Brian Wilson and Carolyn Adams Capture MSPT Titles Over the Weekend
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The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) wrapped up two stops over the weekend. The first was the $1,100 buy-in Poker Bowl III at The Venetian in Las Vegas and the other a $350 buy-in Regional Event at Tropicana Evansville in Southern Indiana, literally across the river from Kentucky.
Brian Wilson Conquers Stacked Final Table
The MSPT Poker Bowl III, a tournament that played in the days leading up to Super Bowl LIII, attracted 1,022 entries over two flights, which surpassed last year’s 827 runners and crushed the $650K GTD by creating a $996,450 prize pool.
That was paid out to the top 108 players including defending champ Kfir Nahum (11th - $13,950), Dan “Wretchy” Martin (12th - $13,950), Bryan Piccioli (16th - $9,765), Jared Jaffee (22nd - $6,776), Chris Moorman (38th - $3,388), former MSPT champ Dan “DQ” Hendrickson (41st - $3,388), Simon Deadman (54th - $3,089), Scott Clements (65th - $2,591), and reigning MSPT POY Aaron Johnson (85th - $2,391).
The final table was full of accomplished players including Shannon Shorr, Dylan Thomassie, Eric Baldwin, and MSPT Hall of Famer Kou Vang, though the best any of them was able to finish was fifth place.
In what would be the last hand of the tournament, which took place in Level 32 (100K/200K/100K), Eddy Sabat moved all in for 1.5 million with ace-queen in the small blind and Eli Ross called from the big with king-queen. Sabat was primed to double but not after Ross flopped top two pair. Sabat flopped the nut flush draw but missed as both the turn and river bricked. Sabat earned $62,776 for his fourth-place finish.
Down to the final three, the remaining players agreed to a chop. As the chip leader, Wilson was awarded the trophy and title of champion.
“I had a lot of tough tables, a lot of really good regulars, but honestly, I felt really confident in my game and I just took it like one hand at a time and just tried to play the best I could,” Wilson told MSPT officials after the win. “I felt super comfortable with them all day, I didn't feel outclassed at all."
Prior to the win, Wilson’s best cash was $18,406 for finishing 678th in the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event.
MSPT Poker Bowl III Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Wilson | Ontario, Canada | $143,929* |
| 2 | Pedro Mendes | Brazil | $119,545* |
| 3 | Eli Ross | San Francisco, California | $119,168* |
| 4 | Eddy Sabat | Los Angeles, California | $62,776 |
| 5 | Shannon Shorr | Mobile, Alabama | $47,830 |
| 6 | Dylan Thomassie | Las Vegas, Nevada | $36,869 |
| 7 | Eric Baldwin | Las Vegas, Nevada | $28,897 |
| 8 | Chris Coupal | Ontario, Canada | $21,922 |
| 9 | Kou Vang | Maplewood, Minnesota | $17,936 |
| 10 | Brad Libson | Annapolis, Maryland | $13,950 |
Denotes three-handed deal.
Carolyn Adams Becomes Second MSPT Female Champion
The other tournament to wrap up over the weekend was the $350 buy-in Regional Event at Tropicana Evansville in Southern Indiana, a tournament that drew 587 entrants and was won by Kentucky’s Carolyn Adams. The first woman to win an MSPT Regional, and just the second to win an MSPT event after Angelina Rich won the 2015 MSPT Venetian. Adams took home $35,663 for her efforts.
Among the 63 players to make the money were Kevin Waldie (15th - $2,038), Kala Green (22nd - $1,240), Martin Timm (32nd - $815), brothers Gary Potter (47th - $679) and Earl Potter (49th - $679), and 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Champion Tim Burden (54th - $679).
The MSPT will return to the venue May 22-26 for another $350 buy-in, $100K GTD Regional Event. Then, from August 23-35 the 2019 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship will be held.
MSPT Tropicana Regional Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolyn Adams | Oak Grove, Kentucky | $35,663 |
| 2 | Kevin Leek | Evansville, Indiana | $21,907 |
| 3 | TJ Noll | Evansville, Indiana | $15,964 |
| 4 | Chris McCowan | Evansville, Indiana | $11,888 |
| 5 | Virgil Werner | Jasper, Indiana | $9,001 |
| 6 | Ted Rogers | Hopkinsville, Kentucky | $6,794 |
| 7 | Jimmy Griffin | Clarksville, Tennessee | $5,265 |
| 8 | Ahmad Raghebi | St. Louis, Missouri | $4,077 |
| 9 | Brian Sanders | Indianapolis, Indiana | $3,227 |
Season 10 of the MSPT continues February 14-17 with a $1,100 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed Main Event at Minnesota’s Canterbury Park.
Images courtesy of the MSPT.
