Main Event Day 2 | 2019 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago

09-01-2019 22:11 UTC

Chip Counts (full)

Anthony Thompson

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Reichard	1,419,000 89,000	89,000
Mike O'Neill	1,200,000
Michael Palo	1,160,000 1,159,749	1,159,749
Brett Apter	1,033,000 83,000	83,000

Nikola Budzakoski	882,000 582,000	582,000
Nick Davidson	851,000 -149,000	-149,000
Ed Sebesta	805,000 805,000	805,000
Eric Salazar	800,000 70,000	70,000
Henry Zou	771,000 221,000	221,000
Eddie Blumenthal	745,000 45,000	45,000
Kevin Albers	736,000 -64,000	-64,000
George Vazanellis	705,000 -75,000	-75,000
Blake Whittington	644,000 24,000	24,000
Ben Grise	514,000 234,000	234,000
Dan Sepiol	500,000 80,000	80,000

Ran Stone	498,000 -227,000	-227,000
David McDermott	478,000 -82,000	-82,000
Kevin Theodore	441,000 -209,000	-209,000

Michael Puccio	426,000 6,000	6,000
Peter Kelly	397,000 -73,000	-73,000
Paul Welke	348,000 -122,000	-122,000
Aaron Johnson	161,000 56,000	56,000
Chris Meyers	142,000 142,000	142,000
Kyle Pikorz	140,000 -70,000	-70,000

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09-01-2019 22:21 UTC

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

Anthony Thompson

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

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 Dates	Venue	Location	Main Event Buy-In
August 22-September 2	Ameristar East Chicago	Gary, Indiana	$1,650
September 9-15	Mini Series at Hollywood Casino Toledo	Toledo, Ohio	$350
September 11-23	Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour	Black Hawk, CO	$1,650
September 26 - October 7	The Meadows Casino	Pittsburgh, PA	$1,100
October 17-28	Daytona Beach Racing & Card Club	Daytona Beach, Florida	$1,100
November 14-26	HPT Championship Hollywood Casino & Hotel	St. Louis, Missouri	$2,500
December 5-16	M Resort Spa Casino	Las Vegas, Nevada
January 25-February 1, 2020	HPT on the High Sears	Western Caribbean	$1,100

09-01-2019 22:31 UTC

Salazar Flops Gold to Take Chip Lead

Anthony Thompson

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Michael Puccio opened action for 40,000 from late position. Ed Sebesta called sitting directly to his left along with Mike O'Neill on the button and Eric Salazar defended his big blind.

The flop was checked to Puccio who bet 110,000 getting a call from Sebesta while O'Neill folded. Action was on Salazar who jammed for 512,000 and Puccio came over the top for 525,000, Sebesta called.

Eric Salazar:
Ed Sebesta:
Michael Puccio:

Puccio held the over-pair while Salazar flopped top two-pair with Sebesta holding the diamond draw.

The turn changed nothing and the dealer completed the board with the river to give Salazar the monster pot leaving Puccio with 20,000, which he would be shortly eliminated after.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Salazar	1,600,000 800,000	800,000
Mike O'Neill	1,100,000 -100,000	-100,000
Ed Sebesta	575,000 -230,000	-230,000
Michael Puccio	Busted

Tags: Mike O'Neill Michael Puccio Eric Salazar Ed Sebesta

09-01-2019 22:41 UTC

Albers Spikes Queen on River to Eliminate Reigning HPT Player of the Year Johnson

Anthony Thompson

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Kevin Albers opened for 36,000 from late position and Aaron Johnson jammed for 146,000 from the cutoff getting called by Albers.

Kevin Albers:
Aaron Johnson:

Johnson didn't mind the flop nor the turn, but the came crashing down on the river to end the Minnesota poker pro's tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Albers	1,020,000 284,000	284,000
Aaron Johnson	Busted

Tags: Aaron Johnson Kevin Albers

09-01-2019 22:46 UTC

Dinner Break

Anthony Thompson

Level 21 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Players are now on their dinner break.

Action will resume in 60-minutes.

All the purple 500 chips will be removed upon return.

Level: 22

Blinds: 10,000/20,000

Ante: 20,000

09-01-2019 23:48 UTC

3 Table Redraw Photos

Anthony Thompson

Photo credit Korey Stewart

09-01-2019 23:48 UTC

Updated Chip Counts After Break (full)

Anthony Thompson

Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikola Budzakoski	1,715,000 833,000	833,000
Eric Salazar	1,660,000 60,000	60,000
Brett Apter	1,565,000 532,000	532,000

Josh Reichard	1,440,000 21,000	21,000
Kevin Albers	1,200,000 180,000	180,000
Michael Koh	1,175,000 75,000	75,000
Blake Whittington	985,000 341,000	341,000
Henry Zou	800,000 29,000	29,000
George Vazanellis	765,000 60,000	60,000
Ben Grise	690,000 176,000	176,000
David McDermott	620,000 142,000	142,000
Mike O'Neill	610,000 -490,000	-490,000
Nick Davidson	605,000 -246,000	-246,000
Eddie Blumenthal	600,000 -145,000	-145,000
Ed Sebesta	580,000 5,000	5,000
Michael Palo	520,000 -640,000	-640,000
Ran Stone	440,000 -58,000	-58,000
Dan Sepiol	420,000 -80,000	-80,000

Kyle Pikorz	335,000 195,000	195,000
Peter Kelly	325,000 -72,000	-72,000
Kevin Theodore	185,000 -256,000	-256,000

Chris Meyers	120,000 -22,000	-22,000

09-01-2019 23:58 UTC

Sepiol Doubles Through Reichard

Anthony Thompson

Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

After Eddie Blumenthal raise on the button, Dan Sepiol was all in from the small blind and found a caller in Josh Reichard from the big blind.

Dan Sepiol:
Josh Reichard:

Sepiol was behind and didn't receive any help from the flop but took the lead with the turn.

Reichard needed a seven to drop on the river but it fell the and he sent 355,000 over to Sepiol.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Reichard	1,100,000 -340,000	-340,000
Dan Sepiol	730,000 310,000	310,000

Eddie Blumenthal	550,000 -50,000	-50,000

Tags: Josh Reichard Eddie Blumenthal Dan Sepiol

09-02-2019 00:02 UTC

Eliminated 28th-36th Place ($4,566)

Anthony Thompson

Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

These players have been eliminated from the tournament and took home $4,566 for their efforts.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Snyder	Busted
Ruslan Sladkov	Busted
Howard Feingold	Busted
Steven Downey	Busted
Shane Slovick	Busted
Steve Williams	Busted
Brian Gabriel	Busted
Chris Moon	Busted
Paul Fisher	Busted