1) Dates: Sept. 9-18 *18 or older event – Season 2, Event 4

2) $100,000 Guaranteed Main Event Prize Pool, RF Moeller Championship Diamond Bracelet Event

3) All major credit cards will be accepted

4) New MSPT 10-player Custom Final Table!

5) $110+$20 Multi-table Qualifiers now available (10% advance to Main Event)

6) $35 SNG satellites now available (2 players advance to $130 Qualifier) – Seat by list

7) $90 SNG satellites reduced to $85 (3 players advance to $250 Qualifier) – Seat by list

8) Re-entries allowed in Qualifiers for first 4 levels

9) MSPT Hotel Room Block = http://www.mnpokermag.com/2011/08/05/mspt-room-block-at-treasure-island-casino/.

10) View Schedule of Events at www.msptpoker.com

11) $1,000+$100 Main Event – Sept. 17-18

12) New Shirts, Jerseys & Hats available!

13) Final Table & Final Day Feature Table broadcasted live on Ustream.tv

14) Live Updates throughout the week available at www.msptpoker.com/Pages/LiveUpdates.aspx

15) Defending MSPT Champion Tom Stambaugh & three other players have already qualified for the MSPT – Treasure Island Main Event.

16) Jocelyn Bendijo of the Lingerie Football League’s Minnesota Valkyrie will be in attendance all week.

The summer is coming to an end, but the fun is just heating up at Running Aces.  Here are the new upcoming things that you may enjoy! 

Let Running Aces do the Barbequing for you on Labor day with thier Grill Out Special.  This is the Racing Finale, so go and enjoy the ponies for the last time this season.   Live Racing BBQ Finale

Running Aces has just introduced their newest game this state has seen.  The new iTables bring the familiarity of a touch screen with the excitement of a dealer and real cards.  It is a fun and easy to enjoy Blackjack or 3 card Poker.  Blackjack or 3-Card Poker iTable

Thier comedy shows return on September 24th with Dave Mordal.  Tickets are on sale now, you won’t want to miss out on these laughs.  Dave Mordal Comedy at Running Aces

This October Running Aces is excited to hold the nightmare Hallow-scream Park haunted house and hayride in their barn area.  There will be 16 nights or thrills, entertainment and a full bar.  All ages are welcome to attend this event.  Hallow-Scream-Park

The River Rat Poker League Summer Session wrapped up yesterday and 11 players have earned a chance to play at the $100,000 Guaranteed MSPT-Treasure Island event Sept. 9-18. 

Four players won an $1,100 Main Event seat and Treasure Island Resort & Casino hotel package.  Those players include 2011-MSPT Northern Lights Champion Tom Stambaugh, Doug Roberts, Joey Boehland and Brian Berend. 

Seven players also won $250 Qualifier seats, those players include Derrick Top, Joel Smith, Dave Super, Jody Wilson, Erik Jensen, Jason Kramer and Lyle Kachelmyer.

PHOTO:

Front row left to right: Derrick Top ($250 seat) Joel Smith ($250 seat) Joey Boehland ($1,100 seat) Dave Super ($250 seat) Jody Wilson ($250 seat)

Back row from left to right:  Erik Jensen ($250 seat) Doug Roberts ($1100 seat) Tom Stambaugh ($1,100 seat) Jason Kramer ($250 seat) Brian Berend ($1,100 seat) Lyle Kachelmyer ($250 seat)

TCPO Recap:  Erick Wright of Shoreview, MN is having a sensational year on the local, LIVE tournament scene.  Just minutes ago Wright outlasted a 164-player field to earn the Twin Cities Poker Open title and $41,359. 

This was Wright’s 3rd deep run in a major tournament this year.  He also won the Running Aces Anniversary Tournament on May 29 for $19,255.  This past February Wright placed runner-up only after a tough beat to Matt Hyland in the Minnesota Freeze Out for $23K.  Wright also won the $180 Saturday tournament at Canterbury in July.

Wright attributes his ability to close out tournaments and short game prowless to his extensive online SNG experience.  Before online poker’s “Black Friday”, Sharkscope had Wright ranked 8th in the world.  He was a regular in Full Tilt high stakes SNG’s.  With online poker shutting down, Wright has been forced to focus more on his live game and he has certainly announced his presence with authority. 

Wright’s heads up opponent Nesbitt Coburn did not go down easy.  Coburn was outchipped 2-to-1 early but was able to flip it on Wright before long by slow-playing KK when Wright held 88.  Then back the other way, the two players got it all-in on a 10-10-3-3-6 board.  Coburn held a 3 but Wright trumped him with a 10.  On the final hand of the night, all-in pre-flop, Coburn had AK and Wright AJ.  But Wright was able to flop a Jack and it held to earn him the title.

