Day 1

The main event of The Heartland Poker Tour - Colorado is upon us. After making over $3,000 through satellites and qualifiers, Chewey has decided to not play in the main event and is supporting fellow Poker Across America.com player Chuck P. Chuck P is only one of many friends that Chewey and the Poker Across America team have a interest in. Other players include Tim Meyer and Mark Smith of Nationwide Poker. Chewey also has a series of last-longer prop bets on various players in the main event. Chewey's odds on favor is on Chuck P to make the final table of this event. Chuck is playing in Flight 2 of the event and needs to make it to inside 25 to advance to Day 2. Chewey and the Poker Across America.com team will bring you live updates of how Chuck and various other local players are faring in the event.

Starting out with 15,000 in chips, Chuck folds the first hand but would soon pick up the next few hands and grow his chip stack to over 20,000. Over to one of the outer tables, Mark Smith wins a hand and looks to accumulate chips early. At table 9, Tim M. also picks up a early hand and all three players look to gain chips. Odds at the beginning of the tournament to make it to Day 2: Tim M- 8:5; Chuck P- 10:1 and Mark Smith- 15:1. Chewey's pick: Chuck; Jay's pick: Tim M. Within 15 minutes, Mark Smith was out and we were unable to catch up with Mark for an interview. Not exactly sure how and when Tim went out, but we will try to get the details and post them in a later blog. However, we believe it must have been in the level of 200-400 and Mark Smith's departure came during the blind level of 100-100.

For the next 90 minutes, Chuck folds a ton of hands and makes it to break with about 18,000. Not in bad shape but not in the best of shape either. Remember only the top 25 in this flight will make it to Day 2 and we are inside 80 players. Chewey consults with Chuck and advises him of the situation and task at hand in order to make it to inside 25. It's go time and the time to be aggressive is now. A return from break and the blinds are at 500-1000 with 100 antes. Chuck folds the first 1 1/2 orbit worth of hands before playing an all-in hand and is able to snag a few chips to maintain his chip stack to near 18k. Blinds increase to 600-1200 with 200 antes and Chuck is unable to pick up any hands or pots and his stack is below 15k. Chuck is in danger of being blinded out. However, Chewey's prop bets are intact and still in play. Chuck is now in the big blind and is about to be forced to commit 2,000 into the pot which would leave him with only 13k in chips. But he is saved and is ordered to move to a new table and dodges playing the big blind for now. Could this be the break Chuck was looking for.

Blinds are now 700-1400 with 300 antes and Chuck pushes all in from middle position with pocket 6s and ends up holding with trip 6s to increase his stack to 23k. Within the next 10 minutes, Chuck pushes all in with QQs, and pocket pairs and a few other hands and is able to catapult his stack to over 72,000 and is clearly in the hunt. But with his last all-in he made a severe mistake of showing his hand too early before everyone folded and was issued a 10 hand penalty and was sent to the rail for 10 hands. Poker Across America was there for the interview:

PAA: "Chuck, what happened in that last hand?
Chuck: "I prematurely showed my QQ and was so happy to get a call but it was a dumb mistake and I need to remember to not do that again"
PAA: "But that penalty might have been a blessing in disguise as 2 players have been eliminated from your table and you have not really endangered your stack."
Chuck: "True but I have not gained any either."
PAA: "What are your chances of making it to Day 2?"
Chuck: "Need to outlast 27 other players"

Back to the action, Chuck proceeds to pick up a few more hands and grows his stack to nearly 85k and blinds have risen to 1000,2000 with 500 antes. Chuck advances to Day 2 with 60k in chips and is barely above the avg of 50k and will need to pick up a few pots early on in order to make it to the final table. Chuck's odds for the final table now are set at 8:5. Tomorrow 50 players begin but only 30 will cash. Day 2 of HPT- Colorado is upon us and Poker Across America will continue to bring you updates in Chuck's and Poker Across America's quest for Heartland cash/hardware in the next Installment of Chewey's Blog.

Be back for more action tomorrow,
Chewey