Landon Tice Wins Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian $1,100 Main Event For $201,529

The 2020 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian $1,100 no-limit hold’em main event attracted a total of 1,123 entries, blowing away the $200,000 guarantee to create a final prize pool of $1,089,166. The top 128 finishers cashed in this event, but the title and the lion’s share of the prize money was ultimately awarded to 21-year-old Landon Tice. The Boca Raton, Florida native earned $201,529 and his first live tournament title for the win.

“Going to bed now (well trying to), but thank you everyone for the love,” Tice said in a Twitter post made after he secured the title in the early hours of Monday, November 16. “I’m extremely proud of myself for executing in spots when ‘money is significant,’ and easy to justify risk aversion.”

Tice also took home 960 Card Player Player of the Year points as the champion of this event. As a result, he now sits in a seven-way tie for 73rd place in the 2020 POY race standings, which are sponsored by Global Poker.

The final day of this event began with 148 players remaining from the field of 1,123, which meant that there were only 20 bustouts needed until the money bubble burst. In total, it took 16 hours to play down to a winner. The official eight-handed final table was not set until after 10:00 p.m. local time, with Jesse Vilchez holding the chip lead. Abraham Hichman sat with the next-largest stack, while Tice sat in third position to start.

Andrew Rodgers was the first player to hit the rail at the final table. He ran pocket nines into the pocket kinds of Brandon Lombardo. Both players hit a set, but Rodgers’ three nines were not enough to keep him in the event. He earned $17,429 for his eighth-place finish. 2018 World Poker Tour Rolling Thunder main event winner David Larson was the next to fall when his K-10 failed to overcome the pocket queens of Byung Shin in a preflop all-in showdown. Larson cashed for $22,876.

Despite eliminating Larson, Shin was the very next player to be knocked out. Shin got all-in with 99 and was racing against the AK of Tice. The board brought two kings to send the pot to Tice. Shin was awarded $30,501 as the sixth-place finisher, while Tice started his climb to the top of the leaderboard.

Tice did battle his way into the top spot during five-handed action, and then extended his lead by busting Abraham Hichman. The two got all-in on a 833 flop with Hichman holding A8 against the JJ of Tice. The 5 turn and 4 river kept Tice’s overpaid ahead, and Hichman was sent packing with $40,304 for his fifth-place showing.

Tice scored another knockout by calling the all-in of Sara Stohler on a 742 flop with A7. His top pair was in the lead against Stohler’s A9, and the Qturn and 6 river changed nothing. Stohler finished fourth for $62,091.

Jesse Vilchez’s run in this event came to an end after he and Tice checked to the river on a 7627J board. Tice, who had raised preflop from the small blind, bet 400,000. Vilchez, the big blind defender, raised to 1,200,000. Tice three-bet all-in for around 4 million more. Vilchez made the call, only to muck his cards when Tice revealed the 107 for trips. Vilchez cashed for $91,502 as the third-place finisher.

Tice entered heads-up play with nearly a 3:1 chip lead over Brandon Lombardo. Lombardo found a double up to close the gap, and the two discussed a deal before deciding to play on. Lombardo took a slight lead before the decisive hand arose. Lombardo raised to 700,000 on the button with K8 and Tice defended his big blind with 74. The flop came down J72 and both players checked. The K on the turn saw Tice check to Lombardo, who bet 1,100,000 with his pair of kings. Tice called and hit two pair on the 4 river. Tice checked again and Lombardo bet 1,100,000. Tice check-raised all-in and Lombardo went into the tank before making the call. With that Tice secured the pot and a massive lead. Lombardo was eliminated a few hands later when his 10-9 failed to outrun Tice’s dominating Q-9. Lombardo was awarded $135,074 as the runner-up.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Photo credit: MSPT Twitter account.

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