2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2015 Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a6
Prize
$123,180
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$494,700
Entries
510
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Main Event

Day 2 Completed

Phanora Prom Wins MSPT Golden Gates Casino for $123,180

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Phanora Prom
Phanora Prom

The Mid-States Poker Tour Golden Gates Casino attracted a record 510 entries to Black Hawk, Colorado to compete for their share of a $494,700 prize pool. On Sunday, the final 87 players returned to the famed poker parlor to battle down to a winner. After 13 hours of play, Phanora Prom emerged as the last man standing to collect the $123,180 first-place prize.

Prom, who hails from nearby Denver, had $75,744 in live tournament earnings before the win, which included a ninth-place finish in the MSPT's visit to Black Hawk back in March 2014.

When the day began, 33 players needed to hit the rail to make the money. Among those to leave empty handed were MSPT Grand Falls champ Alan Curl, Kevin "1sickdisease" Eyster, World Poker Tour One to Watch Jose Serratos, Colorado poker pro Bryan Devonshire, MSPT Team Pro Nick Pupillo, and defending champ Kane Lai, who began the day with a ton of chips but ultimately picked the wrong spot to shove.

With 55 players remaining, David Gutfreund opened for 23,000 from early position and Igor Balaban three-bet to 40,000. When action reached Ben Marsh on the button, he four-bet jammed for 141,000, and Gutfreund shoved all in over the top, which inspired Balaban to fold.

Marsh: {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts}
Gutfreund: {a-}{a-}

Marsh was in big trouble, and it got even worse when Gutfreund flopped a full house on the {a-}{q-}{q-} flop. A third {Q-} on the turn meant Marsh could chop if the fourth lady appeared on the river, but it wasn't in the cards. Marsh exited as the bubble boy in 55th place, ensuring the remaining players a minimum $1,979 payday.

From there until the final table was set, the in-the-money eliminations racked up and included reigning World Series of Poker Millionaire Maker champ Adrian Buckley (50th - $1,979); the last woman in the field Norelia Austin (35th - $2,474); MSPT Golden Gates $360 Regional champ and start-of-the-day chip leader Bobby Sanoubane (32nd - $2,474); MSPT Team Pro Matt Alexander (20th - $2,721); and two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Warga (13th - $4,947).

When the final table of 10 was reached, Don Angstead led the pack, but with the blinds so high it was really anyone's game. The short-stacked George Clark was the first to go after running {a-Hearts}{6-Clubs} into Michael Sanders' pocket queens, and then Corey Zedo exited in ninth place after losing a race to Ben Keeline.

Day 1a chip leader Ross Reichart was the next to go after running pocket jacks into the queens of Prom, and then Dave Kohnke saw his {a-Hearts}{j-Spades} go down in flames to the {a-Spades}{k-Clubs} of Aaron Thomas.

From there, Sanders was crippled after running king-jack into the pocket aces of Prom, and then busted a hand later to Thomas. One hand after that, Keeline shoved with the {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds} only to run into the {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds} of Prom.

Prom then eliminated Angstead in fourth place – the former's {a-Hearts}{j-Spades} holding against the latter's {k-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} in a blind-versus-blind battle – and took a big chip lead into three-handed play.

Prom then eliminated Thomas in third place after turning trips, and finished off Sammy Aweida in just two hands of heads-up play. In the first hand, Prom shoved the button and Aweida folded. in the second hand, Aweida shoved and Prom called.

Prom: {a-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}
Aweida: {a-Diamonds}{8-Spades}

Aweida held the better kicker with his ace, so he was primed to double in those instances there wasn't a chop or Prom got lucky. However, Prom spiked two pair on the {6-Clubs}{a-Spades}{2-Spades} flop, and neither the {K-Diamonds} turn nor {9-Hearts} river helped Aweida, who fell in second place for $69,258.

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerPrize
1Phanora Prom$123,180
2Sammy Aweida$69,258
3Aaron Thomas$44,523
4Don Angstead$35,370
5Ben Keeline$27,730
6Michael Sanders$22,755
7Dave Kohnke$18,056
8Ross Reichert$14,098
9Corey Zedo$9,839
10George Clark$6,431

The MSPT will now head to Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells in Baraboo, Wisconsin for the penultimate stop of Season 6. That $1,100 Main Event will kick off Friday, and you can find out all the details here.

