The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) wrapped up its latest stop at Hollywood Casino St. Louis, where the $1,110 buy-in Main Event drew an impressive 676 entries. The strong turnout pushed the prize pool to $655,720, more than doubling the $300,000 guarantee.
After three opening flights, 76 players advanced to Day 2. Nearly 12 hours of play were needed before Missouri native and attorney Robert Noce secured the title and the $131,258 top prize.
“It feels great,” Noce told MSPT reporter Anthony Thompson after the win. “I’m still taking it in, but this was only the second tournament I got to play in this year, and I tripled by Hendon Mob totally, so that feels awesome.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize | POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Noce | $131,258 | 1,700 |
| 2 | Jared Mohesky | $80,775 | 1,500 |
| 3 | Jeff Kenny | $59,136 | 1,400 |
| 4 | Jake Long | $43,989 | 1,300 |
| 5 | Umut Ozturk | $33,563 | 1,200 |
| 6 | Dino Galic | $25,694 | 1,100 |
| 7 | Gerald Cunniff | $19,793 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Brian Craig | $15,203 | 900 |
| 9 | Ethan Jaggie | $11,924 | 800 |
Other players who made deep runs included Saad Ghanem (10th – $9,891), Jason Mendoza (15th – $7,990), John “Farmboy” Kurfman (19th – $5,629), Lee Rzentkowski (27th – $3,924), Josh Reichard (31st – $3,006), Brett Reichard (38th – $2,547), and Rob Wazwaz (51st – $2,350).
Long vs. Ozturk in the POY Race
Another major storyline from St. Louis was the ongoing battle between Jake Long and two-time reigning Player of the Year Umut Ozturk. Both entered the stop sitting first and second on the MSPT Season 16 leaderboard, and both advanced to the final table.
Ozturk finished in fifth place, earning 1,200 POY points and bringing his total to 6,167 for the season. Long placed fourth for 1,300 points, increasing his total to 6,931. The result extended Long’s lead by just 100 points, but the pair remain well ahead of Anthony Scarborough (4,934) and Josh Reichard (4,455).
Side Event Highlights
The 10-tournament series also produced several notable side event winners.
- Longtime St. Louis standout Jeff Copeland captured the $300 Seniors (50+) Monster Stack, topping a 325-entry field for $18,315.
- Two-time MSPT Main Event champion Taylor Howard claimed Event #10: $250 Monster Stack NLH, defeating a 98-entry field for $5,879 and his first gold card.
Additional Side Event Winners
- Event #1: $250 Monster Stack Turbo NLH – Trey Bartlett ($7,079)
- Event #2: $400 Tag Team NLH – Nathan Jones & Matthew Preston ($12,358)
- Event #3: $250 Monster Stack NLH – Matt Civili ($6,515)
- Event #5: $300 Pot-Limit Omaha – Brayden Smiley ($9,331)
- Event #7: $250 Monster Stack NLH – Joseph Brunette ($4,613)
- Event #8: $250 Monster Stack NLH – Aaron McIntosh ($8,206)
- Event #9: $300 Black Chip Bounty Monster Stack NLH – Brandon Dirnberger ($6,034)
What’s Next
The MSPT will head next to Cleveland, Ohio, from August 26 through September 1 for a six-event festival at JACK Cleveland Casino. The $1,110 Main Event, featuring a $750,000 guarantee, will run with three starting flights from August 28–30, before survivors return on August 31 to crown a winner.
The Cleveland schedule also includes a $400 Tag Team NLH, a $300 Seniors (50+) event as part of the MSPT Senior Tour, and a $300 Monster Stack.
From there, Season 16 continues with stops in San Diego, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Michigan, Montreal, Iowa, and Minnesota, with several seven-figure guarantees still to come.
