NATION'S #1 POKER TOUR JULY 2018

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1 NATION'S #1 POKER TOUR JULY 2018

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3 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 3 Letter from the Editor PLAYERS CLOSING IN ON THE MSPT HALL OF FAME BY MSPT POKER STAFF this issue you re going to read about Kou Vang, who became the first player to win his way into the MSPT Hall of Fame. Unlike other Hall of In Fames, players are neither nominated nor voted in. Instead, it s performance based, meaning if they meet certain criteria they ll get in. Criteria for the MSPT Hall of Fame, established in 2017, is as follows: OR Achieve a minimum of 25 MSPT Main Event Cashes and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year Achieve a minimum of 10 MSPT Main Event Final Tables and 1 MSPT Win OR 1 MSPT Player of the Year To see which players are close to achieving HOF status, refer to the comprehensive MSPT Stats page. There are quite a few players who are close to induction. Rob Wazwaz, who earlier this season won the MSPT Canterbury Park, needs just one more final table to do it, while MSPT Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup needs two (or five more cashes). Meanwhile, Mark Hodge, who was the Season 6 Player of the Year, will do it if he cashes just three more tournaments. Another player with a good shot is current Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 9 POY points leader Aaron Johnson. If he does in fact win POY and earns two more cashes along the way, he ll find himself in the MSPT Hall of Fame. Vol. 3/No. 7 President and Publisher Bryan Mileski Bryan@msptpoker.com Editor-in-Chief Chad Holloway Chad@msptpoker.com Art Director Carolyn Borgen Carolyn@msptpoker.com Advertising Information Chad@msptpoker.com Story Ideas Chad@msptpoker.com Our Mission MSPT Magazine is a monthly magazine dedicated to serving poker players and gaming facilities through MSPT news, results, tournament schedules, player profiles and professional tips. Coupled with our website, msptpoker.com, we are the Nation's #1 Poker Tour. Mid-States Poker Tour Lakeville, MN Mid-States Poker Tour is published on or near the first of each month. All claims or guarantees are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. All comments and views of contributing writers are their own and do not reflect official policy of Mid-States Poker Tour which assumes no liability for any advertisement not supplied camera ready by the advertiser. Reproduction or use in whole or in part without written consent from the publisher and Copyright owners is prohibited. Left to Right: Rich Alsup, Mark Hodge, Aaron Johnson & Rob Wazwaz

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5 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 5 Hall of Fame MINNESOTA S KOU VANG BECOMES FIRST INDUCTEE INTO MSPT HALL OF FAME BY CHAD HOLLOWAY After nine seasons, the Mid-States Poker Tour has inducted its first member into the MSPT Hall of Fame. Unlike other HoFs, which often require nominations and voting, the MSPT allows players the opportunity to win their way in by meeting certain criteria. Established in 2017, the MSPT Hall of Fame recognizes those individuals who have shown superior skill and achieved specific long-term accomplishments. Minnesota s Kou Vang, 36, became the first player to earn his way in. Vang notched his 25th Main Event cash when he finished fifth for $57,357 in the MSPT FireKeepers, which was the largest poker tournament ever held in Michigan with 1,287 entries. Combine that with his MSPT Season 2 Canterbury Park win and he met the criteria for induction. It's definitely a great feeling, Vang said. It feels absolutely wonderful to get recognition for the commitment and dedication put into chasing live poker glory. I am very glad MSPT found a way to acknowledge the players that have supported them throughout the years. It feels good, feels at home. Indeed, Vang is one of only four players the others are Jeremy Dresch, Dan DQ Hendrickson and Matt Kirby to have cashed every season of the MSPT. Poker and the American Dream At just five years old, Vang, who was born in Thailand, immigrated to the United States at a Vietnam War refugee. Growing up in a first-generation immigrant family, there was a heavy emphasis on education and wealth. Not knowing what he wanted to be, Vang joined the Army National Guard straight out of high school with an idea that he might pursue a career in law enforcement. Life before poker wasn t too bad, explained Vang, who has been married for 14 years and has six kids. I was going to college for law enforcement and I found a telemarketing job for a local mortgage firm. I excelled at it pretty quickly. I was promoted to telemarking manager/loan officer within a few months. In 2002, mortgage rates had just hit an all-time low in 30 years so I was able to do very well. I even gave up college. I started my own company and was very successful working within my community as my niche. In 2003, Vang was among those who discovered poker thanks to the Moneymaker Boom. Without Chris' win I am sure I d probably still be working some office commission job, said Vang. Instead, he started playing with friends every weekend, which in turn led to playing online. Many of us went on to play online poker professionally and I was able to have great success on Bodog, Full Tilt, Ultimate Bet and Cake Poker specializing in low to mid stakes MTTs. In 2011, after Black Friday, my wife and I seriously considered moving to Panama or Malta to continue my online poker career, but eventually decided to stay home due to the big family we wanted to have. He continued: In 2014, I made a commitment to follow the MSPT around the Midwest while also playing on unregulated online sites. Having that as my base and not only live poker to rely on made life a lot less stressful. The brutality of live poker variance can kill many dreams. Every year I can only play as many as MSPTs and about 50 other live tournaments a year whereas online I can do that in one week. Growing Alongside the MSPT To date, Vang has 25 cashes on the MSPT, eight final table appearances, and $311,005 in earnings, which puts him ninth on the tour s all-time money list. He also has two runner-up finishes and a win from Season 2. My proudest moment on the tour absolutely has to be my win vs Everett Carlton, said Vang. The guy is such a legend in the Minnesota poker community and defeating him really helped make a name for myself in our local scene. Getting that brag out of the way. Not only has Vang changed his game over the years, he s had a front-row seat to the evolution of the MSPT The MSPT has grown so much through the years, he said. The fields are so much bigger now, making cashing so much harder. Players are also a lot better now given so many training materials available. I use to play the MSPT and knew almost everyone at the table, now unless it s in Minnesota, I m lucky to know three. I think this will make the MSPT HoF that much more exclusive and prestigious. Follow Vang on Twitter MSPTPOKER.COM

