Despite not being a professional poker player, Nick Barksdale has demonstrated his exceptional skills as a closer in live poker tournaments. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, where he works as a sales manager, Barksdale boasts 13 in-the-money finishes and an impressive four titles, including two main event victories on the 2023 Mid-States Poker Tour.
His triumphs began with his inaugural six-figure payday of $170,325 at the MSPT Bally’s Black Hawk main event in January. Just 279 days later, in early November, he triumphed again, conquering a field of 654 entries at the MSPT Riverside main event and seizing a prize of $129,740.
Speaking to MSPT reporters after his victory, Barksdale expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It feels really good. The final table was incredibly competitive, and the outcome was uncertain, but I was fortunate enough to secure my second title this year.”
With these wins, Barksdale’s career tournament earnings now exceed $391,000, with the majority stemming from his two MSPT titles.
Notably, his recent victory also earned him 840 Card Player Player of the Year points, adding to the 912 points he previously obtained for his first MSPT win. These combined points, totaling 1,752, have propelled him to 236th place in the 2023 standings presented by Global Poker.
The $1,110 main event at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa, attracted a robust field, resulting in a final prize pool of $632,880. The top 72 finishers received cash prizes, with the top nine players earning five figures or more.
Among the notable participants, Rob WazWaz secured his 18th top-ten finish on the tour, finishing in third place with a prize of $58,858. As an MSPT Hall of Fame member, WazWaz has accumulated over $658,000 in winnings on the tour. Asa Snyder, who finished seventh in the same event the previous year, took second place and received a prize of $79,099.
Here are the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Nicholas Barksdale | $129,740 | 840 |
| 2 | Asa Snyder | $79,099 | 700 |
| 3 | Rob Wazwaz | $58,858 | 560 |
| 4 | Darin Utley | $43,669 | 420 |
| 5 | Benjamin Mccoy | $32,910 | 350 |
| 6 | Bouaphanh Leuaxay | $24,682 | 280 |
| 7 | Joby Steffensmeier | $18,986 | 210 |
| 8 | Michael Bowersock | $15,189 | 140 |
| 9 | Casey Blakeley | $11,392 | 70 |
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