bowling looked him up from the big blind.

Tyler Schmidt:
Dustin Bowling:

“Oh, nice hand,” Schmidt said just before a flop fell.

The dealer then gave Schmidt a glimmer of hope after they turned the , but the followed on the river and ended his run.

Dustin Bowling - 7,600,000
Tyler Schmidt - Eliminated

Randrea Payne Claims an Ultimate Victory

For the second time this season, the MSPT made its way to East Chicago for the 2026 Indiana Poker State Championship, and players have been duking it out over the past week inside the Ameristar Casino for its 11-Gold Card Event Series!

Final Table Results

In Event #3: $300 Seniors Ultimate Stack NLH, 151 ultimate players took to the tables and created a $36,995 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 John Bartek (10^th Place - $703), Drew Coleman (12^th Place - $703), Michael Stephens (13^th Place - $592), Marty Masar (15^th Place - $592), Samuel Rey (18^th Place - $518).

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

Final Table Results

Scott Bohlman Eliminated in 6th Place ($21,208)

There was all-in action preflop between Kirby Rogers from the small blind and Scott Bohlman from the big blind, with Bohlman holding the effective stack.

Scott Bohlman:
Kirby Rogers:

Bohlman was ahead holding a dominating hand, but a king appeared in the window on the flop, giving Rogers the lead.

The dealer then gave Bohlman some hope with the turn, as it gave him more outs with a club draw, but then followed with the on the river to end his tournament.

Kirby Rogers - 5,300,000
Scott Bohlman - Eliminated

Chip Shuffle

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Dustin Bowling	6,320,000	5,450,000
Kirby Rogers	4,500,000	4,200,000
Tom Koral	1,925,000	3,100,000
David Orlando	1,250,000	2,080,000
Scott Bohlman	680,000	950,000
Tyler Schmidt	675,000	980,000