Live poker returned to mid-stakes America some months ago, thanks in no small part to the MSPT (Mid-Stakes Poker Tour) and earlier this week, Korey Payne won $327,773 by winning the MSPT stop at The Venetian.

With a swelled field of 1,239 entries and a buy-in of just $1,600, the value was there for all to see – all Payne had to do was what over a thousand players tried and failed to do – survive every other player amid some real quality at the felt.

The final table began with a bust-out, as the three-day event with a prize pool of $1,771,770 was brought closer to a close by 8th place finisher Dale Eberle, who cashed for $28,343. Eberle lost his last chips with king-queen when he moved all-in on a queen-high board and was called by Day 1a chip leader in the event, Salim Admon, who held pocket aces.

Those aces reduced the field to seven and before long, there was one less player in the final table action. Jorden Helstern was short-stacked and lost a coinflip to cash for $37,207 but miss out on the really late stages.