Ravi Raghavan shoved for about 70,000 over a raise from Austin McCormick and a call. McCormick called with 
but couldn't hold as Raghavan paired up with 
and then hit the nut flush to boot on the river.
Heather Alcorn got her remaining chips in under the gun with 
and was at risk against Zack Mullennix, who reshoved on the button with 
, and a third player with 
. The board ran out dead for everyone and Mullennix collected Alcorn's stack and doubled for about 350,000.
A disappointed Nic Ditrapani reported he got it in with 
in the big blind against button opener Mark Koeln, who found an ace on the river with 
.
Mark Koeln opened early and called the shove of Paul Belken Jr., who had 115,000 in the small blind. Koeln's 
held up against 
to send Belken Jr. to the rail and get Koeln near seven figures.
John Hughes got his remaining chips in with 
against the 
of Kevin Waller, who flopped a set to end Hughes' hopes of a comeback.
Mark Koeln opened for 22,000 in middle position, Nic Ditrapani shoved in the cutoff for 84,000, and Michael Hudson shoved on the button for 162,000. Koeln thought a bit then flicked in .
Hudson: 
Ditrapani:
Ditrapani's overs prevailed as the board ran 
.
PokerNews is in town to live report the $1,700 Main Event here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Ameristar St. Charles, but that is just on gold ring event that will have played out by the end of the series.
The stop actually kicked off with Event #1: $400 NLH Double Stack, a tournament that drew 202 entries and offered up a $66,660 prize pool that was paid out to the top 32 players. Among those to cash were Frank Covich (6th - $2,789), Larry Conners (12th - $1,125), Jian Zhang (17th - $826), and Robert Jordan (26th - $630).
In the end, Charlie Dawson of Owensboro, Kentucky bested Ryan Pickerel in heads-up play to win the title for $15,920 and his third career gold ring.
“I actually got really lucky about three times at the final table,” Dawson explained, “My big turnaround was actually when I jammed king-jack suited, running into pocket kings and I flopped Broadway.”
The 50-year-old real estate broker added: “I am going to come back next week and play a few more events; I have been playing this series since 2006.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlie Dawson | Owensboro, Kentucky | $15,920 |
| 2 | Ryan Pickerel | Belleville, Illinois | $9,841 |
| 3 | William Backes | O Fallon, Missouri | $6,955 |
| 4 | Adam Durham | St. Louis, Missouri | $5,019 |
| 5 | Shaun Emery | Girard, Illinois | $3,699 |
| 6 | Frank Covich | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | $2,789 |
| 7 | Chris Derby | Colorado Springs, Colorado | $2,146 |
| 8 | Sandi Muratovic | St. Louis, Missouri | $1,690 |
| 9 | James Basham | O Fallon, Missouri | $1,363 |
Level: 19
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Craig Welko opened for 14,000 in middle position and Brett Apter put in 156,000, leaving 1,000 back. Welko raised and Apter showed 
but was in awful shape against 
.
That changed in a hurry on the 
flop, and the and 
did not let Welko escape the beat with a chop.
"You should title it, 'This is How Brett Runs,'" Apter said with a smile.
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