6 why settle for tequila? step up to kimo sabe triple award winner

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8 2018 Tournament Schedule TIME EVENT TOURNAMENT GUARANTEE July 19th - 29th B+E+S CHIPS. LEVELS ENTER/ RE-ENTER THURSDAY, JULY 19TH 11am 1 $1,000 NLH Deep Stack High Roller * 1 Re-entry, Big Blind Ante 1st place $20k GTD $910+$90 100K/30 8*8 $50,000 $170+$30 15K/30 8*8 $50,000 $170+$30 15K/30 8*8 FRIDAY, JULY 20TH 10am 2 $200 No Limit Hold em Flight A 6pm 2 $200 No Limit Hold em Flight B SATURDAY, JULY 21ST 10am 2 $200 No Limit Hold em Flight C 6pm 2 $200 No Limit Hold em Flight D SUNDAY, JULY 22ND 12pm 2 $200 Day 2 $50,000 ~ ~/40 ~ 1pm 3 $150 No Limit Hold em $10,000 $125+$25 10K/30 8*8 $10,000 $100+$20 10K/20 9*9 $10,000 $100+$20 10K/20 9*9 $10,000 $100+$20 10K/20 9*9 MONDAY, JULY 23RD 5pm 4 $120 No Limit Hold em TUESDAY, JULY 24TH 5pm 5 $120 No Limit Hold em WEDNESDAY, JULY 25TH 5pm 6 $120 No Limit Hold em THURSDAY, JULY 26TH 11am 7 $300 Pot Limit Omaha $15,000 $265+$35 20K/30 8*8 3pm 8 $600 No Limit Hold em Main Event Day 1a $200,000 $550+$50 30K/40 10*10 $200,000 $550+$50 30K/40 10*10 $200,000 $550+$50 30K/40 10*10 FRIDAY, JULY 27TH 11am 8 $600 No Limit Hold em Main Event Day 1b SATURDAY, JULY 28TH 11am 8 $600 No Limit Hold em Main Event Day 1c SUNDAY, JULY 29TH 11am 8 Day 2 $600 Main Event $200,000 ~ ~/40 ~ 2pm 9 $300 No Limit Hold em $15,000 $265+$35 20K/30 8*8 Winners are responsible for all applicable taxes and fees. Residents of foreign countries will be subject to 30% withholdings on all payouts. Seneca Gaming and Entertainment reserves the right to modify or discontinue these events at any time without notice. SG&E will not be responsible in the event of a typographical error, misinformation on the website or printed material pertaining to this event and players will have no claim in these matters. 350 players max for each flight. The cage will be responsible for all cash transactions. Tournament fee are non-transferable and non-refundable without management approval. All information contained in the parameter that SGA approves is consistent with information contained in all promotional material. The $120, $150, $200 & $300 events will have 5% withheld for tournament staff. The $600 will have 3% withheld for tournament staff. The $1,000 will have 1.5% withheld for tournament staff. The entry fee will be held by the Casino as revenue. Niagara Falls Poker Room 310 4th Street Niagara Falls, NY SENECA

