$1,110 Main Event ($500K GTD)
Day 2 Completed
$1,110 Main Event ($500K GTD)
Day 2 Completed
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to Riverside Casino and hosted a $1,100 buy-in, $500K GTD Main Event which was definitely one to remember.
A total of 1,094 entries (140 from Day 1a; 382 from 1b; 572 from 1c) were tallied, which surpassed the venue’s previous best field of 928 entries last July and generated a 1,059,680 prize pool.
On Sunday, 137 players returned for Day 2 action, and after roughly 12 hours of action, it was Illinois native Dan Bekavac, coming out on top to win the $193,391 top prize and his third MSPT title.
"I feel relieved," Bekavac sated after his win. Bekavac started the final table third in chips while Jamie Allen sat down as the chip leader and the two ended up duking it out in a heads-up match that saw Allen hold a 2:1 chip advantage.
"I had to play a different style during heads-up and it's not my usual style. I had to play lowball and out position him because he (Allen) would call everything."
The heads-up battle came down to three crucial all-in's, where Bekavac was able to win each of them to secure his third MSPT Main Event Title, being the third person ever to do so.
" I just want to say thank you to everyone who came from Chicago to watch me play today and to everyone who was watching at home, I love you guys," Bekavac said in his closing statement.
Place | Player | Hometown | Prize | MSPT POY Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dan Bekavac | Chicago, IL | $193,391 | 1,700 |
2 | Jamie Allen | Dundalk, MD | $118,729 | 1,700 |
3 | Jeff Fielder | Des Moines, IA | $88,059 | 1,600 |
4 | Cero Zuccarello | Madison, WI | $66,865 | 1,500 |
5 | Chad Holloway | Reedsburg, WI | $49,804 | 1,400 |
6 | Steven Sullivan | Sparta, TN | $38,148 | 1,300 |
7 | Miroslav Semanisin | Wisconsin Dells, WI | $29,671 | 1,200 |
8 | Joe Landazzi | Des Plaines, IL | $23,312 | 1,100 |
9 | Joe Hindman | Winterset, IA | $19,074 | 1,000 |
With 117 slated to get paid, twenty players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were DJ Buckley, Eric Moon, Christopher Kidd, and Nathan Kewney, just to name a few.
The tournament never reached the hand-for-hand process as both Phil Mader & Robert Steinman were eliminated in the same hand and Mader became the official bubble holding fewer chips.
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 Rob Wazwaz (10th - $6,863), along with MSPT Champion's Josh Reichard (13th - $11,656), Taylor Howard (23rd - $7,205), Timothy Gundrum (41st - $3,496), Craig Trost (48th - $3,179), Dan Goepel (60th - $2,861), and Keith Heine (75th - $2,649).
The final table started with the short-stacks catching doubles until Joe Hindman's pocket sevens failed to stay lucky against Bekavac's ace-ten.
Joe Landazzi was next to have his luck run out after his pocket eights were counterfeited by Jeff Fielder's ten-eight on the river.
The final table misfortune continued after Miroslav Semanisin's pocket aces were flushed by Allen's king-jack and he departed in seventh place shortly after.
Steven Sullivan was next on the chopping block. After coming into the final table at the bottom of the counts, he was able to ladder up until his big slick lost a race to Fielder's pocket sixes and made his exit in sixth place.
Another player able to climb the pay ladder was WSOP bracelet winner Chad Holloway, who made his departure in fifth place for $49,804 after his ace-eight of demands failed to stay ahead against Allen's seven-five of diamonds.
Four-handed play went didn't last very long after Cero Zuccarello's pocket aces were flushed by Allen's suited king-jack. Zuccarello was left short and made an exit in fourth place for $66,865 a few hands later.
Three-handed action saw Allen hold a commanding chip lead and he extended it after he sent Fielder home in third place holding a dominating ace-king against fielder's ace-queen.
From there, the heads-up match proved to be a battle as Bekavac started the battle down a 2:1 dog but was able to win a few races to secure his third MSPT trophy and payday good for $193,931.
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) is making its way back to Minnesota for its Showdown Series at Running Aces Casino March 31st - April 10th and PokerNews will be on hand providing live updates for the $300K GTD $1,100 Main Event so make sure to come back!.
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 13 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.
On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more. Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.
Here's a look at the top ten MSPT Main Event Title holders:
Player | Hometown | Main Event Titles |
---|---|---|
Dan Bekavac | Chicago, IL | 3 |
Matt Kirby | Bemidji, MN | 3 |
Blake Bohn | Eden Prarie, MN | 3 |
Carl Carodenuto | Bloomington, MN | 2 |
Jeremy Dresch | Fridley, MN | 2 |
Ben Marsh | Duluth, MN | 2 |
John Hayes | St. Paul, MN | 2 |
Peixin Liu | Blaine, MN | 2 |
Jason Zarlenga | Lansing, MI | 2 |
Taylor Howard | Altoona, IA | 2 |
Dan Bekavac made an incredible heads-up comeback to claim his third MSPT Main Event Title, becoming the third player ever to do so, while Jamie Allen took his exit in second place for $118,729.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Dan Bekavac |
27,350,000
10,150,000
|
10,150,000 |
Jamie Allen | Busted |
Jamie Allen raised all in and Dan Bekavac called off his 8,600,000 stack.
Dan Bekavac:
Jamie Allen:
It was another race with Bekavac taking the lead after the flop paired his ace.
The turn didn't change a thing and the river secured Bekavac the double-up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Dan Bekavac |
17,200,000
7,950,000
|
7,950,000 |
Jamie Allen |
10,150,000
-7,950,000
|
-7,950,000 |
Level: 32
Blinds: 150,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Jamie Allen open-jammed and Dan Bekavac snapped off his 4,625,000 stack.
Dan Bekavac:
Jamie Allen:
Bekavac had Allen dominated until the flop paired Allen's three.
The turn however, came the , giving Bekavac the nut flush draw and luckily for him, the river completed it to secure his double-up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jamie Allen |
18,100,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Dan Bekavac |
9,250,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 13 years on they have one of the best player databases in the industry.
On their "Leaderboards" page, the MSPT tracks such things as Career Earnings, Main Event Cashes, Main Event Final Tables, Main Event Titles, Total Cashes, Most Cashes/Final Tables in a Season, Most Final Tables All-Time, and much more. Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.Click here for a look at all the leaderboards.
Here's a look at the top ten MSPT Main Event cashers:
Place | Player | Hometown | Main Event Cashes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Johnson | Red Wing, Minnesota | 41 |
2 | Richard Alsup | New Hope, Minnesota | 35 |
3 | Kou Vang | Maplewood, Minnesota | 34 |
4 | DJ Buckley | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | 34 |
5 | Rob WazWaz | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 27 |
6 | Patrick Steele | Chelsea, Michigan | 27 |
7 | Mark Hodge | Fernandina Beach, Florida | 26 |
8 | Blake Bohn | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | 26 |
9 | Jason Seitz | Shakopee, Minnesota | 25 |
10 | Phil Mader | Grand Island, Nebraska | 25 |
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Dan Bekavac raised all in for 4,725,000 and Jamie Allen called.
Dan Bekavac:
Jamie Allen:
Bekavac was behind holding two overs and didn't like the flop that gave Allen a gutshot straight draw.
The turn was no help to Bekavac as he needed an ace or ten to stay alive.
Luckily for Bekavac, the dealer answered his prayer and dropped the on the river to keep his hopes of becoming a three-time MSPT Main Event Champion alive.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jamie Allen |
17,900,000
-1,275,000
|
-1,275,000 |
Dan Bekavac |
9,450,000
1,275,000
|
1,275,000 |