HPT Champ Bill Byrnes Victorious in Ameristar Poker Open Main Event

This past weekend, the Ameristar Poker Open at Ameristar St. Charles completed its four-event series in the St. Louis poker market. All told, the regional series catered to a combined 1,506 entrants and awarded $422,385 in prize money.

Things kicked off with Event #1: $200 NLH Deepstack, which attracted 225 runners and saw Jason Simon of O’Fallon Missouri come out on top to win $8,092.

In Event #2: $250 Seniors NLH (50+), David Nickel topped a 176-entry field to claim a $1,497 top prize, and in Event #4: $200 NLH Deep Stack it was Richard Birner prevailing over a 166-entry field to win a $7,839 top prize.

Bill Byrnes Wins Main Event

As for the Ameristar Poker Open $400 Main Event, the tournament attracted 939 runners and offered up a $319,260 prize pool to the top 105 finishers.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Trey Bartlett (10th – $4,310), Vinson Boothe (17th – $2,363), Randy Shearer (22nd – $1,852), Chad Bienz (28th – $1,630), Robert Dunn (38th – $1,440), Alex Masek (45th – $1,440), and Jeff Copeland (58th – $1,085).

It was at the final table that a four-handed deal was struck ensuring the remaining players at least $34K in prize money. Bill Byrnes, a criminal defense attorney from Wentzville, Missouri, was deemed champion to claim the trophy and $38,942 in prize money.

It wasn’t the first time Byrnes has had success in the St. Charles area. Back in March 2019, he bested a 444-entry field to win the $1,650 HPT Main Event at Hollywood Casino St. Louis, good for $148,587.

Byrnes also finished 11th in the 2015 WSOP Colossus event for $55,968.

Ameristar Poker Open Main Event Final Table Results

_{*Denotes four-handed deal.}