Main Event
Day 1a Started
Main Event
Day 1a Started
The Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana has played host to many big poker events in the past but has recently seen the live poker scene take a back seat to other casino games. However, over the course of two weeks, they will play host to the Heartland Poker Tour which includes a $1,100 Main Event to conclude the festivities.
The HPT was first established in 2015 as a "premier poker tour and television show built on a grass-roots philosophy of "Real People, Unreal Money"." It is making its first stop in Lawrenceburg and the organizers couldn't be more happy with how things have turned out thus far. The action kicked off on March 21 with many side events leading up to the Main Event that will wrap up on April 1.
Hosted in the ballroom on the bottom floor of the casino, players will gather at the felt for three starting flights over the course of three days, fighting for the boisterous guaranteed prizepool of $250,000. Each player will be given a starting stack of 30,000 chips with the blinds kicking off at 100/100. The blind levels will be 40 minutes in length for Day 1 with 15 levels on the schedule, or until the final 13% of the field remains.
With unlimited re-entries permitted, that could entice the action to be fast and furious right from the start. Players are allowed to enter multiple Main Event flights and if they bag twice for Day 2, the best stack forward will be played. Late registration will remain open until after the dinner break which takes place after level nine.
Follow along with the PokerNews live reporting team as we bring you all of the action from the tournament floor throughout the entire Main Event until a winner is crowned.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 0
The tournament director welcomed all the players to the Heartland Poker Tour at Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg and instructed the dealers to shuffle up and deal. There are currently 22 players in their seats to kick things off with the blinds starting at 100/100.
After a raise to 300 from under the gun, three players called to see a flop of , including Shannon Shepherd in the cutoff. The action checked to Shepherd who bet 600 and was called by two players.
The landed on the turn and the action checked to Shepherd again. He splashed in a bet of 1,200 which quickly got both of his opponents to send their cards to the muck.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Shannon Shepherd | 32,500 |
The field has grown to 28 entries through the opening hands of the first level and the most recognizable face in the field belongs to the 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer. Raymer captured $5,000,000 for his triumph in 2004 and has accumulated over $7.7 million in career earnings.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Todd Hill
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Ryan Tamanini |
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Douglas Schmutte
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Kevin Allen |
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
James Huffman
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Gordon Blackman |
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Joseph Szoke
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Richard Weeks |
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Larry Daprato
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Greg Raymer |
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
||
Cheyenne Auterson
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Daniel Biddle
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
Daniel Biddle raised it up to 300 from the hijack and Larry Daprato was the only caller from the big blind. The flop came and Daprato checked to Biddle who continued for 500 which Daprato called.
The on the turn put four diamonds on the board and Daprato checked again. Biddle tossed in another bet of 700 and Daprato called one more time. The river was the and Daprato tapped the table. Biddle bet 1,500 this time and Daprato instantly flew his cards to the muck.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Biddle
|
30,500
500
|
500 |
Larry Daprato
|
28,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |
Bruce Hugon is another familiar face among the early entries, especially to those who consistently play on the HPT. In 2016, Hugon captured the $1,100 Main Event in Florence for his largest career score of over $75,000. Hugon also recently picked up cashes in the Seniors and Super Seniors events at the 2018 World Series of Poker.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Ray Hughes | 30,000 | |
Sheila Nickle | 30,000 | |
Brian Pachciarz | 30,000 | |
Michael Weber | 30,000 | |
Terry Sandifar
|
30,000 | |
Kyle Swearingen
|
30,000 | |
Trevor Warren | 30,000 | |
Brandon Banet | 30,000 | |
Matthew Rohrer
|
30,000 | |
Ian Richardson | 30,000 | |
Kevin Boles | 30,000 | |
Bruce Hugon | 30,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 0
With around 1,500 in the middle on a board reading , Kevin Allen led out for 500 in early position. Douglas Schmutte called on his left along with the cutoff. James Huffman raised to 2,000 on the button which got Allen to fold but Schmutte and the cutoff both called.
The paired the board on the turn and the action checked around to the on the river. The action checked to Huffman who quickly splashed in a bet of 3,500. Schmutte mulled it over but elected to fold while the cutoff looked him up. Huffman had the goods with for a full house and scooped a healthy pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
James Huffman
|
38,900
8,900
|
8,900 |