HPO Columbus Regional Championship Day 1 | 2014 Hollywood Poker Open Columbus Regional Event

HPO Columbus Regional Championship

Day 1 Started

05-24-2014 10:47 UTC-5

Columbus Regional Championship Event About to Start

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In less than 20 minutes, the final Hollywood Poker Open Regional Championship Event of Season 2 will start right here at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio. This $1,800 buy-in tournament wraps up a 16-event series that has seen the likes of Sean Cunix take down a trophy.

The winner of this $100,000 guaranteed tournament will not only receive the cash and the trophy, but also a seat in the HPO Championship Event at the M Resort Casino & Spa in Las Vegas in June.

For more information on the HPO series in Columbus, including the blind structures for each event, head over to the HPO website. This Championship Event features one-hour long levels and 20,000 in starting chips and has a great structure including a 250/500 blind level.

PokerNews will be here from start to finish of this Championship Event providing you with photos, updates, and chip counts. Follow along all the exciting action!

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante:

05-24-2014 11:07 UTC-5

Cards Are in the Air!

[user272102]

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

We are officially underway here at the Hollywood Poker Open Columbus Regional Championship Event. The players will play 11 levels today and will return tomorrow at noon and play down to a winner. This tournament has a $100,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool and it is a great structure with 20,000 in starting chips and one hour levels.

Eliminated players may re-enter during the first six (6) levels. There is a 15-minute break for every two hours of play and there will be a 60-minute dinner break after 6 levels of play.

05-24-2014 11:16 UTC-5

Chris Moneymaker Headlines Early Entrants

[user272102]

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

While there are plenty of local players and grinders here looking to turn $1,800 into much more, we were able to notice a couple of established professional poker players in the field including WSOP Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker and a local boy gone good, Shawn Cunix. There are 80 entrants thus far meaning the $100,000 Guarantee has already been topped.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Moneymaker	20,000

Shawn Cunix	20,000

05-24-2014 11:49 UTC-5

Use MyStack App to Update Your Chip Counts

[user272102]

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

The PokerNews MyStack App is available for players and it allows them to directly update their chip count on the PokerNews Live Reporting page for their friends and family to see.

You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.

Be forewarned, however, any abuse of the app will result in account suspension or termination.

05-24-2014 12:05 UTC-5

Early Risers

[user272102]

Level: 2

Blinds: 50/100

Ante:

05-24-2014 12:08 UTC-5

Almost Triple Digits

[user272102]

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

We have just started the second level and are up to 99 registered entrants. Shawn Cunix is on his second entry already and as is his custom he's laughing it up with his fellow players. We've entered the first 91 entrants into the chip counts so that'll let you know who is taking part in the tournament today. We'll be updating that list throughout the day.

05-24-2014 12:48 UTC-5

Names You Should Know

[user272102]

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

While many players here are looking to make their first big splash on the poker tournament scene, we have countless players with impressive poker resumes. Here are just a few of the names that are taking part in the poker action here today:

Ryan Austin, Westerville, OH - $330,077 in live earnings. His highlights include 6 WSOP cashes and a win in a $1,600 NLHE tournament in 2012 that was good for $74,282 - a career best for Austin.

Shawn Cunix, Delaware, OH - $1,363,482 in live earnings. Cunix is fresh off a win four days ago here for $7,741. He's looking to add to an impressive resume that includes a WPT title which was good for an impressive $426,100. He also has three other six figure scores to his name.

Joseph Couden, Blacklick, OH - $461,446 in live earnings. Couden has been around the tournament scene since 2008 and has 13 WSOP cashes to his name. His best result is a 4th place finish in the 2012 WSOP 8 Game Tournament for $76,841.

Nick Guagenti, Columbus, OH - $644,330 in live earnings. Guagenti has been around a while with his first reported tournament cash coming back in 2006. He has 12 WSOP cashes including a deep run in last years Main Event. He is fresh off his biggest score ever, a win at the 2014 Queen City Classic Main Even in Cincinnati for $153,548.

Chris Moneymaker, Memphis, TN - $3,572,591 in live earnings. One of the most recognized faces in poker and largely thought to be responsible for the start of the poker boom, Moneymaker has had a long career at the tables. Of course his most notable victory was for $2.5 million at the 2003 WSOP Main Event but he's not faded quietly into the night since then. Just two months ago he won the Hollywood Poker Open Main Event in St. Louis taking home $36,259 for his efforts.