Coburn – from Minneapolis - is retired and had back surgery just two months ago.  He’s not suppose to be sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time but managed to make it 13 hours by occasionally getting up to walk around.  Coburn is no stranger to the big show and is also a successful 7-card stud player.  He cashed 3 times in the 2007 WSOP including 2 in stud.  That year he placed 3rd in the $2K 7-card stud for $43K, 2nd in the $1,500 7-card stud for $80K and 67th in the $1,500 PLHE for $3K.  Coburn also placed 3rd in the 2006 Fall Poker Classic for $31K.

1:45 AM Update:  After a back and forth heads up battle, Erick Wright outlasted Nesbitt Coburn heads up to earn the Twin Cities Poker Open Title and $41K.  Runner-up Coburn takes home $22K.

1st – Erick Wright – $41,359

2nd – Nesbitt Coburn – $22,271

12:56 AM Update:  We are now heads up with Erick Wright and Nesbitt Cuburn.

3rd – Justin Pacult – $17,022

12:47 AM Update:  Brackey (KJ of diamonds) and Wright (AA) get it all-in pre-flop.  Brackey hit a flush but Wright hit a boat.  Brackey eliminated 3rd.

4th – Spencer Brackey – $12,726

12:41 AM Update:  Brackey doubles off Pacult (J-10 > A9), Pacult then doubles off Coburn, Coburn then doubles off Wright (10-10 > AQ).  In the end, still 4 players remain.

12:10 AM Update:  Brackey and Pacult got it all-in pre-flop, Brackey with J-10, Pacult with A-9.  The flop was A66 and looked like Pacult had Brackey eliminated.  Then the turn was a Q and the river was a K to give Brackey the straight!

11:31 PM Update:  We’re down to 4 players.  Erick Wright still chip leader.  Coburn just took a large pot off Spencer Brackey after turning a boat.  Justin Pacult the 4th.

5th – John Morgan – $11,136

11:26 PM Update:  John Morgan just busted with when he got all-in pre-flop with KK but ran in to the AA of Spencer Brackey. 

6th – Gary Pihlstrom – $9,545

7th – Keith Lindgren – $7,954

8th – Ron Spain – $6,363

9th – John Olson – $4,772

10th – 3 Putts – $4,772

10:26 PM Update:  First hand of the final table, Coburn shoves 71K with J8, 3 Putts calls with KK.  Coburn flops gut-shot and turns the 9 to hit the straight, cracking 3 Putts’ KK.  Putts with 30K left.

10:20 PM Update:  We are now at our final table of 10.  Blinds will be 8K/16K, 2K ante when players return.  Here are the remaining players and their approximate chip counts.

Seat 1 – 3 Putts – 102,000

Seat 2 – Nesbitt Coburn – 71,000

Seat 3 – Keith Lindgren – 182,000

Seat 4 – John Morgan – 133,000

Seat 5 – Justin Pacult – 481,000

Seat 6 – Gary Pihlstrom – 247,000

Seat 7 – Spencer Brackey – 285,000

Seat 8 – John Olson – 201,000

Seat 9 – Ron Spain – 141,000

Seat 10 – Erick Wright – 633,000

11th – Patrick Elster – $3,182

12th – Chris Chaffee – $3,182

13th – Shawn Aaberg – $2,386

14th – Thomas Sadowski – $2,386

15th – David Gonia – $1,989

16th – Doug Fink – $1,989

17th – Erik Gaiovnik – $1,591

9:15 PM Update:  We are deep into the annual Twin Cities Poker Open at Canterbury Park.  Great turn out today, 164 players entered this $1,000+$100 buy-in tournament that began at 10:30 a.m. this morning.  We are in the money at this point, 20 players get paid and 17 remain.  1st place is $41,359.  The current chip leader is Erick Wright of Shoreview who recently won the Running Aces Anniversary tournament for $19,225.

18th – Robert Beedle – $1,591

19th – Lee Surma – $1,432

20th – Lisa Kittleson – $1,432

Last year’s field drew 122 players and saw David Abramowicz take home the title and over $40,673.

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Bob Cassioppi came close to winning it all last year when he finished 8th in the 3rd Annual Diamond Jo Poker Bash.  That field was 229 players, Cassioppi earned over $2,015 then.

This year Cassioppi took down the Poker Bash Main Event title in a 150-player field to earn $10,476.  The Main Event was a $225+25 buy-in. 

The Brackey Brothers from Lake Mills had a solid series.  After placing 1st and 2nd in Poker Bash Event #1 for a combined $2,600 (http://www.mnpokermag.com/2011/08/26/brackey-brothers-earn-top-2-spots-in-poker-bash-event-1/), the Brackey brothers were back in the money for the Main Event.  Tyler who won the 6-man NLHE event placed 9th for $818 and runner-up in the 6-man NLHE event Spencer placed $327.

