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The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to Minnesota's Canterbury Park for the Winter Poker Classic and was headlined by the $1,100 buy-in, $400K GTD Main Event which was one to remember, as a total of 1,042 entries (241 from Day 1a; 324 from 1b; 477 from 1c) were tallied, which shattered the venue’s previous best field and generated a 1,009,240 prize pool.
On Sunday, 144 players returned for Day 2 action and after roughly 12 hours of play, it was Poker Power's Kyna England coming out on top to win the $186,709 top prize and her first MSPT title.
"This is my first significant win and I'm extremely proud of myself," England said. England has career cashes dating back only a few years according to The Hendon Mob, but won her first Circuit ring just before the poker world went on a standstill from the ongoing pandemic.
"During the pandemic I started teaching through Poker Power and throughout quarantine I made it my mission to study and get better," England stated. "I sharpened-up my game to teach the other ladies and I just believe that if you want to get better you will."
England has a very positive mindset and has lived up to her words. Since returning to live poker, she scored her largest career earning's after finishing third in the MSPT Riverside $1,100 Main Event for $73,782, then topped that mark just a few months later with another third-place finish in the Venetian World Poker Tour $5,000 Main Event for $448,755.
England's two third-place finishes earned her more than a half of a million dollars, but her win tonight is something she is very proud of.
"It feels really good to have a title, be a part of a club," she added, "Yeah I did win the Ladies Event for my first Circuit ring and that felt really good, but this is a significant win with a really large field, there were incredible players here and it just feels really good to win."
The emotion in England's eyes and voice after her win was uncanny, but she really came to Minnesota to chase the MSPT Player of the Year. "I almost didn't come here but I'm so close in the POY running and it's just a significant thing to win to say I'm the number one player of this season."
England has positioned herself well in the POY standings taking an 800-point lead over Cy Church with one stop left on the Season 12 schedule.
With 108 slated to get paid, more than a few dozen players needed to exit before players reached the money. Among those to leave empty-handed were WSOP bracelet winners Bradley Jansen and Chad Holloway , Jason Crews , and MSPT Black Hawk champ Steve Wilkie , just to name a few.
Once David Bashel bubbled in 109th place, the march to the final table began. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Matthew Hamilton (10th - $14,129), MSPT Hall of Famer's Pat Steele (24th - $6,863), Kou Vang (30th - $4,441), and Blake Bohn (88th - $2,422), and two-time MSPT champ Taylor Howard (99th - $2,220).
Jon Hanner entered the final table at the bottom of the chip counts but was able to get a pay jump after Aaron Frommgen departed ninth place after jamming ace-ten suited into Matt Mortfitt's pocket kings. Morfitt continued with his elimination spree and hooked Hanner shortly after in eighth place.
A few hands later, William Phillips hit the rail after jamming with suited connectors and was called by Angela Jordison holding a suited ace-ten. Jordison improved her lead after flopping an ace, but Phillips found a glimmer of hope turning a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for him, he bricked the river and departed in seventh place.
The next player to be sent home was Cody Espeseth, whose flopped top pair came up just short after England rivered a club flush. Next up on the chopping block was Jordison, who jammed ace-jack into England's Big Slick and failed to find a jack.
Four-handed play didn't last very long after Rory Linton squeezed from the big blind after Morfitt raised from the button and Andy Jenc called from the small blind. The paired board was checked to the river which brought three clubs and Morfitt pushed Jenc out of the pot with a bet of 2 million. Morfitt rolled over a queen-high flush and sent Linton's ace-jack home in fourth place for $63,582.
Three-handed action saw Morfitt hold a commanding chip lead and he extended it after he dropped Jenc in third place holding a dominating ace.
From there, Morfitt held a dominating 5:1 chip advantage but the heads-up match proved to be a battle as England secured an early double to chip away at Morfitt's chip lead. From there, she never looked back as she won pot-after-pot until she earned herself the MSPT trophy, along with a payday good for $186,709.
