Maxcy Wins HPO Toledo Regional Main Event ($37,465)
After about a half hour negotiating period, the final six players in the Hollywood Poker Open Toledo Regional Main Event, a tournament that attracted 288 entries, reached an agreeable deal to chop up the remaining prize pool. Charles Maxcy, a local player from Toledo, earned the title of champion and a $37,465 payday, while Trevor Renner (officially sixth), Kenny Zuspan (fifth), Joka Boyi (fourth), Emad Alabsi (third), and Ken Foster (runner-up) all received $30,465 as part of the deal.
According to a venue official, Maxcy plays in local tournaments five nights a week. The long hours stood out to Maxcy, who is used to the shorter nightly tournaments.
"I'm getting old," Maxcy said after the win. "I can't handle these hours. But, it's the most I've ever won."
Day 2 of the tournament kicked off with 53 runners from the two Day 1 flights, but only 27 would make the money. The structure allowed for plenty of play, so it took four hours before the bubble burst. Some formidable names looked poised to make final tables runs — such as Nick Pupillo, Michael Hahn, Tom Midena — but all fell short. Midena's demise in 10th place came after check-shoving a six-high board with jacks only to run in Boyi's set of sixes.
When the final nine combined, Maxcy sat in second in chips with just over 1 million at Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000). Neil Coughlin, who had been active showing down bluffs throughout the day, including running a big one on Maxcy early on, got tricky one time too many and was snapped off on a bluff early in the final table, busting in ninth.
Eight-handed play lasted another hour before Foster scored a monster double knockout to pare the field down to six. Freddy Hamad jammed his ten big blinds in with the 
, and Foster called holding the 
in the small blind before Wayne Smith shoved for about the same amount in the big blind. Foster put Smith and his 
at risk, though an ace-high flop looked great for Smith. However, Hamad was the only one left with outs after an 
turn. He missed on the 
river, and the last six players battled for about another hour.
The survivors talked intermittently about a chop, and shortly after the blinds went up to Level 24 (12,000/24,000/4,000), talks got serious and play stalled until a suitable deal was reached.
As part of the agreement, Maxcy also won a $2,500 seat into the Hollywood Poker Open at the M Resort in Las Vegas this coming June. He stipulated that he would take the seat as part of the negotiations and said he's excited for the opportunity.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Maxcy | $37,465* |
| 2 | Ken Foster | $30,465* |
| 3 | Emad Alabsi | $30,465* |
| 4 | Joka Boyi | $30,465* |
| 5 | Kenny Zuspan | $30,465* |
| 6 | Trevor Renner | $30,465* |
| 7 | Wayne Smith | $10,800 |
| 8 | Freddy Hamad | $9,072 |
| 9 | Neil Coughlin | $7,488 |
*Denotes six-handed deal
The Hollywood Poker Open will next visit Tunica from Feb. 26 through March 8, 2015. Of course the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to capture all the action from the stop's Main Event.
, giving him aces. However, the 
flop, and Zuspan raised to 115,000. Coughlin called, then checked the 
. Zuspan pushed 200,000 forward, and Coughlin announced all in. Zuspan snapped it, flipping 
for top two.
.
flop and then shoved over a continuation-bet. Boyi snapped with 
, and he had flopped his two-outer against Midena's 
turn and 
river meant Midena was out 10th, and players are redrawing for the final table seating.
hit the flop, and Joka Boyi bet 75,000 from the big blind. Midena mucked, but Rudy Mamo shoved all in from the button. The small blind folded, and Boyi snap-called, tabling 
for a flush draw, and he watched two black cards fall. Both were clubs though, the 
and 
, and lamented the table's inability to bust Boyi, who was down to three big blinds a short time ago.
flop, but a 
turn gave him added outs with a gutter. The 
river, he checked and saw Midena bet 98,000. Greear tanked for a couple of minutes before pushing forward a call, and Midena turned over 
.
, but Renner found an ace-high flop and bricks on the last two streets to double.
board. West had 
and 
