$1,115 Regional Main Event Day 1a | Hollywood Poker Open Season 4 Charles Town Regional Main Event

$1,115 Regional Main Event

Day 1a Started

05-20-2016 05:40 UTC-4

HPO Season 4 Drawing to a Close, Charles Town Regional Main Event Begins

Brentharrington

Defending HPO Charles Town Champion Loukas Michael

It’s time for the final regional main event of HPO Season Four. HPO Charles Town will begin today at 11:15. Players will play 14 50-minute levels in Day 1a. Anyone who doesn't make it through will have an equal shot tomorrow in Day 1b, same time, same channel.

Last year, Loukas Michael topped a 118 player field to capture a prize of $35,803 and a seat in the season three championship event in Las Vegas.

This year, players will also be competing for one of the final two seats to the championship event. The other seat will go to the leaderboard winner. Currently, Gregory McCurry is on top of the field with 41 points and is looking like a good shot to win. Doug Holland (28) and Andrew Sharon (27) round out the top three.

This will also be HPO Ambassador Chris Moneymaker’s last chance to take home an HPO title this season. He’s made a few deep runs, finishing in the money at HPO Toledo and just outside the money in Columbus and St. Louis.

Stay tuned for all the action right here on pokernews.com.

Tags: Chris Moneymaker Loukas Michael

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

05-20-2016 11:29 UTC-4

Day 1a Underway

Brentharrington

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

Cards are in the air at Day 1a of the HPO Charles Town regional main event. Players are trickling in and registration is open until the start of level nine. There will be 14 50-minute levels today with a dinner break following level eight.

05-20-2016 11:52 UTC-4

Phil Vera Squeeze's Early

Brentharrington

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

Here are some chip counts from the field.

Phil Vera is off to an early lead after a large three bet. Minx Wiggins opened under the gun and Denny Grizzle called before Vera made it 3,600.

Wiggins asked how much it was and the dealer gave him a count.

"Don't be stupid," Vera said with a smile and the table laughed along with the two players.

Wiggins decided to fold as did Grizzle.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Vera	23,000
Howard Mann	20,000
Denny Grizzle	20,000
Mike Stonehill	20,000
Gary Gomi	20,000
Charles Murray	20,000
Minx Wiggins	19,100

Tags: Denny Grizzle Minx Wiggins Phil Vera

05-20-2016 12:04 UTC-4

Photos from the Field

Brentharrington

05-20-2016 12:20 UTC-4

Wiggins Doubles Through Vera

Brentharrington

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

Phil Vera (left) and Minx Wiggins (right)

Phil Vera and Minx Wiggins have been a couple of the more talkative players early in level one. Earlier Vera three bet big to get Wiggins off a hand.

Wiggins then doubled through Vera when he made a flush on the river. According to Vera, he flopped a pair with and bet. Wiggins called. Then Wiggins bet when he made a flush draw on the turn.

On the river, Vera said he tried to represent the flush and went all in. Wiggins called and had made the flush. That left Vera short.

Player	Chips	Progress
Minx Wiggins	43,000 23,900	23,900
Phil Vera	1,975 -21,025	-21,025

Tags: Phil Vera Minx Wiggins

05-20-2016 12:22 UTC-4

Vera Out

Brentharrington

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

After being left short by Minx Wiggins, Phil Vera doubled up when he shoved middle pair and got called by ace high.

Shortly after the double, Vera was seen exiting the tournament room, unable to run his stack back up after the big hand against Wiggins. Vera is the first person eliminated.