HPT Daytona Beach

$1,100 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

HPT Daytona Beach

Final Results
Winner
Eric Salazar
Winning Hand
33
Prize
$98,476
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,100
Entries
445
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
9
Players Left
1

Eric Salazar Wins HPT Daytona Beach Main Event for $98,476!

Level 33 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
HPT Daytona Beach Main Event Champion Eric Salazar
HPT Daytona Beach Main Event Champion Eric Salazar

The Heartland Poker Tour Daytona Beach $1,100 Main Event came to an end Monday night, and after three exciting days of play it was Eric Salazar reigning supreme for a $98,476 first-place prize, along with a $3,500 HPT Championship package after besting a 445-entry field.

Salazar is a well-known regular to many poker scenes amongst the country, boasting or half a million in career earnings with a vast majority coming this year. The HPT win marked his third six-figure cash if you include the HPT Championship package. The Asheboro, North Carolina native came into the day fifth in chips and instantly became one of the most lively players on the table, when in or out of a hand.

"I guess I should maybe just put my phone away more often, I'm usually just always on my phone," said Salazar with a laugh when asked about the amount of fun he was having. Not only was he having fun, but he was also playing at a maximum level of confidence, "This morning when I woke up I just felt it, you know. I just have a thing to like to go for it, sometimes it's my downfall, unfortunately, but it is 100% why I pick up the chips, so I stick to that and try to stay confident."

Salazar final tabled an HPT Main Event in Chicago two months back finishing third for a respectable $74,456. Asked about his victory he had something to say, "It feels AMAAAAZING! Man this morning I just kind of like felt it, I woke up at eight and just could not go back to bed, so I went to do some stuff and just kept saying that I'm gonna win today. I'm gonna win!"

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Eric SalazarUnited States$98,476 +$3,500 HPT CP
2Michael RosenbergUnited States$60,797
3Ronnie DowdyUnited States$40,460
4Martin BorrasUnited States$28,044
5Luke GrahamUnited States$21,193
6Paul ChungUnited States$16,484
7Tom NguyenUnited State$13,701
8Arthur BoatmanUnited States$11,346
9Miguel HernandezUnited States$9,591
HPT Daytona Beach Final Table
HPT Daytona Beach Final Table

Final Day Action

The tournament came back to the final day with just nine players remaining and of those, only four had over 20 big blinds to start. The five short-stacks quickly started to jump through hoops to attain a viable stack as the blinds started to rise. Just hands into the first level, Miguel Hernandez moved his thirteen-big-blind stack into the middle with ace-jack, only to collide with the ace-king of Luke Graham. Hernandez failed to overtake his opponent's hand and was the first player to take an exit from Day 3.

Arthur Boatman was at the bottom of the barrel to begin the final day and it did not take long for his chips to find their way into the middle as he shoved all in just hands after Hernandez was eliminated. Boatman moved all in with his Big Slick and was snap-called by Salazar, who held one of the few hands that could dominate Boatman in pocket aces. Boatman missed completely and was drawing dead on the turn, leaving the tournament in eighth place.

It took just one more hand to find another elimination, this time being Tom Nguyen in the first of what would be many bad beats to happen during the last day of play. Nguyen moved his stack into the middle with ace-seven of diamonds and action folded to Martin Borras, who called with a pair of nines in the big blind. The flop came down ace-high, moving Nguyen into a commanding lead that had Borras drawing slim. A brick hit on the turn but the river came down one of the two nines left in the deck and Borras stole the pot back from Nguyen, eliminating him in seventh place.

Two levels went by and during that time it seemed that no short-stack would fall with endless bad runouts ending in the person at risk doubling until Paul Chung proved that theory wrong. Chung came back from the break with ten big blinds and saw action fold to him on the button. He moved all in with ten-eight of spades, Salazar called from the small blind with a pair of rockets, and again sent another opponent out with aces.

The five-handed play saw Graham whittled down to the shorter side of things after starting the day as the chip leader. Graham leveraged that short stack to the point of almost making a comeback, but he found the same fate as many before him, running his jacks into the kings of Salazar. Graham fought a valiant battle but failed to crack the kings of Salazar and was eliminated in fifth place.

During the next level of play, it was Ronnie Dowdy who found himself running up a stack, going from the smallest to the tallest as he scooped in several pots. Dowdy then went on a downswing, falling close to the bottom before he secured a pot that put him back in the running. Unfortunately for Borras, he was the one that would suffer. Dowdy moved his remaining stack all in with ace-three of spades and Borras instantly called off for just a bit less, holding a pair of cowboys. The window card was a nasty ace and the rest is history as Borras took a dip in fourth for $28,044.

