Hank Poker
Table Of Contents
Over the last two weeks of March, Canterbury Park just south of the Twin Cities played host to the 2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship, a series of tournaments that culminated with a $1,100 buy-in Main Event this past weekend.
That tournament drew 180 runners from across the Midwest, which generated a $174,600 prize pool. The final table was filled with some of Minnesota’s best, but in the end, it was Hank Mlekoday of Minneapolis who claimed the title and accompanying $47,144 first-place prize.
Hank Sitton poker results, stats, photos, videos, news, magazine columns, blogs, Twitter, and more. Hank Cashman has been playing poker since he was a teenager. He has written for magazines, websites and appeared on radio talk shows. He is a licensed dealer and has dealt for the WSOP, WPT, Harrah's and MGM/Mirage properties. Hank lives in Tennessee with Robin, his wife of almost thirty years. With the help of celebrity poker enthusiasts like Hank Azaria, the operator is hosting a special MTT on Saturday. Stars Combine to Raise Money Azaria and screenwriter Andy Belling came up with the. Hank Azaria and screenwriter Andy Bellin organized the event, dubbed “Stars CALL For Action,” which is also backed by the online poker company PokerStars. It will be livestreamed starting at 2PM ET.
The win brought Mlekoday’s lifetime tournament earnings up to $460,068. It was his second-largest cash behind $50,752 he won for finishing 145th in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event. Other highlights on his poker résumé include 16th in the 2016 WSOP Colossus II for $44,740, seventh in the 2018 WSOP Circuit Planet Hollywood Main Event for $28,621, and 470th in the 2009 WSOP Main Event for $25,027.
Hank Hill Poker
2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hank Mlekoday | $47,144 |
| 2 | Jeff Minnerly | $29,507 |
| 3 | Jeremy Dresch | $20,952 |
| 4 | Umut Ozturk | $14,841 |
| 5 | Sandeep Cherukuri | $11,349 |
| 6 | Kou Vang | $8,905 |
| 7 | Dedric Henderson | $6,809 |
| 8 | Eric Eelkema | $5,238 |
| 9 | Kevin Fowler | $4,190 |
Hank Play
Others to cash the Main Event were Matt Hamilton (11th - $3,317), Vlad Tkachuk (14th - $2,794), Joe Barnard (15th - $2,794), Ian Matakis (16th - $2,444), and 2017 MN Poker Mag Player of the Year Todd Melander (17th - $2,444).
Hamilton and Hersch Victorious
While the Main Event was the main attraction, the Minnesota State Poker Championship was comprised of several other tournaments including a Crazy Pineapple, Tag Team, and both Seniors and Ladies Events.
In terms of prize pools, the two biggest tournaments outside the Main Event were a pair of $350 buy-in events. The first was the Black Chip Bounty which attracted 121 runners and created a $37,168 prize pool. Matt Hamilton wound up winning that event for $7,047 plus a bunch of bounties.
Meanwhile, the $350 Monster Stack NLH drew 213 entries and created a $61,983 prize pool. Joshua Hersch claimed that title and was rewarded with a $15,493 top prize for his efforts.
2019 Minnesota State Poker Championship Side Event Results
| Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $125 NL Crazy Pineapple | 91 | $8,736 | Ray Luterbach | $2,655 |
| $350 Mix | 55 | $16,555 | Louis Hillman | $5,794 |
| $250 Seniors NLH | 113 | $23,504 | Stephen Shanks | $7,050 |
| $350 Black Chip Bounty | 121 | $37,168 | Matt Hamilton | $7,047 |
| $250 6-Max NLH | 109 | $22,672 | Rob Maier | $6,802 |
| $250 Tag-Team NLH | 179 (55 teams) | $17,184 | Raymond Cabillot & Bulut Ozturk | $5,241 |
| $125 Ladies NLH | 35 | $3,600 | Phalla Phan | $1,332 |
| $350 Monster Stack NLH | 213 | $61,983 | Joshua Hersch | $15,493 |
| $150 Double Stack NLH | 208 | $24,960 | Dan Sherman | $6,491 |
| $1,100 Main Event | 180 | $174,600 | Hank Mlekoday | $47,144 |
Images courtesy of Canterbury Park.
Tags
Tournament ResultsHank MlekodayMinnesota PokerCanterbury Park
EXCLUSIVE: A number of stars, including Amy Schumer, Jon Hamm, Edward Norton and Don Cheadle, will take part in an online charity poker tournament on Sunday, with all funds going to COVID-19 relief efforts.
Hank Azaria and screenwriter Andy Bellin organized the event, dubbed “Stars CALL For Action,” which is also backed by the online poker company PokerStars. It will be livestreamed starting at 2PM ET on Twitch, Facebook and YouTube.
The roster of stars and industry figures registered to play includes Bryan Cranston, Brian Koppelman, Michael Cera, Jeff Garlin, David Schwimmer, Eric Bogosian, Jason Alexander, Brad Garrett, Michael Ian Black and Kevin Pollak.
Players will individually play in front of their home cameras. Viewers will also be able to contribute to the cause via a “donate” button.
Top-finishing players will direct their portions of $1 million, donated by PokerStars, to a charity of their choosing. Half of the total donation will go directly to Care International on behalf of those playing, as well as all proceeds donated via live stream. Grants to charities will be administered by the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
This event is a play money event, with no actual money prizes awarded and donations made on behalf of the top performers.
“This event is a great way to combine genuine giving where it’s needed with a way to stay home and yet still connect with people from around the world. A friendly game of poker reminds us how life used to be, which hopefully we get back to soon,” Azaria said. “It’s a way for people to interact for a good cause and enjoy themselves at the same time.”
Sweetening the pot, organizers are also planning a non-celebrity division, enabling regular players selected through “community giveaways” to square off against stars. Also, celebrities who get knocked out early will be added into a side event where the winner will direct 10% of the total to charity.
Hank Yang Poker
Sign up for Deadline’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.