9 Mid-States Poker Tour JULY 2018 PAGE 9 Evansville Hot Spots FIVE THINGS TO DO DURING 2018 MSPT INDIANA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP BY CHAD HOLLOWAY F rom August 11-19, the MSPT will be at Tropicana Evansville for the $1,100 buy-in, $250,000 GTD 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship. For nearly 22 years, Tropicana Evansville operated as Indiana s first riverboat casino, and now they ve become the first to transition to a land-based casino with their new 75,000 square-foot facility. We hope you re busy with poker all week long, but if you find yourself with some free time, here are five things you can do off the felt. Children s Museum of Evansville Located in Downtown Evansville, Indiana, The Koch Family Children s Museum of Evansville (cmoe) offers over 18,000 square feet of galleries and exhibits, housed in a beautiful historic Art Deco building once home to the public library. The mission of the museum is to spark the curious minds and imaginations of children and their families through dynamic exhibits, programs, and activities. Children (and their parents) are encouraged to play handson with galleries and exhibits. Popular favorites include performing a play in the 5th Street Theater, splashing in the Wet Deck, climbing through Moe the two-story duck, playing the laser harp, acting like a booger in a giant nose, and chatting with the talking Mark Twain bust. Tickets are just $8. Hours of Operation Tuesday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m. Closed Monday Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden Situated on 45-scenic acres of rolling hills on Evansville s northwest side, the Zoo is home to over 700 animals from around the globe. While visiting, you will navigate the Zoo s geographically grouped and themed regions including South America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Throughout the Zoo, thousands of exotic and regional botanic species adorn hillsides and animal exhibits. It s open from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. 365 days a year. Cost is $9.50 for adults, $8.50 for kids age 3-12, and children 2 and under are free. Tin Man Brewing Co. Located at 1430 W Franklin Street, less than a mile from the casino, is Tin Man Brewing Co., which was established in Committed to sustaining a habitable environment for all living and mechanical being, they utilize innovative processes to minimize waste and maximize taste. Forging new ground, they were one of the first small craft breweries in the United States to use a mash filter. It s where you can try such beers as Circuit, Rivet, Damascene, and many more. They re open 3-10 p.m. on Thursdays, 3-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. 11 p.m. Saturdays, and Noon 8 p.m. on Sundays. They re currently closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information call (812) Dream Car Museum There's something for everyone with over 60 cars and trucks. The museum is expanding with even more exotics, classics, muscle cars, race cars, movie & TV cars and memorabilia, there is always something new on display. Located on the corner of Diamond and Heidelbach, this museum is a must-see for travelers visiting Evansville. Cost is $10 for guests 13 and up, while children 12 and under get in free. USS LST Ship Memorial The USS LST-325 is a decommissioned WWII tank landing ship of the United States Navy, now docked in Evansville. It s located just off Water Works Road 11 months out of the year. During the month of September, the ship sails to other port cities to share a piece of our nation's history and to educate the public about LSTs and the men who served on them. One-hour tours are held from roughly 10 a.m. 3 p.m. on the hour. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 ages 6-17, and children 5 and under get in free. Call (812) for more information. MSPTPOKER.COM

10 TIME TO MEET THE CHAMPION OVER $1 MILLION PRIZE POOL BIGGEST TOURNAMENT IN MICHIGAN HISTORY BIGGEST MID-STATE TOURNAMENT OUTSIDE VEGAS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MAIN EVENT WINNER! MAY 20 MARK B. $221,323 MSPT RETURNS FALL 2018! MICHIGAN STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP $300,000 GUARANTEED MAIN EVENT PRIZE POOL MAIN EVENT OCTOBER 6 14 SUPER SATELLITES BEGIN AUGUST 24 MAIN EVENT QUALIFIERS BEGIN AUGUST 25 Visit FireKeepersCasino.com or call the Poker Room directly at for more details. I-94 to Exit Michigan Avenue Battle Creek, MI Must be 21 or older. Schedule subject to change. Management reserves all rights.

