Malkovich wins $48,000 for HPT Walker title

The Heartland Poker Tour rolled into Northern Lights Casino in Walker, MN this past weekend, and Steve Malkovich of Duluth outlasted 174 main event competitors for top prize of nearly $50,000.

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Recap courtesy of HeartlandPokerTour.com:

Nice Guy Finishes First in Minnesota

Walker, MN – After twelve failed attempts at other stops on the Heartland Poker Tour, Steve Malkovich pushed snooze twice on his alarm clock Sunday morning, reconsidering his plans to enter the latest HPT event at Northern Lights Casino in Walker, Minnesota. The 35-year-old construction laborer eventually made it out of bed and went on to dominate the final table in the quickest victory in HPT history.

Holding an untouchable monster chip stack, Malkovich of Duluth, Minnesota, described his game as “polite aggressive.” The father of two learned it pays to be nice. It paid $48,002 to be exact. Malkovich wasn’t done being Mr. Nice when the cameras stopped rolling. He immediately donated a portion of his prize to HPT’s charity partner, Disabled American Veterans.

There was plenty of “Minnesota Nice” at Northern Lights Casino Sunday night. HPT President Todd Anderson said the Minnesota stops on the tour are a great opportunity for new players who are otherwise intimidated to play live tournaments. “From the players to the dealers, there is definitely a kindness about the people we encounter in Minnesota,” Anderson says. “It makes for a great tournament for all of our players and a rewarding job for our crew.”

Rob Premo, VP of Table Games for Northern Lights Casino, wouldn’t have it any other way. “Our top priority is to make sure every player enjoys the event, whether they cash or not.”

Second-place finisher Durwin Matuska was a new player just two years ago. The retired auto worker still describes himself as a “learning player.” He went all in with two pairs, defeated by a third six in the flop for Malkovich. Playing in a casino for the first time just a year ago, the Crosby, Minnesota man won $24,001 Sunday night.

Matuska must be a quick learner. He knocked out long-time card player Michael Lewis when both men had pairs of kings and nines. A ten high for Matuska meant ten grand less for Lewis. The financial consultant from Wisconsin will invest his $14,401 third-place pay out.
Lewis, who calls poker “a fun diversion”, outlasted Nate Avenson, who calls poker a job. The professional player from Park Rapids, Minnesota earned an $11,201 paycheck when Malkovich came up with a wheel against his ace-ten.

Malkovich’s path of destruction began when he knocked out chip leader Mark Wadekamper, an account manager from Lonsdale, Minnesota with trip six. Holding ace-six, Wadekamper went all in when another six appeared in the flop. Playing since the age of eight, the 48-year-old won a bit more than the nickels and dimes he played for as a kid; he pocketed $9,600 in fifth place.

Also gaining experience with ten-cent games as a high schooler, 23-year-old Paul Katchmark graduated to an $8,000 payout in sixth place. The banker from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota was all in with jack-queen when a five appeared in the river, giving Matuska a nine-high straight. Sunday’s tournament was Katchmark’s first attempt at a Heartland Poker Tour event. Making the final table right out of the gate, Katchmark’s aspirations to become pro look promising.

Champion Malkovich proves persistence pays off in poker. He has a dozen Heartland Poker Tour attempts under his belt, including the very first HPT event in 2005 at the same casino where he finally went all the way. Asked how Sunday’s experience at Northern Lights Casino differed from his attempt four years ago, Malkovich said, “It’s a lot more fun when you win.”

Full results:

Place	Player	Cash
1	Steve Malkovich	$48,002
2	Durwin Matuska	$24,001
3	Michael Lewis	$14,401
4	Nathan Avenson	$11,201
5	Mark Wadekamper	$9,600
6	Paul Katchmark	$8,000
7	Kimberly Katori	$5,600
8	Chuck Guetti	$4,800
9	Mark Dunbar	$4,000
10	Jasen McGough	$3,200
11	Roger Johnson	$2,720
12	Mike Hepola	$2,400
13	Matthew Christen	$2,080
14	Patrick Lorang	$1,760
15	Kim Giehler	$1,600
16	Lance Harris	$1,360
17	Chris Keller	$1,360
18	Larry Laudon	$1,360
19	Chris Pierce	$1,360
20	Brian Johnson	$1,360
21	Kevin Bollen	$1,088
22	John Blizil	$1,088
23	Ray Deegan	$1,088
24	Tyler Brackey	$1,088
25	Mohammed Al-Naseer	$1,088
26	Thomas Stambaugh	$880
27	Don Foster	$880
28	Paul Schroeder	$880
29	Bobby Brown	$880
30	Carl Rothausen III	$880

The HPT returns to Minnesota from September 13-20 at Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Onamia.