An 11-player deal led to the local being declared the winner
This past weekend, Canterbury Park in Minnesota hosted its largest standalone poker event to date, the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack. The tournament drew an impressive 1,116 entrants, generating a substantial prize pool of $368,280. Known for being a prominent cardroom in the Midwest, Canterbury Park continues to solidify its reputation with events like this.
The prize pool was originally structured to award $61,000 to the winner, with $41,280 earmarked for the runner-up and $5,155 for the 11th-place finisher. However, those amounts shifted when the final 11 players opted to negotiate a deal. Each player secured at least $15,540, with chip leader Carl “Crazy Carl” Carodenuto taking home the trophy and $44,000 in winnings.
Carodenuto is a familiar name in the Minnesota poker scene, known for his consistent success. He holds the distinction of being the first player to win three titles on the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) and boasts nearly $1.4 million in lifetime tournament earnings.
Among his career highlights is a $313,078 win at the 2024 Arizona State Poker Championship. This latest victory adds another milestone to his record and marks his second major win at Canterbury Park. He previously triumphed in the 2014 $300 Cheap & Deep, the venue’s third-largest event with 916 participants.
The Monster Stack event also saw strong performances from notable players such as Steve Wazwaz, Kanat Ozturk, and Rich Alsup, who finished in the money. While deals among double-digit final tables can spark debates within the poker community, this event demonstrated the players’ autonomy in shaping their outcomes. For Carodenuto, it was yet another reminder of his enduring prowess in the poker world.
Editor at the Big Blind, is a rising star in gambling journalism with a decade of experience, focusing on clear and accessible communication for a diverse audience.
