Main Event Day 1a | 2019 Heartland Poker Tour St. Louis

03-15-2019 18:51 UTC-6

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Gregor	100,000 50,000	50,000
Aaron Johnson	100,000 23,000	23,000
Craig Casino	82,000 12,000	12,000
Mike Rieck	80,000 30,500	30,500
John Richards	70,000 25,000	25,000
Mike Shin	70,000
Jason Mangold	60,000
Kou Vang	32,000 32,000	32,000
Cathy Stahr	25,000 25,000	25,000
Mike Kamenjarin	20,000 2,500	2,500
Keith Heine	13,000 41,000	41,000
John Kurfman	11,000
Ryan Tepen	10,000
Dennis Phillips	Busted
Gary Herstein	Busted

It's a Chop

LoriAnn Persinger

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Everyone folded around to Mike Rieck on the button, and he raised it to 2,200, getting called by Thomas Schelbrink from his big blind, who then checked dark.

After Rieck checked behind on the flop, Schelbrink then bet 2,700 on the turn, and was called by Rieck.

Both players then checked the river and tabled their hands, which made the dealer to split the chips evenly between the two players.

Schelbrink:
Rieck:

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Rieck	77,000 3,000	3,000
Thomas Schelbrink	63,900 63,900	63,900

Tags: Mike Rieck Thomas Schelbrink

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

03-15-2019 18:57 UTC-6

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

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Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Season XV of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) is shaping up to be 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 current Season XV schedule with more stops expected to be announced in the near future. For more information, visit hptpoker.com and follow them on Twitter @HPTPoker.

HPT Season XV Schedule

Series Dates	Venue	Location	Main Event Buy-In
March 21-April 1	Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg	Lawrenceburg, Indiana	$1,100
April 4-15	The Meadows Racetrack & Casino	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$1,100
April 18-29	Hollywood Casino Columbus	Columbus, Ohio	$1,650
May 2-14	Ameristar East Chicago	Gary, Indiana	$1,650

03-15-2019 19:03 UTC-6

Hankins Dispatches Elmore

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Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The specifics escaped us, but we do know that Brandon Elmore got his last 8,000 or so all in on a and was at risk against Robert Hankins.

Hankins:
Elmore:

Elmore was dominated and looking to pair his kicker. The turn wasn't what he was looking for and neither was the river. With that, Elmore headed for the exit while Hankins was pushed the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Hankins	45,000 20,000	20,000
Brandon Elmore	Busted

Tags: Robert Hankins Brandon Elmore

03-15-2019 19:17 UTC-6

2019 Heartland Poker Tour St. Louis $1650 Main Event Day 1A Photos by Hayley Hochstetler

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Hayley Hochstetler

03-15-2019 19:17 UTC-6

John Richards Picks Off River Bluff

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LoriAnn Persinger

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Preflop action folded around to John Richards in the hijack, and he raised to 2,300. The player in the big blind was the only caller.

After the big blind checked the flop, Richards continued for 2,400, and the big blind made the call.

Both players then checked the turn, and the big blind again checked the river.

Richards bet 3,500, only to get check-raised by the big blind to 11,000.

Richards tanked for a moment and then made the call.

The big blind tabled , which was no good against the of Richards.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Richards	90,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: John Richards

03-15-2019 19:23 UTC-6

Dinner Break Time

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Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player are now on a 60-minute dinner break. Cards will be back in the air at just after 9:30 p.m. local time. Late registration and re-entries will come to a close once play resumes.

Level: 10

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

03-15-2019 20:37 UTC-6