Hank Poker
Gerald Hanks is from Houston Texas, and has been playing poker since 2002. He has played cash games and no-limit hold’em tournaments at live venues all over the United States. 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.
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.
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.
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 Blackjack Ketchum
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
Hank Player Shirts
| 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 |
Hank Play
Images courtesy of Canterbury Park.
Hank Hill Poker
Tags
Tournament ResultsHank MlekodayMinnesota PokerCanterbury Park