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Matthew Davis’ night, or rather, morning, wasn’t over even after playing poker for a staggering 17 hours and achieving the largest victory of his life.
After winning the Mid-States Poker Tour, the newly crowned champion embarked on a two-hour journey from Battle Creek’s FireKeepers Casino to his residence in Washington Township. Upon entering his home, he brought with him a hefty sum of $344,446, although he couldn’t deny his exhaustion as well.
Davis mentioned that he had a brief three-hour nap before waking up at 10 am. He found his phone buzzing with messages and spent the entire day replying to them. Although he intended to take another nap, he couldn’t manage to do so. Finally, on Monday night, he went to bed at 10 pm and slept soundly, describing it as the best night’s sleep he had experienced in a long time.
Davis achieved his second MSPT cash, but this time it was at FireKeepers. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as he emerged victorious in a competition that saw a record-breaking participation of 2,409 players. Not only that, but the prize pool also surpassed an impressive $2.3 million.
Davis tops record field at MSPT FireKeepers
Davis had a sweet ending, although the journey to reach it was quite challenging.
Davis had a fantastic beginning on Day 1, but unfortunately, he ended up with a small stack after the final level of the evening. He mentioned that he only possessed around 15-25 big blinds worth of chips. However, he skillfully selected his moments and triumphed in a few hands, managing to stay in the game as the number of players reduced to approximately 100.
Davis described his experience approaching the final table as a thrilling rollercoaster ride. Initially, he had a smaller stack when there were only two tables remaining, but he skillfully managed to climb his way up to become one of the top five stacks. Unfortunately, he encountered a setback with only 10 people remaining, causing him to enter the final table with the seventh or eighth largest chip stack out of nine players. Nevertheless, Davis demonstrated remarkable patience and strategically seized opportunities to accumulate more chips.
Davis was dominant at MSPT Final Table
Davis made a bold move by going all-in with king-10, which proved to be a successful gamble as he increased his stack. He continued to dominate the game, winning several more hands and ultimately claiming the title of chip leader with only five players left. Davis’s impressive skills didn’t stop there, as he successfully eliminated each of the remaining four players, including Rinaldo Teodoro from Wisconsin, who ultimately settled for second place.
The intense face-off between the two players came to an end as Davis, who had a pair of 7s, went all-in with an off-suit ace-6, leaving Teodoro with no choice but to match the bet. With a 7 appearing on the flop, Davis was almost guaranteed victory, and when the turn failed to help Teodoro, it was clear that Davis had secured the win.
Davis described his emotions as a mixture of exhaustion and excitement after playing for 17 hours. Despite feeling extremely tired, he was also thrilled and delighted. He had been dedicated to this game since he was 15 years old, participating in tournaments and achieving good results, both online and in the prestigious WSOP Main Event. This recent victory was his most significant accomplishment yet, especially because he had his close friends cheering him on. Even now, he is slowly returning to a state of normalcy after experiencing such an exhilarating high.
MSPT FireKeepers final table results
Let’s take a look at how the final table unfolded.
| Place | Name | City | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Matthew Davis | Washington Twp., MI | $344,446 |
| 2. | Rinaldo Teodoro | Pleasant Prarie, WI | $212,511 |
| 3. | Jason Zarlenga | Lansing, MI | $158,796 |
| 4. | Adam Williams | Saginaw, MI | $123,767 |
| 5. | Justin Pimpedly | Taylor, MI | $94,810 |
| 6. | Chris Moon | Sterling Heights, MI | $74,272 |
| 7. | Alex Farcas | Madison Heights, MI | $58,381 |
| 8. | Ron Puleo | Sarasota, FL | $45,537 |
| 9. | Alec Magdan | Warren, MI | $36,196 |
Poker now a career for Davis
Davis said that winning is a monumental advancement for his professional poker career, a goal he has tirelessly pursued for several years.
Although he currently possesses an insurance agency, his ultimate aspiration is to transition into becoming a professional poker player, and that dream is now within reach like never before.
He expressed, “Doing this has always been a desire of mine. However, it’s no simple task. I wanted to ensure that I was in the optimal position, both personally and financially. I’ve consistently excelled in playing, but the challenge lied in being able to commit the necessary amount of time and effort.”
Davis’s experience of juggling poker and a traditional job undoubtedly equipped him well for the demanding schedule at MSPT.
Davis said, “On certain evenings, I used to arrive home at 8 o’clock in the evening and continue playing until 2 or 3 o’clock in the early morning. Subsequently, I would only have a brief period of rest as I woke up at 6 o’clock and resumed working.”
Davis a regular in Michigan online poker tournaments
Most of his time in Michigan is spent at virtual tables playing online poker, although the 32-year-old Davis does enjoy participating in live events.
He expressed his preference for playing live, but acknowledged that online play offered more advantages. By participating in online sessions, he could engage in multiple tournaments simultaneously, sometimes even up to 10. This allowed him to observe a greater number of hands and increased his chances of achieving a significant victory.
Davis stated that the majority of his online activities revolve around participating in tournaments rather than cash games, with a significant portion of his time being devoted to playing at World Series of Poker Michigan.
He eagerly anticipates the moment when online operators in the state start providing interstate poker options.
Davis expressed his immense enthusiasm, recounting his experience playing a $1,000 online bracelet event in Vegas. The event comprised participants from Nevada and New Jersey and proved to be incredible, with a grand prize of $220,000 for the winner. Davis eagerly anticipated the expansion of Michigan, envisioning similar tournaments taking place there. This development would undoubtedly enhance the gaming experience in Michigan.
Matthew Davis is credited for the photos.
