First Ever Southern Poker Open Hits 200 Entries on Day 1A, Gerald Kelley Bags Lead
The opening flight of the RunGood Events Southern Poker Open was filled with drinks, flips, and giveaways. Of the 200 entrants who played the opening flight, 125 of them were in their seats when the first cards were dealt.
At the end of the flight, Gerald Kelley, Paul Espinoza (265,000), and Clark Craft (262,500) bagged the biggest stacks — each bringing more than 200,000 into Day 2. A total of 38 players moved on and will restart Sunday at noon. Kelley led the way with 279,500.
There was quite the buzz in the room throughout the evening with flip satellites during each break, where one player would win another entry into the SPO. There were sit-and-gos throughout the day, a giveaway for the high hand from level one, and a bounty placed on two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Keith Lehr’s head.
George Green claimed the bounty and will play Lehr heads up for another seat in the SPO. Lehr rebought and ran up one of the biggest stacks late in the day. Eventually, he fell back into the middle of the pack and bagged 93,000.
Jonell Whitstine didn’t find a bag, but played most of the day while her husband Samuel sat and watched. Samuel tried his hand at one of the satellites and couldn’t find a seat, but Jonell entered and just missed out on bagging the opening flight. Ross Bybee was also eliminated on Day 1A.
A few players who have found RunGood Poker Series success also bagged with Jacob Seale (136,000) and Jeremy Tinsley (98,500) also advancing. Ben Mintz, a local radio host and a regular face at all RunGood Bossier City events, bagged 96,000. Local player Jeff Wyatt bagged up 150,500 after being down to his last 1,100 in Level 7.
There will be two more flights Friday, one at 11 a.m. and another at 6 p.m.
Complete coverage of the first-ever Southern Poker Open at the Horseshoe Bossier City will be on PokerNews.com all weekend until the champion is crowned.