MSPT Riverside $1,100 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
MSPT Riverside Casino
MSPT Riverside $1,100 Main Event
Day: 2
Level 32
: 150,000/250,000, 40,000 ante
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) has come roaring back, and there's been no surer sign of the health of the tour than the state-record turnout of 862 entries that showed up for MSPT Riverside $1,100 Main Event in the tour's first-ever visit there.
Conquering that field after three long days of play was Indiana's Daniel Sepiol. The 27-year-old pro earned a career-best $162,750 that outdistanced his previous personal best of $52K by quite a bit. Playing for big money didn't rattle him at all though, as he said he was comfortable pretty much the whole time.
"I've played a lot of these tournaments and made some deep runs but never really made runs at the final table," he said. "So, it feels good."
Indeed, Sepiol had accrued four cashes on tour, but a ninth-place finish back in January 2019 had been his top placing. Here, he never put himself in danger of fizzling out as he held the chip lead nearly the entire time at the final table.
Official Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Sepiol | Michigan City, Indiana | $162,750 |
| 2 | Jason Crews | Ankeny, Iowa | $100,156 |
| 3 | Kyna England | Northbrook, Illinois | $73,782 |
| 4 | Jovan Sudar | Omaha, Nebraska | $55,086 |
| 5 | Renato Spahiu | Lombard, Illinois | $41,732 |
| 6 | Nick Pupillo | Gilbert, Arizona | $31,716 |
| 7 | Austin Hohenadel | Muscatine, Iowa | $24,205 |
| 8 | Andy Rogowski | Chicago, Illinois | $19,197 |
| 9 | Lester Crew | Colana, Illinois | $15,024 |
Sepiol had to deal with several accomplished players as the field wound down, sitting with the likes of Phil Mader and Byron Ziebell. However, they'd fall short of the final table while Sepiol chipped up and carried the lead into the final nine.
Once there, he continued to have things break his way as he won a key early flip against Lester Crew by hitting an ace on the river with Big Slick against pocket eights. As Crew had come in with the third-place stack, Sepiol took control of a third of the chips with eight players remaining.
Jovan Sudar briefly challenged for the lead when he busted Nick Pupillo, who was appearing at his seventh final table on the tour. Sudar couldn't sustain his surge, though, and he handed out doubles to both Kyna England and Jason Crews before bowing out in fourth.
Sepiol, on the other hand, continued to have the key spots go his way. England made a big call blind versus blind with king-nine and was ahead of Sepiol's queen-ten but he found a queen on the flop to bust her and get heads up.
"I ran really, really well all day," he admitted.
His streak of all-in luck finally ended heads up as Crews doubled through him once and then pulled out a runner-runner chop after Sepiol got him all in with two pair against Crews' top pair. That one left Sepiol cursing in frustration, but he won enough of the other pots that it just didn't matter and he busted Crews not long after.
The big score will aid Sepiol as he continues to transition more of his play from online to live. He said he's been playing for a living for about three years, and while he was comfortable playing online during the shutdown, he was eager to get back to cards and felt he could feel and opponents he could see.
"Definitely," he said when asked if he returned to live play as soon as it was available. "I had the itch."
There will be plenty more ahead as he plans to tackle a busy schedule coming up. He's going to start by heading back to Vegas, where he's been grinding since last year, and then plans to hit Florida for the big WPT.
Then, Sepiol and the MSPT will meet up in California for another new event at Sycuan Casino Resort in San Diego. Both will try to keep the momentum going after a hugely successful trip to Iowa.
, which will be its first-ever in California.
Level 32
: 150,000/250,000, 40,000 ante
All the money went in preflop with Jason Crews holding 
and slightly leading the 
shown down by Daniel Sepiol.
However, Sepiol took a big lead on the 
flop. Sensing victory, he got out of his seat on the 
turn, and he sealed it with a flush on the 
river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,550,000
5,250,000
|
5,250,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 32
: 150,000/250,000, 40,000 ante
In a limped pot, the flop came 
and Daniel Sepiol checked. Jason Crews bet 400,000, Sepiol made it 1.2 million, and Crews shoved for about 5 million. Sepiol quickly called.
Sepiol: 
Crews: 
Sepiol was in fantastic shape to end it but the board came , 
for a chop.
"F***," Sepiol said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,300,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
5,250,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
Level 32
: 150,000/250,000, 40,000 ante
Daniel Sepiol shoved on the button and Jason Crews called for about 2.7 million.
Sepiol: 
Crews: 
The 
in the window was perfect for Crews, and the 
that followed was just fine as well.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,150,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
|
|
5,400,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
Level: 32
Blinds: 150,000/250,000
Ante: 40,000
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Daniel Sepiol bet 400,000 on a 
flop and Jason Crews check-called out of the big blind. Crews checked the 
and Sepiol bet 1.1 million. Crews made it a check-raise to 2.2 million and Sepiol pretty quickly shoved all in.
Crews thought a couple of minutes and folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,750,000
2,750,000
|
2,750,000 |
|
|
4,800,000
-2,750,000
|
-2,750,000 |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Daniel Sepiol pushed all in from the small blind. Kyna England had about 3 million in the big and called it off.
England: 
Sepiol:
"Nice call," Sepiol complimented.
It was for naught though as the dealer fired out 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,000,000
4,400,000
|
4,400,000 |
|
|
7,550,000
1,675,000
|
1,675,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Jason Crews limped in under the gun and went to a flop with the blinds. They checked to him and he bet 500,000. Only small blind Jovan Sudar continued. Sudar check-called another 500,000 on the 
and both players quickly checked the 
river.
Crews turned over and Sudar nodded and flashed 
before mucking.
The next hand, Sudar shoved on the button for about 1.5 million. Kyna England isolated on his left.
England:
Sudar:
The 
board didn't help Sudar, and he headed for a fourth-place payout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,875,000
-225,000
|
-225,000 |
|
|
4,600,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 30,000