MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($1.5M GTD)
Day 3 Completed
MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($1.5M GTD)
MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($1.5M GTD)
Day: 3
Event Info
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
The Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,100 Main Event drew 2,790 entries over four starting days, resulting in a $2,692,350 prize pool. After nearly a week of poker, it was 63-year-old Harlen Miller of Bismarck, North Dakota who emerged victorious to take down the title and $367,801 grand prize.
Miller claims to have only started playing poker a few years ago. Since then, he had managed to rack up nearly $200,000 in live-career earnings before the MSPT victory, which included a $75k score from a Venetian Deepstack Senior Event in 2018.
"I skipped my niece's wedding to come play this event," Miller said. "I just had a feeling. At least now I can get her a better wedding present."
Miller, who also said his birthday was last week, now has a meaty six-figure score to his name along with an MSPT Venetian trophy to help celebrate any occasion.
MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize | MSPT POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harlen Miller | $367,801 | 2,000 |
| 2 | Ryan Dodd | $236,927 | 1,800 |
| 3 | Albert Knafo | $177,695 | 1,700 |
| 4 | Matthew Elsby | $140,002 | 1,600 |
| 5 | Jonathan Tamayo | $107,694 | 1,500 |
| 6 | Thong Tran | $86,166 | 1,400 |
| 7 | Bobby Noel | $67,309 | 1,300 |
| 8 | Jimmy Lujan | $50,885 | 1,200 |
| 9 | Aaron Massey | $40,385 | 1,100 |
Day 2 started with plenty of notables among the 396 hopefuls looking to make a deep run in the event. Joe Cada and Faraz Jaka were among those who fell short of the money, with Nick Pupillo being the one to burst the money bubble soon after play began. The field continued to decrease at a rapid rate and among those to cash were Shannon Shorr, Mike Dentale, Nadya Magnus, Mike Shin, Michael Rocco, and Catherine Dever — who was the last woman standing in the event.
Day 3 began with just 15 players still in contention and whittled down to a final table shortly after the second level of the day. Aaron Massey was the first to fall after getting all in preflop with queens and losing to the ace-queen of Jimmy Lujan. Lujan, who led the final eight in chips, ended up being the next one out after clashing with Ryan Dodd on a couple of different occasions and losing each time.
Bobby Noel, Thong Tran, and Jonathan Tamayo were all short-stacked heading into the final table and were eliminated in rapid succession soon after.
Matthew Elsby was knocked out after flopping a set and losing to a runner-runner straight of Albert Knafo.
Knafo, who started the day with the chip lead, couldn't hang on and was eliminated in third place by a runner-runner straight after getting all-in preflop with queens against the pocket tens of Dodd.
Heads-up play began with Dodd having a massive chip advantage over Miller. However, after doubling through Dodd on two separate all-in preflop occasions, Miller found himself overtaking the chip lead.
Miller got the job done after getting all in preflop with queens and holding up against Dodd's ace-jack to pull off the improbable comeback.
The MSPT continues later this week with a MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event ($2 Million GTD). For more information, click here.
PokerNews will be on-site to continue to bring you MSPT action, so stay tuned!
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ryan Dodd completed from the button and Harlen Miller went all in from the big blind. Dodd instantly called off for his last 15 million and the final showdown has revealed.
Miller: 
Dodd: 
The 
flop made Dodd an overwhelming favorite to double up, however, the 
turn and 
river provided Miller with a runner-runner straight, knocking Dodd out in second place.
Stay tuned for a recap of the event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Harlen Miller has won a series of small pots and Ryan Dodd is now down to his last 15 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
49,000,000
9,000,000
|
9,000,000 |
|
|
15,000,000
-9,000,000
|
-9,000,000 |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Harlen Miller opened to two million and Ryan Dodd shoved. Miller called and hands were revealed.
Miller: 
Dodd: 
The board ran out 
and Miller doubled up into the chip lead with two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
40,000,000
24,000,000
|
24,000,000 |
|
|
24,000,000
-24,000,000
|
-24,000,000 |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ryan Dodd shoved from the button and Harlen Miller called.
Miller: 
Dodd: 
The board ran out 
and Miller doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
48,000,000
-8,000,000
|
-8,000,000 |
|
|
16,000,000
8,000,000
|
8,000,000 |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ryan Dodd and Harlen Miller have been taking turns going all-in preflop. So far, no showdowns have resulted.
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
56,000,000
19,000,000
|
19,000,000 |
|
|
8,000,000
-1,000,000
|
-1,000,000 |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ryan Dodd opened to 1.2 million from the button and action folded to Albert Knafo, who shoved for 18 million from the big blind. Dodd called instantly and hands were revealed.
Dodd: 
Knafo: 
Dodd had Knafo dominated, and the 
runout sealed Knafo's elimination in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level 36
: 300,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
37,000,000 | |
|
|
20,000,000 | |
|
|
9,000,000
4,000,000
|
4,000,000 |