MINI SERIES CHAMPION - TERRENCE MATTISON

After over 11 hours of play, Terrence Mattison has outlasted a field of 450 to take down the $500 HPT Mini Series Main Event at The Meadows Casino outside of Pittsburgh. Mattison earns $42,821 for the win.

Mattison came into the day 18th out of 43 players with 217,000 chips. By the end, he had collected all 9M chips in play. The unofficial final table of 10 players started around 3:30pm. It looked like the day could be over by late afternoon.

Instead, we witnessed a marathon final table that lasted well over six hours. The final three players battled for nearly three hours before Bobby Noel went out in third place.

Mattison and his final opponent, Ricky Ali, got the last of the chips into the middle on a 8dQhAd9h board with Ali's 8h5h trailing Mattison's Ah7h. The river 10s sealed the win for Mattison.

According to our research, this is Mattison's first major tournament cash. He certainly made it one worth celebrating.

Next up for HPT is a Mini Series October 17-21 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. From there, the tour will head to Daytona Beach, Florida for a televised series at Daytona Beach Racing and Card Club. All of the details, including schedules and hotel offers, are available at HPTpoker.com.

2ND PLACE | RICKY ALI | $26,445

After a grueling three hours of 3-handed play, Ricky Ali and Terrence Mattison found themselves heads up for all the marbles. Day 2 action began over 11 hours ago so it has been a long day for both players.

At the start of heads up play, Ali had a slight lead, but Mattison had plenty to work with. The two traded blows for about an hour before the following hand ended the tournament:

After Mattison raised to 400k preflop and got a call from Ali with blinds at 80k/160k, the flop came .

Ali checked, Mattison bet 550k and Ali called.

The turn was the . Ali open shoved his remaining chips and Ali called.

Ali - 

Mattison - 

Both players had a pair and a flush draw. Unfortunately for Ali, Mattison had a higher pair and a higher flush draw.

The river  ended the tournament with Ali going out in second for $26,445.

NEARLY EVEN AFTER TEN HOURS

We're down to two players in the $500 Main Event after ten and a half hours of play. Ricky Ali (pictured) and Terrence Mattison are the final two players from a starting field of 450.

The two have been playing heads up since Bobby Noel was eliminated in third place about 30 minutes ago. Ali and Mattison just stepped away for a quick bathroom break. When they return we'll play down to a winner. The two are nearly even in chips with Ali holding a slight advantage. Blinds are at 60k/120k.

Ricky Ali - 4.825M

Terrence Mattison - 4.175M

Level: 30 (10:00 remaining)
Blinds: 60k/120k
BB Ante: 60k
Remaining: 2

3RD PLACE | BOBBY NOEL | $17,615

Bobby Noel's run just came to an end. With the blinds at nose bleed levels, Noel was the short stack of the three remaining players. He's pushed all-in preflop several times in the last few orbits.

On a flop of  Noel and Terrence Mattison got all of the chips in the middle. Mattison had Noel covered.

Noel - 

Mattison - 

Noel needed to see a club or a jack to stay alive. Neither of them came and he was eliminated in third place for $17,615.

Ricky Ali and Terrence Mattison are heads up for the HPT Mini Series Main Event title here at The Meadows Casino

Level: 29 (1:00 remaining)
Blinds: 40k/80k
BB Ante: 40k
Remaining: 2
Next Payout: $26,445

THREE-HANDED PLAY CONTINUES

We may have to schedule a Day 3 for this tournament. When the final table began, Bobby Noel had a decent chip lead on the competition. He rode that lead down to 3-handed play. He has been the shortstack for the last several levels.

Noel just got his last 1M in chips into the middle preflop and got a call from Ricky Ali.

Noel - 

Ali - 

Board: 

Noel doubles up to just over 2M. Ali is getting pretty vocal about how bad he's running (sarcastically).

Level: 29 (12:00 remaining)
Blinds: 50k/100k
BB Ante: 50k
Remaining: 3
Next Payout: $17,615

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?

Ricky Ali, Terrence Mattison, and Bobby Noel have settled in to the comfort zone as they've been playing 3-handed for over two hours now.

Mattison was on the ropes a moment ago, but he's found several doubles and he's now up to 2.8M.

If you can't tell by the photo, they're having a good time...

Level: 29 (30:00 remaining)
Blinds: 50k/100k
BB Ante: 50k
Remaining: 3
Next Payout: $17,615

MATTISON BACK IN IT

Terrence Mattison was down to about six big blinds after his ace-king lost to Ricky Ali's ace-five a little while ago. He has since found two doubles and he's back in the game.

On the most recent double, Mattison pushed with  and got a call from Ali's .

Mattison was in trouble when the  flop fell but the  turn bailed him out. The meaningless  came on the river.

Mattison is up to about 1.3M. Bobby Noel is right behind him with 1.2M. Ali still has a big lead with over 6M.

Level: 28 (34:00 remaining)
Blinds: 40k/80k
BB Ante: 40k
Remaining: 3
Next Payout: $17,615

ALI HITS A BIG ONE

Ricky Ali and Terrence Mattison just got it all in for a 5.4M pot on an A54 flop. Ali had flopped two pair with his Ac5s. He was ahead but Mattison had outs with his AdKc.

The turn was the six of hearts and the river the seven of diamonds.

Ali now has a commanding chip lead with about 5.4M. Mattison has entered the danger zone with 700k.

Level: 28 (20:00 remaining)
Blinds: 40k/80k
BB Ante: 40k
Remaining: 3
Next Payout: $17,615

NOEL DOUBLES, MATTISON LEADS

Bobby Noel just doubled when his pocket queens held against Ricky Ali's sevens. That makes Ali the low stack, but he still has plenty of chips to work with.

The three players just took a short break at the end of Level 27. They'll return to 40k/80k blinds. Here's where they stand:

Terrence Mattison - 4M
Bobby Noel - 2.8M
Ricky Ali - 2.2M

CHOP IT UP

The three remaining players are definitely having a good time playing for the remaining $87k in the prize pool. They're listening to music, sharing stories, and enjoying some final table beers.

For the most part, they've been trading chips back and forth, though Bobby Noel has fallen behind the other two slightly.

On the last hand, Ricky Ali and Terrence Mattison got all of the chips in the middle on a  board.

Ali was in very bad shape with his  against Mattison's . Mattison turned the straight and any club would give him the flush. Ali needed an 8 for the chop.

Voila! Jim the dealer put out the  on the river. Chop it up.

Ali and Mattison both have around 3.5M and Noel has just over 2M.

Level: 27 (7:00 remaining)
Blinds: 30k/60k
BB Ante: 30k
Remaining: 3
Next Payout: $17,615