Poker Bash Main Event Results:

1st Robert Cassioppi……..$10,476

2nd Ahmed Muneev……..$5,893

3rd Shelly Gee……………….$3,274

4th Jason Waile……………..$2,619

5th Tom Stenvig……………..$2,292

6th Jeremy Smith……………$1,964

7th Daniel Faureau…………$1,637

8th Amanda Hruska………..$1,310

9th Tyler Brackey…………….$818

10th Matthew Hruska……..$491

11th Charles Benson………..$491

12th Brian Boyanovsky……..$491

13th Kevin McNeely…………..$327

14th Spenser Brackey…………$327

15th Matt Rose…………………..$327

Daryl Oppelt of Brookings, SD just took down the $100+$15 NLHE/PLO Tournament.  Oppelt outlasted a 35-player field to earn the title and $1,400. 

This event was #2 of 3 in the 4th Annual Diamond Jo Poker Bash. 

The Main Event begins Saturday at 11 a.m.  Last year’s Main Event field drew 229 entrants.

Final Results:

Daryl Oppelt – $1,400

Tyler Wilde – $875

David Gonia – $525

Ahmad Ouda – $420

Duane Gerleman – $280

The first event of the 4th Annual Diamond Jo Poker Bash is complete.  The $100+$15, 6-handed No-Limit Hold’em tournament started at 11 a..m this morning and two brothers from Lake Mills, Iowa took home the majority of the cash by placing 1st & 2nd.

Lake Mills, Iowa is a small town about 7 miles from the Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood with a population of roughly 2,200. 

Older brother Tyler Brackey (24 yrs old) took down younger bro Spencer (21) heads up to earn the trophy.  The event started with 40 players, 5 got paid.  There was no chopping or nice-guy poker as you may expect in this sibling rivalry, both wanted bragging rights.  Spencer even 3-bet older brother Tyler on multiple occasions at the final table.  But eventually Tyler – as older brothers tend to do – closed the deal to take home the $1,600 first place prize.  Spencer earned $1,000 for 2nd.

Champion Tyler Brackey is an Elementary Ed major at Minnesota State University, currently student teaching.  He was a regular online player prior to Black Friday.  Now he grinds out live cash games and tournaments at Diamond Jo about 4-5 days per week.

Spencer Brackey will be attending the University of Minnesota this fall to study Mortuary Science.

Both plan to play the $250 Poker Bash Main Event on Saturday and the Twin Cities Poker Open on Sunday. 

The $100+$15 NLHE/PLO Tournament is going on now.  The $250 Main Event starts Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.

Final Results:

Tyler Brackey – $1,600

Spencer Brackey – $1,000

Matthew Hruska – $600

Chad Ditsworth – $480

Stanley Vandewalker – $320

Daniel – Poker Journal – Why I didn’t Play the EPL – 11 Aug 2011

Many of you have asked me why I have chosen not to support, or participate in the Epic Poker League, and while I have a laundry list of reasons, I’d point out that I chose not to take part in the World Team Poker event for one sole reason: I didn’t think it would be a success. The same holds true with the Epic Poker League. Not just because of the bizarre choice in name, but because I don’t believe this product will resonate with the public and based on my intimate knowledge of how these types of things work, I don’t think it’s possible to bring in enough revenue to survive. The only legitimate chance the league has to survive is if regulation happened in the U.S. and they were able to create an online poker site.

Jeffrey Pollack wouldn’t admit that to you publicly, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math here. Millions of dollars being given away to players, money spent on a TV time buy, money spent on staff, etc. with no way of recouping those funds through licensing or sponsorship. Networks aren’t going to pay you for poker programming because the necessary ratings just aren’t there. The WSOP is the world’s most prestigious brand at this point with hundreds of hours of poker programming on TV, and yet they have been unsuccessful in bringing in major money from mainstream sponsors. Ty Stewart, a straight shooter/great guy, and the man behind all of the sponsors the WSOP has been able to bring in over the years, struggles to entice mainstream sponsorship. We have Jack Links and Dearfoam slippers, but there isn’t a Lexus, or Caddilac type brand that’s stepped up to the plate at this point.

The Epic Poker League has 7 hours on CBS and 13 hours on a network that is yet to launch. That pales in comparison to the hundreds of hours of coverage on ESPN. Does anyone really believe that Jeffrey will be able to pull in enough money from sponsorship to sustain the amount of money going out the door? I’m always careful about what I attach my name and likeness to, and after doing my due diligence on the “business plan” I don’t think this league can succeed. Of course I could be wrong… but I’m not.

The WPT and the WSOP both have a social media site, which EPL also launched. Cool idea bro, but these things don’t really make money, certainly not enough money to cover the operational costs of this league.

