Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Grand Falls
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Grand Falls
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
238
Level
26
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
5,000
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Alan Curl came into Day 2 of Mid-States Poker Tour Grand Falls as the chip leader. He stayed among the leaders for most of the day and finished the job in style, winning the tournament with the 
to claim $64,655 and the MSPT trophy. The score nearly matches Curl's career recorded cashes of $64,941.
The tournament drew 238 players, and 54 congregated for Day 2. With 27 places paid, the money was quickly reached when Wisconsin native Larry Ormson busted out in 28th in Level 19 (4,000/8,000/1,000). Curl kept climbing during this time, reaching a stack of 700,000 just after the bubble burst.
Many of Curl's strongest would-be challengers fell, as the field was whittled from 27 to a final table of 10. Aaron Johnson took a nasty beat when Phil Mader cracked his aces with ace-king, making a straight on the river. Mader in turn fell in 15th when he ran eights into kings. Heavy hitters Matt Kirby and Lance Harris still remained, but they busted in 12th and 11th, respectively, with both losing big races.
Curl slightly trailed Chris Burke with 806,000 heading into the final table with blinds set to go to 10,000/20,000/3,000. Day 1b leader Chuck Costanzo was first out in a flurry of eliminations after the dinner break. Former champ Dan Hendrickson got three-outed with the 
against the 
of Brian Davis to bust ninth. John Streese was right behind him, and moments later Ryan Skluzak made it four early eliminations when he ran tens into Davis' jacks.
Davis' big stack didn't last long as he check-called it off trying to bluff catch Jon Maras in a three-bet pot on a board of 
, only to have his ace-high crushed by Maras' 
. Short-stacked after that, Davis went out sixth. Sam De Silva's short-stack run ended next when he got sevens in against four live overcards and couldn't hold.
Things slowed down considerably four-handed, and Curl, who hovered in the background and didn't score any eliminations up to that point, found himself the shorty with 700,000 at 15,000/30,000/4,000. His patience paid off when he opened 
to 90,000 and got three-bet to 400,000 by Burke. Curl shoved, and Burke found himself dominated with 
and unable to improve.
After Burke's subsequent elimination, another monster post went Curl's way. Kim Rasmussen check-shoved a 
board with top two, but Curl had turned a straight with the 
.
He took the lead into heads-up play with Maras and it was over in less than hour when Maras wouldn't lay down fives on a 
board and Curl showed him aces.
Curl has been playing the MSPT intermittently since at least 2010, when he recorded a cash at MSPT Morton back when it was the Minnesota State Poker Tour. He recalled when winners claimed a bracelet and said he wished he had gotten one himself. Still, the South Dakota native had a $64,655 smile on his face when he celebrating the win.
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Jon Maras check-called it down until the board read 
. On the river, he checked and Alan Curl shoved all in. Maras called with 
, but Curl slapped down for a winning two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Jon Maras check-called 100,000 on 
. He check-called 175,000 on the turn, and the paired the board. Maras checked, and Alan Curl bet 400,000.
"I got counterfeited," Maras said, mucking.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,000,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
1,750,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Jon Maras raised to 125,000 on the button, and Alan Curl called. Both checked the 
flop, and Curl bet 150,000 on the turn. Maras called. Curl bet 250,000 on the 
river, and Maras shoved. Curl snap-mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,050,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
|
|
1,700,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Alan Curl defended a 90,000 preflop raise, and he check-called 75,000 on the 
flop. Curl fired out 150,000 on the 
turn, and Jon Maras announced all in. Curl folded, and Maras showed 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,400,000
575,000
|
575,000 |
|
|
1,350,000
-575,000
|
-575,000 |
Level: 26
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 5,000
Level 25
: 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante
The players are battling for the top prize and the trophy at a new level.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,825,000
1,125,000
|
1,125,000 |
|
|
1,925,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
Level 25
: 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante
The blinds went to war again but this time it was Kim Rasmussen in the small blind betting 120,000 on a flop. Alan Curl called, and a arrived on the turn. Rasmussen checked and Curl bet 120,000. Rasmussen shipped all in for approximately 800,000, and Curl double-checked his cards and called.
Curl:
Rasmussen:
"I got the card I wanted," Rasmussen said. "Pair that board."
"No pair," Curl urged. The was a brick and Curl celebrated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |