The $1,115 Hollywood Poker Open St. Louis Regional Main Event kicks off at 12 p.m. today inside the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, Missouri.
The last time the HPO came to St. Louis it was HPO ambassador and 2003 World Series of Poker 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, Moneymaker is expected to return and defend his title from March 2014.
This marks the fifth Regional Main Event of the HPO season, with all previous winners having booked seats in the season-ending $2,500 Championship Event at M Resort Casino and Spa in Las Vegas this June.
Today, players will start with 20,000 in tournament chips and plans to play 14 levels of 50 minutes each. Late entry and re-entry is available for the first six levels.
There will be a 15-minute break every two levels and a 60-minute dinner break after Level 6.
The survivors of the day will return Sunday at 12 p.m. Local time where the levels jump to 60 minutes and they will play down to a winner, who will book a seat in the Championship Event in addition to taking home a big chunk of the prizepool.
Stay tuned as the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand from start to finish covering all the action.
Skylar Henshaw has emerged as the early chip leader after getting it in bad and finding a way out.
He got into a preflop raising war with two others that saw him eventually get in in with pocket queens versus pocket aces. A third player in the hand claimed to have folded pocket kings.
Henshaw binked a queen and although a king came it did not hurt him. He is on almost 50,000 now.
St. Charles, Missouri's Wendy Horton has shot up into the chip lead after a friendly river card.
After chipping up early in the day with kings versus queens, she got it all in having flopped top set.
Unfortunately for Horton, her opponent had flopped a straight. Things got better for Horton when she rivered a boat to sink her opponent and move up close to 50,000 and into the lead.
Alan Smith has moved into the lead after dragging a sizable pot moments ago.
He joined four others limping into a pot, but when the big blind led for 700 into a flop and two others called, he jacked it up to 4,000.
Only the big blind called and the turn was revealed. The big blind checked, but then check-raised to 10,000 total when Smith bet 5,000. Smith called and when the big blind checked the river, he fired out 5,000.
The big blind folded and Smith moved into the chip lead with close to 70,000.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
![[user127999]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
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flop and two others called, he jacked it up to 4,000.
turn was revealed. The big blind checked, but then check-raised to 10,000 total when Smith bet 5,000. Smith called and when the big blind checked the 
river, he fired out 5,000.
and one of May's opponents led for 4,500.
turn where both players checked.
, having turned quads.
for the rivered straight and the original all-in player mucked.
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 
after his opponent could only show 
.
flop, but when Alan Smith made it 3,000 on the 
turn and the big blind folded, Moneymaker raised it up to 8,000.
.
and Basham held on to grab the chip lead.