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Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Ari Engel - HPT Season XIII Champion - $162,154


A dominating performance from a few places before the money bubble all the way through the final hand of the event, @AriEngelPoker takes down the Season XIII @HPTPoker Championship at @AmeristarSC - and with it the Player of the Year title as well.

Engel came to the Championship 19th in the Player of the Year standings, only able to win the title with a tournament victory and the players in the top 10 not making the final table.

He hit every benchmark along the way, taking the chiplead right before the money bubble, bursting the bubble and rolling all the way to the final table.

The final table was rough-going for a while, down to 10BB at one point, but he recovered, eventually defeating Jake Bazeley heads-up FTW.

Engel earns $162,154 for first place, and entries in to six HPT Main Events in Season XIV as Player of the Year.

Here are the final results.


12/8-12/2017$2,500Championship
316Entries
$704,996Prize Pool
36Places Paid
PlaceNameCityPayout
1AriEngelDelray Beach, FL$162,154
2JacobBazeleyCincinnati, OH$102,647
3NielMittelmanChicago, IL$68,737
4NeilPatelSt. Charles, MO$47,940
5GilGeorgeDesoto TX$35,955
6BillByrnesWentzville, MO$28,200
7JoshuaTurnerSt. Louis, MO$23,829
8HaroldEvansNewburgh, IN$19,740
9PaulBelkenHIllsboro, MO$16,990
10SteveParrishn/a$13,395
11MichaelScarboroughLawrenceburg, IN$13,395
12GregoryJenningsOverland Park, KS$13,395
13PhilMaderGrand Island, NE$10,081
14JohnRichardsRoxana, IL$10,081
15Keven StammenCelina, OH$10,081
16RonaldOngSt. Louis, MO$7,896
17JameyKramerS. Lyon, MI$7,896
18TedForsheyDe Kalb, MO$7,896
19Tim VanceMIllstadt, IL$6,345
20BlairHinkleLake Waukomis, MO$6,345
21KyleParrishUnion, MO$6,345
22ChrisGeorgeBallwin, MO$6,345
23AndreasIoakimidesSt. Louis, MO$6,345
24RaviRaghavanNorthbrook, IL$6,345
25ToddHoffmanTulsa, OK$6,345
26RobertLoechelAnn Arbor, MI$6,345
27RobertCastoireCecilia, KY$6,345
28PatrickRaySt. Louis, MO$5,287
29AllenKesslerLas Vegas, NV$5,287
30RyanLengSun City, AZ$5,287
31BryanSkreensWinfiled, IL$5,287
32ReginaldRobertsOzark, MO$5,287
33TimothyPirragliaPenfield, PA$5,287
34DavidYinglingCape Girardeau, MO$5,287
35DavidCoffmanBloomington, IL$5,287
36SameerAl-DbhanyFrankfurt, KY$5,287

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Jake Bazeley - 2nd Place - $102,647


@AriEngelPoker has a 8.2 million to 1.2 million lead, and he puts pressure on by moving all in preflop to put @JakeBazeley at risk, and Bazeley calls off his stack.

Bazeley - Kc Kc

Engel - Kc Kc

Bazeley adds a gutter straight draw on the Kc Kc Kc flop, but Engel takes the lead on the Kc turn.

The river Kc eliminated Bazeley in second place, a $102,647 cash.

Blinds - 60k/120k
Antes - 15k
Remaining - 1/316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Bazeley Doubles Through Engel


@AriEngelPoker has had the best of it in the early goings of the heads-up match against @JakeBazeley (above, file photo) for the Season XIII @HPTPoker Championship, opening a better than 4-1 chiplead.

Bazeley now moves all in preflop for 1,265,000 and Engel makes the call to put Bazeley at risk to bring the tournament to a close.

Engel - Kc Kc

Bazeley - Kc Kc

That was all but over pretty quick on the Kc Kc Kc flop, the board running out Kc Kc and Engel's chiplead is down to 7.3 million to 2.5 million.

Blinds - 50k/100k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - 2/316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

There's a #TeamGary Hashtag Going Around


Gary @MowsPoker Herstein leads the Season XIII @HPTPoker Player of the Year race, and earns the title if @JakeBazeley defeats @AriEngelPoker heads-up now in the final tournament of the season.

Engel claims the title by defeating Bazeley.

There's a #TeamGary hashtag floating around, most likely coming from Chicago where Herstein is sitting with friends, watching the livestream and sweating the result.


Blinds - 40k/80k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - 2/316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Heads-Up for Season XIII Championship


@AriEngelPoker (above) and @JakeBazeley (below) are set to battle it out heads-up for the @HPTPoker season championship. The winner receives $162,154 with $102,647 to the runner-up. 

With a victory, Engel secures the Season XIII Player of the Year award and with it, entries in to six HPT Main Events (plus hotel accommodations) in Season XIV. Engel finishes 4th in the POY if Bazeley wins. Bazeley is not in the running for Player of the Year.

Bazeley has a 5.4 million to 4 million chiplead to start heads-up play.


Blinds - 40k/80k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - /316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Niel Mittelman - 3rd Place - $68,737


Niel @fly4444 Mittelman moves all in preflop for about 1.6 million and @JakeBazeley makes the call to put Mittelman at risk.

Mittelman -  Kc Kc

Bazeley -  Kc Kc

Bazeley takes the lead on the Kc Kc Kc flop, adds two pair with the Kc on the turn.

The river Kc eliminates Mittelman in 3rd place, a $68,737 cash, Bazeley moving to about 5 million.

The heads-up match between Bazeley and Ari Engel starts soon.

Blinds - 40k/80k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - /316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Neil Patel - 4th Place - $47,940


Neil Patel moves all in preflop, @AriEngelPoker asks for a count (705,000) and Engel makes the call

Engel - Kc Kc

Patel - Kc Kc

Engel absolutely crushes the Kc Kc  qc flop, the board running out Kc Kc and Patel is eliminated in 4th place, cashing for $47,940.

Engel extends his chiplead, moving to 4.8 million

Blinds - 40k/80k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - 3/316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Engel Doubles Through Patel


Neil Patel opens for 290,000, @AriEngelPoker moves all in and Patel calls, having Engel's 1.875 million covered.

Patel - Kc Kc

Engel - Kc Kc

Both players hit their kickers on the Kc Kc Kc flop, the board running out Kc Kc and Engel doubles to 3.75 million and the chiplead, leaving Patel with about 700,000.

Blinds - 40k/80k
Antes - 10k
Remaining - /316

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates