Nation's #1 Poker Tour June 2017

NATION'S #1 POKER TOUR JUNE 2017

JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 3 Letter from the Editor GETTING OUT AND ABOUT ON THE MSPT BY CHAD HOLLOWAY Vol. 2/No. 6

While we wish everyone who plays a MSPT event could experience the President and Publisher thrill of making a final table, the hard truth is that many players bust and find Bryan Mileski themselves with free time on their hands. Fortunately, our host properties [email protected] have plenty of options to keep you busy including cash games, table games and Editor-in-Chief slots, and lots of dining options like Running Aces’ trout experience. Chad Holloway However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t encourage you to take advantage of [email protected] being somewhere new when traveling for a MSPT. The poker tournament may be the main reason you’re there, but if you happen to find yourself with Art Director Carolyn Borgen some leisure time—preferably from making it through on Day 1A and having [email protected] Saturday off—you should consider getting out and seeing some of the sites. At our Grand Falls stop just outside Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Falls Park is Advertising Information just a 15-minute drive from the casino. The public park is cut in half by the Big [email protected] Sioux River, and the waterfalls are definitely worth checking it out. Likewise, Story Ideas our stop at Potawatomi Casino is right in downtown Milwaukee. It’s the perfect [email protected] opportunity to catch a Brewers game at Miller Park, pose with the “Bronze Our Mission Fonz” on the Riverwalk, or experience a brewery tour. MSPT Magazine is a monthly Whether it’s an attraction, restaurant, or nature offering, there’s always magazine dedicated to serving something to do at each of our stops. If you do get out and about, be sure to poker players and gaming facilities snap a pic and share it with us on Twitter @msptpoker. through MSPT news, results, tournament schedules, player profiles and professional tips. Coupled with our website, msptpoker.com, we are the Nation's #1 Poker Tour.

Mid-States Poker Tour Lakeville, MN 612-743-9847

Mid-States Poker Tour is published on or near the first of each month. All claims or guarantees are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. All comments and views of contributing writers are their own and do not reflect official policy of Mid-States Pok- er Tour which assumes no liability for any advertisement not supplied camera ready by the advertiser. Reproduction or use in whole or in part without written consent from the publisher and Copyright owners is prohibited.

Falls Park - Sioux Falls, SD PAGE 4 Mid-States Poker Tour JUNE 2017 Event Recap MARK WADEKAMPER WINS LARGEST MAJOR POKER TOURNAMENT IN MINNESOTA HISTORY; TAKES DOWN MSPT CANTERBURY FOR $110,220!

BY MSPT POKER STAFF

he MSPT’s 13th Main Event at Canterbury Park in Sha- kopee, Minnesota drew 475 entrants, which made it Tthe largest ever held at the venue surpassing the 470 entrants from December 2015. After two long days of play, 56-year-old business development manager Mark Wadekam- per emerged victorious to capture a $110,220 first-place prize. Not only that, he managed to stop reigning champ Jon Kim, who back in December topped a field of 464 entrants to win the MSPT Canterbury Park for $107,659, from a title defense by besting him in heads-up play. “I was not expecting to win, I was just happy to cash,” said Wadekamper. “There were a lot of good players in this tournament, a lot of former MSPT champs. I was just happy to cash. I didn’t think there was a possibility I’d win until the last hand.” Prior to the win, Wadekamper’s previous best cash was $9,600 for finishing fifth in the 2009 Heartland Poker Tour Walker Main Event. As for what he’ll do with the money Wadekamper, who is married with three grown kids—two of whom play poker—he’s got a plan. “I’ll pay taxes and probably help pay my daughter’s student loans,” he said. Among those to play the tournament but fail to make Day 2 were 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Greg Mark Wadekamper Raymer; 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champ John Sun; Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Mike Schneider; and MSPT his titles in back-to-back events at Canterbury Park. Pros Blake Bohn and Matt Kirby. At the final table, two-time champ Peixin Liu, who won Day 2 saw 89 players return to action, but with only 45 slated the Season 5 MSPT Canterbury Park for $106,483, was the to get paid nearly half the field would leave empty handed. first to fall after running queens into the aces of Joe Maas Among them were Minnesota Poker Hall of Famer Tony on the fourth hand of play. Five hands later, Nathan Boyer, Hartmann, MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup, who earned his first MSPT cash, followed him out the door and former Canterbury Park champ Dan “DQ” Hendrickson, after getting his short stack in with king-jack and failing to just to name a few. get there against George Shabatura’s ace-queen. After MSPT Pro Matt Alexander exited as the bubble boy in On Hand #24, with the blinds at 25,000/50,000/5,000, a 5♦8♠9♥ 46th place – the result of running pocket deuces into queens – flop saw Maas jam with a double gutter holding the ♦J 7♦ and the in-the-money bust outs came quick. They included former start-of-the-day chip leader Loki Abboud called with the champs Jason Sell (35th - $2,756) and Mark Sandness (31st - 5♥8♥ for two pair. Neither the 9♣ turn nor 4♣ river help Maas, $2,756); professional footballer Bernando Anor (24th - $3,444); and he exited in eighth place for $12,170, his first MSPT cash. Day 1B chip leader Mike Ross (20th - $3,444); and three-time The next elimination didn’t occur until Hand #55 in Level MSPT champ Carl Carodenuto (14th - $5,970), who won two of 29 (40,000/80,000/10,000) when Nes Coburn jammed the hijack

