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
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Byrnes | Wentzville, Missouri | $38,924* |
| 2 | Jason Simon | O’Fallon, Missouri | $36,069* |
| 3 | Danny Shurtz | Granite City, Illinois | $35,727* |
| 4 | Shawn Brown | St. Charles, Missouri | $34,569* |
| 5 | Gregory Liss | Joliet, Illinois | $12,802 |
| 6 | Gregory Radosh | Barnhart, Missouri | $9,706 |
| 7 | Rita Brejot | Mt. Zion, Illinois | $7,822 |
| 8 | Alexander Hoff | O’Fallon, Missouri | $6,609 |
| 9 | William Haner | Collinsville, Illinois | $5,491 |
