The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) is heading to FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan later this month for the MSPT Michigan State Championship, which will culminate with the $1,110 buy-in MSPT Main Event. It marks the return of one of the Midwest's most popular events after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The MSPT Main Event will kick off with Day 1a on May 12 at noon local time, while satellites into the tournament have been running since March 19, allowing players to turn $70 or $265 into a Main Event seat.
Million-Dollar Guarantee
The Main Event at MSPT Michigan State Championship is anticipated to draw a massive field as it will offer up a guarantee of a cool one million.
If it's any indicator of the field size or prize pool that this year's Main Event could produce, the 2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship Main Event attracted 1,615 entries to generate $1.6 million in prize money.
This year's Main Event with feature three starting flights with players starting with a stack of 25,000 tournament chips. Blinds will begin at 100/100/100 and each flight will play through the end of Level 15 or until approximately 12% of the field remains.
Each level will last 40 minutes in duration and will shorten to 30 minutes once heads-up play is reached.
Day 2 will kick off on May 15 at 11 a.m. local time and will play down to a winner, who will take home the MSPT trophy and the lion's share of the million-dollar guaranteed prize pool.
While there won't be any side events taking place at the MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship, there are over a dozen satellites running to give players an opportunity to win a Main Event seat.
Players can choose between to play a $70 satellite where one in five advanced to a $265 satellite, or they can buy directly into the $265 satellite, where one in five will advance to the Main Event.
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Previous Winner
Bobby Noel is the reigning MSPT Michigan State Championship champion after taking down the 2019 Main Event for a career-high score of $262,145.
Noel defeated Ralph Massey during heads-up play, who earned $161,200 for his runner-up finish. Other players who made deep runs in the Main Event include Keven Stammen (3rd - $122,074), Elliott Hebden (4th - $92,337) and Aaron Massey (10th - $20,345), the second-place finisher's brother.
“My first time here, I’ll probably come back now I guess. I’m feeling good,” Noel said after the win. “I haven’t been playing a ton this year. I had some success last year. Things just seem to be working out pretty well for me.”
2019 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby Noel | $262,145 |
| 2 | Ralph Massey | $161,200 |
| 3 | Keven Stammen | $122,074 |
| 4 | Elliott Hebden | $92,337 |
| 5 | Isaac Kratchman | $70,427 |
| 6 | Justin Pease | $53,212 |
| 7 | Hyung Cho | $42,256 |
| 8 | Erik Koch | $32,866 |
| 9 | Dapreesch Scates | $26,606 |
| 10 | Aaron Massey | $20,345 |
Next up after Michigan will be an MSPT stop at Silverado Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota for the MSPT South Dakota State Poker Championship, featuring a Main Event with a $100,000 guarantee that will run May 20-22.
The full schedule for the upcoming 2022 MSPT Michigan State Championship is available in the table below.
MSPT Michigan State Championship Full Schedule
| DATE | EVENT | BUY-IN | |
| March 19, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| March 19, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| March 26, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| March 26, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| April 02, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| April 02, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| April 09, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| April 09, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| April 16, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| April 16, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| April 23, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| April 23, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| April 30, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| April 30, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 06, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 06, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 07, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 07, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 08, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 08, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 09, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 09, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 10, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 10, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 11, 2022 | Qualifer to $265 Satellite | Buy-in: $70 | |
| May 11, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1A or Day 1B | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 12, 2022 | No Limit Hold'em - MSPT Main Event Day 1A | Buy-in: $1,100 | |
| May 12, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1B or Day 1C | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 13, 2022 | No Limit Hold'em - MSPT Main Event Day 1B | Buy-in: $1,100 | |
| May 13, 2022 | Satellite to MSPT Main Event Day 1B or Day 1C | Buy-in: $265 | |
| May 14, 2022 | No Limit Hold'em - MSPT Main Event Day 1C | Buy-in: $1,100 | |
| May 15, 2022 | MSPT Main Event Day 2 | Buy-in: $0 |
