Andy Rubinberg Wins 2nd MSPT Title for $179,776; Brandon Welter Nabs Platinum Pass
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) wrapped up its ninth season on Sunday when Andy Rubinberg bested a 977-entry field – the largest major poker tournament in Minnesota history – to win his second title and a $179,776 top prize.
“This is wonderful. Back in 2016 was my first big win, but this one confirms my game,” said Rubinberg, who won the 2016 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Championship for $120,808. “I’ve been working so hard, working with Chip Leader Coaching, studying, I felt so much more confident going into this final table and just feel I played so much better. Hard work pays off.”
Final Table Action
Rubinberg notched the final three eliminations to claim the title. First, he got lucky with ace-three flopping two pair against 2010 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jesse Rockowitz, who held ace-queen.
Next, Rubinberg dispatched MSPT Season 6 Mahnomen Regional Event champ Joel Klipping in an eights-versus-fours hand. That gave Rubinberg a big lead headed into heads-up play, and it didn’t take long for him to finish off Ronnie Lamb.
In the final hand, Rubinberg limped the button and Lamb checked his option to see a 7♣10♠6♣ flop. Lamb checked and then moved all in for 1.9 million when Rubinberg bet 300,000. Rubinberg called holding the 10♦8♠ and was ahead of Lamb’s 7♥5♠.
The 4♥ turn gave Lamb a straight draw, but he missed when the K♣ bricked the river. Lamb finished in second place for a career-high $110,704.
Others to cash the tournament were MSPT Season 9 Canterbury Park champ Rob Wazwaz (19th - $7,759), MSPT Meskwaki champ Taylor Howard (39th - $3,217), Day 1C chip leader Cherukuri Sandeep (43rd - $3,217), Day 1A chip leader Brad Berman (51st - $2,933), and Day 1B chip leader Rocco Crivello (73rd - $2,460).
While speaking to MSPT officials, Rubinberg added: “This was a tough field, but aside from being such a big field a lot of big pros came. I knew if I could win this one it would mean something. Outside of Vegas, this might’ve been the MSPT’s toughest field ever.”
Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Rubinberg | Chicago, IL | $179,776 |
| 2 | Ronnie Lamb | Denver, CO | $110,704 |
| 3 | Joel Klipping | Red Lake Falls, MN | $81,278 |
| 4 | Jesse Rockowitz | Fairmont, MN | $61,502 |
| 5 | Shawn Douglass | Fridley, MN | $46,363 |
| 6 | Tom Sadowski | Bloomington, MN | $35,009 |
| 7 | Mike Schneider | Minneapolis, MN | $27,440 |
| 8 | Jovan Sudar | Omaha, NE | $21,762 |
| 9 | Stuart Luhm | Plymouth, MN | $17,037 |
| 10 | Jason Bender | Keota, IA | $13,247 |
Brandon Welter Flips Way to a Platinum Pass
There was another big winner at the MSPT Canterbury Park, which awarded one of the last available $30,000 Platinum Passes to January’s PokerStars Players NL Hold’Em Championship (PSPC) in the Bahamas.
"I’m super excited to go to the Bahamas. I’m sure I’ll get more and more nervous as it gets closer."
A drawing was conducted in which eight players were chosen at random to participate in an eight-player heads-up Flipout Tournament. Those selected included two women in Joan Sandoval and Jodene Jensen, two former MSPT champs in Dan “DQ” Hendrickson and Mark Sandness, poker pros Kevin "1sickdisease" Eyster and Eric Wasylenko, and two local players in Royce Cannon and Brandon Welter.
Ultimately Welter, a 24-year-old actuary for an insurance company, defeated Hendrickson, Sandness, and Sandoval in three flips to win the coveted Platinum Pass. In the first round, he picked up pocket threes and held, and then in the second round rivered a queen to advance. Finally, he flopped a pair of sixes on a 7x6x5x and held against Sandoval, who missed an open-ended straight draw.
“A couple come-from-behind wins,” said Welter, whose biggest score in a poker tournament has been $3,500. “I was feeling pretty nervous. I just tried to stay cool. I’m super excited to go to the Bahamas. I’m sure I’ll get more and more nervous as it gets closer.”
The MSPT’s 10th season will kick off with the MSPT Cleveland Poker Open at JACK Cleveland January 17-20 followed by the MSPT Majestic Star in the Chicagoland area January 25-27.
Photos courtesy of MSPT
Editor's Note: Chad Holloway serves as Media Director for the MSPT.
