Day 1b has been completed in the the Hollywood Poker Open Toledo $1,115 Regional Main Event, and the Day 2 field is set. With 323 total entries in the tournament, a new record was set for largest HPO Regional Main Event. The top 36 places will reach the money, with the winner set to earn $77,514.
Nicholas DePalma ended the day atop the leaderboard with 298,000 in chips. DePalma had a healthy stack most of the day, but as the evening went on he shot to the lead. Not only did DePalma bag the chip lead on Day 1b, but he topped all survivors moving forward. On Day 1a, Lance Howard finished with 288,000 in chips as the biggest stack, so he'll enter Day 2 second on the leaderboard.
Firas Sadou may not have the biggest stack, but he had one exciting roller coaster of a day. He reentered at least three times and the third bullet proved to be the charm as he rode it all the way to Day 2. He was soaring near 200,000 in chips before a series of unfortunate events led him short stacked. But, Sadou battled back and ended the day on 96,500.
Jacob Wojtuniecki (56,500) joined his brother Phillip Wojtuniecki (143,500) in advancing to Day 2, but their other brother Erik Wojtuniecki failed to make it through.
The 34 players who survived Day 1b will join the 14 from Day 1a, which included HPO ambassador and 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker. Day 2 will start on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. local time and play will continue until a winner is crowned.
Stay tuned to PokerNews.com for the thrilling conclusion of this record-setting event.
Ken Southerland (left) Doubles through Bryan Norris (far right)
Ken Southerland just doubled up through Bryan Norris.
He shoved and Norris shoved over the top for more. Southerland had and needed a lot of help to beat the of Norris.
He got all the help he could possibly want when the board ran out , giving him a full house.
Norris was still after the pot, seeming to have the wind knocked out of him at this critical stage in the tournament. He is now left with under ten big blinds.
Firas Sadou raised to 5,000 from middle position and Connor Burchwell defended from the big blind.
The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the and Burchwell checked to Sadou. Sadou bet 4,000. Burchwell called.
The river was the and Burchwell checked again. This time Sadou reached for a stack of 1,000 chips and made a move like he was going to slide it into the pot. Instead, he grabbed a couple chips off the top, then put them back. After that, he counted out 12,000 in chips and grabbed it with two hands. He tossed them into the pot, making an x-motion with each hand as he made his bet.
Burchwell called and Sadou showed for a flush. Burchwell mucked.
Steve Clark got in ahead against Phung Ngo, but the turn would change everything and send him home.
The flop read and Clark shoved his last 17,000. Ngo called and was behind with against .
The on the turn took the air out of Clark, who sat stunned for a moment. The dealer put the on the river and Clark still didn't move. He sat still while the dealer mucked his cards and shipped the pot to Ngo. Then he finally got up and headed to the rail.
Jinghao Xu took a hit when he lost an all in and doubled up Steve Clark. On this hand, Xu is the one at risk and he got one caller.
Xu had and hit a queen on the flop to stay alive against . Xu is a very active player, so it wouldn't be too unusual for him to shoot up into the chip lead if his aggression is matched with some run good.
Wayne Smith was on the button when Rob Koss opened for 1,500 from early position. Smith called the raise, and Koss, who seemed to be friendly with Smith, looked at him with a hint of friendly annoyance.
"Go f*** yourself Wayne!" said Koss.
Smith laughed, as it seemed to be only a friendly jab.
The dealer set out the flop, and Koss bet 1,400. Smith raised to 2,800, and the Koss folded, rolling his eyes as he mucked his hand.
"What are you rolling your eyes for?" Smith said to his opponent as he turned over pocket tens for an over pair.
Firas Sadou opened the action by raising to 1,300 and Ken Foster reraised from the small blind to 4,250.
When the action was back on Sadou, he went all in and Foster called.
Sadou had against the of Foster. The board ran out ten high, and Foster's pocket jacks were good. Sadou was eliminated right before the start of level 8.
Patrick [Removed:349] just won a huge pot and eliminated a player in the process.
The action started when 5 players saw the flop after a Phung Ngo raise. The flop was and the action checked around to a player who bet 2,000. Malek Fehme called, Ngo folded and then it was Jinghao Xu's turn to act.
Xu raised to 7,000. The original bettor put out a call before [Removed:349] had a chance to act. [Removed:349] seemed to hestitate, but then reraised, making it 17,000 to go. The player to his left still called the 17,000 and Fehme folded.
Xu was amazed and frustratingly decided to fold. [Removed:349] and his opponent were now heads up to the turn.
As soon as Xu folded, [Removed:349] stacked his chips up and pushed them into the pot. It was unclear whether he wanted to go all in blind, or if he was just preparing for the turn. The turn was the .
"All in," he said.
His opponent called quickly and [Removed:349] turned over a straight with . His opponent was drawing dead with . He walked away from the table before the dealer could put out the inconsequential river.
Jinghao Xu was in the big blind, when the under-the-gun player limped and five players called. Xu checked his option and six players saw the flop.
All players checked the flop and the dealer put the on the turn. This time, Jack Rolnitzky bet 1,100 and Xu called along with one other player.
The river was the and Rolnitzky bet 3,000. Xu made it 7,000, the remaining player folded and the action was back on Rolnitzky. He called and was disappointed when his trip queens weren't good enough to beat the flopped full house of Xu. Xu had .
and needed a lot of help to beat the 
of Norris.
, giving him a full house.
and both players checked. The turn was the 
and Burchwell checked to Sadou. Sadou bet 4,000. Burchwell called.
and Burchwell checked again. This time Sadou reached for a stack of 1,000 chips and made a move like he was going to slide it into the pot. Instead, he grabbed a couple chips off the top, then put them back. After that, he counted out 12,000 in chips and grabbed it with two hands. He tossed them into the pot, making an x-motion with each hand as he made his bet.
for a flush. Burchwell mucked.
and Clark shoved his last 17,000. Ngo called and was behind with 
on the turn took the air out of Clark, who sat stunned for a moment. The dealer put the 
. Xu is a very active player, so it wouldn't be too unusual for him to shoot up into the chip lead if his aggression is matched with some run good.
and Kaplan checked again. Ermie made it 5,000, Kaplan called.
![Patrick [Removed:349]](https://s.pnimg.net/WgV0Yf8hN7WksZ3hYyR2xdVcZigSSIMgV75wtRtBPho/pr:reporting-leading-desktop/aHR0cHM6Ly9wbmlt/Zy5uZXQvbHJlcC8x/OTA2LzgveDU4YTAy/MjcxYTEuanBn.webp)
and the action checked around to a player who bet 2,000. Malek Fehme called, Ngo folded and then it was Jinghao Xu's turn to act.
.
flop.
on the turn. This time, Jack Rolnitzky bet 1,100 and Xu called along with one other player.
and Rolnitzky bet 3,000. Xu made it 7,000, the remaining player folded and the action was back on Rolnitzky. He called and was disappointed when his trip queens weren't good enough to beat the flopped full house of Xu. Xu had