Colorado-Golden Gates Casino Recap
Mother Nature Sets the Stage for HPT’s 3rd Female Champ
HPT Awards Million-Dollar Prize Pool during Colorado Blizzard
For Immediate Release
Black Hawk, Colorado (March 12, 2013) – The poker room was abuzz last week at Golden
Gates Casino & Poker Parlour during preliminary events for the latest Heartland Poker Tour stop. The chatter was less about the
life-changing money at stake and more about the impending winter storm. Over a foot of snow and high winds hit
during the Main Event, threatening HPT’s most popular stop. Denver International Airport was shut
down and the highways leading to Black Hawk, Colorado were closed. Known for their loyalty, HPT players
found a way. For the fourth time
in two years, HPT’s following of mostly recreational players built a prize pool
worth over one million dollars in Colorado.
Teresa
Hemingway, a sales executive from Aurora, Colorado, took one of 671 seats
sold in the Main Event. She
invested just $360 to get there, winning her way in through a qualifier. Although she’s played a couple of HPT
events without success in the past, her third attempt proved to be a
charm. Hemingway endured and ultimately
prevailed over runner-up Jeffrey
Yarchever to become HPT’s third female champion. Her $360 investment turned into $226,463.
“It’s just like you guys say,” Hemingway told
HPT’s live host Jaymz Larson, “It’s
unreal money and it can happen to anyone.”
Yarchever of Laguna Beach, California, cleared
the path for Hemingway. His aces
eliminated Wyoming retiree Gary Germann
in eighth place before taking out Christopher
Valdez of Highlands Ranch, Colorado in seventh. Germann picked up $25,163 for his third HPT cash while
Valdez took home $30,195 for his second cash on HPT. Yarchever next plowed down aspiring pro Danny Gonzales of Denver in sixth place for $35,932, his second HPT
cash.
“He’s a great competitor,” said Hemingway of her
heads up competition, “I could never get a read on him.” In his first HPT event, Yarchever
earned $139,904.
Robert
Moore of Littleton, Colorado
played three prior HPT events but came up empty-handed. He is way ahead now, having invested
just $360 in his third-place finish worth $91,692. His prize will go to church,
family, and home remodeling. The other Robert at the table will share too. Bob
Sweeney of Denver will use part of his $63,711 prize to buy a car for his
father.
The event in Black Hawk marks HPT’s thirteenth
visit to Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour and total payouts of nearly
ten million dollars. Several past
champions from Golden Gates were in the field over the weekend including Craig Casino, Matt Mason, Mike Harris, and
Steen Ronlov, who all became regulars on the tour.
Since HPT’s last visit to Black Hawk, HPT
underwent several upgrades including a newly-designed tournament structure by
pro Daniel Negreanu and a new
televised Final Table seating nine players. Previously a six-handed table, the new custom-built table
allows three more players the chance to play on national TV. One of the new seats went to short
stack Ryan Odonnell of Steamboat Springs,
Colorado. He played his first HPT
event, investing just $360 to earn his Main Event entry. Surviving to fifth
place for $46,299, Odonnell will pay off student loans with his prize.
HPT’s new nine-handed Final Table meant a
marathon shoot for the players, HPT production crew, fans on the rail, and live
viewers at HPTpoker.com.
Well-known pro Gavin Smith
hosted the live broadcast but turned over the microphone to Larson in time to
make his flight home. In all, the
Final Table lasted eight hours and 147 hands. The footage will be produced into two hour-long episodes to
air nationwide in May.
It wasn’t a long night for everyone. The sixth
hand of the Final Table resulted in the elimination of Travis Northrope of Broomfield, Colorado in ninth place. The restaurant server played his
first-ever HPT event at Golden Gates over the weekend. Earning $20,130 and a spot on national
TV, he’ll likely be back for more.
With his prize money, he plans to pay off his car and take his girlfriend
on vacation. The timing is right
for the couple to take a road trip; HPT has upcoming events in Iowa, Indiana,
and Missouri over the next few weeks.