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12 PAGE 12 Mid-States Poker Tour JULY 2018 Event Recap MARK BRAZIS WINS LARGEST POKER TOURNAMENT IN MICHIGAN HISTORY FOR $221,323! BY CHAD HOLLOWAY May s MSPT FireKeepers $1,100 Main Event was the largest poker tournament in Michigan history with 1,287 runners (surpassed the previous record of 1,067 set in 2017). After a long weekend of play, Indiana s Mark Brazis emerged victorious to capture a $221,323 top prize. The MSPT FireKeepers is a great tournament, I really enjoyed it, said the 36-year-old Brazis, who was playing his first MSPT event. The structure was wonderful, not too slow, not too fast. FireKeepers has a great establishment here, they re always first class. You ll see me more on the MSPT and at FireKeepers Casino. Prior to the win, Brazis had just three tournament cashes on his poker resumé, with his prior best being $25,018 for finishing fifth in a 2014 World Series of Poker $365 NLHE event. Mark Brazis Day 2 saw 173 players return to action, but with only 135 slated to get paid, 38 would leave empty-handed. They included Day 1C chip leader Frank Lagodich, two-time champ Jeremy Dresch, and Chad Furbay, who exited in 136th place as the bubble boy. From there, the in-the-money finishes came quick and included current Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 9 Player of the Year points leader Aaron Johnson (15th - $13,715), World Poker Tour champ Kevin Saul (25th - $6,983), MSPT Season 6 FireKeepers champ Harry Tisdale (29h - $5,237), MSPT Season 4 POY Pat Steele (43rd - $4,115), poker pro Kenna James (57th - $3,242), two-time champ Greg Himmelbrand (68th - $2,993), MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers winner Aaron Massey (87th - $2,743), #MSPT100 victor Jason Ramos (96th - $2,618), and Minnesota s all-time money leader Blake Bohn (124th - $2,120). At the final table, Charles Baryames was the first to go after jamming with the A 8 and failing to hold against the K Q of Bryant Miller on a Q J runout. Not long after, Aaron Soulliere busted after flopping top pair only to run into the bottom set of Bryan Norris. Two-time MSPT champ Jason Zarlenga, who entered the final table as the short stack, saw his quest for a third title come to an end in eighth place. He shoved his short stack MSPTPOKER.COM

13 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 13 FireKeepers Casino holding the A 7 and was called by Norris, who held the Q J. The board contained a jack and that was all she wrote for Zarlenga. Before the first break of the final table, a cooler flop sent Michael Reardon to the rail in seventh place. It happened when he raised to 400,000 from the small blind with the A K and Day 1B chip leader Justin Lee defended the big blind with the Q J. The A 10 K flop saw Reardon bet 800K with his two pair and Lee, who flopped the nuts, just called. They got the rest in on the 4 turn and Readon failed to boat up on the river, which was the 4. Despite winning that hand, Lee was next to go after running A Q into the A K of Vang, who in turn followed him out the door in fifth place. Vang lost most of his stack in a flip against Henry Zou when his pocket eights failed to hold against the latter s Big Slick. Vang then lost his remaining chips after getting it in with ace-deuce and failing to hold against Miller s king-queen suited. Norris took his leave in fourth place after running his K 6 into Miller s K Q, and then Zou hit the rail when his pocket nines lost a race to Miller s ace-ten. That allowed Miller to take a 2-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Brazis, but the tables were soon turned. Brazis got lucky with king-queen to double through Miller, who had him crushed with ace-queen. Eventually, the two got it in preflop again, this time with Miller holding the A K and Brazis the Q Q. It was a classic flip, and Brazis held on FireKeepers Casino Buy-in: $1,100 1,287 Entrants Place Name City, State Prize 1 Mark Brazis Syracuse, IN $221,323 2 Bryant Miller West Unity, OH $137,158 3 Henry Zou Saginaw, MI $99,751 4 Bryan Norris Farmington Hills, MI $76,185 5 Kou Vang Maplewood, MN $57,357 6 Justin Lee Grand Haven, MI $43,641 7 Michael Reardon St. Claire Shores, MI $33,666 8 Jason Zarlenga Lansing, MI $26,185 9 Aaron Soulliere Ontario, Canada $21, Charles Baryames East Lansing, MI $17,456 the runout to win the tournament. It was a hard battle, he played really well, Brazis said after the win. He took some bad beats but always handled himself well. He fought me to the end. I m happy I was able to win tonight. You take bad beats earlier in the tournament, you win some you lose some. Just gotta be happy to come out on top. The MSPT will return to FireKeepers October 6-14 for the 2018 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship. Final Table MSPTPOKER.COM

