Roger Campbell Wins Heartland Poker Tour River City Casino for $131,674
The Heartland Poker Tour River City Casino $1,650 Main Event concluded on Monday, April 29, with 62-year-old Roger Campbell topping a field of 381 to capture the $131,674 first-place prize. Campbell, who hails from Centralia, Illinois, qualified for the event through a $375 satellite and used his chip lead at the final table to clinch victory.
“We see these incredible Cinderella stories at every stop,” said HPT’s Executive Producer Fred Bevill. “Life-changing money is accessible on HPT.”
HPT River City Casino Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roger Campbell | Centralia, IL | $131,674 |
| 2 | Vermin Becirbegovic | St Louis, MO | $79,882 |
| 3 | Jordan Jayne | Lisle, IL | $53,492 |
| 4 | Stan Jablonski | Bullhead City, AZ | $37,308 |
| 5 | Noah Weinberger | St Louis, MO | $27,981 |
| 6 | Phillip Youngclaus | St Louis, MO | $21,946 |
| 7 | Johnna Stewart | Creal Springs, IL | $18,544 |
| 8 | John Dahlberg | St. Louis, MO | $15,362 |
| 9 | Jeff Landherr | O'Fallon, MO | $13,167 |
Final-table action recommenced in Level 24 with the blinds at 12,000/24,000/3,000, but it wasn't until Hand #23 in Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000) that the first elimination of the final table occurred. According to the HPT Live Blog, it happened when Vermin Becirbegovic opened for 70,000 from early position and then called when Jeff Landherr three-bet all in for 559,000.
Becirbegovic: A♠J♠
Landherr: K♣Q♣
According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Landherr had a 41.48% chance of surviving the hand, though that dropped to 40.29% on the J♥9♦7♣ flop. The Q♥ turn actually hit Landherr and made his an 88.64% favorite, but then the A♣ spiked on the river to give Becirbegovic the win. Landherr was eliminated in ninth place and took home $13,167.
Two hands later John Dahlberg was eliminated in eighth place for $15,362, and 21 hands after that Johnna Stewart followed him out the door in seventh place. In Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000), when Stewart opened for 150,000 from the cutoff and then moved all in after Becirbegovic had three-bet to 395,000, Becirbegovic called with the K♥K♠ and was well out in front of Stewart’s Q♠Q♥. The K♦2♣2♥ flop put an end to any suspense as Becirbegovic flopped a boat, and after the 8♠ appeared on the turn followed by the 8♣ river, Stewart exited in seventh place for $18,544. Not too shabby after qualifying for just $40.
After the eliminations of Phillip Youngclaus in sixth place ($21,981) and Noah Weinberger in fifth ($27,981), another preflop confrontation occurred on Hand #67. It happened when Jordan Jayne opened for 105,000 from the button and then called when Stan Jablonski moved all in.
Jayne: A♣Q♠
Jablonski: A♠7♦
Jablonski was in need of some help but found none as the board ran out K♠10♥2♥3♥J♦. Jablonski, an Arizona business owner with 70 career cashes, was eliminated in fourth place and earned $37,308 for his efforts
On Hand #96, it was time for Jayne to make his way to the payout desk. With the blinds at 30,000/60,000/10,000, Campbell raised to 160,000, Jayne called, and the flop came down 7♣5♥3♦. Campbell bet 300,000, Jayne moved all in, and Campbell called with the A♥A♦. Jayne was drawing live to an open-ended straight with 8♣6♣, but the 6♦ turn and J♦ river failed to help him. Jayne, who finished in third place for $53,492, has become a memorable player on the circuit. Here’s how the HPT described him:
"HPT first met Jordan Jayne at Soaring Eagle a month after poker’s Black Friday. He was a 20-year-old internet pro with an uncertain future. After losing his livelihood in the government shutdown of online poker, Jayne was considering a career change and contemplating college. Plans changed when he played his first-ever live tournament at Soaring Eagle. He bested 386 players and locked up an HPT championship worth $165k. Now two years later, he found himself back at HPT’s televised Final Table in St Louis hoping to join the short list of players with multiple HPT titles. With just two players left in his path, Jordan made a move with an open-ended straight draw that didn’t pan out against Campbell's pocket aces. Eliminated in third place for $53,492, Jayne joins the long list of champions who got oh-so-close again.”
The heads-up match lasted longer than expected, given Campbell’s 10-to-1 chip lead at the start, but he eventually sealed the deal on Hand #121 when Campbell limped and then called when Becirbegovic moved all in.
Campbell: A♠4♣
Becirbegovic: K♥Q♣
The board ran out a clean 6♠6♣3♦2♦3♥ and Becirbegovic, a bartender in St. Louis, finished as runner-up for $79,882 while Campbell claimed victory and the $131,681 first-place prize.
*Photos courtesy of hptpoker.com.
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