Amy Batson became the first woman to win the Mississippi State Poker Championship

At the first Mississippi State Poker Championship, Amy Batson won the title, and the finalists split the prize pool. Find out more about this unusual final.

The inaugural Mississippi State Poker Championship ended in an unusual fashion: the championship title and the top prize were awarded to different players. In the $400 buy-in Main Event at Horseshoe Tunica Casino, the seven finalists agreed to split the remaining prize pool according to ICM (Independent Chip Model), and the name of the first champion was determined by a random draw. The winner was Amy Batson, who in just a year went from poker newcomer to championship belt winner and the subject of the official winner’s photo. Main Event: How the Tournament Played Out The Main Event of the Mississippi State Poker Championship, with a $400 buy-in, drew a large field and concluded on May 7, 2024, at Horseshoe Tunica Casino. As the debut event for the new state championship, it immediately stood out thanks to its unusual final table. On Day 2, eliminations came quickly: by the first break, 15 players had already busted, including Andrea Heiser and Matt Vaughan, both of whom started the day in the top 10 chip counts. After four levels, the field was down to 27, with William Joyner leading as the only player with over a million chips. Brandon Owens was the next to cross the million-chip mark, winning a big pot from Parker Williams when his pocket aces held up against Williams’ queens. The tournament soon reached 18 players, with Robert Logan and Kenneth Stewart eliminated just five minutes apart. Jason Simon hit the first of two quads made during the tournament, but this rare hand turned against him: just over an hour later, he was knocked out in 13th place by Michael Holland, who made quad jacks. Baruch Binyaminov finished 12th when Jason “Mayhem” Miller made trip tens against his pocket kings. Joyner, who had led the chip counts for much of the tournament, finished 11th after losing with ace-king to Holland. The final table was set after Phillip Ricks was eliminated in 10th place. Final Table: Key Hands and the Conclusion The final table began in a tense atmosphere. The first to bust was Anthony Graham, whose hand couldn’t beat Brandon Owens’ pocket aces, finishing ninth. Nearly an hour later, Jesse Lott exited in eighth place, losing to Holland’s full house. After Lott’s elimination, the players revisited the idea of making a deal. The finalists agreed to split the remaining prize pool using ICM—a method that distributes the money based on each player’s chip stack for a fair payout. As a result, all seven remaining players locked up payouts, with Michael Holland taking the largest share—$17,570. However, the question of who would receive the championship belt and be recognized as the official winner was settled in an unusual way: the finalists held a “flip”—a single hand where all players go all-in blind and luck decides the winner. Amy Batson won the flip, earning the official title of the first Mississippi State Poker Championship Main Event champion, along with the championship belt and a commemorative winner’s photo. Final Table Results and Payouts Below is the complete list of payouts and finishing positions for the Main Event finalists. All amounts reflect the final seven-way ICM deal: 1st place: Amy Batson* — $13,015 (flip winner, championship belt, and commemorative photo) 2nd place: Michael Holland* — $17,570 (largest payout) 3rd place: Brandon Owens* — $14,505 4th place: Jason “Mayhem” Miller* — $12,330 5th place: Jason Simon* — $11,225 6th place: Baruch Binyaminov* — $10,100 7th place: Jesse Lott* — $8,950 8th place: Anthony Graham — $3,200 9th place: Phillip Ricks — $2,400 * — Seven-way ICM deal Amy Batson’s Story: The Road to Victory Amy Batson discovered poker just over a year ago, after her son left for college and she was looking for a new way to spend her free time. Poker quickly became a passion, and she started out playing in the River Rat Rounders amateur league, which meets at a local bar. Later, Amy began venturing beyond her home league, entering other tournaments where she continued to post solid results. For her, the most valuable aspect of the poker community was the supportive and diverse atmosphere. She says the players were very patient and friendly, which helped her feel welcome in a new environment. Batson notes that she continues to learn and improve, especially when it comes to board analysis and reading opponents’ hands. However, she considers her greatest strength to be her ability to understand people and build connections at the table. “My superpower is seeing people and understanding them, feeling human interaction,” she says. On Day 2 of the tournament, Amy played wearing a crown, which she uses as a symbol of inner strength and confidence. Fittingly, she ended up taking home the championship belt and the title of the first-ever Mississippi State Poker Championship Main Event winner. Format Features: ICM Deal and Flip At the final table, the players decided to split the prize pool according to ICM—a common practice in poker tournaments where the remaining players divide the money proportionally to their chip stacks. This approach helps reduce variance and narrows the gap between payouts, especially when significant sums are at stake. What made this tournament unique was the way the official champion was determined. Instead of playing it out or awarding the title to the chip leader, the finalists held a flip—a hand where everyone goes all-in blind and the winner is decided purely by chance. This format is sometimes used to award trophies when the money has already been chopped and players don’t want to continue battling for a symbolic title. As a result, Amy Batson became the first holder of the Mississippi State Poker Championship Main Event belt, even though the largest cash prize went to Michael Holland. Key Hands and Tournament Stats Jason Simon made quads twice during the tournament, but the second time lost to Holland’s quad jacks and was eliminated in 13th place. Baruch Binyaminov busted in 12th place after Jason Miller made trip tens against his kings. William Joyner, who led the chip counts for much of the tournament, was eliminated in 11th place, losing with ace-king to Holland. Anthony Graham was the first to bust at the final table, losing to Brandon Owens’ pocket aces. After Jesse Lott’s elimination in eighth place, the finalists agreed to an ICM deal and held a flip for the championship title. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this story highlights the importance of flexibility and negotiation in tournament poker. The situation where finalists agree to an ICM deal and then determine the champion by chance shows that final placement isn’t always just about skill—sometimes collective decisions at the table play a key role. PPPoker players should pay attention to the practice of ICM deals to be prepared for similar negotiations in club tournaments. Understanding ICM principles can help you negotiate better deals and minimize risks at the final stages. Additionally, Amy Batson’s story is proof that even with little experience and no professional background, you can achieve success in poker by playing to your strengths and actively participating in the poker community. In PPPoker clubs, anyone can find their place and have a shot at a big win, regardless of their starting level.