Welcome to Day 1c of HPT St. Louis
Day 1c of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Hollywood St. Louis $1,650 Main Event kicks off at Noon local time, the third and final flight for players looking to bag up chips for Day 2. 181 entrants have hit the felt over the first two starting flights, and a big crowd is expected to arrive today in hope of joining the 27 players already advancing to Sunday's Day 2.
In yesterday's Day 1b flight, BJ McBrayer bagged the chip lead with a 473,000 chip stack, making him the overall chip leader after two flights. Mark Koeln (453,000) also managed to find a healthy bag, while Reginald "Shawn" Roberts (320,000), Ian Nelson (262,000), Paul Belken (246,000), and Craig Welko (90,000) also advanced.
Today's Day 1c flight features 40-minute levels, and registration is open through the dinner break after Level 9, or approximately 7:30 local time. A single re-entry option is available for players unfortunate enough to bust. Day 1c will conclude with 9:46 in Level 14 (the stopping point for Day 1a) or when 13% of the field rounded down remains, whichever comes first. All players who manage to bag up chips will return tomorrow at 11 a.m. to play down to the final table of 9, and the televised final table kicks off on Monday, February 24th at Noon. Friends and family are welcome to come watch the final table live, and you can also follow the final table action on the HPT's Twitch channel on a short delay.
Who will manage to navigate their way to a bag to join the 22 survivors for Sunday action here at Hollywood Casino St. Louis? Stay tuned to PokerNews to follow all of today's action straight from the tournament floor.
flop to Pupillo, who bet 500. Longowa called, then called another bet of 1,500 on the 
turn. Both players checked the 
river, and Longowa tabled 
for a busted draw. Pupillo turned over 
for bottom pair and won the pot.
board. Kurfman bet 1,700 into a pot of 5,000 from the button, and one-by-one, his opponents folded. Kurfman flashed a 
before pulling in another pot.
flop, and Courtney Pipitone called next to act, while the button folded.
turn to Pipitone, who bet 1,600. Schall called.
fell on the river, and Schaal led out for 1,400. Pipitone raised to 4,000, and Schaal folded.
turn. Ruehmann bet 1,000 and Moses called.
river, and Moses tabled 
. Ruehmann turned over 
for kings and nines and took down the pot.
turn, and the 
fell on the river. Smith bet 2,500, and the big blind thought for thirty seconds before committing calling chips. Smith tabled 
flop together, and action checked to Donnie Phan in the cutoff. Phan bet 1,500 into the 4,000 chip pot, and only Hamid Izadi called in the small blind.
for a flush draw that hit a straight on the river. Izadi rivered the nut straight with his 
before folding as well. Heine tabled 
for a set of tens, then raked in the pot.
for a turned Broadway straight before pulling in the pot.
