The remaining field is off on a one-hour dinner break. When they return, registration for Day 1b of the HPT Ameristar East Chicago $1,650 Main Event will come to a close. One final flight is available for players tomorrow, which kicks off at Noon local time.
Nikola Budzakoski raised to 2,500 from under the gun, and was called by a player in middle position. Aaron Johnson three-bet to 9,000, leaving himself 700 behind. Budzakoski called and the middle position player folded.
Budzakoski quickly put Johnson's last 700 in on the 
flop, and Johnson called it off.
Aaron Johnson: 
Nikola Budzakoski: 
Johnson's ace-queen had been outflopped by the ace-jack of Budzakoski, and although Johnson picked up a gutshot on the 
turn, Budzakoski rivered the nut flush with the 
river to eliminate the former HPT Player of the Year.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
80,000 | |
|
Busted |
Phil Mader raised to 2,500 from middle position, and Andrew Rubinberg three-bet to 5,800 from the small blind. Mader called.
Rubinberg led out for 3,000 on the 
flop, and Mader called.
The 
fell on the turn, and Rubinberg bet 5,500. Mader gave it a moment's thought, then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
58,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
37,400
2,600
|
2,600 |
Andy Rogowski had his last 39,000 chips in the middle from the cutoff, and the big blind called off for 31,000.
Opponent: 
Andy Rogowski: 
Rogowski came out on the right side of the flip after a 
board left him with top two pair.
"I got seven thousand left!" Rogowski said about his earlier short stack. "Told you I'm not going nowhere!"
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
70,000
53,000
|
53,000 |
Todd Ivens, who bagged up a short stack yesterday and is in the field today hoping to find a better stack to bring forward for Day 2 ("Best Stack Forward" rules are in play at this event) raised to 1,800 from the hijack, and Paul Bianchi defended his big blind.
Bianchi checked the 
flop to Ivens, who bet 2,800. Bianchi check-raised to 7,200, then called off his 18,000 chip stack when Ivens three-bet shoved.
Paul Bianchi: 
Todd Ivens: 
Bianchi had a double-gutshot and an over to the tens of Ivens, but the 
turn and 
river left Bianchi second-best.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
88,000
23,000
|
23,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 9
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
An opponent was exiting his seat and pushing his last 37,000 in chips across the felt to Greg Raymer, and his hand was already in the muck.
Meanwhile, Raymer's 
still sat proudly in front of him, and the 
board was apparently not good enough to best the 2012 HPT Player of the Year's rockets, earning him the knockout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
90,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
||
Leo Mitchell limped in from under the gun, and Brek Schutten raised to 2,500 from the cutoff. Mitchell called.
Mitchell led out for 3,500 on the 
flop, and Schutten called.
The 
turn and 
river were checked down, and Mitchell said, "King-high," before turning over 
. Schutten had that bested with his , and took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
65,000
10,500
|
10,500 |
|
47,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
Ravi Raghavan raised to 1,700 from under the gun, and a player in middle position called. The player next to act three-bet shoved for around 23,000, and Raghavan four-bet shoved, chasing out the middle position player.
Opponent:
Ravi Raghavan:
Raghavan's opponent stood up, seemingly aware of his fate as the 
board brought no sweat for Raghavan's queens, and Raghavan stacked up the pot and earned the elimination.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
72,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
||
A player limped in from middle position, and Andrew Rubinberg raised to 2,000 on the button. The middle position player called.
The middle position player check-called a bet of 3,300 on the 
flop, and both players checked the 
turn.
The middle position player checked for a third time on the river, and Rubinberg bet 5,200. The middle position player pushed the away from the rest of the board and said, "Did that hit you?" with a frustrated look on his face, before mucking his cards. Rubinberg didn't show his hand, and instead raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
36,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