MSPTPOKER.COM JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 5 Canterbury Park

for 725,000 holding the 5♦3♠ and Loki called from the small blind with the A♦Q♣. The board ran out 8♦10♠Q♦6♦8♥ and Canterbury Park Casino Coburn was out in seventh place. Buy-in: $1,100 ♣ 475 Entrants Two hands later, Paul Eidem lost a flip with ace-seven to Bryan Andrews’ pocket queens, and then on Hand #72, with Place Name City, State Prize the blinds at 50,000/100,000/10,000, Loki busted Andrews. It 1 Mark Wadekamper Lonsdale, MN $110,220 happened when Andrews, a PLO player from Wisconsin, 2 Jonathan Kim Minneapolis, MN $66,593 moved all in for 380,000 from the cutoff holding the 5♣4♣ and 3 George Shabatura Plymouth, MN $43,399 Loki called with the K♠10♥ on the button. The board ran out 4 Loki Abboud Mendota Heights, MN $30,081 6 J A 10 Q and Loki scored his third elimination of the ♥ ♠ ♠ ♣ ♦ 5 Bryan Andrews Wauwatosa, WI $22,963 final table. 6 Paul Eidem Eden Prairie, MN $17,681 Loki seemed to have the tournament in hand, but his luck soon turned after he slow played pocket kings and ended up 7 Nesbitt Coburn Minneapolis, MN $14,696 losing a 4.6-million pot after Wadekamper hit a two outer on 8 Joe Maas Edina, MN $12,170 the river. Not long after, Loki got his leftover chips in with 9 Nathan Boyer Star Prairie, WI $10,287 seven-deuce offsuit and was finished off by Wadekamper’s 10 Peixin Liu Blaine, MN $7,807 pocket eights. With that, Loki bowed out in fifth place after finishing sixth in last December’s Season 7 finale at best-ever MSPT finish. Canterbury Park. Wadekamper began heads-up play with 8.4 million in “I was surprised,” Wadekamper said when asked about the chips to the defending champ’s 1.1 million, and it didn’t miracle two outer. “I was expecting to be done, to go cash out take long for things to come to a head. In what would be the and get something to eat. That was a big one.” final hand of the tournament, which took place in Level 31 Wadekamper and Shabatura then got it in on a 6♣10♠4♣ flop (60,000/120,000/20,0000, Kim shoved for 1.5 million holding the with the former’s 10♣3♦ behind the latter’s 10♦8♣. The J♦ turn A♦2♣ and Wadekamper woke up with J♣J♥. The board ran was of no consequence, but the 3♥ river was as Wadekamper out Q♣7♣9♣8♠3♥ and Kim came up one spot shy of defending spiked another river to send Shabatura out in third place, his his title, though he did receive a $66,593 consolation prize.

