The Hollywood Poker Open Toledo Regional Main Event began with yesterday's Day 1a, from which 16 players advanced to Monday's Day 2 field. Today, Day 1b will see another group of grinders make their way to the championship day.
James Wright is the man to catch, as he bagged up 255,500 after 14 levels of play, and he was joined by Charles Maxcy, Wayne Smith, Neil Coughlin, Michael Hahn, Kim Schinco, Bobby Brown, Ron Bell, Kenny Zuspan, and Raymond Ezzie. Some of the players who did not qualify included tour ambassador and former Main Event champ Chris Moneymaker, "East Coast" Mike Ross, Patrick Steele, Rex Clinkscales, Nick Pupillo, and Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler.
Each will have two bullets to fire today, with the same 50-minute level structure in use, of course. Blinds begin at 50/100 and players get 20,000 in starting chips. Reentries are allowed for the first six levels. Cards will fly at 12:15 p.m.
Shawn Cunix lost a big chunk of his stack on one of the first hands of the day, when he flopped two pair with in the blinds only to be counterfeited when runner hit the board on the turn and river, losing to a player holding .
A few minutes later, we saw Cunix in line to reenter, and he said he lost the rest when he flopped two pair with against a player holding and ultimately lost the hand.
Significant action followed a flop between three players, a David Eldridge had a raise of about 4,400 in front of him on the button, which a middle-position player called. A third player had shoved all in for about 7,000 more, and Eldridge also shipped it. That folded out the middle player.
Eldridge:
Opponent:
The all-in player said he knew Eldridge's hand and wanted to gamble, but he was unable to improve as hit the board on the last two streets.
Eldridge comes into the tournament hot, with two recent scores in two of the biggest tournaments of 2015. He took 46th in the PCA for $27,700 and 56th at WPT Borgata for $9,497. We'll see if his streak continues.
Mike Ross bet 3,000 from early position on a completed board of against two opponents, and the player on the button called. Mike Williams, who had checked from under the gun, then raised to 8,000. Ross thought awhile and called, and the third player quickly folded.
Williams flipped up for quads, causing Ross clench his fist in frustration.
In a pot that looked to have a raise and numerous calls, a player three-bet to about 1,500 from the blinds, and action folded to Shawn Cunix, the last player to act. He shoved all in from late position, and the player in the blinds snap-called for 16,775.
Cunix:
Opponent:
"Oh, I didn't want you to have ace-queen," Cunix said as flopped. "But I have clubs."
The bricked the turn, but the filled his draw on the river. The player took the beat in stride, reaching out to shake Cunix's hand.
"I thought you would fold, I really did," Cunix said.
Win Tran opened to 1,050 in early position and saw the player on his left make it 4,000. Tran put the player all in for 13,800, and he called instantly with . Tran showed .
"Ace," the player with aces called.
"You want an ace, too?" Tran said with a laugh.
"Gettin' a little greedy," someone chimed in.
No ace appeared, but neither did a king as the board ran out .
Players can no longer reenter the tournament if they bust out, and with an unofficial count of 184 Day 1b runners, that puts the tournament total at 288.
Ben Grise opened to 2,500 in the hijack, and David Eldridge reraised to 5,100 on the button. Adam Lamphere cold four-bet to 12,200 in the small blind, and Grise thought awhile before mucking. Eldridge put Lamphere all in for about 56,000 total, and Lamphere quickly called.
Lamphere:
Eldridge:
Lamphere fell miles behind as flopped to give Eldridge trips, and he filled up to lock up the win on the turn.
Nick Pupillo and Ben Grise went to war once more as Pupillo opened for a raise and called a Grise three-bet to 7,500, seeing a flop. Both players checked, and Pupillo bet 6,000 on the turn. Grise raised to 13,000. Pupillo came back with 20,000.
"Is that enough for a raise?" Grise asked. The dealer confirmed it was, and Grise called.
Pupillo plopped down 25,000 on the river.
"You got an eight?" Grise asked as he called.
Pupillo silently flipped .
"That was evil," Grise said as he showed . "Easy game for you."
in the blinds only to be counterfeited when runner 
against a player holding 
flop between three players, a David Eldridge had a raise of about 4,400 in front of him on the button, which a middle-position player called. A third player had shoved all in for about 7,000 more, and Eldridge also shipped it. That folded out the middle player.
hit the board on the last two streets.
against two opponents, and the player on the button called. Mike Williams, who had checked from under the gun, then raised to 8,000. Ross thought awhile and called, and the third player quickly folded.
for quads, causing Ross clench his fist in frustration.
flopped. "But I have clubs."
bricked the turn, but the 
filled his draw on the river. The player took the beat in stride, reaching out to shake Cunix's hand.
.
.
.
.
flopped to give Eldridge trips, and he filled up to lock up the win on the 
flop. Both players checked, and Pupillo bet 6,000 on the 
turn. Grise raised to 13,000. Pupillo came back with 20,000.
.
