Day 1 of the Hollywood Poker Open Season 3 St. Louis Regional Main Event drew 173 entries to the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday. But by the time 14 levels were through, just 25 remained.
Late in the day, 2014 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Kyle Cartwright grabbed the chip lead, stacking a player with a turned straight against rivered top two pair and never looked back. He kept his foot firmly on the gas through the last two levels of the night and by the time it was all said and done, he bagged a massive 532,000-chip stack.
The last time the HPO came to St. Louis, it was HPO ambassador and 2003 WSOP Main Event champ Chris Moneymaker who bested a field of 67 to take home the $36,259 first-place prize. Coming off a final table appearance at HPO Grantville, he showed up loaded for bear and flirted with the lead in the middling levels after firing a second bullet in defense of his title. A misstep with ace-king all in preflop against aces saw Moneymaker dip down under 100,000 in chips as the day moved on, but he managed to right the ship and bag 86,500, retaining a shot at it when play resumes Sunday.
St. Louis local and 2008 European Poker Tour Copenhagen champ Tim Vance made some noise as well, grabbing the chip lead at one point as the day wore on, but he lost a flip to come back down to Earth. He bagged 143,000 when play ended just after 2 a.m. local time.
The $173,000 prize pool will pay the top 15 spots and they should hit the money early Sunday. Those hunting the $48,440 first-place prize will have to stick around a while longer, however, but we doubt they'll be complaining about that.
Play begins at 12 p.m. local time with plans to play all the way down to a winner. As always, the PokerNews Live Reporting team will be on hand to capture all the action from start to finish, so stay tuned for more coverage from the Gateway to the West.
Kyle Cartwright has the outright lead and is closing in on the half-million chip mark.
However, Josh Lozada is right next to him on the leaderboard, and on the table, following the redraw.
Cartwright led out for 5,000 in a recent hand and Lozado flatted. Alan Smith came along for the ride in the big blind and they went three-handed to an flop. Smith checked and a 9,500-chip bet from Cartwright was enough to force two folds.
2014 WSOP Bracelet winner and WSOP Circuit legend Kyle Cartwright has suddenly jumped into the lead here in St. Louis.
He stacked a player in a 200,000-chip pot when he turned a straight and his opponent went runner-runner for top two. Then he got three streets of value with two kings to become the first player past the 200,000-chip mark.
In fact, things are going so well for Cartwright right now, he's pushing 250,000.
In an flash, Jim Bahsam has stolen the chip lead from Chris Moneymaker and left the 2003 WSOP Main Event champ in rebuilding mode.
Basham made it 2,000, Moneymaker made it 5,000 and Basham shipped it in for close to 80,000 total. Not expecting a monster, Moneymaker made the call with , but Basham had a monster, holding .
The board ran out and Basham held on to grab the chip lead.
Chris Moneymaker made it 2,500 from the button and both blinds called.
They all checked the flop, but when Alan Smith made it 3,000 on the turn and the big blind folded, Moneymaker raised it up to 8,000.
Smith called, then checked the river. Moneymaker fired again, making it 12,000 and Smith folded, allowing Moneymaker to move to the top of the leaderboard.
Chris Moneymaker continues to move up the leaderboard now on 100,000-plus.
He flatted when the player to his right opened up for 3,500. The small blind came along for the ride and they went three-handed to an flop. The small blind checked and the original raiser made it 4,000. Only Moneymaker called.
Staring down his opponent on the turn, Moneymaker called another bet, this time for 8,000. The river completed the board and Moneymaker's opponent bet 16,000.
Moneymaker called without hesitation and dragged the sizable pot with after his opponent could only show .
Just before the break, Kansas City's Dorianne May jumped up to a spot among the leaders after a massive three-way all-in hand.
It all started with a May early-position raise and three others calling. The flop fell and one of May's opponents led for 4,500.
May called before one player folded and another shipped it in for some 3,800 more. The original raiser called and May tried to push all in, but wasn't able to because the all in wasn't a full raise.
Forced to call, she went heads-up on the side to the turn where both players checked.
Finally, on the river, May's opponent pushed in and she made the easy call with , having turned quads.
Her opponent on the side showed for the rivered straight and the original all-in player mucked.
![[user127999]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. Smith checked and a 9,500-chip bet from Cartwright was enough to force two folds.
and rolled on.
.
run out and he's among the leaders on 260,000.
and held to win a rather big one.
, but Basham had a monster, holding 
.
and Basham held on to grab the chip lead.
flop, but when Alan Smith made it 3,000 on the 
turn and the big blind folded, Moneymaker raised it up to 8,000.
river. Moneymaker fired again, making it 12,000 and Smith folded, allowing Moneymaker to move to the top of the leaderboard.
flop. The small blind checked and the original raiser made it 4,000. Only Moneymaker called.
turn, Moneymaker called another bet, this time for 8,000. The 
river completed the board and Moneymaker's opponent bet 16,000. 
after his opponent could only show 
.
