MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2020 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian $1,600 Main Event
MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2020 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian $1,600 Main Event
Buy-in
$1,600
Entries
1,239
Level
32
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
125,000
Entries
63
Players Left
1
Level 32
: 125,000/250,000, 125,000 ante
On Monday night, Korey Payne became the newest champion on the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) after besting a field of 1,239 entries to take home the top prize of $327,773 in the MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event. His victory capped a three-day tournament and five-day-long event that generated an overall prize pool of $1,771,770.
Payne entered the day taking a stack of 605,000 to blinds of 8,000/16,000/16,000, just one big blind above the average stack for the 63 players that returned for Day 3. Four hours later, he had maintained that stack as the field reached 30, and had doubled it by the final two tables of 16.
The run started with Payne finding a double with pocket sixes by hitting a six on the turn against Jorden Helstern's flopped top pair of queens to double to over 2 million. From there, he hit a set of queens in a three-way pot to eliminate Zachary Grech in 10th place and wound up taking a second-place stack into the final table of eight.
MSPT Venetian $1,600 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korey Payne | $327,773 |
| 2 | Salim Admon | $219,699 |
| 3 | Martin Zamani | $148,829 |
| 4 | Randy Froelich | $100,991 |
| 5 | Satoshi Tanaka | $65,555 |
| 6 | David Poces | $49,610 |
| 7 | Jorden Helstern | $37,207 |
| 8 | Dale Eberle | $28,343 |
From Eight To One
Day 1a Chip Leader Salim Admon came into the final table with a stack nearly double that of Payne's. On the first hand of the final table, he doubled Dale Eberle, but Eberle gave it all back on the next hand when he check-shoved king-queen on a queen-high board and Admon looked him up with two aces. Helstern was then the shortest stack and lost a coin flip versus Randy Froelich to bow out in seventh shortly thereafter.
Half a level passed before the next elimination in David Poces, who lost a coin flip of his own against Satoshi Tanaka. Tanaka then found himself in the hunt, but he became the next one to bust another 30 minutes later when his pocket tens were cracked by Martin Zamani hitting a diamond flush with ace-five suited for almost all of his chips. Finding himself left with crumbs, Tanaka watched Zamani hit another diamond flush on the following hand to make his fifth-place finish official.
One hand later, Zamani eliminated Froelich in fourth, but was still third in chips behind Admon and Payne. Chips flew across the table over the next 40 minutes with Zamani eventually four-bet-shoving with king-deuce suited in a blind-on-blind situation against Admon's ace-king. Zamani hit a deuce and doubled to become the chip leader, but he then ran two unsuccessful bluffs against Payne to first double him, and then fall to him.
As a result, Payne took a commanding chip lead into heads-up play but quickly doubled Admon. The two battled from there, with Payne grinding Admon down a bit before doubling him once more. Chips then went back and forth until the final hand of the night, when Payne made kings up on the turn and led out after check-calling a bet from Admon. Admon raised, Payne immediately announced he was all in, and Admon eventually wound up calling with a pair of queens that remained second best to earn Payne the title of MSPT champion and the top prize of $327,773 that came along with it.
Looking Ahead to Season-Ending MSPT Grand Falls
Just one more stop remains in Season 11 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT). From December 18-20, the tour will close out the year with a $1,100 buy-in, $200,000 guaranteed Main Event at Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Iowa, which is actually situated just across the border from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
A series of $65 and $250 satellites will feed into the Main Event, which will feature two starting flights. Day 1a will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 18 with Day 1b taking place at the same time on Saturday, December 19. The surviving players from both flights will then return for Day 2 at 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 20 to play down to a winner.
The tournament comes on the heels of August’s record-breaking MSPT Main Event at Grand Falls. That $1,100 buy-in tournament was the first mid-major poker tournament in the United States in nearly six months, and the 518 entrants not only surpassed the venue’s previous best field of 238 runners in 2015 but also became the largest major ($1,000+ buy-in) in Iowa history.
Level 32
: 125,000/250,000, 125,000 ante
Salim Admon opened to 500,000 on the button and Korey Payne called in the big blind to see the flop come 
. Payne checked to Admon, who made a continuation-bet of 675,000 and received a call.
Payne led out on the turn 
, betting 675,000 himself, and Admon pumped it up to 2 million. The dealer reached for the stack to break it down and count it, but Payne immediately announced he was all in. Admon went deep into the tank, thinking for over two minutes before finding a call.
Payne slammed down 
onto the felt.
"Nice hand, man," said Salim sincerely as he turend over 
. Left with one shot at two remaining queens in the deck, Salim wound up one pip short on the river 
and finished in second place as a result, taking home $219,699 for his weekend's efforts.
Meanwhile, Korey Payne has officially become the champion of the 2020 MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event, earning $327,773 and the accompanying Main Event Champion's Trophy. A full recap of the tournament will be posted shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
37,075,000
14,200,000
|
14,200,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 32
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 125,000
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
Korey Payne raised to 500,000 on the button and received a call from Salim Admon, defending his big blind. The flop fell 
and Admon checked. Payne fired a continuation-bet of 800,000 and Admon called, bringing the turn where Admon check-called a second barrel of 1.5 million from Payne.
The river came 
and Admon shoved all in. Payne immediately called.
