Main Event Day 1a | 2019 Heartland Poker Tour St. Louis

03-15-2019 21:59 UTC-5

Updated Chip Counts

Anthony Thompson

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Brett Apter	240,000

Shawn McCracken	212,000
Ryan Gregor	110,000 10,000	10,000
John Richards	75,000 -15,000	-15,000
Mike Rieck	70,000 -7,000	-7,000
Ian Matakis	65,000 28,000	28,000

Ryan Tepen	50,000 40,000	40,000
Kou Vang	45,000 13,000	13,000
Craig Casino	45,000 -37,000	-37,000
Cathy Stahr	40,000 15,000	15,000
Mike Kamenjarin	18,000 -2,000	-2,000
Mike Shin	17,000 -53,000	-53,000
Nick Davidson	4,000 -46,000	-46,000

03-15-2019 21:49 UTC-5

Get to Know Reigning HPT Player of the Year Aaron Johnson

Chad Holloway

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

One of the best stories of 2018 was the incredible year of Minnesota’s Aaron Johnson. Back in May, PokerNews spoke with Johnson about leading the Player of the Year races on both Season 9 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) and Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Season XIV.

Over the next seven months, Johnson maintained his lead on the MSPT, and while he lost the HPT lead for a bit, he ultimately ended with it thanks to a deep run in the season finale. That allowed Johnson to become the first player to ever win POY titles on two different tours in the same year.

For doing so, Johnson won a $10,000 prize package for each tour.

“It feels amazing,” Johnson told PokerNews. “Coming into the year I certainly wanted to make a run at MSPT POY (which has always been a goal of mine), but I never imagined that I’d be in contention for multiple POY titles. To actually achieve it is unreal.”

For more on the reigning HPT POY, check out his full interview here on PokerNews.

Tags: Aaron Johnson

03-15-2019 21:37 UTC-5

Uncle Ron Coming Soon

Chad Holloway

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Jus arrived in St Louis for some @HPTPoker! They call it The Gateway to Kansas... https://t.co/gUxFuNhzKi
— Uncle Ron (@UncleRonAA)

Level: 10

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

03-15-2019 20:23 UTC-5

Dinner Break Time

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player are now on a 60-minute dinner break. Cards will be back in the air at just after 9:30 p.m. local time. Late registration and re-entries will come to a close once play resumes.

03-15-2019 20:17 UTC-5

John Richards Picks Off River Bluff

LoriPersinger

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Preflop action folded around to John Richards in the hijack, and he raised to 2,300. The player in the big blind was the only caller.

After the big blind checked the flop, Richards continued for 2,400, and the big blind made the call.

Both players then checked the turn, and the big blind again checked the river.

Richards bet 3,500, only to get check-raised by the big blind to 11,000.

Richards tanked for a moment and then made the call.

The big blind tabled , which was no good against the of Richards.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Richards	90,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: John Richards

03-15-2019 20:17 UTC-5

2019 Heartland Poker Tour St. Louis $1650 Main Event Day 1A Photos by Hayley Hochstetler

Hayley Hochstetler

03-15-2019 20:03 UTC-5

Hankins Dispatches Elmore

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The specifics escaped us, but we do know that Brandon Elmore got his last 8,000 or so all in on a and was at risk against Robert Hankins.

Hankins:
Elmore:

Elmore was dominated and looking to pair his kicker. The turn wasn't what he was looking for and neither was the river. With that, Elmore headed for the exit while Hankins was pushed the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Hankins	45,000 20,000	20,000
Brandon Elmore	Busted

Tags: Robert Hankins Brandon Elmore

03-15-2019 19:57 UTC-5

Here's What's in Store for Season XV of the HPT

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Season XV of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) is shaping up to be a big one with stops at the Hollywood Casinos in St. Louis and the Cincinnati area (Lawrenceburg, Indiana), The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Pittsburgh, and Ameristar East Chicago. What's more, the PokerNews Live Reporting Team plans to be at each of them to capture all the action.

“HPT is excited to have PokerNews providing additional event coverage in 2019,” said Korey Stewart, HPT Marketing Manager. “Season XV is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for the tour. We’ve already added several new venues to the schedule and we’re hoping to announce a few more new additions soon. There will be plenty of opportunities for poker enthusiasts across the country to take a shot at winning life-changing money at nationally televised final tables. We’re looking forward to having an industry leader like PokerNews there to report on it every step of the way.”

Here’s a look at the current Season XV schedule with more stops expected to be announced in the near future. For more information, visit hptpoker.com and follow them on Twitter @HPTPoker.

HPT Season XV Schedule

Series Dates	Venue	Location	Main Event Buy-In
March 21-April 1	Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg	Lawrenceburg, Indiana	$1,100
April 4-15	The Meadows Racetrack & Casino	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$1,100
April 18-29	Hollywood Casino Columbus	Columbus, Ohio	$1,650
May 2-14	Ameristar East Chicago	Gary, Indiana	$1,650

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000