Former World Champion Chris Moneymaker will eventually work his way into the Regional Main Event field, but for now, he's in the money with 17 left in one of the many side events of HPO St. Louis.
He came into the day third in chips and with 17 left is among the chip leaders still. First place in the side event is worth more than $12,000, so it could be a nice little kick off for him before he goes for another deep run in the Main Event.
Moneymaker cashed the last HPO Regional Main Event, which was in Toledo earlier this month. There he finished 23rd for $2.746.
Matt Fahs has worked his stack up to nearly 50,000 in the first few levels of the Main Event. On this hand, he three bets preflop then c-bets the flop to take down the pot.
The player under the gun raised preflop to 600 and Fahs was next to act. He quickly made it 1,600 and the action folded back to the initial raiser. He called.
The flop came and the action checked to Fahs, who bet 2,500 and his opponent mucked.
Jim Lakin and Nick Syrigos were heads up, after a Lakin preflop raise and a call by Syrigos.
The flop came and Lakin led for 700. Syrigos called.
It was bet, call again on the turn when the and Lakin led out for 1,500.
On the river, Lakin slowed down after the paired the board. Syrigos bet 1,200 and Lakin called pretty quickly. Both players turned over and chopped the pot.
It seemed to come as a relief to Lakin, who had bet the flop and the turn, but checked for about ten seconds straight on the river, indicating he might not have loved the paired board.
Sharon Shell just took down a pretty nice pot when she led for 5,000 on the flop into two players, including Tim Vance, who three-bet preflop.
The action started when Ed McPike opened for 900 from middle position and Zal Irani called in the cutoff. Vance then made it 2,500 from the button. Shell was in the small blind and counted out calling chips, then set them into the pot. McPike also called before Irani folded, sacrificing the 900 he had in the pot already.
When the hit the felt on the flop, Shell's 5,000 bet follwed shortly after. McPike folded quickly, but Vance needed some convincing. He looked at Shell, wondering what to do next. He cupped both hands around his cards and peaked again. He then set his chips back on top of his hand, indicating he might call or raise. After another few seconds, Vance removed his chips from atop his hand and mucked, giving Shell the pot.
Vadim Kleydman has finished in the top 21 the last two years of this event. In 2014, he finished 21st for $3,966 and in 2015, he improved to 8th for $12,061. The 8th place finish, is his biggest live cash to date.
Today he is sitting a little over 30,000 with only three of 14 levels played in Day 1a.
Todd Bartlett is another face in the field today. Sporting a Superman hat he is looking to get back into the money in this event.
In 2014, he earned his best live cash with a fourth place finish in this event. He is sitting at just under $100,000 in career earnings and a deep run in this tournament could put him over the century mark.
and the action checked to Fahs, who bet 2,500 and his opponent mucked.
and Lakin led for 700. Syrigos called.
and Lakin led out for 1,500.
paired the board. Syrigos bet 1,200 and Lakin called pretty quickly. Both players turned over 
and chopped the pot.
flop and the action checked to Jim Lakin, who bet 750. Nick Syrigos and another player called.
on the river and Syrigos showed the winner, 
for a pair of aces. Lakin slowly let his hand go and Syrigos took down the pot.
hit the felt on the flop, Shell's 5,000 bet follwed shortly after. McPike folded quickly, but Vance needed some convincing. He looked at Shell, wondering what to do next. He cupped both hands around his cards and peaked again. He then set his chips back on top of his hand, indicating he might call or raise. After another few seconds, Vance removed his chips from atop his hand and mucked, giving Shell the pot.
