2019 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2019 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago

Final Results
Winner
Josh Reichard
Winning Hand
73
Prize
$186,812
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,650
Prize Pool
$833,760
Entries
579
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
9
Players Left
1

Welcome to Day 3 of 2019 HPT Ameristar East Chicago Main Event

HPT Trophy
HPT Trophy

Nine players remain and one will win $186,812 and a $3,500 Heartland Poker Tour Championship package. It's time for the final day and the final table of HPT Ameristar East Chicago.

From 579 entries, just these nine remain, and a look at the chip counts tells it all when it comes to the landscape of the final table. It's Mike O'Neill in the driver's seat, but eight of the nine players all hold over 1 million in chips with Michael Koh holding the short stack 970,00.

HPT Ameristar East Chicago Final Table

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Eddie Blumenthal1,105,000
2Michael Koh970,000
3Josh Reichard2,820,000
4Kevin Albers1,455,000
5Mike O'Neill4,920,000
6Henry Zou1,270,000
7David McDermott1,775,000
8Nikola Budzakoski1,380,000
9Brett Apter1,710,000

With over $300,000 in cashes, O'Neill certainly isn't lacking experience as eight of his eleven career cashes come from HPT events and he'll look to add another HPT trophy to his collection after his first-place finish at HPT Meadows last year taking home $93,340.

But, there is still plenty of accomplished competition that remains as Eddie Blumenthal and Josh Reichard have over $1 million in career earnings, along with Brett Apter, who will look to add an HPT trophy to his collection after winning his first WSOP bracelet this past summer.

The streamed and televised final table is set for a noon kickoff, although the stream won't come online for a little while after that, closer to 12:30 local time. Action will pick up from Level 26 (25,000/50,000/50,000). Play will continue with one-hour levels until heads-up time, at which point they are cut to half an hour.

Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out who grabs the trophy, or catch the stream at the HPT Twitch channel.

Tags: Brett ApterDavid McDermottHenry KouJosh ReichardKevin AlbersMichael KohMike O'NeillNikola Budzakoski

Here's What's in Store For Season XV of the HPT

Money
Money

Season XV of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) is a big one with stops at the Hollywood Casinos in St. Louis and the Cincinnati area (Lawrenceburg, Indiana), The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Pittsburgh, and Ameristar East Chicago. What's more, the PokerNews Live Reporting Team plans to be at each of them to capture all the action.

“HPT is excited to have PokerNews providing additional event coverage in 2019,” said Korey Stewart, HPT Marketing Manager. “Season XV is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for the tour. We’ve already added several new venues to the schedule and we’re hoping to announce a few more new additions soon. There will be plenty of opportunities for poker enthusiasts across the country to take a shot at winning life-changing money at nationally televised final tables. We’re looking forward to having an industry leader like PokerNews there to report on it every step of the way.”

Here’s a look at the remaining Season XV schedule. For more information, visit hptpoker.com and follow them on Twitter @HPTPoker.

Remaining HPT Season XV Schedule

Series DatesVenueLocationMain Event Buy-In
September 9-15Mini Series at Hollywood Casino ToledoToledo, Ohio$350
September 11-23Golden Gates Casino & Poker ParlourBlack Hawk, CO$1,650
September 26 - October 7The Meadows CasinoPittsburgh, PA$1,100
October 17-28Daytona Beach Racing & Card ClubDaytona Beach, Florida$1,100
November 14-26HPT Championship Hollywood Casino & HotelSt. Louis, Missouri$2,500
December 5-16M Resort Spa CasinoLas Vegas, Nevada 
January 25-February 1, 2020HPT on the High SearsWestern Caribbean$1,100

Play to Begin Shortly

2019 HPT Ameristar East Chicago Final Table
2019 HPT Ameristar East Chicago Final Table

Players are being mic'ed up and going over some final announcements before cards go in the air here at the HPT Ameristar East Chicago $1,650 Main Event Final Table. Be sure to tune in to HPT's Twitch channel to follow along all day long as we get set for final table action.

The last nine players compete on the streamed and televised final table with the stream coming in on a slight delay. There's $186,812 plus an HPT Championship Package worth $3,500 on the line, with everyone having $16,605 locked up.

HPT Ameristar East Chicago Final Table Payouts

PlacePrize Money
1$186,812
2$115,406
3$75,637
4$52,555
5$38.192
6$29,640
7$24,908
8$20,757
9$16,605

Budzakoski Doubles Through Albers

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Nikola Budzakoski:
Nikola Budzakoski:

Kevin Albers opened for 150,000 and Nikola Budzakoski jammed for 415,000 on the button getting a call from Albers.

Kevin Albers: {a-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}
Nikola Budzakoski: {9-Hearts}{9-Clubs}

Budzakoski was ahead with his pocket nines and nothing changed after the {3-Spades}{j-Clubs}{6-Clubs} flop.

The {k-Clubs} turn gave Albers a broadway draw but he wouldn't connect as the river fell the {4-Diamonds} to give Budzakoski the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Albers us
Kevin Albers
1,500,000
-280,000
-280,000
Nikola Budzakoski us
Nikola Budzakoski
980,000
415,000
415,000

Tags: Kevin AlbersNikola Budzakoski

Blumenthal Doubles Through Koh

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Eddie Blumenthal
Eddie Blumenthal

Eddie Blumenthal open-jammed for his last 795,000 and Michael Koh called.

