Time for Another Break
Level 6
: 200/500, 500 ante
Players are now on their second 15-minute break of the day.
2019 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood Casino Columbus
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood Casino Columbus
Buy-in
$1,650
Prize Pool
$855,540
Entries
588
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Stephens Double Up
Level 6
: 200/500, 500 ante
The cutoff raised to 1,400 and Bryant Rushton called. Joshua Stephens reraised it to 5,200 and Rushton moved all in. Stephens made the call to put his tournament on the line.
Rushton: 
Stephens:
The board read 
and Stephens queens held up and he doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
43,000
43,000
|
43,000 |
|
|
8,900
8,900
|
8,900 |
Froehlich More Than Doubles Up
Level 6
: 200/500, 500 ante
In a three way pot with the board reading 
Seat 2 went all in for around 13,000. Peter Froehlich came over the top and shoved his remaining 27,000 all in. The biggest stack in the hand at Seat 7 made the call and had the chance to bust two players.
Seat 2 turned over the 
, Froehlich revealed 
for the straight and Seat 7 showed 
for the flush draw. The river was club free as the 
fell to confirm Seat 2's bust out and give Froehlich the big pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
68,000
38,000
|
38,000 |
An Orbit with 2004 WSOP Champ Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
Level 6
: 200/500, 500 ante
Time and pressure. That's what it takes to make a fossil. No one knows that better than 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champ and four-time HPT winner Greg Raymer, who has long held the nickname "Fossilman" for his affinity of giving away signed fossils when he busts.
We decided to spend an orbit watching Raymer, who was sitting with around 50,000, in his quest for a fifth HPT title. Here's what we observed hand by hand.
Hand #1 (Button): A player in early position raised and Raymer folded the button.
Hand #2 (Cutoff): The under-the-gun player raised to 1,200 and Adam Friedman three-bet to 3,500 from middle position. Raymer folded.
Hand #3 (Hijack): Action folded around to Raymer and he folded as well.
Hand #4 (Lojack): A player in middle position raised to 1,200 and Raymer folded.
Hand #5 (UTG+3): The under-the-gun player raised to 1,200 and Raymer folded.
Hand #6 (UTG+2): The first two players to act both folded and Raymer followed suit.
Hand #7 (UTG+1): The UTG player folded and so did Raymer.
Hand #8 (UTG): Raymer folded.
Hand #9 (Big Blind): An early-position player raised to 1,200 and Raymer defended to see a 
flop. Raymer checked and folded when his opponent continued for 1,800.
Hand #10 (Small Blind): Stephen Song raised the cutoff to 1,200 and Raymer three-bet to 3,500 from the small blind. Not to be outdone, Song four-bet to 9,000 and Raymer paused for a beat or two before releasing his hand.
Nothing too exciting in that orbit, but remember, time and pressure is all it takes!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
43,500
-11,500
|
-11,500 |
|
||
Hummer with a Nice Pot
Level 6
: 200/500, 500 ante
The cutoff limped and it got folded to Dan Hummer who raised to 1,500 in middle position. The blinds folded to the cutoff who made the call. The flop came 
and Hummer made a continuation bet of 2,500. The cutoff called.
The turn was the and it was checked around.
The river was the 
, the cutoff checked and Hummer bet 4,000. After a brief tank the cutoff called.
Hummer: 
Opponent: 
Hummer took down the pot with his better kicker.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
43,000 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 200/500
Ante: 500
Matthews Eliminates a Player
Level 5
: 200/400, 400 ante
The cutoff made it 1,000 and he got four players to call including the blinds. The flop came 
and the cutoff made a continuation bet of 3,000. David Matthews in middle position called and the big blind called.
The turn was the 
the cutoff checked and Matthews bet 15,000. The big blind folded and the cutoff tanked but decided to put his tournament at risk and made the call.
Opponiate: 
Matthews: 
The river was the , Butcher missed his flush draw and Matthews won a nice pot, eliminating a player in the process.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
60,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
Spears Doubles Up
Level 5
: 200/400, 400 ante
Two players were remaining in a hand with a wet board of 
. Andy Spears pushed all in for about 33,000 into Joe Russo who thought for a while before making the call.
Spears showed the 
for the straight with a redraw to the flush which left Russo needing the board to pair to improve his trips. The river was the 
which improved Spears to the flush and confirmed his winning hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
70,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
22,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
Get to Know Reigning HPT Player of the Year Aaron Johnson
Level 5
: 200/400, 400 ante
One of the best stories of 2018 was the incredible year of Minnesota’s Aaron Johnson. Back in May, PokerNews spoke with Johnson about leading the Player of the Year races on both Season 9 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) and Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Season XIV.
Over the next seven months, Johnson maintained his lead on the MSPT, and while he lost the HPT lead for a bit, he ultimately ended with it thanks to a deep run in the season finale. That allowed Johnson to become the first player to ever win POY titles on two different tours in the same year.
For doing so, Johnson won a $10,000 prize package for each tour.
“It feels amazing,” Johnson told PokerNews. “Coming into the year I certainly wanted to make a run at MSPT POY (which has always been a goal of mine), but I never imagined that I’d be in contention for multiple POY titles. To actually achieve it is unreal.”
Unfortunately, Johnson isn't here at the HPT Columbus today.
For more on the reigning HPT POY, check out his full interview here on PokerNews.
Raymer vs Will on the River
Level 5
: 200/400, 400 ante
The pot was limped around five-ways with a flop and action was checked to Gerald Will in the cutoff who bet 1,000. Greg Raymer in middle position made the call while everyone else folded.
The turn was the and Will made it 2,100 to Raymer who called.
The river was the 
and it got checked by both players. Will showed 
and Raymer mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
55,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
35,000 | |