HPO Charles Town Regional Championship
Day 2 Completed
2014 Hollywood Poker Open Charles Town Regional Event
HPO Charles Town Regional Championship
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2014 Hollywood Poker Open Charles Town Regional Event
Buy-in
$1,629
Prize Pool
$116,928
Entries
72
Level
23
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
3,000
![[user253757]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Brian Cavaliere, like so many poker players out there today, can trace his interest in the game to a singular event which occurred more than a decade ago. That catalyst was the improbable transformation of Chris Moneymaker from amateur accountant to World Series of Poker Main Event champion in 2003, a victory which launched the fabled "Moneymaker Boom." And just like Moneymaker - who won his way into the big game by first winning a satellite event - Cavaliere parlayed a small sum into the biggest score of his life.
Cavaliere - who hails from Hazlet, New Jersey and thanked his parents Arthur and Mary for their steady support - plunked down $235 to enter one of the HPO Mega Satellites earlier in the week, weaving his way through the minefield to secure his seat in the $1,800 buy-in Main Event. With Chris Moneymaker in the house throughout Day 1 (the champ fell short late in the day after building a big stack early on), Cavaliere did his best to emulate the man himself, surging ahead of the field to end play with 181,600 - good for the biggest stack in play by a good 60,000.
Entering today's final day of play with a target on his back, Cavaliere simply played his game and forged ahead, maintaining his composure despite admittedly feeling the pressure. According to Cavaliere - a former online player who prefers cash games - this was only the third lie tournament he had ever played... and that's including the Mega Satellite entered just a few days ago. Despite playing against experienced pros like Lee Childs and Joseph Stiers throughout Day 2, Cavaliere held his own and focused on the task at hand. In doing so, he managed to put on a throwback performance, turning his initial investment into a major payday just like Moneymaker before him.
Along the way, Cavalieri weathered the storm known as swings, coming back from the brink after sliding early on by doubling through Childs. After reaching the final table and watching the money bubble burst, Cavaliere sent David Lackey to the rail in 6th place, before dispatching Jim Boyd (5th place) soon afterward. From there, he maintained his stack while grinding away, ultimately reaching heads-up play against Stiers with only 200,000 to work with against the young pro's 1.2 million.
Cavaliere displayed tremendous mettle in battling back from such a disadvantage, and while it was a fortuitous flip that helped him begin the comeback, he still managed to peck away and pick Stiers apart. Finally, after a lengthy heads-up duel, Cavaliere finished Stiers off in style, flopping a flush to leave his opponent drawing dead with the title on the line.
For the win, Cavaliere earned $39,756 - with $2,500 of that amount representing the coveted prize package awarded to HPO Regional Championship. That package includes travel accommodations and a seat in the HPO Championship Event at the M Resort Casino Spa in Las Vegas this June. Here's hoping Cavaliere continues his impressive, Moneymaker-like run from satellite entrant to champion with another impressive performance there.
Level 23
: 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
After entering heads-up play with a 1.2 million to 200,000 chip advantage, Joseph Stiers was on the brink of taking down this HPO Charles Town Regional Championship. Unfortunately for Stiers, Brian Cavaliere proved to be a resilient opponent, doubling through early on by winning a flip and never looking back.
Stiers found himself riding a short stack when he looked down at 
in the hole, and the ace-high hand was enough to prompt an open-jam from the button.
Cavaliere held the 
and saw his chance to complete the epic comeback - and a wire-to-wire performance after ending Day 1 as the chip leader - and he made the call to put Stiers at risk.
Both players held respectable holdings, but all thoughts of a sweat immediately ended when the dealer spread a flop of 
. Just like that Cavaliere's flopped flush left Stiers drawing dead, sending the HPO Regional Championship trophy and $39,756 his way.
Stiers pocketed $24,555 for his runner-up finish, adding to his already impressive record on the tournament circuit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,439,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 23
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 3,000
Level 22
: 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Brian Cavaliere opened for 40,000 from the button and Joseph Stiers defended his big blind by flatting.
The flop came down 
and Stiers check-called a bet of 55,000. Both players tapped the table on the 
turn, and the 
arrived on the river.
Stiers pounced on the pot with a 100,000 wager, and after a moment to think things through, Cavaliere laid his hand down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
839,000
-221,000
|
-221,000 |
|
|
555,000
122,000
|
122,000 |
Level 22
: 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
The tide has turned and Day 1 chip leader Brian Cavaliere has reclaimed the top spot after entering heads-up play at a severe disadvantage.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,060,000
405,000
|
405,000 |
|
|
433,000
-326,000
|
-326,000 |
Level 22
: 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Despite beginning heads-up play facing a severe chip disadvantage, Brian Cavaliere is making a match of it after recently doubling through Joseph Stiers.
The money was in the middle before the flop, with Cavaliere taking his 
up against the 
tabled by Stiers.
When the flop rained down 
Cavaliere's pair of kings gave him the lead, and the turn () and river (
) changed nothing. After paying off the loss, Stiers will now have to buckle down to finish things off.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
759,000
-431,000
|
-431,000 |
|
|
655,000
334,000
|
334,000 |
Level 22
: 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Holding the button, Mark Castaldo opened for 34,000 and Joseph Stiers defended his big blind by flatting.
The flop rolled out 
and Stiers tapped the table, prompting Castoldo to c-bet for 45,000. Stiers wasted little time in using his big stack to bully, and he announced all in with authority in his voice.
When he heard Castaldo snap-call, Stiers was resigned to his fate and flipped up his 
expecting to have run into a higher straight. At the sight of Castaldo's 
, Stiers perked up just a bit, as he realized his draws were still live.
Turn: 
Just like that one of those draws was delivered, and Stiers' two pair put Castaldo on the brink. The river blanked off with the 
, and despite waking up with the best preflop hand in Hold'em, Castaldo was sent to the rail with a 3rd place finish.
Stiers now holds an overwhelming chip lead entering the heads-up contest against Brian Cavaliere.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,190,000
381,000
|
381,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 22
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 2,000
Level 21
: 6,000/12,000, 1,000 ante
With just three players left vying for this HPO Charles Town Regional Championship title, here's the score.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
809,000
284,000
|
284,000 |
|
|
321,000
14,000
|
14,000 |
|
|
309,000
-271,000
|
-271,000 |