Final Table

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triple award winner why settle for tequila? step up to kimo sabe triple award winner www.PokerCPA.com JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 9 Event Recap TRAVIS GANT WINS GRAND FALLS CASINO’S FIRST- EVER MSPT $350 REGIONAL EVENT FOR $29,782

BY MSPT POKER STAFF

he first ever MSPT Grand Falls Casino T$350 Re- Buy-in: $350 ♣ 426 Entrants gional Event held at Grand Place Name City, State Prize Falls Casino in 1 Travis Gant Geddes, SD $29,782 Larchwood, Iowa, 2 Jason Bender Keota, IA $17,975 which is just out- 3 Darren Eide Moorehead, MN $11,741 side Sioux Falls, 4 Curtis Vierstraete Wahpeton, ND $8,119 South Dakota, 5 Ken Pates Brooklyn Park, MN $6,198 drew 426 entries over three start- 6 John Cap Scotland, SD $4,772 ing flights. On Day 7 Mark Steffen Hot Springs, SD $3,966 2, the surviving 71 8 Paul Skjerseth Fargo, ND $3,285 players returned 9 David Swanholm Fargo, ND $2,776 to play down to a 10 Dan Dykhouse Sioux Falls, SD $2,107 winner, and in the end, it was Travis Gant of Geddes, South Dakota Travis Grant who walked away with a $29,782 first-place prize. “It feels pretty awesome,” said Gant, a father to a five-year- old daughter. “I came in to today short and had to spin it up right away. I got back in the game, made a few hands, and got to the final table. Hands went my way and here we are. It’s been a long time coming, I’m really happy. I’ve been grinding online before they shut us down. I saw a lot of hands before I got this break.” The win marked Gant’s first MSPT cash. Prior to the score, he had $18,162 in tournament earnings including $8,700 Final Table for finishing fifth in the 2017 South Dakota State Poker Championship in early April. 2♥5♦8♠3♠6♦ and it was all over. “The tournament was run fantastic,” said Gant, who helps Bender now has four MSPT Regional cashes, all of which his family ranch and plays baseball on the side. “From the are final tables! dealers on down, everybody was on top of everything. It was Among the 45 players to cash the event were Minnesota pro smooth. As far as Grand Falls goes, it’s a great place to play.” Aaron Johnson (41st - $619), 2017 South Dakota State Poker Gant came back from a 4-1 chip deficit in heads-up Champion Ryan Skluzak (32nd - $743), four-time World Series play against Jason Bender. In what would be the final of Poker Circuit ring winner Mark Fink (22nd - $929), start-of- hand of the tournament, which took place in Level 32 the-day chip leader Brian Wika (19th - $929), and “Wild” Bill (80,000/160,000/20,000), Bender got his stack of 3.5 million Romer (15th - $1,611). all in preflop holding the A♥10♥ against the A♣K♥ of Gant, The MPST will return to Grand Falls Casino August 19-27 who was sitting with roughly 5 million. The board ran out for our annual $1,100 buy-in, $150,000 guaranteed Main Event.

MSPTPOKER.COM GET READY TO MEET THE CHAMPION

CLIENT FireKeepers Casino Hotel

PROJECT June MSPT Mag

JOB NO. FK-29095

COLOR OVER $1 MILLION PRIZE POOL 4/c

SIZE BIGGEST TOURNAMENT IN MICHIGAN HISTORY 8.375” x 10.75”

BIGGEST MID-STATE TOURNAMENT OUTSIDE VEGAS BLEED .25

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MAIN EVENT WINNER! MAY 21 • MIKE S. $216,829

GET READY. GET SET.

I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue | Battle Creek, MI 49014

Must be 21 or older. Schedule subject to change. Management reserves all rights.

FK-29095_June_MSPT_Mag_8.375x10.75.indd 1 5/23/17 2:59 PM GET READY TO MEET THE CHAMPION JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 11 Player Profile CLIENT FireKeepers CasinoFROM Hotel STAND-UP COMEDY TO JEOPARDY! MSPT PROJECT June MSPTREGULAR Mag JEFF GRIMES DOES IT ALL JOB NO. FK-29095BY MSPT POKER STAFF eff Grimes, born October 27, 1963, is a familiar face on and get eliminated COLOR the MSPT where he’s amassed three Main Event cashes, OVER $1 MILLION PRIZE POOL 4/c early, I will go see Jone final table, and a Regional cash for $47,421 in earn- a local sports team, SIZE ings. The vast majority of that came in Season 3 when he fin- a local concert, or BIGGEST TOURNAMENT IN MICHIGAN HISTORY 8.375”ished x 10.75” runner-up to Michael Reynolds in the MSPT Meskwaki. hit a comedy club Four years ago, Grimes left his job as a newspaper for an open mic BIGGEST MID-STATE TOURNAMENT OUTSIDE VEGAS BLEEDpublisher to manage rental properties, which include a night. .25 mobile home park, storage rental facility, and a number of Tell us about your duplexes. The former newspaperman has also taught school, stand-up comedy dabbles in stand-up comedy under the stage name Bubba career. How did you Kincaid, and has even appeared on Jeopardy! get involved in that We caught up with Grimes to learn a bit world and how does MSPT: When and how did you learn to play poker? it work? Grimes: I've always been interested in game theory and Grimes: Calling