14 EARN $1 COMP per hour DAILY NLHE TOURNAMENTS (except Wed & Fri) FREE FOOD every Friday & Saturday Daily HOTEL RATES Every Dollar of your rebuy / add-on goes to prize pool WEEKLY REWARDS / GIVEAWAYS Monday Early Bird Promotion plus Food Voucher Tuesday Early Bird Promotion plus Food Voucher Wednesday High Hand of the Hour plus Door Prizes Thursday Gas / Gift Card Friday Gas Coupons at Promotional kiosk Buy in 100 chips and receive $20 bonus chips

15 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 15 Event Preview MSPT RETURNS TO MESKWAKI CASINO JULY FOR 2018 IOWA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP BY MSPT POKER STAFF For the second time in Season 9, the MSPT is headed to Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa. From July 21-29, a series of satellites will feed into the 2018 MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship, a $1,100 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed Main Event that ll run the weekend of July It marks the 20th time the MSPT has visited the venue over the years. Back in March, the first MSPT Meskwaki of Season 9 drew 414 entries and saw Nathan Trenkamp, who qualified via a $250 satellite, walk away with an $88,018 first-place prize. Last July in the 2017 MSPT Iowa State Poker Championship, 496 runners made it the largest major poker tournament held in state history. Michigan s Carter Myers took down that tournament for $115,109. The Iowa State Poker Championship has become one of the Midwest s premiere tournaments, and we re excited to see if we can break that 500-entry mark this July, said MSPT President Bryan Mileski. Few places offer players better deals, from hotel rates to food options, than Meskwaki Casino. If you haven t checked it out yet, this July is the perfect time to do so. The MSPT Meskwaki Main Event, which requires players be just 18 years old to play, will kick off with Day 1A at 2 p.m. on Friday July 27 with the plan of playing 16 levels. Day 1B will then take place at the same time on Saturday, July 28. Players who advance from Main Event Flight 1A to Day 2 are not eligible to play in Flight 1B without forfeiting their chips. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday, July 29 at 11:00 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned. The final table will be broadcast LIVE (15-minute delay) worldwide on msptpoker.com using RFID technology allowing all viewers to see the hole cards. In addition, the entire Main Event will be live reported in the MSPT live blog. Past winners of the MSPT Meskwaki include #MSPT100 champ Jason Ramos (March 2017 for $108,120), Max Havlish (November 2017 for $90,152), 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champion John Sun (July 2016 for $104,627), Keith Heine (March 2016 for $100,981), Season 7 Player of the Year Rich Alsup (November 2015 for $101,229), MSPT Pro Blake Bohn (July 2015 for $101,229), and Chad Willett (March 2015 for $96,760). Located in Tama, Iowa between Des Moines and Cedar Carter Myers Rapids on Highway 30 Meskwaki Casino, which was constructed in 1992, features a huge bingo hall, nine different types of table games, off-track betting, active craps tables, more than 1,350 slots, good blackjack games, horse book, indoor pool, exercise room, spa, and 404 hotel rooms. The property also features Lucky s Grill & Taproom, which serves hearty breakfast entrees in the morning and their famous Shredded Chicken Nachos Grande (and more) in the evening. Other favorites include the 100% Iowa Angus Beef Lucky s Steak Burger, handmade buttermilk dipped onion rings, Signature Pizzas, hot subs, and Fried Oreos. You can also enjoy a variety of 20 beers on tap (with 10 craft beers that are brewed in Iowa) all while watching your favorite team on one of 13 HDTVs. MSPTPOKER.COM

16 WHEN YOUR CHIP STACK STARTS TO LOOK LIKE A SMALL CITY. canterburypark.com JULY HIGHLIGHT: SUMMER SERIES JULY MSPT REGIONAL $100K GUARANTEE August 9-12 $350 Buy-in $65 SATELLITES Thursday, July 19, 6:30 PM Friday, July 20, 12:30 PM 20% win voucher into Event #2 W.S. Week One is Presented by Poker is Fun Tour. Approx 5% of proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House. MAIN EVENT Event #1 - July 20, 6:00 PM: PiFT $80 Crazy Pineapple Event #2 - July 21, 11:00 AM: PiFT $250 NLH Winners Shown Event #3 - July 22, 12:30 PM: PiFT $100 Crazy Pineapple Event #4 - July 26, 6:30 PM: $200 Tag-Team NLH Event #5- July 27, 10:30 AM: $80 NLH + $20 Rebuys/Add-ons Event #6 - July 27, 6:00 PM: $80 Win the Button NLH Event #7 - July 28, 10:30 AM: $250 Big Blind Ante NLH Event #8 - July 29, 12:30 PM: $150 Double Stack NLH MSPT - $300K GUARANTEE September $1,100 Buy-in FALL POKER CLASSIC Select Dates in October Live Racing: Now - September MN-POKER 1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee, MN 55379

