It was a landmark moment for poker fans north of the border as Jinrong Zhang captured the MSPT Canadian Poker Championship title at Playground in Montreal. The $1,150 Main Event drew 1,057 entries and generated a $1,055,000 prize pool, with Zhang claiming $165,000 CAD and the honor of becoming the first international MSPT champion.
A Breakthrough Victory for Zhang and the MSPT
The win marked a major milestone for both Zhang and the tour itself — the first MSPT championship ever held outside the United States. For Zhang, it was a career-defining moment coming barely 18 months after recording his first live cash.
“This is a really big score for sure,” Zhang told MSPT after the win. “To all the players, hold onto your dreams. Do what you can do with your game and leave the rest to the poker gods.”
Tough Final Table Packed with Local Talent
The final table was a true showcase of Canadian poker strength. Zhang battled through a field stacked with familiar faces, including Sebastien Proulx and Lyndon Webster. The trio eventually agreed to an ICM deal, leaving $39,000 and the title still up for grabs — and Zhang made sure the trophy stayed in Montreal.
“It’s a very hard final table, because I know most of the players that were here,” Zhang said after sealing the win.
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jinrong Zhang | Canada | $165,000 |
| 2 | Sebastien Proulx | Canada | $118,610 |
| 3 | Lyndon Webster | Canada | $115,530 |
| 4 | Kevin Javier | Canada | $65,095 |
| 5 | Scott Babbitt | Canada | $49,600 |
| 6 | Carter Swidler | Canada | $38,230 |
| 7 | Adam Cader | Canada | $29,965 |
| 8 | Rami Hammoud | Canada | $22,730 |
| 9 | Pierre Alexandre Lessard | Canada | $18,600 |
| 10 | Alexandre Fournier | Canada | $14,675 |
Key Moments from the Final Table
Action at the final table got off to a quick start when Alexandre Fournier’s ace-jack couldn’t overcome Scott Babbitt’s pocket nines. Shortly after, Pierre Alexandre Lessard’s pocket sixes fell to Zhang’s ace-queen, marking the start of a heater that carried Zhang all the way to the title.
Zhang went on to bust Carter Swidler in sixth and Babbitt in fifth before Proulx took out Kevin Javier in fourth. That elimination led to the three-handed chop, but Zhang never slowed down once heads-up play began.
Player of the Year Contenders Miss Out
Several MSPT Player of the Year contenders were in the mix but fell short of the final table. Jacob Long, currently second in the POY race behind Umut Ozturk, finished 102nd for $2,170. Josh Reichard, ranked third, placed 70th for $2,685 — solid efforts but not enough to close the gap.
Playground Series Delivers $2 Million in Prizes
The Montreal stop featured 14 total events and over $2,094,855 in prize pools, offering buy-ins from $250 to $2,200. Canadian players dominated the series, with Bryan Robitaille-Fequet taking down the opening $300 Mega Stack NLH event for $35,870 and Giovanni Petrella winning the $500 Monster Stack 8-Max for $18,015.
Other champions included Dominic Poliquin, James Cooke, and Tannous Alexandre, who became a fan favorite after striking a victory pose at the $300 Mixed Pot Limit Omaha/NLH final. The $2,200 High Roller went to Senthuran Vijayaratnam for $63,440, while Pedro Sequeiros from the UK became the only non-Canadian winner, claiming $7,795 in the $400 Mystery Bounty event.
A Historic Week for Canadian Poker
With its first-ever international stop, the MSPT proved its appeal goes far beyond U.S. borders. The Playground series combined deep fields, strong local talent, and memorable storylines — none bigger than Jinrong Zhang’s breakthrough victory.
As Zhang hoisted the trophy, the message was clear: Canadian poker has a new star, and the MSPT has officially gone global.
