Ontario poker player Renmei Liu shipped the event for $156,414
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Ohio Poker State Championship concluded at Jack Cleveland Casino, with Ontario’s Renmei Liu claiming the title and a $156,414 payday. The victory adds to Liu’s growing list of accomplishments, pushing him closer to the $1 million mark in career tournament earnings.
The $1,110 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event saw 824 entries across three starting flights, generating a prize pool of $797,780—well beyond the guaranteed $500,000. A total of 88 players finished in the money, with the smallest cash prize set at $2,085.
Day 2 brought back all remaining competitors, including notable deep runs from Daniel Wolf, Jon Lewis, and past MSPT champions Bobby Noel and Chris Meyers. Liu, however, faced a tough road ahead, entering the final table as the shortest stack.
The comeback began when Liu eliminated Joseph Distasio in eighth place, followed by sending Brian Springman and Tim Fleenor to the rail. The momentum continued as he knocked out Daniel Finley in fifth place before taking down three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Sean Troha in fourth. Recent MSPT Venetian champion Anthony Scarborough finished third, setting up a heads-up battle between Liu and Michael Valore.
Liu entered the final showdown with a significant chip lead, and the match ended quickly. In the final hand, Valore’s king-seven couldn’t overcome Liu’s ace-queen, as the board ran out in Liu’s favor. Valore walked away with $96,234, pushing his career earnings past $193,000.
The MSPT now moves to Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, Missouri, where the next main event will take place from February 20-23.
