$1,650 Main Event
Day 1a Started
2020 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago
$1,650 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2020 Heartland Poker Tour Ameristar East Chicago
Buy-in
$1,650
Entries
520
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Entries
97
Players Left
15
Welcome to Day 1a of HPT Ameristar East Chicago!
Season XVI of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) is set to kick off here just east of the Windy City of Chicago, as the $1,650 Main Event at Ameristar East Chicago is set to kick off at 2 p.m. local time, with the first of three starting flights.
Nick Davidson was able to navigate a field of 554 players in last year's iteration of this event, taking home $178,709 after besting Mike Sabbia in heads-up play. Chris Moon was the victor in last May's Main Event here at Ameristar, as he topped a field of 570 players, including all-time HPT earnings leader Craig Casino, who eventually finished fourth, to take home $183,899. And in the third and final HPT Ameristar East Chicago Main Event of the year, Wisconsin phenom Josh Reichard earned his second career HPT title, both at Ameristar East Chicago, and earned $186,812 by topping a 579 player field.
Players will receive 30,000 in starting chips, and Day 1 features a total of fifteen 40-minute levels. There will be a fifteen-minute break after every two hours of play, and a 60-minute dinner break will take place after Level 9. Registration and a single re-entry option are open for players through the dinner break (approximately 9:45 p.m. for today's flight).
There are two other starting flights available for prospective players, as Friday's Day 1b kicks off at 2 p.m. local time, while Day 1c will commence at Noon on Saturday, January 18th. All players that manage to bag up a stack will return on Sunday at 11 a.m. local time to play down to the final table of nine. Monday's televised final table will resume at Noon, and the public is welcome to come and watch the action, which will also be streamed on Twitch on a short delay.
With the likes of former WSOP Main Event champ Greg Raymer, the aforementioned Craig Casino, and others all descending on East Chicago, will Davidson be able to defend his crown? Or will another up and comer take the reigns and a likely six-figure payday and the first HPT title of 2020 back home with them? Stay tuned right here to PokerNews all weekend long, as we bring you all the action straight from the tournament floor.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
HPT Tournament Director Jeremy Smith kicked off the first Main Event of Season XVI of the HPT with a "Shuffle up and deal!" and cards are in the air for Day 1a!
Update Your Own Chip Count Using the PokerNews MyStack App!
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone. But it's more than just chip counts! You can includes notes about big hands, your photo, and even your Table and Seat assignments so your friends can find you.
Download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Casino Gets a Big Bluff Through
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
On a 
flop, a player checked from under-the-gun, and the hijack bet 1,300 into a pot of 1,700. "Mr. HPT" Craig Casino, the tour's all-time earnings leader, called from the cutoff, while the under-the-gun player folded.
The hijack bet 5,000 on the 
turn, and Casino raised to 12,000. The hijack tanked for a few minutes before making the call.
The 
completed the board on the river, and the hijack checked. Casino bet 12,000, most of his remaining stack, and the hijack folded. Casino tabled 
for a busted gutshot before raking in the big early pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
46,000 | 46,000 |
A Few Day 1a Entrants
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
VanderWoude's Straight Gets Paid
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
On a 
board, action checked to Michael VanderWoude, winner of Event #3: $200 NLH Deep Stack here at HPT Ameristar East Chicago earlier in the series. VanderWoude bet 5,000 into a pot of 7,000 from the cutoff, and only the small blind made the call, while the other two players in the pot ducked out of the way.
The small blind checked again on the 
river, and VanderWoude announced a bet of 8,200. The small blind called, only to muck after VanderWoude tabled 
for a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
42,000 | 12,000 |
Bunce Keeps Up the Aggression
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
Dan Bunce raised to 300 from under the gun, and was called by the button, as well as both of the blinds.
Action checked to Bunce on an 
flop, and he bet 900. Only the small blind called.
The 
turn was checked by the small blind, and Bunce bet 1,700. The small blind stuck around with a call.
On the 
river, the small blind led out for 1,800. Bunce tossed in a raise to 5,500, and the small blind quickly released his hand. Bunce showed the 
from his hand before bringing in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
36,000 | |
|
30,000 |
More Day 1a Entrants
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |