Joe Ebanks Wins Hollywood Poker Open Columbus Regional Main Event
Joe Ebanks reached a deal with Jeremy Detamore before he became the new Hollywood Poker Open champion, winning the HPO Columbus $1,115 Regional Main Event at the stop and earning $49,928 in first-place prize money.
"I got crazy lucky," said Ebanks in regards to the hand he busted Chris Meyers on in seventh place, which helped propel him to victory.
On that hand, Meyers and Ebanks were all in preflop for a pot worth 1.8 million in chips. Meyers had the 
against the 
of Ebanks. Ebanks flopped a Broadway straight when the dealer put out the 
, and dodged a flush draw on the turn and a chop on the river to knock out Meyers. Meyers was one of five players he busted at the final table.
Jeff Gregg was one of those five players, and Ebanks busted him when he flopped a king with the 
against Gregg's . Ebanks also eliminated fourth-place finisher Greg Yeager when he had the 
against Yeager's 
and flopped trips before turning a full house.
"I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to call in those spots," said Ebanks. "My hands should have equity against their ranges."
Ebanks busted Bill Khourie in third place after he made a flush on a board that showed a five-card straight and got paid off. He then turned a straight against Khourie when the two were all in preflop a few hands later.
The win is the fifth tournament win of Ebanks career and his lifetime earnings are approaching $3.2 million, according to Hendon Mob.
In addition to the first-place prize money and trophy, Ebanks was awarded a $2,500 seat to the season-ending HPO Championship Event at the M Resort in Las Vegas. That event will take place June 23-26.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Ebanks | $49,928* |
| 2 | Jeremy Detamore | $46,680* |
| 3 | Bill Khourie | $24,900 |
| 4 | Greg Yeager | $17,679 |
| 5 | Jeff Gregg | $13,695 |
| 6 | David O'Connor | $11,205 |
| 7 | Chris Meyers | $9,338 |
| 8 | Chris Roberts | $7,844 |
| 9 | Rick Sklenar | $6,474 |
*Denotes heads-up deal.
This marks the end of HPO Columbus, and there is one stop left before the Championship Event in June. That last stop will be Charles Town, West Virginia, at Charles Town Races starting on May 12. First up on the HPO Charles Town Races schedule is a $235 No-Limit Hold'em event on May 12 at 3:15 p.m., and that event is quickly followed by a $300 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack tournament with three starting flights on May 13 and 14.
The HPO Charles Town $1,115 Regional Main Event will take place May 20-22 and boast a $100,000 guarantee. PokerNews will also be on hand to cover this one.
For more on the HPO Charles Town Races stop, click here.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,980,000 | 1,800,000 |
flop. Ebanks checked and Khourie bet 80,000. Ebanks called.
and Ebanks checked again. This time Khourie bet 140,000 and Ebanks called.
and Ebanks bet 350,000 into the board that was a six-high straight. Khourie called and Ebanks showed him the bad news. Ebanks had a flush with the 
versus the 
of Khourie. But like most of the day, Ebanks can't miss and he turned a straight on the 
board.
. The river was no help to Yeager who ends the tournament in fourth place.
, Ebanks had busted yet another player.
and Khourie led for 50,000. Detamore called. The players checked the remaining streets as the turn and river came 
and Detamore took the pot with pocket sixes.
and both players checked. The turn was the 
and Ebanks led again, this time making it 130,000. Khourie folded.
and Ebanks sent another player home. He now has almost half the chips in play with five left.
, but the 