Regional Main Event
Day 1 Completed
Regional Main Event
Day 1 Completed
The Hollywood Poker Open Season 3 Charles Town Regional Main Event drew 118 entries to Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia, on Saturday. After 14 levels of play, just 12 players remained in the hunt for a $35,803 first-place prize. The winner will also see himself walking away with a $2,500 seat in the Championship Event at M Resort Casino and Spa in Las Vegas this June.
Fort Valley, Virginia's Ronald "Rooster" McDonald jumped into the chip lead early and held onto it for most of the day, making hand after hand and becoming the first player over 300,000. A late charge from 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champion and HPO Ambassador Chris Moneymaker saw him take over into the last level of play, however, it was not meant to be for Moneymaker. He lost heaps with a straight against Mike Axen's runner-runner flush before ending up on the wrong end of a huge full-house-over-full-house hand versus Leesburg, Virginia's Carl Garland nearing the end of play. As a result, Garland bagged the overnight chip lead with Axen closely in tow and Moneymaker somehow going from hero to zero in short order, busting out minutes before the day was done.
After doubling through McDonald with aces over kings, Chris Grove ended the day on a strong note as well, bagging a little more than McDonald. Meanwhile, the bottom end of the leaderboard is highlighted by 2015 HPO Grantville champ Steven Gurney-Goldman, who will return to play Sunday with over 100,000 in chips and a legitimate shot at a second title in this third season on the tour.
Play will resume at 12 p.m. local time Sunday, and the 12 remaining players will return on the money bubble.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be back tomorrow to provide live updates of all the action from start to finish as they play down to a champion here in Charles Town, so stay tuned to see who walks away $35,803 richer.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
365,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
|
313,500
93,500
|
93,500 |
|
|
289,500
30,500
|
30,500 |
|
|
288,000
88,000
|
88,000 |
|
|
262,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
|
251,500
251,500
|
251,500 |
|
|
179,000
33,000
|
33,000 |
|
|
117,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
|
111,500
19,500
|
19,500 |
|
|
82,500
32,500
|
32,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
66,500
37,800
|
37,800 |
|
|
35,000
93,000
|
93,000 |
Chris Moneymaker opened for 5,000 and both Mike Axen and Carl Garland called. The flop fell ![]()
![]()
and after a check from Garland, Moneymaker continued for 8,000. Only Garland called and the turn came the
.
Garland checked, Moneymaker bet 27,000 and Garland flatted before the
river was revealed. Garland checked again, but when Moneymaker bet 62,000, he check-raised all-in for some 140,000.
"I can't fold, I have a full house," said Moneymaker.
"Is it bigger than mine?" Garland asked, turning over ![]()
. It wasn't. Moneymaker had ![]()
and left with just a few chips and a chair, he lost all that a few hands later.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
330,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Jeremy Abrams shipped it in on a queen-high flop holding ![]()
.
Unfortunately for him, Chris Yeary had flopped a set of threes. The set held, Abrams went broke with a smile and Yeary appears to have moved into the chip lead now 15-handed.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
320,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Mike Axen has been needling Chris Moneymaker for hours, now he's gone and knocked him off the top of the chip counts.
Heads up, Moneymaker bet 6,000 into an ![]()
![]()
flop. Axen called and Moneymaker bet 16,000 into the
turn. Axen called and Moneymaker bet 35,000 into the
river.
Axen called and when Moneymaker claimed a straight, Axen turned over ![]()
having gone runner-runner to make a flush.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
220,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
220,000
145,000
|
145,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 400
After a series of raises preflop, Chris Grove got it all in against Ronald McDonald with ![]()
versus ![]()
.
Grove doubled through on the ![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
run out.
As a result of the classic cooler, McDonald slipped from the top of the counts allowing Chris Moneymaker to take top spot for now.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
270,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
200,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
Jeremy Abrams limped and Chris Moneymaker made it 5,700 from the button.
Abrams called and they went heads-up to a ![]()
![]()
flop. Abrams led for what looked like 11,000 and Moneymaker called. The turn brought the
and after Abrams checked, Moneymaker took the lead, making it 16,000.
Abrams called, then bet 19,000 of his own at the
river. Moneymaker raised to 60,000 total and Abrams went deep in the tank, looking tortured over the next few minutes.
Eventually he folded and Moneymaker showed ![]()
- An ace-high bluff.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
330,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
80,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
"Big Moment?" asked Jeremy Abrams, after checking to Chris Moneymaker with about 80,000 in the middle on the river of a ![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
board.
"I don't know yet," replied Moneymaker, taking his time before betting 80,000.
Abrams snap-called with ![]()
for a set, but Moneymaker held ![]()
and had rivered a straight to leap up the leaderboard and cut Abrams down to size in what now has to be considered a big moment for both.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
110,000
130,000
|
130,000 |