Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2019 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar Vicksburg
Main Event
Day: 1a
Hughes Narrowly Bags Lead as Ten Advance From Day 1a of HPT Ameristar Vicksburg
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Day 1a of the HPT Ameristar Vicksburg $1,100 Main Event saw 56 entrants hit the felt in search of a Day 2 bag, and when the dust settled, just ten were able to make it through, with Jimbo Hughes and his 333,000 stack leading the way, narrowly eclipsing inaugural HPT Ameristar Vicksburg champ Jay Bishop and his 326,000 stack.
Judge Leo Boothe was the only other player to eclipse 200,000, finishing the night with 279,000 to end the night in third-place overall, while his son Wyatt Boothe also managed to find a bag, putting 86,000 away for Day 2.
Headlining the remaining field is defending HPT Ameristar Vicksburg champ BJ McBrayer (111,000), who survived an up and down day to return to defend his title. The rest of the field includes Doug Segers (148,000), Sam Ho (141,000), JW Carter (116,000), Joseph Imarata (98,000), and Chad Chisolm (43,000).
An early storyline was the meteoric rise of Sam Cittadino, who was playing in today’s Day 1a flight after winning a cash game promotion at Hollywood Gulf Coast Casino that earned him a Main Event seat. Cittadino saw his stack grow to 150,000 in the first few levels, but just as quickly as he amassed his stack, he found himself on the rail just before the dinner break, losing the majority of his stack to Elbert “Cincinnati” Campbell.
Campbell was unable to hold on to those chips, falling just before the end of the night. Other players that were unable to secure a Day 2 bag include Corey Harrison, Shomari Williams, Jared Ingles, Ray Albritton, Alton Peterson, CT Hoffecker, Michael Monaghan, William Hendrix, Jessie Baldwin, and Rhonda Hart.
Those players, along with any newcomers, will have one more flight in which they can attempt to advance to Day 2, during tomorrow’s Day 1b flight at Noon. All players that manage to make their way to Day 2 will return on Sunday, August 11th at Noon to play down to the televised Final Table of nine. Monday, August 12th will see the final nine return at Noon and play down to a winner.
Be sure to tune in right here to PokerNews for continuing coverage of the HPT Ameristar Vicksburg $1,100 Main Event!
End Of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
333,000 | 28,000 |
|
326,000 | -24,000 |
|
279,000 | 158,000 |
|
|
148,000 | -42,000 |
|
141,000 | 67,000 |
|
116,000 | 56,000 |
|
111,000 | -25,000 |
|
98,000 | 48,000 |
|
86,000 | 16,000 |
|
|
43,000 | -43,000 |
Five More Hands
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The remaining ten players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging for the evening. Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action, as well as full chip counts of the remaining field.
Boothe Getting Short, Westbrook Out
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Wyatt Boothe raised to 12,000 from the hijack, and James Hughes called in the cutoff.
On the 
flop, Boothe checked, and Hughes bet 16,000. Boothe released his hand immediately.
Meanwhile, Charles Westbrook, who just knocked out Shomari Williams a few minutes ago, followed him out the door, leaving just eleven players remaining.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
305,000 | 15,000 |
|
|
70,000 | -21,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Williams Falls to Westbrook
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Shomari Williams got his last 30,000 in preflop from the small blind and was at risk against Charles Westbrook in middle position.
Shomari Williams: 
Charles Westbrook: 
Westbrook pumped his fist when the 
flop gave him top pair, and he held on after the 
turn and 
river failed to improve Williams.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
105,000 | 58,000 |
|
Busted |
Last Round of Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
BJ McBrayer has continued his spin-up, pushing into six figures, while Jay Bishop reclaimed the chip lead after taking a big pot off of Wyatt Boothe.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
350,000 | 130,000 |
|
|
290,000 | -30,000 |
|
|
180,000 | 56,000 |
|
|
136,000 | 96,000 |
|
|
121,000 | 49,500 |
|
120,500 | 48,000 |
|
|
105,500 | -23,500 |
|
|
91,000 | -84,000 |
|
|
86,000 | -4,000 |
|
|
74,000 | -32,000 |
|
|
60,000 | -40,000 |
|
|
50,000 | -60,000 |
|
|
47,000 | -46,000 |
Bishop Loses the Chip Lead to Hughes
Level 15
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Jay Bishop raised to 8,000 from under the gun, and James Hughes called in the big blind.
Hughes check-called a bet of 10,000 from Bishop on the 
flop, and the 
fell on the turn. Hughes checked, and Bishop bet 25,000. Hughes check-raised to 50,000, and Bishop called.
Both players checked on the 
river, and Hughes tabled 
for trip sixes.
"Well, I had a good draw, anyway," Bishop said as he showed , and Hughes took down the pot and the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
320,000 | 170,000 |
|
|
220,000 | -130,000 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
McBrayer Bounces Back With a Double
Level 14
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Charles Westbrook raised to 9,500 from the hijack, and BJ McBrayer three-bet shoved for 17,000 from the small blind.
"Well, I'll try 'em," Westbrook said before calling.
BJ McBrayer: 
Charles Westbrook: 
McBrayer's ace-high would hold up on a 
board to secure the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
93,000 | -17,000 |
|
|
40,000 | 17,000 |