competitive mind games. Like many folks my age I started it a career is an Sony Television playing dealer’s choice in the kitchen with family for nickel overstatement. It Jeff Grimes and dimes. We had a bunch of pecan trees on our property is a hobby much and I had an uncle who would pay me a penny a pecan, so like poker. I was when I went bust I would go out, sometimes with a flashlight looking for another at night, and gather 200-300 so I could rebuy. fun diversion I played competitive chess since the Bobby Fischer craze that gave me an and was top 100 for my age group throughout most of my opportunity to childhood. I peaked with a correspondence chess master perform. I work certificate from the U.S. Chess Federation in 2004. Gave up maybe twice a competitive chess shortly afterwards because I was over 40, month almost too old for the game and chess computers were taking over. exclusively at free Played fantasy sports since it went national in mid 80s. open mic nights CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MAIN EVENT WINNER! Won USA national football titles in 1987 and 1989. Gave that and have a blast. up about 1995. when I got interest in competitive trivia. I am I have performed MAY 21 • MIKE S. a two-time Jeopardy! champ from 1998. I also am a six-time in eight states and champ on the now cancelled Game Show Network program have shared the Inquisition. stage with a few Bill Donald Jeff Grimes as Bubba Kincaid $216,829 Do you envision being in poker for a while or do you have name performers, other plans for the future? but I don't want to name drop. The stand-up world is similar Grimes: I am just here to have fun. Enjoy the game, the to the poker world. You have a bunch of smart and talented friends I make and the travel. Hopefully I can continue to young adults trying to make it. Making a big crowd laugh is GET READY. GET SET. do this for a long time. As far as being a pro, I don't have the better than a big score at the cash table. Bombing is just as desire, mentality nor ability to live that life. bad as that son of a gun hitting a two outer on the bubble. What are some of your poker goals? The one thing I would like to do in the next few years is to Grimes: Enjoy myself and as I hashtag about 90% of be able to do a 15-20-minute set to a poker audience. Those my tweets #rungoodinlife. Enjoying life is so much more who have played with me know I am constantly making jokes I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue | Battle Creek, MI 49014 important than a poker win. Oftentimes if I am on the road at the table. I would love to combine all of that into a show.

Must be 21 or older. Schedule subject to change. Management reserves all rights. MSPTPOKER.COM

FK-29095_June_MSPT_Mag_8.375x10.75.indd 1 5/23/17 2:59 PM PAGE 12 Mid-States Poker Tour JUNE 2017 Event Recap MIKE SHANAHAN TOPS FIELD OF 1,066 TO WIN MSPT FIREKEEPERS—THE LARGEST EVENT IN MICHIGAN HISTORY—FOR $216,829

