The 2021 Mid-States Poker Tour Canterbury Park $1,100 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event attracted a field of 1,042 entries, the largest in the venue’s history. The huge turnout saw the $400,000 guarantee blown away to create a seven-figure prize pool. When the dust settled, the lion’s share of that money was awarded to eventual champion Kyna England. The 36-year-old Evanston, Illinois native took home $186,709 for her first main event victory in an MSPT event.
This was the second-largest score of England’s career, behind only the $448,755 payday she secured as the third-place finisher in the 2021 World Poker Tour Venetian $5,000 main event held back in July. This latest win increased England’s lifetime tournament earnings to $768,206.
In addition to the title and the money, England was also awarded 960 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was her first title and third POY-qualified final-table finish of the year. With 2,848 total points and more than $700,000 in POY earnings so far, England now sits in 34th place in the 2021 POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker
This tournament featured three starting flights, with 144 players surviving to day 2. The top 108 players made the money. England was just outside the top 20 when action got underway. By the time the final table was set, she had climbed into second chip position on the leaderboard.
Matt Mortfitt picked up two big pocket pairs and held in two all-in situations to narrow the field to seven. Angela Jordison’s A-10 suited beat out the 8-7 suited of William Phillips (7th – $29,286) to leave six players remaining with a shot at the title.
England won a key race with 9
9 beating the Q10 of Cody Espeseth. The QJ8 have Espeseth the lead, wich he maintained after an A turn. The K gave England a flush to secure the pot and eliminate Espeseth in sixth place ($37,342).
England earned another knockout when her AK held up facing the AJ of Jordison. England made aces and kings by the river to send Jordison to the rail with $48,444 as the fifth-place finisher.
Rory Linton got all-in preflop with A-J and was called by two players. Matt Morfitt made a flush with Q-7 suited to scoop the pot, busting Linton in fourth place ($63,582). Not too long after that, Morfitt called the preflop shove of Andy Jenc with A7. Jenc showed A4. Neither player improved and Morfitt’s seven kicker played to earn him the pot. Jenc took home $85,785 as the third-place finisher.
With that Morfitt took more than a 4:1 chip lead into heads-up play with England. Just a few minutes into the final showdown, England made a straight to double up and cut that advantage in half. She then overtook the lead when she called Morfitt’s river bluff with a busted straight draw with aces up.
In the final hand, Morfitt moved all-in from the button with Q7 and England called with K10. The board ran out A5226, locking up the pot and the title for England. Morfitt earned $115,053 as the runner-up.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
| 1 | Kyna England | $186,709 | 960 |
| 2 | Matthew Morfitt | $115,053 | 800 |
| 3 | Andrew Jenc | $85,785 | 640 |
| 4 | Rory Linton | $63,582 | 480 |
| 5 | Angela Jordison | $48,444 | 400 |
| 6 | Cody Espeseth | $37,342 | 320 |
| 7 | William Phillips | $29,628 | 240 |
| 8 | Jonathan Hanner | $22,203 | 160 |
| 9 | Aaron Frommgen | $18,166 | 80 |
Winner photo via MSPT’s official Twitter account.