Tags: Phanora Prom

Sammy Aweida Eliminated in 2nd Place ($69,258)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Sammy Aweida - 2nd Place
Sammy Aweida - 2nd Place

On the first hand of heads-up play, Phanora Prom shoved the button and Sammy Aweida folded. On the second hand, Aweida shoved and Prom called.

Prom: {a-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}
Aweida: {a-Diamonds}{8-Spades}

Aweida held the better kicker with his ace, so he was primed to double in those instances there wasn't a chop or Prom got lucky. Well, this was one of those times for Prom, who spiked two pair on the {6-Clubs}{a-Spades}{2-Spades} flop. Neither the {K-Diamonds} turn nor {9-Hearts} river helped Aweida, and he was eliminated in second place for $69,258.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Phanora Prom us
Phanora Prom
15,300,000
2,155,000
2,155,000
Profile photo of Sammy Aweida us
Sammy Aweida
Busted

Tags: Phanora PromSammy Aweida

Aaron Thomas Eliminated in 3rd Place ($44,523)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Aaron Thomas - 3rd Place
Aaron Thomas - 3rd Place

Aaron Thomas opened for 500,000 from the button and Phanora Prom defended from the big blind to see a {3-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{2-Hearts} flop. Prom check-called a bet of 500,000 and then checked the {3-Spades} turn. Thomas bet 700,000, Prom shoved all in, and Thomas called off.

Thomas: {j-Hearts}{9-Clubs}
Prom: {3-Clubs}{6-Clubs}

Prom turned trips to take the lead, and he actually improved to a full house on the {6-Diamonds} river. Meanwhile, Thomas was eliminated in third place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Aaron Thomas us
Aaron Thomas
Busted

Tags: Aaron ThomasPhanora Prom

Don Angstead Eliminated in 4th Place ($35,370)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Don Angstead - 4th Place
Don Angstead - 4th Place

Action folded to Don Angstead in the small blind and he moved all in for what looked to be 2.7 million. Phanora Prom called from the big.

Prom: {a-Hearts}{j-Spades}
Angstead: {k-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}

Angstead was behind but drawing to two live cards. However, the {8-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} flop paired Prom and left Angstead drawing to runner-runner. The {8-Hearts} turn took away any chance of that happening, and after the meaningless {Q-Clubs} was put out on the river, Angstead shook hands with the table and then took his leave in fourth place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Don Angstead us
Don Angstead
Busted

Tags: Don AngsteadPhanora Prom

Ben Keeline Eliminated in 5th Place ($27,730)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Ben Keeline - 5th Place
Ben Keeline - 5th Place

In the first hand after Michael Sanders' elimination, Ben Keeline moved all in under the gun for 1 million and Phanora Prom called from the button.

Prom: {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}
Keeline: {k-Spades}{q-Clubs}

Keeline was a big underdog, and he watched helplessly as the board ran out {5-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{j-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{4-Spades} to send him out the door in fifth place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Keeline us
Ben Keeline
Busted

Tags: Ben KeelinePhanora Prom

Michael Sanders Eliminated in 6th Place ($22,755)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Michael Sanders - 6th Place
Michael Sanders - 6th Place

Michael Sanders got what was left of his chips all in preflop and was at risk against Aaron Thomas.

Thomas: {a-Clubs}{q-Clubs}
Sanders: {j-Spades}{6-Spades}

Sanders was drawing to two live cards, but they failed to come as the board ran out {k-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{8-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{a-Diamonds}. Sanders will take home $22,755 for his sixth-place finish.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Aaron Thomas us
Aaron Thomas
5,500,000
200,000
200,000
Profile photo of Michael Sanders us
Michael Sanders
Busted

Tags: Michael SandersAaron Thomas

Sanders Runs Smack Dab Into Pocket Rockets

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

Michael Sanders moved all in from the cutoff and action folded to Phanora Prom, who snap-called off for 1.96 million in the big blind.

Sanders: {k-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}
Prom: {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades}

Sanders ran smack dab into aces, and while the {3-Spades}{k-Clubs}{4-Spades} flop paired him, he needed more help to eliminate Prom. The {10-Spades} didn't do it, and neither did the {9-Spades} river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Phanora Prom us
Phanora Prom
4,210,000
1,210,000
1,210,000
Profile photo of Michael Sanders us
Michael Sanders
470,000
-1,290,000
-1,290,000

Tags: Phanora PromMichael Sanders