BY MSPT POKER STAFF

say the MSPT’s ninth visit to FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan was a big one would be Toan understatement. Not only did May’s event attract 1,066 entries, which surpassed last October’s MSPT field of 884 to make it the largest poker tournament in Michigan history, it also awarded over $1 million in prizes to players. Pretty amazing considering four years ago only 272 runners played in the inaugural event. After a long weekend of play in what was the MSPT’s largest-ever event held outside Las Vegas, Indiana’s Mike Shanahan, a 49-year-old attorney, emerged victorious to capture a $216,829 first-place prize. “I’ve been knocking on the door for a couple years, and this is the best I ever played,” Shanahan said after the win. “I’m elated. This was fun. There’s nothing like going deep in a tournament and finishing it off. All the guys back home are Mike Shanahan following me. We play cash games at the Knights of Columbus and also at the Moose Lodge. A bunch of good players.” second place for $131,646, which moved him into third place The win was by far the biggest cash of Shanahan’s poker on the MSPT all-time money list. career. Prior to it, he had $164,291 in earnings with a career- Day 2 saw 206 players return to action, but with only 99 best $29,329 for finishing 291st in the 2015 World Series of slated to get paid, more than half the field left empty handed. Poker Main Event. Though that was a bit of a disappointing Among those to fall short of the money were MSPT Season 4 finish for him as he was at one time the tournament chip Player of the Year Pat Steele, 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker leader. Champ John Sun, and former MSPT FireKeepers champ “I get teased about that so much,” he said of that run. “On Michael Ferrarotti. Day 4, I had a million-chip lead on the field. If I knew then Once the bubble burst, another 89 players exited before what I know now, it’d have been a different Main Event for the final table was set. Among them were World Series of me.” Poker bracelet winner Adam Friedman (95th - $2,272), 2016 As for what he’ll do with the money, aside from taking MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champ Andy Rubinberg (83rd another shot in this year’s Main Event, the married father of - $2,375), 2016 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship two grown sons only had two things bookmarked. runner up Cy Church (44th - $4,337), three-time MSPT champ “Pay some taxes and take a vacation,” he said. Carl Carodenuto (31st - $5,266), and the last champ in the field, To win the title, Shanahan bested poker pro Aaron Massey Charlie Dawson (11th - $14,145), who bubbled the final table. in heads-up play. Massey had won the MSPT FireKeepers one It took just two hands at the final table for Joe Hinton to year prior, and amazingly it was his third MSPT FireKeepers get his stack of 1.6 million all in holding ace-queen at the final table in a row (he finished seventh in last fall’s MSPT 40,000/80,000/10,000 level only to run into the ace-king of Michigan State Poker Championship). To put it another way, Shanahan. The board ran out all low cards and Hinton was he final tabled the three largest events—fields of 820, 884 and out the door in 10th place for $14,145, his first MSPT cash. 1,066 entries—in Michigan history. He ultimately exited in On Hand #32, Justin Rice raised to 220,000 under the gun

MSPTPOKER.COM JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 13 FireKeepers Casino holding the 7♣7♦ and Scott Skriba defended the big blind FireKeepers Casino with the A♥10♣. The A♣7♥5♠ Buy-in: $1,100 ♣ 1066 Entrants flop hit both players, and Skriba checked to Rice, who Place Name City, State Prize bet 180,000. Skirba woke up 1 Mike Shanahan Avon, IN $216,829 with a check-raise to 400,000, 2 Aaron Massey Elmwood Park, IL $131,646 Rice just called, and the A♠ 3 Frank Lucarelli Woodhaven, MI $85,699 appeared on the turn. 4 Justin Rice Walled Lake, MI $57,924 Skirba led out for 500,000, 5 Chris Meyers Buffalo, NY $42,333 Rice flatted, and the K♥ completed the board on the 6 Terry Moore Muncie, IN $32,731 river. Skirba, who had 700,000 7 Daniel Panone Rochester, MI $26,846 back, checked but ended up Aaron Massey 8 Dustin Smith Middleville, MI $22,199 calling off when Rice moved 9 Scott Skriba Mason, MI $18,276 all in. Skirba took home $18,276 for finishing in ninth place. 10 Joseph Hinton Ada, MI $14,145 Two hands later, Dustin Smith got it in preflop with pocket deuces against Rice’s Big Slick, and an ace on the river ended out a clean 3♠K♣8♥2♥3♥ and Rice headed to the payout desk his run in eighth place for $22,199. Five hands after that, in fourth place. Daniel Panone bowed out shoving his short stack from the Lucarelli was the short stack three handed, and he became button with jack-ten and failing to get there against the ace- Massey’s first final table victim. It happened when Lucarelli nine of Frank Lucarelli. shoved his last 1.1 million from the button holding the K♥4♥ From there, Terry Moore fell after getting his short stack and running into the J♠J♦ of Massey. The board ran out in with jack-four and running it into Rice’s queen-jack, and 10♠10♣5♠2♦9♦ and Massey took 13 million chips into heads- a short time later Chris Meyers ran king-jack into the king- up play against Shanahan’s 8.1 million. queen of Lucarelli. Neither player got lucky and fell in sixth It only took a couple of hands for Shanahan to seize the and fifth place respectively. lead, and about 30 minutes into the match things came On Hand #83 of the final table, with the blinds at to a head when Massey four-bet all in holding the A♦Q♦ 100,000/200,000/30,000, Rice three-bet all in for 3.8 million with and Shanahan called with the Q♥Q♠. The board ran out the 5♣5♥ and was called by Shanahan’s Q♦Q♣. The board ran 4♠J♥8♥K♣J♦ and Shanahan became a MSPT champ.

