$1,650 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2020 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood St. Louis
$1,650 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2020 Heartland Poker Tour Hollywood St. Louis
Buy-in
$1,650
Entries
392
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Entries
72
Players Left
9
McCormick on a Heater After Day 2 of HPT St. Louis
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
On Day 2 of the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) Hollywood St. Louis $1,650 Main Event, 72 players returned to the felt, and after eight levels of play, the televised final table of nine was reached. Leading the charge is Austin McCormick, who went on a white-hot tear with two tables remaining to bag up the chip lead with a 2,775,000 stack.
McCormick, who finished fourth in an HPT St. Louis $1,650 Main Event last September, was responsible for five of the final nine knockouts of the day, including one of the more memorable triple knockouts in recent memory, when his ace-queen overcame aces, kings, and sixes by hitting running queens on the turn and river to send Day 1a chip leader Ryan Tepen (18th - $5,532), former HPT St. Louis champ Paul Belken (17th - $5,532), and Thomas Rennier (16th - $5,532) out the door all in one fell swoop. McCormick claimed two more victims in Mark Koeln (13th - $7,358) and BJ McBrayer (12th - $9,753) before play ended for the day.
A pair of WSOP Bracelet winners are hot on McCormick's trail, however. Kyle Cartwright flopped a combo draw against the set of Mike Thompson (10th - $9,753), and when Cartwright made his straight on the turn, all the chips went in the middle, and a blank river left Thompson one spot shy of the televised final table. Brett Apter, meanwhile, was Austin Tjaden's (11th - $9,753) nemesis, first fading a big draw from Tjaden to take a good portion of Tjaden's stack, then snagging the rest when Apter won a flip.
Day 1c chip leader Kevin Garosshen and Colorado native Brent Cunningham are the only other players over a million in chips, while Brian Reeder, Lucas Tae, Neil Patel, and Laura Hoppe round out the final table of nine.
Final Table Seat Draw and Chip Counts
| Table | Seat | Name | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | Lucas Tae | 700,000 | 35 |
| 17 | 2 | Neil Patel | 480,000 | 24 |
| 17 | 3 | Austin McCormick | 2,775,000 | 139 |
| 17 | 4 | Kevin Garosshen | 1,590,000 | 80 |
| 17 | 5 | Kyle Cartwright | 2,120,000 | 106 |
| 17 | 6 | Brent Cunningham | 1,125,000 | 56 |
| 17 | 7 | Brian Reeder | 935,000 | 47 |
| 17 | 9 | Brett Apter | 1,735,000 | 87 |
| 17 | 10 | Laura Hoppe | 300,000 | 15 |
Day 2 Action
72 players returns from the 392 entrants that started the three opening flights, but only 45 would walk away with a payday. Reigning HPT Player of the Year Nick Pupillo, three-time HPT champ Reginald "Shawn" Roberts and Jerod Smith all were unable to make it to the money. Former HPT champ Mike O'Neill ended up as the bubble boy, jamming pocket fives into the aces of Justin Coliny (15th - $7,358). O'Neill got a sweat when he flopped an open-ended straight draw, but he would improve no further to leave empty-handed.
From there, 36 players left with a payday before play ended for the day, including Jimmy Bussey (14th - $7,358), former HPT Vicksburg champ Jay Friedman (21st - $4,563), last year's defending champ Bill Byrnes (25th - $4,563), Hyndi Khomutetsky (27th - $4,563) and former HPT Florence champ Sameer Al Dbhany (41st - $3,137).
Day 3 will kick off tomorrow at Noon local time, and the final table will be taped and televised for future use. The final table will also be streamed at the HPT's Twitch channel on a delay (no hole cares will be shown due to Missouri gaming laws), and the PokerNews blog will sync up with the stream during tomorrow's play. Be sure to tune in to see who will walk away with the $131,184 top prize, the $3,500 Championship Package, and the trophy here at Hollywood St. Louis!
End of Day 2 Chip Counts
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,775,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
||
|
2,120,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
||
|
1,735,000
-115,000
|
-115,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,590,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
||
|
1,125,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
935,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
700,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
480,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
300,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
Play Ends For the Day
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
The final nine players are bagging and tagging their chips for the evening. Stay tuned for chip counts and a full recap of the day's action.
Mike Thompson Eliminated in 10th Place ($9,753)
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Kyle Cartwright raised to 40,000 from under the gun, and was called by Mike Thompson in middle position, Lucas Tae in the cutoff, and Kevin Garosshen in the big blind.
Action checked to Thompson on a 
flop, and he bet 35,000. Only Cartwright called.
The 
fell on the turn, and Cartwright checked again. Thompson bet 200,000, and Cartwright check-raised all in. Thompson quickly called off his last 800,000 total.
Mike Thompson: 
Kyle Cartwright: 
Thompson's flopped set had been turned by the combo draw of Cartwright. Thompson needed the board to pair to avoid becoming the last elimination of Day 2, but the 
ended Thompson's run one spot shy of the final table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Reeder Binks the River to Double Through Thompson
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Neil Patel raised to 40,000 from middle position, and Brian Reeder three-bet shoved for 438,000 from the small blind. Mike Thompson announced a call in the big blind, and Patel folded.
Brian Reeder: 
Mike Thompson: 
Reeder picked up two outs when the 
flop gave him a Broadway draw. The 
turn was a brick, but Reeder drilled the 
river for his straight.
"Yes! Bam!" a jubliant Reeder said with a fist pump, and he picked up the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
925,000
445,000
|
445,000 |
|
|
850,000
-504,000
|
-504,000 |
|
|
570,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
Cunningham Chips Up
Level 22
: 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Kyle Cartwright raised to 40,000 from early position, and was called by Brent Cunningham next to act, as well as Austin McCormick in the big blind.
McCormick checked the 
flop over to Cartwright, who bet 45,000. Only Cunningham called.
Cartwright checked the 
turn, and Cunningham bet 70,000. Cartwright quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,475,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,260,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,100,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
Level: 22
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
Thompson Jams on Chip Leader McCormick
Level 21
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Mike Thompson raised to 40,000 from middle position, and was called by Austin McCormick in the big blind.
McCormick checked the 
flop over to Thompson, who bet 50,000. McCormick check-raised to 129,000, and Thompson quickly moved all-in for 1.3 million. McCormick tanked for a minute, then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,400,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,500,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
Final Table Seat Draw and Chip Counts
Level 21
: 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Name | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | Lucas Tae | 900,000 | 56 |
| 17 | 2 | Neil Patel | 565,000 | 35 |
| 17 | 3 | Austin McCormick | 2,600,000 | 163 |
| 17 | 4 | Kevin Garosshen | 1,600,000 | 100 |
| 17 | 5 | Kyle Cartwright | 1,350,000 | 84 |
| 17 | 6 | Brent Cunningham | 1,150,000 | 72 |
| 17 | 7 | Brian Reeder | 480,000 | 30 |
| 17 | 8 | Mike Thompson | 1,310,000 | 82 |
| 17 | 9 | Brett Apter | 1,850,000 | 116 |
| 17 | 10 | Laura Hoppe | 180,000 | 11 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,600,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,850,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,600,000
303,000
|
303,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,350,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,310,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
|
1,150,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
900,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
565,000
-85,000
|
-85,000 |
|
|
480,000
-95,000
|
-95,000 |
|
|
180,000
-31,000
|
-31,000 |