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

11-25-2019 18:07 UTC-5

Michalak Stands His Ground Against Higgins

BrandonTemple

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

John Michalak raised to 12,500 from middle position, and Matt Higgins three-bet to 35,000 from the cutoff. Michalak called.

Michalak check-called a bet of 25,000 on the flop, and Michalak checked again on the turn. Higgins bet 60,000 and Michalak check-raised to 200,000. Higgins tanked for two minutes before folding.

Meanwhile, Bobby Noel busted at one of the outer tables, bringing the field two spots shy of the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Higgins	785,000 -65,000	-65,000
John Michalak	670,000 120,000	120,000
Bobby Noel	Busted

Tags: John Michalak Matt Higgins Bobby Noel

11-25-2019 17:50 UTC-5

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Massey	Busted
Joshua Henrichs	Busted

Andreas Ioakmides	Busted
Luke O'Brien	Busted

O'Brien Applies Pressure

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CarolineBassett

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Luke O'Brien raised to 15,000 on the button over Cory Warner's late-position limp. Only Warner called.

Warner checked the flop, and O'Brien bet big—35,000. Warner asked O'Brien to lift up his hands so he could see his stack. Warner had him covered, but not by much, and he tanked for a couple minutes before mucking.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luke O'Brien	115,000 1,000	1,000
Cory Warner	84,000 -44,000	-44,000

Tags: Cory Warner Luke O'Brien

11-25-2019 17:46 UTC-5

Song Four-Bets McBrayer; Down to 45

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BrandonTemple

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Stephen Song raised to 11,000 from the cutoff, and BJ McBrayer three-bet to 39,000 from the small blind. Song four-bet to 95,000, and McBrayer tanked for two minutes before folding.

"C'mon, show me one!" McBrayer asked Song, and Song grinned, pulling back his cards before revealing the .

Jamey Kramer and Mike Vanier fell at Table 48, bringing the field just nine players away from the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Song	480,000 70,000	70,000

BJ McBrayer	250,000 -135,000	-135,000
Jamey Kramer	Busted
Mike Vanier	Busted

Tags: BJ McBrayer Jamey Kramer Mike Vanier Stephen Song

11-25-2019 17:36 UTC-5

More Day 2 Bustouts

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BrandonTemple

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Morse	Busted
John Hughes	Busted
Tod Schmitz	Busted
Kyle Kinder	Busted
Brett Reichard	Busted
Maurice Hawkins	Busted
Jeff Roberson	Busted
Bruce Hugon	Busted
Patrick Quinn	Busted
Gregory Sharp	Busted
James Anderson	Busted

Cory Bogert	Busted
Paul Elfelt	Busted
Hyun Lee	Busted

Level: 16

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 5,000

11-25-2019 17:30 UTC-5

Ong Can't Go Long

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CarolineBassett

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Ron Ong opened to 12,000 in early position and saw one caller by the name of Daniel Sepiol, who defended his big blind.

prompted a check from Sepiol and a continuation from Ong to the tune of just 6,000. Sepiol check-raised to 20,000, and Ong gave it up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Sepiol	350,000
Ron Ong	145,000

Tags: Daniel Sepiol Ron Ong

11-25-2019 17:30 UTC-5

Martinez Hops to It for Much-Needed Triple

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CarolineBassett

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

The dealer was mid-shuffle when big blind Nikolas Martinez let the table know he only had 26,000 to start the hand. "Before anyone asks," he added. All things considered, that was a vast improvement compared to a mere 2,500 stack that he managed to spin up.

Aaron Massey opened to 9,000 in late position and saw three callers: John Michalak in the hijack, Timothy Vance on the button, and Kevin Hopkins in the small blind.

Action was on Martinez. "I don't even know if I should look," he said, before taking a peek. After looking at his hand, he quickly put in his 26,000, and Aaron Massey came over the top for all of it as well. Everyone else folded.

Nikolas Martinez:
Aaron Massey:

Martinez clapped once—hard—when he saw the flop. Massey couldn't pick up a queen on the turn or river, securing Martinez the triple.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Massey	86,000 -4,000	-4,000
Nikolas Martinez	83,000 -25,000	-25,000

Tags: Aaron Massey John Michalak Kevin Hopkins Nikolas Martinez Timothy Vance

11-25-2019 17:29 UTC-5

Chip Counts From the Other Half

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BrandonTemple

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Higgins	675,000 220,000	220,000
Hamid Izadi	530,000 180,000	180,000

Kevin Hopkins	475,000 256,900	256,900
John Michalak	470,000 274,800	274,800
Neil Patel	415,000 -45,000	-45,000
Brad Smith	315,000 -73,000	-73,000
Donald Shaver	275,000 105,000	105,000
David Wasson	270,000 -105,500	-105,500
Andreas Ioakmides	265,000 127,000	127,000
Aaron Johnson	195,000
Nate Stumpf	174,000 -21,000	-21,000
Timothy Vance	140,000 -90,000	-90,000

Paul Bianchi	130,000 40,000	40,000
Cory Warner	128,000 -27,000	-27,000
Bobby Noel	125,000 -26,000	-26,000
Luke O'Brien	114,000 -21,000	-21,000
Nikolas Martinez	108,000 -172,000	-172,000
Jason Darland	95,000 -35,000	-35,000
Dan Lowery	90,000 -8,000	-8,000
Aaron Massey	90,000 10,000	10,000
Mark Burgess	70,000 -125,000	-125,000
Ryan Hohner	70,000 -31,000	-31,000
Kelly Rhoades	64,000 9,000	9,000
Hyun Lee	40,000 -5,000	-5,000

11-25-2019 17:21 UTC-5

Cramer Doubles Through Barfield

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BrandonTemple

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Brent Barfield raised to 9,000 from under the gun, and Spenser Cramer three-bet shoved for 68,500 from the button. Barfield called.

Spenser Cramer:
Brent Barfield:

Cramer held a commanding lead after the flop, but Barfield picked up a Broadway draw on the turn. The river was no help for Barfield, and Cramer doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brent Barfield	280,000 -78,000	-78,000

Spenser Cramer	155,000

Tags: Brent Barfield Spenser Cramer