17 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 17 BY CHAD HOLLOWAY Minnesota s Canterbury Park, home to the first-ever MSPT event, is gearing up for another record-breaking event. From August 4-12, the MSPT will be in Shakopee, Minnesota for a $350 buy-in, $100,000 GTD Regional Event. A series of $50 and $90 satellites will feed into the Regional, which will run August The tournament will offer four flights starting with Day 1A at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 8. Day 1B will take place at the same time on Thursday, August 9, while 1C and 1D will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11 respectively. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned. Seating is limited as there is a max of 20 available tables, so alternates are a possibility. Be sure to register early to lock up a seat. Last year s inaugural MSPT Regional Event at Canterbury Park was a massive affair and we expect the August event to be as big if not bigger, said MSPT President Bryan Mileski. Canterbury Park is where the MSPT began and it s a privilege to return each year and see players who ve been grinding the tour for the better part of a decade. The latest Canterbury Park Regional, the second ever held at the venue, will be the 26th MSPT Regional Event since their inception at the beginning of The Regional Events are designed to offer players the opportunity to play MSPT s lauded Chainsaw-Approved $1,100 Main Event structure at a more affordable price point. Last year, 32-year-old Paul Cross topped a record field of 1,169 entries the largest tournament in Minnesota history to win a $61,911 first-place prize. The previous attendance record was 1,114 set in eight flights for Canterbury s 2015 $115 buy-in Ultimate $100K. Canterbury Park recently unveiled a $400-million redevelopment plan that would facilitate the development of restaurants, hotels, entertainment, offices, medical, retail and commercial recreational uses. Plans include an extended-stay hotel, boutique hotel, hotel and water park, an office space, new restaurants, specialty options, family entertainment venues and more. The live part includes a luxury apartment complex, upscale townhomes and a senior housing co-op. The vision for the redevelopment is a place to live, stay, work, play. MSPTPOKER.COM Event Preview MSPT CANTERBURY PARK $350 REGIONAL EVENT $100K GTD SET FOR AUGUST 4-12 Paul Cross Canterbury Park Racetrack and Card Casino is Minnesota s only thoroughbred and quarter horse racing facility. There is also year-round wagering on simulcast horse racing and hosts a variety of other entertainment and special events at its facility. Through popular promotions and big-money tournaments Canterbury s Card Casino has become a Twin Cities gaming destination.

18 Find your WIN. Our comfortable 20-table poker room features tableside service and caters to real players with daily promotions and big-time tournaments like WSOP Circuit Events and the Mid-States Poker Tour: Wisconsin State Poker Championship (November 10 18) and other national/regional events. Choose from Texas Hold Em Limit, No-Limit Texas Hold Em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi and Hi/Lo, and Seven-Card Stud, plus a Bad Beat Jackpot with consistently large pots WEST CANAL STREET MILWAUKEE, WI PAYSBIG MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD WINNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL TAXES MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY, WISCONSIN