So, as I said previously, any and everyone involved behind the scenes knows full well that the league is depending on creating a brand in the hopes of entering the U.S. market with an online poker site. That’s the business plan. The best thing that happened to the EPL to date was Black Friday. If Black Friday didn’t happen, the first event wouldn’t have gotten off the ground.

People talk about another boom in the U.S., but the more realistic view sees poker as a popular niche sport followed religiously by die hards, that will never quite regain the popularity it once enjoyed… and that’s OK. Many parts of the world are experiencing a boom much like the one we had here in the U.S., but there is no reason to think that the EPL will be able to create a boom in the U.S. that rivaled the original Moneymaker boom.

To this day, while the die hards may be in awe of names like Galen Hall, Randal Flowers, Matt Hawirlenko, Sam Stien, and Isaac Haxton, when the mainstream audience thinks of poker they think of names like Chris Moneymaker, Phil Ivey, Scotty Nguyen, Johnny Chan, Mike Matusow, Gus Hansen, and Doyle Brunson (none of whom played in the first event).

It will be the EPL’s job to make stars out of these younger players really quickly. They have 7 hours of network TV time to show the all in hands, a few others, and then do background pieces on these players to get the audience invested in these people. In some cases that will work, and in others it just won’t. There are only so many “I dropped out college because I was making more money 24-tabling online” stories you can do. There are certainly some really great, interesting young players in the game that the public will be drawn to, but that’s the exception not the rule. While the 2+2 crowd may love a featured table with online pros they adore, the mainstream public wants to see Sammy Farha bluff Phil Hellmuth and watch him go on a tirade!

The only real difference I see between this league and something like the WPT is:

-much tougher field in the EPL means that even with $400k added most of the field will still be -EV, while the truly elite players, like a Vivek Rajkumar or a Sam Trickett will feast on the bankrolls of lesser skilled pros.
-no real Cinderella stories at the final tables.

Like I said, I could be wrong and they could create something I’m not seeing here in terms of a televised product that captures the mainstream audience and brings in mainstream sponsors, but I’m not.

I get the enthusiasm, and understand why the hype has convinced people otherwise, but the league’s financial structure is fundamentally flawed from a revenue standpoint and is doomed to be an #epicfail. For the truly elite players, this is free money for them in terms of EV, but the vast majority of entrants are just not good enough to show a profit against this super tough field.

The saddest fallacy at this point is that a lot of these players believe that the ‘exposure” they might attain from being on TV could land them some kind of endorsement money…unfortunately, after Black Friday, that ship has sailed in the U.S. If a random player with a less than interesting story/personality wins the first TWO EPL’s, that isn’t going to get him any closer to a lucrative sponsorship deal of any kind. I don’t want to call anyone out, or hurt anyone’s feelings, but there are ample examples of absolutely incredible poker players involved in this league that will simply never make any endorsement money from poker, no matter how good they are, or no matter how much they win.

One of the exciting factors in playing cash games at your local card room is always the potential to hit the Bad Beat Jackpot.  We’re accustom to seeing them at most casinos here in Minnesota but across the US they are not always a given at every location. 

A bad beat jackpot is a prize that is paid when a sufficiently strong hand is shown down and loses to an even stronger hand held by another player.  Not all poker games offer bad beat jackpots, and those that do have specific requirements for how strong a losing hand must be to qualify for the jackpot. For example, the losing hand may be required to be four-of-a-kind or better. There may be additional requirements as well. For example, in Texas hold ‘em there is usually a requirement that both hole cards play in both the losing and winning hands, or that where a full house is the minimum (usually aces full of jacks or higher), both hole cards must be used to make the three-of-a-kind in the full house.

Bad beat jackpots are usually progressive, often with a small rake being taken out of each pot to fund the jackpot (in addition to the regular rake). When a jackpot is won, it is usually split among all players sitting at the table at the time of the bad beat with the losing hand getting the largest share, followed by the winning hand, and all the other players dividing the remainder. Generally, only the best losing hand is eligible to win the largest share, even if another hand would also qualify.

Specific rules, collections, payout percentages, and amounts vary greatly from one casino or cardroom to the next, and are sometimes changed.

The purpose of the bad beat jackpot is partly to enhance customer relations by softening the psychological blow, and also to encourage more aggressive play.

Here are the current Texas Hold’em Bad Beat Jackpot amounts at some of our local casinos.  These amounts are subject to change or be hit and reset at any time. 

Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Onamia, MN – $65,053

Treasure Island Casino, Welch, MN – $54,119

Diamond Jo Casino, Northwood, IA – $46,775

Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN – $27,212

Northern Lights Casino, Walker, MN – $22,291

Running Aces Harness Park, Columbus, MN – $5,348