$1,650 Main Event Day 1c | Heartland Poker Tour Golden Gates

09-21-2019 16:40 UTC-6

A Round of Chip Counts

HillKerby

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Will Berry	166,000 123,400	123,400
David Levy	107,000 54,000	54,000
Mitch Garshofsky	98,400 57,000	57,000
Ronnie Lamb	90,300
Nate Zoller	74,100 27,500	27,500
Anthony Martinez	72,000 19,700	19,700
Aaron McEvoy	56,500 -1,800	-1,800
Johnathan Dempsey	56,000 31,700	31,700
Ruth Graham	55,000 17,300	17,300
Chris Moon	49,200 49,200	49,200
Aaron Messmer	45,100 16,700	16,700
Behrouz Keshtavar	40,600 3,000	3,000
Christopher Ocksrider	39,600 8,600	8,600
Greg Geller	33,000 33,000	33,000
Stephen Driggers	30,200 -11,500	-11,500
Pat Pineda	16,000 16,000	16,000
Mike Itoafa	11,000 -19,000	-19,000
Rory Hayes	6,500 -7,900	-7,900
David Berger	Busted

09-21-2019 16:50 UTC-6

Abuzar Wins a Flip To Knock Out Fielder

HillKerby

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Stacks had gotten in before the flop between Karim Abuzar, who was in early position, and Jeff Fielder, who was at risk for his tournament life from middle position.

Jeff Fielder:
Karim Abuzar:

The two were off to the races as the board ran out , with Fielder unable to improve as he was eliminated from the tournament, wishing Abuzar a nice hand and the table good luck as he made his way from the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Karim Abuzar	96,000 61,400	61,400
Jeff Fielder	Busted

Tags: Jeff Fielder Karim Abuzar

09-21-2019 16:58 UTC-6

Messmer Backs Into a Flush

HillKerby

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Ruth Graham opened to 1,500 from early position and action folded around to Aaron Messmer, who called from the cutoff. Nate Zoller was on the button and came along as well, as did the big blind.

The four saw a flop of and the big blind checked. Graham made a continuation-bet of 2,000 and was called by both Messmer and Zoller. The big blind then folded and the turn came .

Graham fired again, betting 3,500. Messmer went into his statue-esque position for about 45 seconds and then put out a raise to 11,200. Zoller quickly got out of the way and Graham put in chips to call.

The river fell and Graham checked. Messmer put out a bet of 15,000 and Graham put in chips to call.

Messmer tabled for a flush and Graham mucked.

"No," said tablemate Pat Pineda upon seeing the hand. A few people chuckled a bit at the manner at which Messmer had filled up.

"Hell no," Pineda added as Messmer raked in his newly-acquired chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Messmer	86,800 41,700	41,700
Nate Zoller	69,900 -4,200	-4,200
Ruth Graham	19,000 -36,000	-36,000

Tags: Aaron Messmer Nate Zoller Pat Pineda Ruth Graham

09-21-2019 17:09 UTC-6

Stanko Shoves the Flop

HillKerby

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Scott Stanko was all in from the button on a flop of for about 21,000. There appeared to be about 14,000 already in the pot with action facing Mason Hinkle, who was in middle position.

Hinkle thought for a while and decided not to go with his hand, sending it to the muck as he watched the pot go to the other side of the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mason Hinkle	41,600 -4,100	-4,100
Scott Stanko	37,400 37,400	37,400

Tags: Mason Hinkle Scott Stanko

Level: 8

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

09-21-2019 17:15 UTC-6

A Few Chip Counts To Start the Level

HillKerby

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mitch Lekarczyk	167,000 95,400	95,400
Alex Greenblatt	77,600 35,700	35,700
Will Givens	77,000 15,600	15,600

Jon Cohen	70,000 40,000	40,000

Danny Gonzales	59,800 19,800	19,800
Austin Peck	32,000 2,000	2,000
Chris Tryba	30,000 18,300	18,300

Svetlana Martie	30,000 30,000	30,000
Joel Verbeck	Busted

09-21-2019 17:26 UTC-6

Levy Pushes Out Dempsey

HillKerby

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

There was around 7,000 in the middle from preflop action as the flop came . David Levy was in middle position and bet 3,100. He was raised to 8,100 by Johnathan Dempsey, who was on his left in the hijack. The player on the button was also in the hand and folded, putting action back on Levy.

Levy called, bringing the turn . Both players checked.

The river fell and Levy put out a bet of 22,500. Dempsey went into the tank for about 30 seconds and sent his cards to the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Levy	131,000 24,000	24,000
Johnathan Dempsey	37,600 -18,400	-18,400

Tags: David Levy Johnathan Dempsey

09-21-2019 17:36 UTC-6

Graham Doubles and More

HillKerby

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Ruth Graham was in early position and raised to 1,600. Action folded around to Aaron Messmer, who called from the cutoff. Nate Zoller was on the button and also called. Pat PIneda then called from the small blind and the big blind defended, taking action five ways to the streets.

The flop fell and Pineda, first to act, thought for a bit before checking. The big blind followed suit, putting action on Graham, who made a continuation-bet of 3,000. Messmer and Zoller folded to put action back on Pineda, who check-raised all in. The big blind folded and Graham called all in for less.

Ruth Graham:
Pat Pineda:

Graham's aces had found themselves up against the flopped two pair that Pineda held. She called for a jack as the turn fell. She then stayed silent as the river became visible behind it.

"That works," she said, having improved to aces up after the river to double. Her stack was totaled to 12,100, which Pineda paid off as the pot was sent her way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Messmer	89,200 2,400	2,400
Nate Zoller	64,500 -5,400	-5,400
Ruth Graham	33,000 14,000	14,000
Pat Pineda	29,400 13,400	13,400

Tags: Aaron Messmer Nate Zoller Pat Pineda Ruth Graham

09-21-2019 17:40 UTC-6

Photos from HPT Black Hawk Day 1C

Hayley Hochstetler

09-21-2019 17:50 UTC-6

"Good Bet, Man. Good Bet"

HillKerby

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante

Greg Geller was in early position and raised to 2,700. He saw action fold around to Mike Itoafa, who was in the big blind and looked up at Geller, studying him for a few moments before calling.

"Heads up," the dealer said, fanning a flop of . Both players checked.