$2,500 Championship Event Day 1c | HPT Season XV Championship

11-24-2019 16:24 UTC-5

Aurelian Furcoin Ships Event #7: $200 NLH with $50 Bounties

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

For the past week, the Heartland Poker Tour has been hosting a slew of side events here at the Hollywood Casino St. Louis.

150 entrants took part in Event #7: $200 NLH with $50 Bounties, and the $16,950 prize pool saw 18 players take home a cash, including Jerod Smith (10th - $407), Denny Lawson (13th - $322), and David Ford (17th - $271).

A four-way deal was struck at the final table, with Aurelian Furcoin being declared the winner and taking home $2,983 for his efforts.

Final Table Results

Position	Name	Hometown	Prize Money
1	Aurelian Furcoin	Chattanooga, Tennessee	$2,983
2	Tyler Vinyard	Springfield, Illinois	$2,972
3	Aaron Buchli	Kennesaw, Georgia	$2,496
4	Leif Nelson	St. Charles, Missouri	$1,973
5	Steven Walker	House Springs, Missouri	$949
6	Craig Welko	Ballwin, Missouri	$780
7	Daniel Landsbaum	Maryland Heights, Missouri	$686
8	Philip Day	Owensboro, Kentucky	$602
9	Carol Charping	Acworth, Georgia	$509

Tags: Jerod Smith

11-24-2019 16:33 UTC-5

Pupillo Re-Enters and Starts Strong

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Nick Pupillo has re-entered the HPT Season XV $2,500 Championship Event, looking to use his last bullet to earn a few more points to lock up his Player of the Year crown, and his second bullet in today's flight has started out much stronger than his first, as he already sits with nearly double the starting stack.

We'll continue to track Pupillo all day long, as the two remaining opponents that could potentially catch him, Eric Salazar and Nick Davidson, have already bagged up chips for Day 2.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nick Pupillo	57,000 57,000	57,000

Tags: Eric Salazar Nick Davidson Nick Pupillo

11-24-2019 16:38 UTC-5

Tjaden Takes Three-Bet Pot

CarolineBassett

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

With the table having been seated just a few minutes prior, Austin Tjaden opened to 800 from early position. Action folded around to Charlie Dawson in the hijack, who elected to three-bet to 2,000. Only Tjaden called.

Tjaden check-called a downbet of 1,500 on the flop.

Neither played fired the turn, putting three of a kind on the board. The river completed a backdoor flush draw, and Tjaden took a moment before betting 3,200. Dawson quickly mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Austin Tjaden	41,000
Charlie Dawson	25,000

Tags: Austin Tjaden Charlie Dawson

11-24-2019 16:41 UTC-5

"Prince" Leaves Saleh Short

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Season XV HPT Vicksburg champ Yousef Saleh limped in from middle position, then called a raise to 1,000 from WSOP bracelet winner Jean "Prince" Gaspard on the button.

Saleh checked the flop over to Gaspard, who announced a bet of 2,300. Saleh called.

The turn and river were checked down, and Saleh said, "Four," without showing his hand.

Gaspard tabled for a pair of eights, and Saleh mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean Gaspard	46,000

Yousef Saleh	8,500 -25,100	-25,100

Tags: Yousef Saleh Jean Gaspard

11-24-2019 16:53 UTC-5

Jennings Way Behind, Drills It for a Knockout

CarolineBassett

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Under-the-gun player Albert Morrow open-jammed 4,700—just shy of 16 big blinds—and headed to a flop with his tournament life at risk versus his only caller, Greg Jennings in the small blind.

Albert Morrow:
Greg Jennings:

Jennings yelled, "Chop!" on the flop, which became more likely on the turn. The river, however, brought the , giving Jennings a set and forcing him to accept the victory instead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Jennings	46,500 500	500
Albert Morrow	Busted

Tags: Albert Morrow Greg Jennings

11-24-2019 16:53 UTC-5

Janssen Jams on Izadi

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

George Janssen raised to 700 from middle position, and former Detroit Lions tight end Eric Stocz called on the button. Hamid Izadi three-bet to 2,700 from the small blind, and Janssen thought for a moment before four-bet shoving for 8,800. Stocz folded, and Izadi had a decision to make.

"I would've called if you had shoved quickly," Izadi said, pondering to himself for a moment before tossing up on the felt, folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hamid Izadi	68,000 40,000	40,000

Eric Stocz	25,000 9,500	9,500
George Janssen	12,800

Tags: Eric Stocz George Janssen Hamid Izadi

11-24-2019 17:02 UTC-5

Massey's Kicker Makes the Difference

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Ralph Massey raised to 700 from early position, and was called by the hijack, as well as Pratap Golla in the small blind. Golla checked the flop to Massey, who bet 700. The hijack folded, but Golla check-raised to 2,100. Massey called.

Golla bet 2,800 on the turn, and Massey called again.

The fell on the river, and Golla bet 4,500. Massey instantly called, and after Golla tabled , Massey rolled over and took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pratap Golla	96,000
Ralph Massey	44,000 15,500	15,500

Tags: Pratap Golla Ralph Massey

11-24-2019 17:11 UTC-5

Riley's Kings Earn a Double Through Hawkins

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Garrett Riley raised to 700 from middle position, then called a three-bet to 2,100 from Maurice Hawkins in the hijack.

Riley checked the flop to Hawkins, who bet 2,900. Riley check-raised to 7,900, and Hawkins three-bet shoved. Riley instantly called off his 27,900 stack.

Garrett Riley:
Maurice Hawkins:

Riley was looking to fade an ace to earn the double, and did just that on the turn and river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Garrett Riley	62,000 62,000	62,000
Maurice Hawkins	9,500 -30,500	-30,500

Tags: Garrett Riley Maurice Hawkins

11-24-2019 17:13 UTC-5

A Few New Faces

BrandonTemple

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Will Berry	49,000 49,000	49,000
Josh Reichard	30,000 30,000	30,000

Blake Battaglia	30,000
Mario Hudson	28,900

11-24-2019 17:16 UTC-5

Hudson Three-Bets from Big Blind

CarolineBassett

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

The player under the gun flung out an open of 800, which the players in the hijack and on the button called. Mario Hudson had different plans for the hand, three-betting to 3,800 from the big blind. The initial raiser folded, as did the hijack, and the button counted down his own stack before eventually calling.

The flop came down , and Hudson asked to see his opponent's chips, which covered his own, before continuing for 6,000. The button mucked, later asking, "Did you have queens?" Hudson didn't respond.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Hudson	33,000 4,100	4,100

Tags: Mario Hudson