Salazar instantly shut down any plans of Dowdy taking over, doubling through him with ace-six versus Dowdy's king-queen. Dowdy was left short and was facing an all-in bet from Michael Rosenberg. Dowdy called the all-in of Rosenberg and the two tabled their hands, Dowdy with a pair of nickels, Rosenberg with a pair of dimes and the board unaffecting either as Rosenberg's pair of tens took down the pot. Dowdy was eliminated from the tournament in third place after a rollercoaster ride.

Heads-up play saw the red-hot Salazar go up against someone who seemed to have alligator blood flowing through his veins. Rosenberg had survived seven double-ups en route to the finale and Salazar was the only one left that could shut him down. Rosenberg drew first blood, taking the lead, which was instantly sent back to Salazar after the two put all of their chips in on a flip. Salazar won that race and took a commanding lead, Rosenberg was left short but fought back and found a double. Shortly after Rosenberg found the double, the last hand of the night took place. Rosenberg moved all in with queen-ten and Salazar called with his pair of treys. The board ran out dry and Salazar took down the event with Rosenberg having to settle for second, pocketing a respectable $60,797.

That wraps it up for the PokerNews live coverage of the Heartland Poker Tour here in beautiful Daytona Beach.

Tags: Arthur BoatmanEric SalazarLuke GrahamMichael RosenbergMiguel HernandezPaul ChungTom Nguyen

Michael Rosenberg Eliminated in 2nd Place ($60,797)

Level 33 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Michael Rosenberg
Michael Rosenberg

Michael Rosenberg moved all in for 3,200,000 from the button with {q-Spades}{10-Hearts}, Eric Salazar looked down at {3-Hearts}{3-Clubs} and snap-called with his pair in what could be the last hand of the night.

Michael Rosenberg: {q-Spades}{10-Hearts}
Eric Salazar: {3-Hearts}{3-Clubs}

The dealer fanned out {8-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} and Salazar's treys were still in the lead. An {8-Hearts} peeled off on the turn and Rosenberg needed to hit or he was going to be eliminated.

The river came down a {3-Diamonds} and that secured the pot for Salazar as Rosenberg was eliminated from the tournament in second for a respectable $60,797.

Congratulations to Eric Salazar on winning the HPT Dayton Beach $1,100 Main Event for $98,476! Along with a $3,500 HPT Championship package.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
13,300,000 4,400,000
Michael Rosenberg us
Michael Rosenberg
Busted

Ronnie Dowdy Eliminated in 3rd Place ($40,460)

Level 33 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Ronnie Dowdy
Ronnie Dowdy

Michael Rosenberg moved all in from the button and Ronnie Dowdy called his remaining 1,500,000 all in.

Ronnie Dowdy: {5-Hearts}{5-Clubs}
Michael Rosenberg: {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}

The flop rolled out {k-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}{4-Spades} and Rosenberg's dimes were still ahead of Dowdy's nickels. A {7-Diamonds} peeled off on the turn, leaving Dowdy with one card to save the day. The {4-Clubs} river was not that card as Rosenberg took down the pot, eliminating Dowdy from the tournament in third place.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
6,900,000 4,100,000
Michael Rosenberg us
Michael Rosenberg
6,500,000 1,400,000
Ronnie Dowdy us
Ronnie Dowdy
Busted

Tags: Michael RosenbergRonnie Dowdy

Rosenberg Takes a Chunk from Salazar

Level 33 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Michael Rosenberg
Michael Rosenberg

Michael Rosenberg completed in the small blind with {q-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} and Eric Salazar checked behind, holding {k-Clubs}{4-Hearts}. The dealer fanned out {q-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{2-Clubs} and both players checked to the {10-Diamonds} turn card.

Action checked to Salazar, he bet 250,000 and Rosenberg check-called. A {7-Spades} landed on the river, Rosenberg checked to Salazar who moved all in.

Rosenberg thought for well over a minute but in the end, Rosenberg called with his flopped queen. Salazar tabled his king-high and Rosenberg quickly slammed over his queens up, taking down the pot for a complete double.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Rosenberg us
Michael Rosenberg
5,100,000 2,400,000
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
2,800,000 -3,200,000

Tags: Michael RosenbergEric Salazar

Martin Borras Eliminated in 4th Place ($28,044)

Level 32 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Martin Borras
Martin Borras

Ronnie Dowdy shoved all in for 2,300,000 from the button with {a-Spades}{3-Spades} and Martin Borras called in the small blind for his remaining 1,900,000, holding {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}.

