$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Players Remaining: 243 of 464

Jason Mercier raised to 1,800 from middle position, and both players in the blinds called.

The flop came down , and action checked to Mercier who continued for 2,600. Only the player in the small blind called.

Both players checked the turn, the river completed the board, the small blind bet 5,000, and Mercier called.

The small blind showed for a pair of kings, but Mercier tabled for a pair of aces to win the pot.

Jason Mercier – 51,000 (64 bb)

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Returning to Level 9: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Flight A Entries: 463

Level 8 has concluded, and the field was sent on a 15-minute break. Registration will be closed when the new level begins, so this represents the last chance to join or rejoin the Day 1A field.

The board shows 463 entries so far, and Dantonio Brown is the current chip leader with about 244,000.

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 461

Maria Ho raised to 1,300 from the cutoff, and Bruce Kramer called from the big blind.

The flop came down , Kramer checked, Ho bet 1,600, Kramer check-raised to 5,000, and Ho called.

The turn was the , and both players checked.

The river was the , Kramer bet 5,000, and Ho called.

Kramer tabled for queens and fives with a jack kicker, Ho mucked, and Kramer took down the pot.

Bruce Kramer – 63,000 (105 bb)
Maria Ho – 21,500 (36 bb)

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 455

Tony Dunst opened to 1,400 in early position, and three players called — Blair Hinkle next to act, Olivier Busquet on the button, and Jeff Gross in the big blind.

“Feels good to be the fourth-best player in a pot,” Dunst chuckled.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Gross said.

The flop was . It checked to Hinkle, who bet 2,700. Busquet was the only caller, as Gross and Dunst folded out of the way.

The turn was the . Hinkle bet 7,500, and Busquet called without delay.

The river was the , pairing the board. Hinkle bet another 11,000, but Busquet moved all in for 48,875. It looked like just enough to cover Hinkle, who had what looked like 36,700 chips behind. Hinkle spent three or four long minutes in the tank, chewing on the sleeves of his hoodie and struggling visibly with the decision.

Finally, Hinkle folded, and Busquet won the pot with no showdown.

Blair Hinkle – 86,700
Olivier Busquet – 36,700

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 456

Shankar Pillai was all in from middle position for about 6,200 with , facing Matthew Zarcadoolas who was also in middle position with a dominating .

The board came down , safe for Zarcadoolas to score the elimination.

Matthew Zarcadoolas – 42,000 (70 bb)
Shankar Pillai – Eliminated

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 451

Following the river of a board with about 18,000 in the pot, D.J. Alexander checked from middle position and Staffan Lind bet 12,500 from the button. Alexander check-raised to 29,300, and Lind called.

Alexander tabled for a king-high straight, Lind mucked, and Alexander won the pot.

D.J. Alexander – 122,000 (244 bb)
Staffan Lind – 147,000 (294 bb)

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 445

Picking up the action after a flop of , Bryn Kenney checked from the small blind and Brian Altman bet 9,000 from early position.

Kenney called, the river completed the board, and Kenney check-called 13,000 from Altman, who showed for a pair of fives.

Kenney, though, tabled for aces and sixes to win the pot.

Bryn Kenney – 85,000 (170 bb)
Brian Altman – 58,000 (116 bb)

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 446

Michael Newman opened to 1,400 in early position, and Dean Baranowski three-bet shoved for 12,000 in the cutoff. Newman called to put him at risk.

Newman:
Baranowski:

The board ran out , and Newman won the pot with a set of queens. Baranowski was eliminated.

Michael Newman – 73,000
Dean Baranowski – Eliminated

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 445

David Paredes raised to 1,200 from middle position, Ryan D’Angelo called from the cutoff, Joseph Cheong called from the button, and the player in the big blind called.

They checked to the river of a board where Paredes bet 3,000. Only D’Angelo called.

Paredes showed for jacks full of eights, but D’Angelo tabled for jacks full of nines to win the pot.

Ryan D’Angelo – 48,000 (96 bb)
David Paredes – 23,000 (46 bb)

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 439

Mukul Pahuja opened the button 1,400, and Nick Petrangelo called in the small blind. From the big, Brad Albrinck three-bet to 5,500, and Pahuja quickly folded.

Petrangelo too a wry look to his left, though. “Did you see my cards?” he asked. Albrinck smiled and shook his head no. “Promise?” Petrangelo confirmed. “All right, I’ll play.” He called.

The flop was . Petrangelo checked, Albrinck bet 4,500, and Petrangelo called. The turn was the , and the action repeated for 9,000, with Petrangelo check-calling another bet. Both players checked through the river.

Petrangelo showed , winning the pot with two pair.

Nick Petrangelo – 145,000
Brad Albrinck – 33,000