Ameristar Kansas City hosted its first Heartland Poker Tour (April 25-May 5) and poker room manager Ken Long was happy with the maiden voyage.
“We had a great result and Jen Mastrud with HPT told me we were the third-largest event this season,” he said. “This is great for a first-time event. The cash games also drew well and some bigger games. We had $25-$50 no-limit and $5-$5 and $5-$10 PLO.”
The main event saw a field of 423 players as Quentin Crossley of Springfield, Mo., who had a few small cashes in his career, captured the title and $143,143 (his biggest payday) from the nearly $610K prize pool. He was followed by Stewart Yancik of Blue Springs, Mo., ($88,322) and Curtis Edens of Sands Spring, Okla., ($57,886). Kansas City pro Blair Hinkle just missed the final table in 12th.
Women made up more than 10 percent of the Day 2 field and Lynn Karnes made the TV final table, finishing ninth for $13,401. Kenneth Rosheisen, a 2011 HPT main-event winner, was sixth ($23,147), ousted in a three-way all-in that saw Peter Kihonge eliminated seventh.
Preliminary events drew well, too, including a $150 tournament on a Monday with a field of almost 300.
— Email Don at anteupdonm@gmail.com.
