2020 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood St. Louis

$1,650 Main Event
Day: 1c
Event Info

2020 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood St. Louis

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
$131,184
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,650
Entries
392
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Players Info - Day 1c
Entries
211
Players Left
45

Garosshen and Moscati Neck and Neck as 45 Advance From Day 1c of HPT St. Louis

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Vincent Moscati
Vincent Moscati

The final flight of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Hollywood Casino St. Louis $1,650 Main Event saw 211 entrants take to the felt, bringing the total number of entrants between the three flights to 392. Just 45 players made it through to tomorrow's Day 2, joining the 27 from the previous two flights.

When the smoke had cleared, it was Kevin Garosshen bagging up 376,000 in chips, narrowly edging the stack of Vincent Moscati and his 364,000. Both Garosshen and Moscati shot up the counts late in the evening, Garosshen the beneficiary of a cooler hand with Keith Heine, while Moscati got into a huge blind-versus-blind showdown with Moscati's Big Slick holding over his opponent's ace-nine. Both players flirted with or held over 400,000 in chips at various points in the final levels, but ended up settling for healthy 120+ big blind stacks and solid footing for Day 2.

The rest of the top 5 include Jimmy Bussey (327,500), Matt Clerk (312,000), and Hyndi Khomutetsky (311,000), who were also the only players to eclipse 300,000 in chips. Other notables able to bag chips include reigning HPT Player of the Year Nick Pupillo (281,500), Mike O'Neill (183,000), Tim Vance (167,000), Jay Friedman (131,000), Greg Jennings (107,000), and Sameer Al Dbhany (78,000).

The aforementioned Heine, who finished runner up here in last year's event, was cruising along with a healthy stack in Level 11 (800/1,600/1,600) when he found himself with top set on an eight-high flop. Unfortunately for Heine, he ran into the flopped nut straight of Garosshen, and Heine couldn't fill up, leaving himself with crumbs. He was unable to spin up a stack from there, and hit the rail short of another HPT Day 2.

Other notable players that were unable to bag up chips include Maurice Hawkins, Hamid Izadi, Lily Kiletto, and David "rUeTaMa" Moses.

The remaining 72 players will return at 11 a.m. local time tomorrow, and play down to the final table of nine. Monday's final table kicks off at Noon local time, and will be available for streaming on Twitch. Forty-five players will make the money, with the top prize of $131,184 and a $3,500 Championship Package the goal for the Day 2 field. Be sure to stay tuned right here to PokerNews, as we play down to the televised final table here at Hollywood Casino St. Louis!

Tags: Greg JenningsHamid IzadiHyndi KhomutetskyJay FriedmanJimmy BusseyKeith HeineKevin GarosshenLily KilettoMaurice HawkinsMike O'NeillNick PupilloSameer Al DbhanyTim VanceVincent Moscati

Khomutetsky Takes From Garosshen

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Kevin Garosshen
Kevin Garosshen

Hyndi Khomutetsky limped in from under the gun, and Kevin Garosshen raised to 12,500 from middle position. Khomutetsky called.

Khomutetsky check-called a bet of 13,000 on the {4-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{q-Hearts} flop, and both players checked the {9-Clubs} turn. Khomutetsky sized up a bet of 19,000 on the {7-Spades} river, and Garosshen quickly called.

Khomutetsky tabled {10-Clubs}{9-Spades} for trip nines, and Garosshen said, "Sick!" before mucking his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Garosshen us
Kevin Garosshen
Day 1C Chip Leader
355,000 -20,000
Hyndi Khomutetsky us
Hyndi Khomutetsky
230,000 55,000

Tags: Hyndi KhomutetskyKevin Garosshen

Utley Doubles Through Berry

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
John Utley
John Utley

John Utley, who knocked his wife Crystal out of today's flight a few levels ago ("I was down to four bigs and he had aces," Crystal told us) jammed for 58,000 on the button. Will Berry called in the small blind, and Tim Vance peeled his cards in the big blind, then folded his {a-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} face-up.

John Utley: {k-Spades}{10-Hearts}
Will Berry: {8-Hearts}{8-Spades}

Utley found a pair on the {4-Clubs}{9-Spades}{10-Spades} flop, and never looked back after the {5-Clubs} turn and {7-Hearts} river failed to produce an eight for Berry.

Player Chips Progress
Tim Vance us
Tim Vance
180,000 20,000
John Utley us
John Utley
125,000 70,000
Will Berry us
Will Berry
32,000 -38,000

Tags: John UtleyTim VanceWill Berry

Pupillo Doubles, Then Busts

Level 13 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
James Pupillo
James Pupillo

Hand #1:

James Pupillo jammed for 10,000 from the button, and Neil Patel called in the big blind.

James Pupillo: {k-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}
Neil Patel: {q-Hearts}{j-Spades}

Pupillo made top pair on a {2-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{k-Clubs}{9-Spades}{6-Spades} board to double up.

