Jeremy Says We Can Eat Now

Six hour-long levels are in the books for Day 1A in the @HPTPoker $2500 Championship at @AmeristarSC, and it is time for players to take an hour for dinner at Pearl's, Bugatti's, the buffet or more.

I hear étouffée calling me ... chipcounts after break ...

When players return, tehre's still two hours left in registration in the first of three starting flights with 1+1 registration available.

Level - 6 when play resumes
Blinds - 250/500
Antes - 75
Entries - 53-plus

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Keven Could ... Go ... All .. the ...

Michael Shanahan and last month's @HPTPoker @Belterra champ Keven Stammen mix it up preflop, with Stammen (above) eventually moving all in and Shanahan calling off his stack.

Stammen shows pocket Aces, while Shanahan flips over  , Stammen prepared to field the stack.

The flop gives Shanahan a flush draw, Stammen sidestepping that draw on the turn, but Shanahan hits his 9 on that turn.

Stammen stiff-arms the river red 3 to break in to the clear and go all the way for the elimination.

Level - 6
Blinds - 200/400
Antes - 50
Entries - 53

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Two-Fer?

Matt Paten was celebrating at @AmeristarSC just two months ago when he won the @HPTPoker $1650 Main Event for $110,386, defeating Craig Casino heads-up for the title.

Paten is looking to go back-to-back-Tahoe and take down another St. Charles main event.

Level - 6
Blinds - 200/400
Antes - 50
Entries - 53

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

Where's The Travel Agent?

OK, we see the entire crew who flew here from Las Vegas to play Day 1A of the @HPTPoker $2500 Championship ... except for the Travel Agent who worked to encourage the crew to come here.

I see Keven Stammen, I see Jake Bazeley, I see Aaron Massey ... I don't know if Ravi Raghavan (above) was on that flight, but I'm including him anyway ...

@AllenKessler, where are you?

Level - 5
Blinds - 150/300
Antes - 25
Entries - 52

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates

2 = 1/2

This is the last weekend for @RyanGregorKC as @HPTPoker Player of the Year, his title moving on to another after this $2,500 Championship event.

His Day 1A at Ameristar St. Charles was about to come to an early end as he was down to 6,000 when he moved all in preflop with pocket Jacks. Two of the other three players in the pot exited, with Phil Mader making the call, holding Ace_Queen.

The board ran out Eight_high and Gregor is back to half the 30,000 starting stack here early in Level 5.

See, Ryan, I CAN walk past your table without you losing a hand.

Level - 5
Blinds - 150/300
Antes - 25
Entries - 50

Dan Ross - Hold'em Live Updates