Final Table

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ack in February, MSPT regulars Loki Ab- boud and Willie Horton made a last longer Bbet at our Running Aces stop. Whichever player busted first would have to don a pink ballerina outfit, complete with tutu and tiara, at the next Minnesota stop. Fast forward to April’s MSPT Canterbury Park. On Friday night, Abboud bagged up the chip lead and had the next day off before returning for Day 2 on Sunday. However, he made it a point to come back Saturday evening. That’s because he won the aforementioned bet, and he wasn’t about to miss his buddy’s embarrassment. “Will and I met playing poker a few years back,” Abboud told MSPT officials. “Since that first day we met, sitting at the table together, we've had some very good-natured smack talk back and forth. A week or so before the last local MSPT at Running Aces, he walked by the $40/$80 mix game I was playing and made some comment about my skills. I yelled out to him to put his money where his mouth was and challenged him to a last longer.” He continued: “I had won a similar bet against Ken Cary the year before, with the loser having to caddie in tights on the golf course at some point. Kenny lost. I prefer the more lighthearted and comical prop bets, so Willie and I settled on the loser of the last longer having to compete in the next local MSPT in a ballerina outfit—tights, leotard, and tutu. I think he fired two bullets at Running Aces, and I managed to outlast him. Suffice it to say that once he busted for the second time, I felt I was on a stone-cold free roll.” Kudos to both of these guys for being good sports. That said, be forewarned. If you engage in an embarrassing last longer bet, there’s a good chance we’re going to plaster your photo in MSPT Magazine! Willie Horton

MSPTPOKER.COM JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 17 Photo Shoot

Willie Horton & Loki Abboud

Mark Hodge & Willie Horton Willie Horton

MSPTPOKER.COM READY TO RAKE IN BIG BUCKS?

Thursday, June 22 Grand Casino Hinckley This June, try your luck in the Grand Classic Blackjack tournament! There’s an estimated total purse of $8,400! Registration starts at 3 p.m. and is first-come, first-served. Limited to 280 entries. Entry & re-entry fee is only $30! Do you feel lucky?

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File Name Bleed Size (w x h) Designer Account Executive GCS-17-163302_MSPT_Grand-Classic-BlackJack_(8-375x10-75)_a01 8.875x11.25 Ben Laura/Heidi Creation Date Final Size (w x h) Copywriter Proofreader 05/17/16 8.375x10.75 Andy Erin Modified Date Color(s) Creative Director Production May 17, 2017 1:09 PM 4c Dean Due Date Vendor/Publication JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 19 Event Preview READY TO RAKE IN MSPT RETURNS JULY 15-23 WITH $350 REGIONAL EVENT AT MILWAUKEE’S POTAWATOMI CASINO BIG BUCKS? BY MSPT POKER STAFF or the second time in Season 8, Potawatomi Hotel at the venue, will be the 19th Regional Event since their & Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will play host to inception at the beginning of 2015. The Regional Events are Fa $350 buy-in, $100,000 guaranteed MSPT Regional designed to offer players the opportunity to play MSPT’s Event. The stop will run July 15-23 with a series of satellites lauded “Chainsaw-Approved” $1,100 Main Event structure at feeding into the Regional Event. a more affordable price point. The Regional Event will be held over four days beginning Satellites for the upcoming MSPT Potawatomi Regional Thursday, July 20 with Day 1A at 5 p.m. Day 1A will play 16 event will begin June 18. levels. Friday's and Saturday's Day 1B and 1C will start at 5 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively and also play 16 levels. Players who advance to Day 2 from a previous flight are not eligible to play in a subsequent flight. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned. The MSPT has hosted three previous Regional Events at Potawatomi. The first was back in January 2016 when Oscar Arndt topped a field of 904 entries to win a $58,964 first-place prize. Six months later, it was Vinh Tran who conquered a record field of 1,169 entries to win $49,944 after striking a heads-up deal with Ryan Gatrel. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino features six award-winning More recently, Craig Trost bested a field of 1,228 entrants— restaurants, the intimate 500-seat Northern Lights Theater at the time the largest tournament by attendance ever held and more than 60,000 sq. feet of event space. A 381-room, Thursday, June 22 in Wisconsin—to take home a $63,252 prize. The MSPT also Grand Casino Hinckley visited the property in April when poker pro Ari Engel topped 19-story hotel opened in August 2014. a field of 495 entries to win the $1,100 Main Event for $114,876. It has come a long way since its opening in 1991 when the This June, try your luck in the Grand “In the last four years, few properties have come on as Forest County Potawatomi first opened as a 45,800-square foot Classic Blackjack tournament! There’s strong as Potawatomi,” says MSPT President Bryan Mileski. bingo hall, making it the first tribal off-reservation gaming an estimated total purse of $8,400! “Not only is it a gorgeous property with a great poker room operation in the country. featuring some of the area’s best cash game action, it’s set Aside from gaming, Potawatomi offers seven great dining Registration starts at 3 p.m. and is right in the heart of Milwaukee. Without a doubt, Poto is one options to choose from including beautiful Italian cooking at first-come, first-served. Limited to 280 of the Midwest’s premier entertainment destinations, offering Bella Italiana, down-home cooking at Canal Street Café, and entries. Entry & re-entry fee is only guests the best in gaming, dining and entertainment.” authentic Asian cuisine and sushi bar at Ruyi. $30! Do you feel lucky? The latest MSPT Potawatomi Regional, the fourth held To discover more visit paysbig.com.