“We’re just getting started,” said HPT Executive
Producer Fred Bevill, “It will be a
long and lucrative road on HPT this year.” For a schedule of events, visit HPTpoker.com.
High resolution photos are
available at: http://blog.hptpoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013-03-Golden-Gates.zip
Results
All paid
players listed at HPTpoker.com
Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour
Black Hawk, CO
March 11, 2013
Buy-in:
$1650
Main Event: 671
Total Prize Pool: $1,006,500
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1 Teresa Hemingway
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Aurora, CO
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$226,463
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2 Jeffrey Yarchever
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Laguna Beach, CA
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$139,904
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3 Robert Moore
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Littleton, CO
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$91,692
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4 Robert Sweeney
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Denver, CO
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$63,711
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5 Ryan Odonnell
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Steamboat Springs, CO
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$46,299
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6 Danny Gonzalez
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Denver, CO
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$35,932
|
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7 Christopher Valdez
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Highlands Ranch, CO
|
$30,195
|
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8 Gary Germann
Gillette, WY
$25,163
9 Travis Northrope
Broomfield, CO $20,130
By the
Numbers: HPT at Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour
Since
2007, Golden Gates has hosted HPT 13 times, awarding $9,678,840 at the property
to date
Date Prize
Pool
# Players Main Event
10/14/07 $463,500 280
4/13/08 $602,700 402
10/5/08 $582,600 386
4/5/09 $640,800 426
7/19/09 $581,250 389
10/4/09 $482,550 322
4/18/10 $629,850 419
9/19/10 $606,300 402
4/10/11 $738,645 491
10/2/11 $1,003,650 668
4/23/12 $1,231,500 820
9/17/12 $1,108,995 739
3/11/13 $1,006,500 671
Top 20
Mile High Poker Open Finishers Since 2007
Craig Casino Winfield,
IL $293,
270
Steen Ronlov Westminster,
CO $270,905
Mike Harris Newcastle,
WY $245,073
Teresa Hemingway Aurora,
CO $226,463
Spencer Uniss Boulder,
CO $221,594
Kyle Simpson Morrison,
CO $191,340
Matt Mason Littleton,
CO $188,955
Mark Dunbar Champlin,
MN $182,100
Mike Thulson Centennial,
CO $180,810
John Sacha Denver,
CO $174,375
Andreas Ramadanis Denver,
CO $174,780
Michael McCloud Telluride,
CO $151,720
Mary Flurkey Golden,
CO $146,633
William Givens Denver,
CO $144,765
Jeffrey Yarchever Laguna
Beach, CA $139,904
Carla Sabini Castle
Rock, CO $139,839
Michael Haggard Evergreen,
CO $129,780
Keith Love Denver,
CO $110,
797
Wes Myers Johnstown,
CO $98,274
Nick Macaluso Lakewood,
CO $95,670
About HPT
- Heartland Poker Tour
Founded in 2005, HPT is built on
agrass-roots strategy, "Real People, Unreal Money". HPT provides poker enthusiasts
atelevised “Texas No Limit Hold'em” poker tour with affordable buy-ins. Now filming Season IX, HPT is available
in over 100 million U.S. households in addition to widespread distribution
throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. For more information and a schedule of upcomingevents,
visit www.HPTPoker.com.
About
Golden Casino Group
Affinity Gaming
Black Hawk properties include the Golden Mardi Gras Casino, Golden Gates
Casino, and Golden Gulch Casino. The three casinos currently feature more
than 1,000 slot and video poker machines, Colorado’s finest poker parlor
featuring 14 poker tables, 3 craps tables, 2 roulette table, 21 blackjack
tables, three restaurants, three bars, a 750-space parking garage and 24-hour
gaming. For more information, visit www.thegoldengatescasino.com.
For further information or to schedule a
media interview
Matt
Willinger, Bisig Impact Group
mwillinger@bisigimpactgroup.com
Jennifer
Mastrud, HPT
jen@HPTpoker.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/HPTJen
HPT Media
Kit
http://www.heartlandpokertour.com/mediakit/index.html
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