Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2019 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago
Main Event
Day: 2
The Final 9 Players are Set for Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago $1,650 Main Event with Mike O'Neill Leading the Way
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
After a flurry of eliminations put a furious finish to Day 2, the final table of Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago $1,650 Main Event is set with Mike O'Neill pacing way in front of the competition after bagging almost one-third of the chips in play.
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.
He's certainly put himself in a fantastic position to break through with a win. O'Neill will enter the final table toting just shy of 5 million, almost 2 million more than second-place Josh Reichard.
Aside from Reichard's 2,820,000, no other player eclipsed the 2 million mark but eight of the nine players all hold over 1 million in chips with Michael Koh falling just shy of the milly mark with 970,00.
HPT Ameristar East Chicago Final Table
| Seat | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Blumenthal | 1,105,000 |
| 2 | Michael Koh | 970,000 |
| 3 | Josh Reichard | 2,820,000 |
| 4 | Kevin Albers | 1,455,000 |
| 5 | Mike O'Neill | 4,920,000 |
| 6 | Henry Zou | 1,270,000 |
| 7 | David McDermott | 1,775,000 |
| 8 | Nikola Budzakoski | 1,380,000 |
| 9 | Brett Apter | 1,710,000 |
The last nine players compete on the streamed and televised final table starting Monday at noon, 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
| Place | Prize 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 |
Come back to PokerNews for updates or catch the stream on HPT's Twitch channel.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,920,000 | 420,000 |
|
2,820,000 | 245,000 |
|
1,775,000 | 795,000 |
|
1,710,000 | -390,000 |
|
1,455,000 | -1,245,000 |
|
1,380,000 | -1,180,000 |
|
1,270,000 | 730,000 |
|
1,105,000 | 355,000 |
|
970,000 | 170,000 |
Play Has Ended for the Day
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
End of day chip counts and recap will follow shortly.
Dan Sepiol Eliminated in 10th Place ($12,786)
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Kevin Albers opened action for 120,000 from early position and Dan Sepiol jammed for roughly 700,000 from middle position. Mike O'Neill called sitting directly to his left while the rest of the table folded putting the two players heads up.
Mike O'Neill: 
Dan Sepiol: 
Sepiol was behind and at risk of elimination, but held live cards.
The flop came 
taking three outs away from O'Neill as Sepiol picked up a gutterball.
The turn fell the 
and Sepiol needed any king, queen or jack to win the hand.
Unfortunately, the river would pair the board with the 
and Sepiol would be eliminated in 10th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,500,000 | |
|
|
2,700,000 | |
|
Busted |
Reichard Sets Up Albers for Double, Cracks Kings
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
There was heads up action between Josh Reichard and Kevin Albers.
The board read 
and Reichard jammed his 895,000 stack into a 875,000 pot.
Albers counted out his chips and called.
Josh Reichard: 
Kevin Alber: 
Reichard flopped a set against the right hand on the perfect board and got paid.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,575,000 | 1,075,000 |
|
|
1,850,000 | -150,000 |
Koh Gaining Momentum
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
There were four players that saw a 
flop after no initial raise.
The board was checked to the 
turn where David McDermott fired out 150,000 on the button getting folds from Eddie Blumenthal from the small blind and Mike O'Neill from middle position while Michael Koh called from the big blind.
The was checked by both players and Koh tabled 
to scoop another pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,100,000 | 515,000 |
|
|
980,000 | -180,000 |
|
|
800,000 | 385,000 |
|
|
750,000 | 360,000 |
Koh Doubles Through Albers
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Action on the table folded around to Michael Koh who moved all in on the button and Kevin Albers called from the big blind.
Kevin Albers: 
Michael Koh:
Koh was ahead and didn't have a sweat after flopping two-pair as the board ran out 
to give him the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,000,000 | 895,000 |
|
|
415,000 | 15,000 |
Level: 26
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Break Time
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Players are on a quick break.