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The Maryland State Poker Championship $1,700 Main Event concluded in a three-way deal at Live! Casino Maryland, with Daniel Iachan securing his first career title. The final table featured a trio of notable grinders: Justin Arnwine, known for his extensive tournament resume, Iachan, who had two deep WSOP Main Event runs to his name, and Aaron Pinson, a past WPT Prime Championship runner-up worth more than $1 million.
With all three players holding over 80 big blinds entering three-handed play and $111,000 up top, the group opted to pause the clock and negotiate an ICM deal rather than continue. Arnwine collected the largest share at $86,167, Iachan took $78,112, and Pinson earned $76,221, with Iachan also receiving the trophy.
Iachan, who reached 17th place in the 2025 WSOP Main Event and 96th this year, said those experiences built his confidence to compete at high-pressure final tables. He noted that his opponents seemed willing to let him claim the win, partly due to mutual respect built over previous encounters.
Arnwine, who already holds numerous tournament victories, said he was content forgoing the trophy since Iachan had never won a live event. He also pointed to an EPT package drawing ticket included in the deal as an added incentive to accept.
Arnwine credited his tournament success to his wife Caitlyn, whose runner-up finish at the 2023 Potomac Winter Poker Open Main Event inspired his aggressive approach, and to player Bin Weng, who taught him the importance of embracing risk to win.
The final table began with six players from a 380-entry field. Key eliminations included Robert Salera, Valentin Lita, and Kevin Grabel, with Pinson knocking out Grabel to reach three-handed play before the deal was struck.
