The ongoing DeepStack Championship Poker Series, hosted by the Venetian in Las Vegas, continues to demonstrate that quantity and quality can be combined. Running from September 27 to November 28, the grueling series is longer than the nearby WSOP, and is providing just as much excitement.
The three variants of the Venetian DeepStack series invariably see traveling poker tours embed high-profile events within the schedule. Today was the turn of the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT), which wrapped up its $1,600 buy-in, three-day championship. A total of 1,341 entrants created a prize pool just shy of $2 million.
After a heads-up tussle lasting nearly two hours, it was Gediminas Uselis of Lithuania who emerged victorious, taking home the championship title and the $324,428 first prize. The cash almost equals Uselis's combined live earnings before the event of $346,818.
An international final table
Eight players came back for the final table today, which had a decidedly international feel. In addition to Lithuanian Uselis, day-two chip leader Daan Mulders brought the orange of the Netherlands, Gennaro Proscia and his tifosi represented Italy, Raul Martinez traveled from Spain, and Fabian Bernhauser carried the hopes of Austria.
Uselis began the day third in chips, but winning an early pot from Mulders vaulted him in to the chip lead. Mulders quickly bounced back by eliminating Bernhauser.
Meanwhile, David McGowan was biding his time mid-pack. His patience saw him reach the final three, along with Uselis and Mulders.
Holding the button and 13bb, Mulders took the interesting decision to raise-call rather than jam with JTs. Facing the raise, McGowan took the standard option of jamming with QJs, putting Mulders at risk. A queen on the flop left Mulders with a mere 5% chance of winning the hand, and the run-out sent him to the rail.
Heads up for the title
McGowan and Uselis entered the heads-up tussle roughly equal in chips. The first significant hand saw Uselis check-raise the flop and lead turn, only to release after McGowan shoved all in. This gave McGowan a 3:2 chip lead and around 60bb. McGowan extended the lead, winning two consecutive hands with two pair.
Whether McGowan went card dead or Uselis simply upped the aggression was unclear from the rail, with few hands going to showdown. Uselis kept chipping up, ultimately leading to McGowan open-shoving with K8 and Uselis making the natural call with A5. The better hand held, and Uselis was crowned champion.
Final table pay-outs
- Gediminas Uselis: $324,428
- David McGowan: $210,202
- Daan Mulders: $152,874
- Benjamin Underwood: $116,758
- Barry Hutter: $97,903
- Gennaro Proscia: $66,882
- Raul Martinez: $51,595
- Fabian Bernhauser: $40,129
Featured image source: Twitter
