Main Event Day 2 | 2019 Heartland Poker Tour St. Louis

03-17-2019 10:25 UTC-5

Who Will Make the Money on the Way to the HPT St. Louis Final Table?

Chad Holloway

The Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) $1,650 Main Event Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, Missouri attracted 444 runners over two starting flights. Today, 81 will return to action, each looking to make the money at the top 45 and secure a minimum payday of $3,553, though everyone has their sights set on the $148,587 first-place prize.

Leading the pack is Day 1a chip leader Ryan Gregor (563,000) followed by 1b leader Josh Mullins (532,000). Others returning today include Shawn Roberts (408,000), Tim Burden (340,000), Helen Denton (337,000). H.B. Sablotny (329,000), Kou Vang (250,000), Ryan Tepen (173,000), Keith Heine (140,000), Mike Rieck (125,000) and Tim Vance (112,000) .

Cards will be in the air at 11 a.m. local time with the plan of playing down to the final table.

Upcoming HPT Stops

PokerNews and the HPT plan to continue their live reporting relationship for stops throughout 2019. Those include visits to the Cincinnati area (Lawrenceburg, Indiana), The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Pittsburgh, and Ameristar East Chicago.

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
Mary 2-14	Ameristar East Chicago	Gary, Indiana	$1,650

03-17-2019 12:29 UTC-5

Sturges Takes Out Mueller

LoriPersinger

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Mary Sturges raised it 25,000 from middle position, and action folded around to Matthew Mueller in the big blind.

He shoved all in and was called by Sturges.

Mueller asked if Sturges had a pair.

When she answered, "Yes," he then asked, "How big?" and the players tabled their hands.

Mueller saw that not only did Sturges have an overpair, but their pairs had the exact same suits.

Sturges:
Mueller:

The board runout of offered no help to Mueller, and he was eliminated from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mary Sturges	243,000 3,000	3,000
Matthew Mueller	Busted

Tags: Mary Sturges Matthew Mueller

03-17-2019 12:47 UTC-5

Vang Absorbs All of Vance's Chips

Chad Holloway

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

We missed the elimination of EPT4 Copenhagen champ Tim Vance, but Kou Vang, the man who sent him packing, was kind enough to fill us in on some details after the fact.

As he told it, Vance opened for 16,000 UTG+2 and Vang flatted from the hijack. Ryan Tepen came along from the big blind and it was three-way action to the rainbow flop. Tepen checked, Vance bet 21,000, and both his opponents called.

Two checks on the turn saw Vang bet 49,000 and Tepen folded. Vance then check-jammed for 200,000 and Vang snapped him off.

Vang:
Vance:

Vance had turned top two pair but the same card gave Vang Broadway. The river failed to fill Vance up and he hit the rail a few spots shy of the money.

Meanwhile, Pauly "Walnuts" Bianchi was also eliminated from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kou Vang	650,000 320,000	320,000
Tim Vance	Busted
Paul Bianchi	Busted

Tags: Kou Vang Ryan Tepen Tim Vance

03-17-2019 13:05 UTC-5

Vang Busts Brooks on Bubble

Anthony Thompson

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Kou Vang raised to 12,000 in middle position. Action folded to Peter Brooks on the button who shoved all in for 66,000. Vang asked for a count and called.

Vang:
Brooks:

Vang spiked a queen on the flop busting Brooks on the bubble as board ran out .

Player	Chips	Progress
Kou Vang	850,000 200,000	200,000
Peter Brooks	Busted

Tags: Kou Vang Peter Brooks

03-17-2019 13:07 UTC-5

The Luck of the Irish

LoriPersinger

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Hand-for-hand play had just finished due to the bubble bursting.

When tournament director Jeremy Smith announced that all remaining players were in the money, Joseph Stretch was extremely happy and his tablemates were also happy for him.

The reason was because Stretch was now in the big blind for his last remaining 12,000 in chips.

Once play resumed Tim Burden raised to 25,000 from the UTG+1 position and was called by Ryan Gregor in middle position, which created a side pot.

Burden and Ryan checked to the river on a board reading , and Gregor tabled pocket tens to take the side pot.

Stretch then turned over , for a better two pair and tripled up, which made everyone even happier.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tim Burden	670,000 70,000	70,000
Ryan Gregor	358,000 -42,000	-42,000
Joseph Stretch	27,000 -131,000	-131,000

03-17-2019 14:34 UTC-5

Vang Eliminates Phelps in 33rd Place

Anthony Thompson

Level 19 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Preston Phelps raised in middle position to 20,000. Kou Vang from the cutoff three-bet to 72,000. Action folded back to Phelps who shoved all in. Vang quickly called and the players tabled their hands.

Phelps:
Vang:

Phelps was far behind Vang and drawing dead after a came on the flop.

The turn and sealed Phelps fate and he was eliminated in 33rd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kou Vang	600,000 -250,000	-250,000
Preston Phelps	Busted

Tags: Kou Vang Preston Phelps

03-17-2019 14:59 UTC-5

Kessler Eliminated in 30th Place by Graham

Anthony Thompson

Level 19 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Action folded to Steven Graham on the button who raised to 20,000. Allen Kessler moved all in from the small blind and got a call from Graham.

Kessler:
Graham:

Kessler didn't catch a lady on the board and he was eliminated in 30th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Graham	400,000 100,000	100,000
Allen Kessler	Busted

Tags: Allen Kessler Steven Graham

03-17-2019 15:39 UTC-5

Wood Takes Down a Big Pot Just Before the 2nd Break

LoriPersinger

Level 19 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

In the last hand before the break Tim Burden raised to 23,000 from UTG+1.

Greg Wood made it 52,000 from the next seat over, action folded back to Burden who made the call, and they went heads up to the flop.

On the flop, Burden checked and then called the 56,000 bet from Wood.

After Burden led out on the turn, Wood asked how much was the bet.

The dealer confirmed 118,000, and Wood made the call.

Burden then led out again on the river, and was met with a snap-call by Wood.

Burden tabled , which was no good against the that Wood tabled.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Wood	1,080,000 404,000	404,000
Tim Burden	240,000 -438,000	-438,000

03-17-2019 16:07 UTC-5

Martinez Gets a Great Flop and Double Up

LoriPersinger

Level 20 : 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Gyan Gurung raised to 50,000 from UTG+1, Nikolaus Martinez made the call from the cutoff, leaving himself just 56,000 behind, and the remaining players folded.

After Gurung checked the flop, Martinez shoved his remaining stack and was called by Gurung.

Martiznez:
Gurung:

Martinez had flopped huge and was well ahead.

The turn improved his hand and the completed his double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nikolas Martinez	242,000 121,000	121,000
Gyan Gurung	134,000 -190,000	-190,000

Tags: Gyan Gurung Nikolaus Martinez

03-17-2019 16:14 UTC-5

Echele Gets Lucky to Eliminate Bridwell

Chad Holloway

Level 20 : 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

We came upon the action with Andy Echele in the tank. He had 78,000 our in front of him from the button and was debating what to do as Grant Bridwell was all in for 255,000 from middle position. Eventually he made the call and said he hoped it was a flip.

Echele:
Bridwell:

It wasn't a flip as Echele only had one over. That's all it took though as the flop paired his ace. Neither the turn nor river helped Bridwell and he was sent packing in 26th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andy Echele	1,400,000 214,000	214,000
Grant Bridwell	Busted

Tags: Andy Echele Grant Bridwell