The MSPT will be heading back to the Venetian in Las Vegas December 28th - 30th for its's final $1,100 Main Event of Season 12.
Tags: Aaron FrommgenAndy JencAngela JordisonBlake BohnBradley JansenChad HollowayCody EspesethDavid BashelJason CrewsJonathan HannerKou VangKyna EnglandMatt MorfittMatt MortfittMatthew HamiltonPat SteeleRory LintonSteve WilkieTaylor HowardWilliam PhillipWilliam Phillips
Matt Morffit open-jammed from the button and Kyna England called.
Morfitt was behind holding live cards but couldn't find a pair as the ended his tournament in second place for $115,053.
While PokerNews is here offering live updates from the $1,100 Main Event, we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about some of the side events that have taken place out over the past week at the Winter Poker Classic.
In Event #8: $250 Hump Day NLH, 202 entries created a $40,400 prize pool that was paid out to the top 21 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Jonathan Kim (21st - $485), Bridgette Field (20th - $485), Tyler Kolness (13th - $606), Ryan Arnold (11th - $768), and Blake Anderson (10th - $768).
In the end, it was Chad Willett who captured the WPC trophy, along with the first-place $7,231 payday.
Matt Morfitt raised from the button and then called the 1.6 million three-bet from Kyna England.
The flop was checked to the turn where England led out for 1.1 million and Morfitt called to see the complete the board on the river.
England check-called the 4.5 million bet from Morfitt and the two players tabled their hands.
Morfitt rolled over for a broken Broadway draw and England showed to win the pot.
Kyna England raised and Matt Morfitt called bringing about the flop.
Morfitt check-called the 300,000 continuation bet from the England and the fell on the turn.
Morfitt led out for 700,000 and then called the 4.3 million all in raise from England.
England pulled ahead after turning the straight and she faded the river as the secured her double-up.
Andy Jenc was all in preflop for roughly 5 million and was called by Matt Morfitt.
Both players held an ace, and the flop came paired bringing possible chops outs.
The turn made it even more convincing that the two players were going to chop the pot, but the dealer completed the board with the on the river and ended Jenc's tournament in third place for $85,785.
Since its inception in 2009, the MSPT has done a great job keeping track of player stats. As a result, 12 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.
Here's a look at the top ten point leaders of this season:
Kyna England has secured at least 1,800 POY after her performance tonight and will take the top spot for Player of the Year.
Matt Morfitt raised to 350,000 from the button and was called by Andy Jenc from the small blind before Rory Linton squeezed for 1,665,000 from the big blind.
Morfitt as did Jenc and the board was checked down to the river where Jenc check-folded after Morfitt fired out 2 million.
Morfitt quickly showed for the queen-high flush while Linton mucked and took his exit in fourth place for $63,582.
Tags: Andy JencMatt MorfittRory Linton
Kyna England Wins MSPT Canterbury Park $1,100 Main Event ($186,709)
Matt Morfitt Eliminated in 2nd Place ($115,053)
Andy Jenc Eliminated in 3rd Place ($85,785)
Rory Linton Eliminated in 4th Place ($63,582)
Angela Jordison Eliminated in 5th Place ($48,444)
Cody Espeseth Eliminated in 6th Place ($37,342)
William Phillips Eliminated in 7th Place ($29,286)
Jonathan Hanner Eliminated in 8th Place ($22,203)
Aaron Frommgen Eliminated in 9th Place ($18,166)
Final Table Draw and Counts
Matthew Hamilton Eliminated in 10th Place ($14,129)
Rodney Colson Eliminated in 11th Place ($14,129)
Casey Temper Eliminated in 12th Place ($14,129)
Arlan Stello Eliminated in 13th Place ($12,111)
Justin Barnum Eliminated in 14th Place ($12,111)
Todd Fisher Eliminated in 15th Place ($12,111)
Justin Coliny Eliminated in 16th Place ($9,891)
Ty Johnson Eliminated in 17th Place ($9,891)
Casey Fussy Eliminated in 18th Place ($9,891)
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