Hand #2:

The very next hand, Pupillo jammed for 24,000 from the cutoff, and Matt Clerk called on the button.

James Pupillo: {a-Diamonds}{5-Spades}
Matt Clerk: {a-Spades}{k-Spades}

Pupillo couldn't hit his kicker on an {a-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{9-Diamonds} board and hit the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Matt Clerk us
Matt Clerk
200,000 200,000
Neil Patel us
Neil Patel
190,000 -10,000
James Pupillo us
James Pupillo
Busted

Tags: James PupilloNeil Patel

Battle of the Blinds Sends Moscati to the Top

Level 13 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Vincent Moscati in Day 1a action
Vincent Moscati in Day 1a action

Vincent Moscati's stack just found a huge uptick, and he shared how a blind-versus-blind battle helped him secure all of his newfound chips.

Moscati limped in from the small blind, and the big blind raised to 12,500. Moscati limp-raised to 52,500, and the big blind jammed for 160,000. Moscati called with {a-}{k-}, and held against the big blind's {a-}{9-} to send a massive pot his way.

Player Chips Progress
Vincent Moscati us
Vincent Moscati
400,000 160,000

Tags: Vincent Moscati

Two Utleys at Table 40!

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Crystal and John Utley
Crystal and John Utley

It's rare to see a husband and wife duo on the felt together in the poker world, but it's even rarer to see a husband and wife duo seated side by side late in the day at a tournament.

Table 40, which already boasts Maurice Hawkins, Tim Vance, and Jimmy Bussey amongst its patrons, held John Utley for a short time, and lo and behold, his wife Crystal found her table breaking and her seat directly to the right of John.

The Morganfield, Kentucky residents boast six-figure Hendon Mob earnings (John holds a slim lead with $174,608 to Crystal's $144,674), but the duo will be looking to nearly double their respective totals with a win here this weekend.

Player Chips Progress
John Utley us
John Utley
40,000 11,800
Crystal Utley us
Crystal Utley
30,000 2,500

Tags: Jimmy BusseyJohn UtleyMaurice HawkinsTim Vance

Prize Pool Information Released

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
HPT St. Louis Trophy
HPT St. Louis Trophy

392 entrants took to the felt over three starting flights here at the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Hollywood Casino St. Louis $1,650 Main Event, generating a prize pool of $570,360, easily surpassing the $400,000 guarantee.

The top 45 places will walk away with a portion of the prize pool, with a min-cash worth $3,137, while making it to the televised final table of nine will earn a $12,776 payday. The eventual winner will walk away with $131,184, along with the trophy and a $3,500 championship package to be used at the Season XVI $2,500 Season Championship.

You can click on the "Payouts" tab above to check out complete payout information shortly.

Kings For Jennings

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Greg Jennings
Greg Jennings

A player in the small blind checked a {2-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}{9-Hearts} flop over to John Thornton in the big blind, who checked as well. Greg Jennings bet 2,000 into a pot of 7,000 from middle position, and both the small blind and Thornton called.

The {2-Hearts} turn was checked around, and the {7-Diamonds} river was checked to Jennings. Jennings tanked for a bit before betting 4,000, and only Thornton called. Jennings tabled {k-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} for kings-up, and Thornton mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Jennings us
Greg Jennings
215,000 22,500
John Thornton us
John Thornton
120,000 33,000

Tags: Greg JenningsJohn Thornton

Khomutetsky Jams Huge

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Hyndi Khomutetsky
Hyndi Khomutetsky

On an {a-Clubs}{10-Spades}{7-Spades} flop, Hyndi Khomutetsky bet 6,000 into a 14,000 chip pot from the small blind, and was called by Chris Cornell in the big blind, as well as a player in middle position.

The {k-Clubs} fell on the turn, and Khomutetsky jammed for 70,000. Both Cornell and the middle-position player folded, and Khomutetsky showed her {q-Hearts}{j-Hearts} for a turned Broadway straight before pulling in the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Hyndi Khomutetsky us
Hyndi Khomutetsky
135,000 98,300
Chris Cornell us
Chris Cornell
100,000 16,000

Tags: Chris CornellHyndi Khomutetsky

Heine Passionate About Beef Jerky, Sets

Level 8 : 400/800, 800 ante
Keith Heine
Keith Heine

A player limped in from early position, and Ricky Stinson raised to 2,000 in the hijack. The button called, and action folded to Keith Heine in the big blind.

"I give you beef jerky and you raise my big blind?" Heine said with a grin before calling, and the early-position limper called the raise as well.

Heine checked an {a-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{10-Spades} flop to the early-position player, who bet 5,000. Stinson folded, and the button called. Heine check-raised to 15,000, sending the early-position player deep into the tank. After a few minutes, he folded, and the button flashed the {a-Hearts} before folding as well. Heine tabled {10-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} for a set of tens, then raked in the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Keith Heine us
Keith Heine
75,000 36,000
Ricky Stinson us
Ricky Stinson
40,200 -4,300

Tags: Keith HeineRicky Stinson