Eddie Blumenthal: {9-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}
Michael Koh: {k-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}

Blumenthal was behind but took the lead with the {j-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{7-Spades} flop, which also gave Koh a straight draw.

The turn paired the board with the {j-Clubs} and Koh needed any ten, king or queen to eliminate Blumenthal but it wouldn't be as the board completed with the {a-Hearts} river to give Blumenthal the double, leaving Koh with just 35,000.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Koh us
Michael Koh
35,000
-920,000
-920,000

Tags: Eddie BlumenthalMichael Koh

Michael Koh Eliminated in 9th Place ($16,605)

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Michael Koh
Michael Koh

Michael Koh was all in for his last 35,000 and had two callers in Kevin Albers and Mike O'Neill.

The {3-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{9-Hearts} board was checked down and all three players tabled their hands.

Michael Koh: {a-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}
Kevin Albers: {a-Hearts}{j-Hearts}
Mike O'Neill: {6-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}

Both Koh and Albers flopped a broadway draw but couldn't get there and O'Neill scooped the pot eliminating Koh in 9th place.

Player Chips Progress
Mike O'Neill us
Mike O'Neill
2,830,000
30,000
30,000
Kevin Albers us
Kevin Albers
1,445,000
-55,000
-55,000
Michael Koh us
Michael Koh
Busted

Tags: Kevin AlbersMichael KohMike O'Neill

Nikola Budzakoski Eliminated in 8th Place ($20,757)

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Nikola Budzakoski:
Nikola Budzakoski:

There was three-way action between Josh Reichard, Kevin Albers and Nikola Budzakoski.

Budzakoski jammed his 840,000 stack in after the {9-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}{6-Clubs} flop and was called by Reichard.

Nikola Budzakoski: {j-Clubs}{10-Hearts}
Josh Reichard: {9-Hearts}{9-Spades}

Reichard flopped top set while Budzakoski held an open-ender.

The turn came the {k-Diamonds} and Budzakoski needed a seven or queen to win the hand.

Unfortunately the river fell the {8-Clubs} giving Reichard a full house and eliminating Budzakoski in 8th place.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Albers us
Kevin Albers
1,100,000
-345,000
-345,000
Nikola Budzakoski us
Nikola Budzakoski
Busted

Tags: Nikola BudzakoskiJosh ReichardKevin Albers

Kevin Albers Eliminated in 7th Place ($24,908)

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Kevin Albers
Kevin Albers

Josh Reichard opened for 285,000 from the small blind and Kevin Albers jammed from the big blind for 1,100,000 getting called by Reichard.

Kevin Albers: {k-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}
Josh Reichard: {a-Hearts}{q-Clubs}

Albers was behind and didn't like the {a-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{9-Clubs} flop that paired Reichard's ace.

The {3-Spades} turn left Albers drawing dead and he was eliminated after the {8-Spades} river completed the board taking home $24,908 for his efforts.

Player Chips Progress
Josh Reichard us
Josh Reichard
9,000,000
2,945,000
2,945,000
Kevin Albers us
Kevin Albers
Busted

Tags: Kevin AlbersJosh Reichard

Brett Apter Eliminated in 5th Place ($38,192); Henry Zou Eliminated in 6th Place ($29,640)

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Brett Apter
Brett Apter

Henry Zou open-jammed for 615,000 from late position and David McDermott came over the top from the cutoff. Action was on Brett Apter on the button who asked for a count. After getting a confirmed amount of 2,240,000, Apter moved all in for less with 1,720,000.

Henry Zou: {k-Clubs}{j-Hearts}
Brett Apter: {j-Diamonds}{j-Spades}
David McDermott: {a-Hearts}{a-Clubs}

McDermott was in great position to score a double elimination holding rockets as the flop fell {q-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{3-Clubs} giving Zou a staright draw.

The turn came the {4-Diamonds} and Zou needed a ten to win the hand while Apter needed the case jack.

The dealer completed the board with the {3-Spades} river to give McDermott the double knockout eliminating Zou in 6th place and Apter in 5th.

Player Chips Progress
David McDermott us
David McDermott
4,900,000
3,660,000
3,660,000
Henry Zou us
Henry Zou
Busted
Brett Apter us
Brett Apter
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: David McDermottBrett ApterHenry Zou

Mike O'Neill Eliminated in 4th Place ($52,555)

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Mike O'Neill
Mike O'Neill

David McDermott limped in from under the gun and Mike O'Neill checked his option from the big blind.

The flop fell {2-Clubs}{8-Spades}{4-Clubs} and O'Neill lead out for 200,000. McDermott jammed all in and O'Neill snapped called.

David McDermott: {8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}
Mike O'Neill: {j-Diamonds}{j-Spades}

McDermott out flopped O'Neill leaving him in desperate need of a jack to stay alive.

The turn came the {q-Spades} and the board completed with the {3-Diamonds} river eliminating O'Neill in 4th place for $52,555.

Player Chips Progress
David McDermott us
David McDermott
7,200,000
2,300,000
2,300,000
Mike O'Neill us
Mike O'Neill
Busted

Tags: Mike O'NeillDavid McDermott