Martin Borras: {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}
Ronnie Dowdy: {a-Spades}{3-Spades}

The flop came down {a-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} and Borras was left speechless as the ace came down, giving Dowdy the lead. A {3-Diamonds} improved Dowdy as he now had two pair and Borras needed a king to stay alive.

The river rolled out a {5-Spades}, failing to hit Borras and he was eliminated by the two pair of Borras, taking fourth place for a respectable $28,044.

Player Chips Progress
Ronnie Dowdy us
Ronnie Dowdy
4,500,000 2,100,000
Martin Borras us
Martin Borras
Busted

Tags: Ronnie DowdyMartin Borras

Luke Graham Eliminated in 5th Place ($21,193)

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Luke Graham
Luke Graham

Luke Graham looked down at {j-Diamonds}{j-Clubs} and raised to 275,000 from under the gun. Eric Salazar three-bet to 635,000 with {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds} and Graham moved all in, Salazar snap-called.

Luke Graham: {j-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}
Eric Salazar: {k-Spades}{k-Diamonds}

The dealer fanned out {8-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} and Graham needed a jack to stack alive. A {3-Spades} landed on the turn and Graham now had one last chance for romance.

An {a-Hearts} completed the board, cementing the pot for Salazar who sent the start of day chipleader out the door.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
6,100,000 3,100,000
Luke Graham us
Luke Graham
Busted

Tags: Eric SalazarLuke Graham

Dowdy Goes from Zero to Hero

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Ronnie Dowdy
Ronnie Dowdy

Eric Salazar opened to 225,000 with {6-Hearts}{6-Clubs} and Ronnie Dowdy called, holding {k-Hearts}{10-Hearts}. The flop came down {10-Spades}{4-Hearts}{2-Spades}, Salazar bet 180,000 and Dowdy raised to 580,000.

Salazar moved all in and Dowdy called for his 1,655,000 total stack with his pair of tens.

Ronnie Dowdy: {k-Hearts}{10-Hearts}
Eric Salazar: {6-Hearts}{6-Clubs}

The {9-Spades} turn and {9-Hearts} river did not shift a thing as Dowdy secured a full double up through Salazar to take the lead.

Player Chips Progress
Ronnie Dowdy us
Ronnie Dowdy
4,000,000 3,150,000
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
2,900,000 -1,300,000

Tags: Eric SalazarRonnie Dowdy

Paul Chung Eliminated in 6th Place ($16,484)

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Paul Chung
Paul Chung

Action folded around to Paul Chung on the button who moved all in for 1,300,000 with {10-Spades}{8-Spades} and Eric Salazar called in the small blind, holding {a-Spades}{a-Diamonds}.

Paul Chung: {10-Spades}{8-Spades}
Eric Salazar: {a-Spades}{a-Diamonds}

The flop came down {k-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{6-Clubs} and Chung was in the danger zone. A {2-Spades} landed on the turn and Chung was now drawing dead to the {7-Spades} turn card as he was eliminated in sixth place by Salazar's bullets.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Salazar us
Eric Salazar
4,200,000 1,900,000
Paul Chung us
Paul Chung
Busted

Tags: Eric SalazarPaul Chung

Rosenberg Lands a Double Through the Leader

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Michael Rosenberg
Michael Rosenberg

Michael Rosenberg moved all in for 450,000 with {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs} from the cutoff and Luke Graham called in the big blind, holding {a-Clubs}{8-Hearts}, putting Rosenberg at risk.

Michael Rosenberg: {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs}
Luke Graham: {a-Clubs}{8-Hearts}

The dealer spread out {j-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{3-Spades} and Rosenberg was still leading with his ladies. A {q-Spades} peeled off on the turn and Rosenberg secured the pot for a double as he now had Graham drawing dead to the {6-Hearts} river.

Tags: Luke GrahamMichael Rosenberg

Tom Nguyen Eliminated in 7th Place ($13,701)

Level 26 : 20,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Tom Nguyen
Tom Nguyen

Tom Nguyen pushed all in with {a-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} for 570,000 and Martin Borras called from the big blind, holding {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}, putting Nguyen at risk.

Tom Nguyen: {a-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}
Martin Borras: {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}

The flop came down {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs}{8-Spades} and Nguyen took a commanding lead. A {10-Diamonds} hit the felt as a turn card, leaving Borras with just a nine to take down the pot.

An unthinkable {9-Spades} rolled over on the river, smashing Borras with the nine he needed to take down the pot, eliminating Nguyen from the tournament in seventh place.

Player Chips Progress
Martin Borras us
Martin Borras
3,525,000 670,000
Tom Nguyen us
Tom Nguyen
Busted

Tags: Martin BorrasTom Nguyen