Salim Admon: 
Korey Payne: 
Payne had flopped a set of treys but the river gave Admon a straight and earned him the double to chip away at Payne's chip lead and accumulate nearly 40% of the chips in play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,875,000
-7,750,000
|
-7,750,000 |
|
|
14,200,000
7,750,000
|
7,750,000 |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
Korey Payne raised to 500,000 on the button and Salim Admon defended his big blind. The flop dropped 
and Admon check-raised a continuation-bet of 500,000 from Payne, making it 1.5 million. Payne called.
The turn came 
and Admon bet another 900,000. Payne peeled and the river came 
where action checked through to showdown.
"Queen high," announced Admon. Payne turned over for a pair of kings and Admon sent his cards to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,625,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
6,450,000
-3,000,000
|
-3,000,000 |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
The first few hands of the heads-up match saw a feeling-out process that took Salim Admon down to 4.675 million before he completed on the button. Korey Payne raised to 800,000 in the big blind and Admon jammed. Payne thought for about a minute and then called.
Salim Admon: 
Korey Payne: 
A ten in the window proved to be necessary en route to Admon's double as the board ran out 
to earn him the double with a set of tens.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,625,000
-3,875,000
|
-3,875,000 |
|
|
9,450,000
3,875,000
|
3,875,000 |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
Hand #1: Martin Zamani opened to 500,000 on the button and received a call from Kenneth Payne, who defended his big blind. The flop came 
and Payne checked to Zamani, who made a continuation-bet of 2 million, nearly double the pot. Payne thought for a few moments and called.
The turn came and Payne checked. Zamani immediately said he was all in. Two minutes later, Payne found a call for 9 million.
"You got me, good call," said Zamani as he tabled 
.
Payne showed , prompting a response of surprise from Zamani.
The river 
left Payne out in front and he earned the double as a result, leaving Zamani with 5.6 million.
Hand #2: On the following hand, Zamani raised his option over a small-blind completion from Payne and the two went to a flop of 
. Payne check-called a bet, and proceeded to do the same on the turn . Payne checked again on the river and Zamani shoved his remaining chips into the pot. Payne called.
Zamani was caught bluffing while Payne had 
for a full house, giving him the second won all-in pot against Zamani in as many hands, with this one leaving Zamani dry on chips to make him the third-place finisher in the tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
31,500,000
20,100,000
|
20,100,000 |
|
|
5,575,000
-2,575,000
|
-2,575,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
Just one more stop remains in Season 11 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT). From December 18-20, the tour will close out the year with a $1,100 buy-in, $200,000 guaranteed Main Event at Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Iowa, which is actually situated just across the border from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
A series of $65 and $250 satellites will feed into the Main Event, which will feature two starting flights. Day 1a will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 18 with Day 1b taking place at the same time on Saturday, December 19. The surviving players from both flights will then return for Day 2 at 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 20 to play down to a winner.
The tournament comes on the heels of August’s record-breaking MSPT Main Event at Grand Falls. That $1,100 buy-in tournament was the first mid-major poker tournament in the United States in nearly six months, and the 518 entrants not only surpassed the venue’s previous best field of 238 runners in 2015 but also became the largest major ($1,000+ buy-in) in Iowa history.
In the end, 47-year-old Mark Collins, a systems administrator from the St. Louis area, came out on top to win a $107,706 top prize and his second MSPT title. He previously won the MSPT Season 9 Canterbury Park for $102,076.
PokerNews will be offering live updates at the upcoming MSPT Grand Falls.
Click here for more details including hotel rates.
MSPT Grand Falls Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Starting Stack inc. add-on | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 11/25 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Thursday, 11/26 | 6:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Wednesday, 12/2 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Thursday, 12/3 | 6:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Wednesday, 12/9 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Thursday, 12/10 | 6:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Saturday, 12/12 | 12:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Saturday, 12/12 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Saturday, 12/12 | 4:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Sunday, 12/13 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Sunday, 12/13 | 4:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Wednesday, 12/16 | 1:00 PM | $65 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $250 Satellite | 12,000 | Poker Room |
| Wednesday, 12/16 | 6:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Thursday, 12/17 | 12:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Thursday, 12/17 | 6:00 PM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Poker Room |
| Friday, 12/18 | 10:00 AM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Event Center |
| Friday, 12/18 | 3:00 PM | $1,100 Main Event Day 1A (2-Day Trophy Event) | 25,000 | Event Center |
| Saturday, 12/19 | 10:00 AM | $250 Satellite - 1/5 advance to $200K GTD Main Event | 15,000 | Event Center |
| Saturday, 12/19 | 3:00 PM | $1,100 Main Event Day 1B (2-Day Trophy Event) | 25,000 | Event Center |
| Sunday, 12/20 | 11:00 AM | $1,100 Main Event Day 2 Restart (2-Day Trophy Event) | N/A | Event Center |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 100,000 ante
Martin Zamani opened to 600,000 in the small blind and was three-bet to 1.6 million by Salim Admon in the big blind. Zamani four-bet shoved and Admon quickly called.
"I have a king and a deuce," said Zamani, tabling 
. Admon turned over .
The flop came to give Zamani a pair of deuces prompting Zamani to ask if he was going to get lucky this time and win the runout. His wishes were granted as the turn 
and river made the hand official and his stack of around 8.7 million became double that. With the double, Zamani is now the chip leader with three-handed play still in progress.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,400,000
8,700,000
|
8,700,000 |
|
|
8,150,000
-9,575,000
|
-9,575,000 |