19 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 19 Event Preview MSPT HEADS TO TROPICANA EVANSVILLE AUGUST FOR 2018 INDIANA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP BY MSPT POKER STAFF Season 9 of the MSPT kicked off at Tropicana Evansville in southern Indiana with a $350 Regional Event back in January, and now we re headed there again from August However, this time it ll be for the $1,100 buy-in, $250,000 GTD 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship. For nearly 22 years, Tropicana Evansville operated as Indiana s first riverboat casino, and now they ve become the first to transition to a land-based casino with their new 75,000 square-foot facility. Tropicana Evansville has totally transformed, MSPT President Bryan Mileski boasted. Gone is the antiquated riverboat and in its place one of the nicest venues in all the Midwest has sprung up. We couldn t have chosen a better place for this year s Indiana State Poker Championship. The 2018 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship will kick off with Day 1A at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 17 with the plan of playing 16 levels. Day 1B will then take place at the same time on Saturday, August 18. Players who advance from Main Event Flight 1A to Day 2 are not eligible to play in Flight 1B without forfeiting their chips. The remaining players from each flight will combine on Sunday, August 19 at 11:00 a.m. and play until a champion is crowned. The final table will be broadcast LIVE (15-minute delay) worldwide on msptpoker.com using RFID technology allowing all viewers to see the hole cards. In addition, the entire Main Event will be live reported in the MSPT live blog. It ll mark the fifth time a Main Event has been held at Tropicana Evansville, albeit the first in the new land-based facility. In August 2017, the 2017 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship drew 320 entries and saw Satish Thakur claim the title and $71,047 top prize. In 2016, Earl Potter bested a 340-entry field to win the 2016 MSPT Indiana State Poker Championship for $82,450. Other winners of the MSPT Tropicana Evansville include Michael O Neill (August 2015 for $67,746) and Charlie Dawson (August 2014 for $60,527). Tropicana Evansville is a multi-million-dollar entertainment complex located on the scenic banks of the Ohio River in southwestern Indiana. The single-level 24-hour casino, which opened on October 20, 2017, encompasses 45,000 square feet of gaming space featuring 1,175 slot games, 33 table games, a dedicated Poker Room and a High Limit Room. Accommodations include a 243-room hotel tower and a 95- room boutique hotel. The property showcases an ultramodern entertainment lounge, five dining options, five bars, gift shop, conference center, riverfront pavilion and a 1,660-vehicle attached parking garage. MSPTPOKER.COM

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21 JULY 2018 Mid-States Poker Tour PAGE 21 In May s MSPT FireKeepers, 1,287 runners took to the felt to make it the largest poker tournament in Michigan history. On Day 2, with 58 players remaining, an interesting hand took place in Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000). At a full nine-handed table, World Poker Tour champ Kevin Saul (515,000) raised to 34,000 under the gun and Michael Welsh responded by moving all in for 118,000 from the hijack. Action folded back to Saul and he debated what to do. Apologies in advance, Saul said before making the call. Welsh: A K Saul: J 4 Welsh got it in good but the made things interesting by giving Saul a flush draw. Another diamond failed to materialize, but it didn t matter as the J turn gave Saul the lead and the 7 river sent Walsh out the door in 58th place for $3,242. We caught up with poker pro Jonathan Little of Poker- Coaching.com to get his take. Strategy presented by Jonathan Little MSPT STRATEGY: KEVIN SAUL APOLOGIZES IN ADVANCE FOR JACK-FOUR CALL BY CHAD HOLLOWAY MSPT: Is there any good reason to open J4 suited under the gun? Little: The main time to raise with a horrible hand from early position is when essentially all your opponents are particularly weak and tight. Perhaps that was the case this time. In general though, you do not want to play a horrible hand from out of position against the entire table. It seems like raising J4 suited UTG is a bit of fancy play syndrome. In today s poker game, do you still see players getting out of line with bad hands or have players grown out of it so to speak? Little: I think most players have come to realize that if they play preflop ranges that are too loose that it is incredibly difficult to be anywhere near balanced after the flop. That said, if the opponents are all weak and tight, you beat them by stealing more than your fair share of the small pots, which is likely what Saul was doing. What do you make of Saul s call? If you were in his shoes, Kevin Saul what sort of things would you be thinking about that would lead you to making a call? Little:Once he gets pushed on, he has to figure out the pot odds and if your hand has the proper equity to call. In this spot, Saul had to put in 84,000 more into a pot that would be 278,000. This means that he needs to win more than 30% of the time (84/278) to justify calling. If the opponent is going all-in with a somewhat tight range, J4 suited will win 29% of the time. If the opponent is pushing with a wider range, then J4 suited will win 34% of the time. So, the call is somewhat close. In general, you should strive to avoid break even decisions if you think you have an edge on your opponents. MSPTPOKER.COM

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24 MORE THAN $31 MILLION IN GUARANTEED PRIZE POOLS MAY 14 - JULY 29, 2018 Experience the larger than life DeepStack Championship Poker Series at The Venetian Las Vegas. For the first time ever poker players can compete in this extravagant venue with over 100 tables, bars, lounges, exhibits, and much more this is one of the most energetic and engaging poker events of the year. Follow all the action at VENETIAN.COM/DEEPSTACK