Three-Way Chop in Event #1: $350 No Limit Hold'em
The opening event of the HPT Hollywood St. Louis tournament series was Event #1: $350 No Limit Hold'em, a tournament that boasted a $200,000 guarantee. With a total of 917 entrants, including a staggering 511 entrants in the final flight, a final prize pool of $275,100 was created, easily beating the guarantee.
94 players were able to walk away with a piece of the prize pool, and a few of those lucky enough to cash include Mary Sturges (19th - $1,876), Charles Wells (38th - $1,290), Corey Fleming (58th - $1,010), Neil Patel (62nd - $1,010), and Mike Rieck (85th - $750).
In the end, the final three players struck a deal that saw Nhut Nguyen ($36,518) take the title and trophy, while Brian Tracy ($37,305) and Ian Nelson ($34,318) left with substantial chunks of the prize pool. Nguyen took the rungood from the opening event win and went on to take down the very next event, Event #2: $300 No Limit Hold'em Heads Up for another $5,224. Nelson wouldn't rest on his laurels either, as he was able to take down Event $7: $300 No Limit Hold'em w/ $100 Bounties for $6,362 later in the series.
Final Table Results
| Position | Name | Hometown | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nhut Nguyen | St. Louis, Missouri | $36,518* |
| 2 | Brian Tracy | St. Louis, Missouri | $37,305* |
| 3 | Ian Nelson | Lake St. Louis, Missouri | $34,318* |
| 4 | Kevin Garosshen | Las Vegas, Nevada | $15,390 |
| 5 | Keith Heine | Hillsboro, Missouri | $11,032 |
| 6 | Richard Barner | St. Louis, Missouri | $8,363 |
| 7 | Michael Budde | Williamsburg, Missouri | $6,740 |
| 8 | Lucas Tae | St. Charles, Missouri | $5,864 |
| 9 | Woo Moore | Fenton, Missouri | $5,030 |