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• WEEKLY REWARDS / GIVEAWAYS •Monday • Thursday Early Bird Promotion plus Food Voucher Gas / Gift Card • Tuesday • Friday Early Bird Promotion plus Food Voucher Gas Coupons at Promotional kiosk Buy in 100 chips and receive $20 bonus chips • Wednesday High Hand of the Hour plus Door Prizes JUNE 2017 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 21

Strategy presented by Jonathan Little DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH BIG SLICK AIN’T ALWAYS EASY BY CHAD HOLLOWAY

the first level on Day 2 of MSPT Canterbury Park, all in with a wide Inwhich drew a record 475 entrants, the blinds were range thinking that 1,500/3,000/500 and 83 players remained with 45 of them they are now "free getting paid. rolling". Without Luke Mernin (98,000) opened for 7,000 and Jason Ramos an actual read, (290,500) called from middle position. Dan Vandevoort, who you should not started the day as the second shortest stack, then moved all assume much about in for 34,000 from the button. Robert Ogorman proceeded to your opponents' move all in over the top for 82,000, and Mernin hit the tank for strategies and a couple minutes before calling to put both players at risk. instead try to play Ramos folded and all three players turned up their cards. a fundamentally Vandevoort: A♣A♥ sound strategy Ogorman: 10♠10♦ yourself. Luke Mernin Mernin: A♠K♠ Facing two all Vandevoort held the goods, and maintained his lead on the ins, A♣A♥ is in a 6♣3♦J♠flop. The ♠8 turn put a big sweat out there as Mernin tough spot, but I picked up a spade flush draw, but he missed it when the Q♣ typically call off in blanked on the river. Mernin was left with 16,000 after the this situation if I hand, but he went bust a short time later. think both players We caught up with poker pro and author Jonathan Little to play well (because get his take on how this hand played out. their ranges both MSPT: What do you think of Ogorman’s four-bet jam with include a few pocket tens in this spot? hands ace-king Little: Ogorman is certainly in a difficult spot with his pocket dominates). Similar tens, but I think going all in is perfectly acceptable given he to Ogorman's spot only has 27 big blinds. The only way you can realistically with tens, if Mernin justify folding is if he knows either the initial raiser or the knows either player pusher are overly tight, putting pocket tens in marginal is overly tight, Dan Vandevoort shape. If both players are getting in with reasonable ranges, folding becomes a you have to be willing to gamble. Also notice that the only fine option. Also notice that the only time he gets wrecked is time he is in a terrible situation is when the initial raiser has when he loses to the 82,000 all in. a premium hand. When he is only against the 34,000 all in, While you should rarely be thrilled to call off in this spot, he is getting great pot odds and if he loses, he will still have if you pass up on too many situations like this, you will find about half his stack remaining. that you have a difficult time accumulating chips unless the How do you feel about Mernin’s call with ace-king? tournament is filled with players who have significant flaws Little: It is difficult to assume how players will play shortly in their strategies. after doubling up from a tiny stack as Vandevoort had done. PokerCoaching.com is an interactive poker learning experience Some players will play tightly to "protect" their newly found from two-time WPT Champion Jonathan Little. Try it for free at chips while others will still feel short and will be blasting PokerCoaching.com/mspt.

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