Riesman and Hinkle Lead The Star-Studded Final 19 Players of Day 1a
The RunGood Poker series’ final stop of the season saw a total of 156 players come out to play the $1,100 Main Event. This tops the number from last year’s flight as the $200,000 guarantee sits now closer within reach. A total of 19 players secured themselves a seat for Day 2, each one guaranteed a minimum payout, with all eyes on the prestigious title.
Two names rose to the top by the end of the day, Colin Riesman who bagged 690,000, and Blair Hinkle who bagged 581,000. Riesman has only one hendon mob cash from 2017 for $2,986. A newcomer to the RGPS circuit, he certainly made a splash today as his unconventional play earned many pots toward the end of the night. He looks to make his first RGPS cash a good one.
Hinkle came in right behind him, one of the most decorated players in RGPS history. Hinkle’s night almost came to an early end as his kings ran into a set of twos, but the river was one of the deck’s final kings and he survived to bag a massive stack. Hinkle is one of a select few who hold more than one RGPS Main Event title and with his massive stack today, he aims to be the first to hold four. With a WSOP bracelet and $5,263,494 in lifetime earnings, he will be a force to be reckoned with on the second day of the tournament.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colin Riesman | 690,000 |
| 2 | Blair Hinkle | 581,000 |
| 3 | Frank Kissick | 380,000 |
| 4 | Forrest Kollar | 358,000 |
| 5 | Steven McKuin | 274,000 |
| 6 | Shaun Emery | 274,000 |
| 7 | David Gallimore | 258,000 |
| 8 | Jackson Turrentine | 256,000 |
| 9 | Corey Merriman | 191,000 |
| 10 | Aric Howe | 175,000 |
The battle for RGPS points is on as a lot of contenders in the RGPS points race found their way to bags at the end of the day. Current 2nd place Shaun “The Ghost” Emery (271,000) and current 3rd place Forrest Kollar (358,000) managed to both bag healthy stacks and while neither of them can pass Winter, both are looking to hold onto or improve their standings in the race. While there is some world that Hinkle can hop into the top 5 in points, Jackson Turrentine (256,000) and Michael Miller (120,000) sit currently in 6th and 7th on the points list, each one of them looking to get into the top 5 and receive a seat to the $600 Main Event in Thunder Valley this summer. The rest of the race is yet to be locked up by most and the implications for this tournament are huge.
Many other RunGood regulars found their way to bags. Frank Kissick (380,000) started the day strong and ended strong, while Steven McKuin (274,000) registered at the very end and found his way to a healthy bag. RGPS Council Bluff final tablist David Gallimore (256,000) made his way up the charts. Chris Audrain (171,000) found himself ending the day neck and neck with Justin Coliny (171,000). Others like Jeff Grimes (170,000), RGPS ring winner Clayton Soliz (144,000), Mark Van Keirsbilck (137,000), and Ryan Ramsdell (89,000) will have their eyes set on their first RGPS Main Event trophy.
Defending champion William McCracken was unfortunate enough to hit the rail. He was joined by others like Bret Karr, Grant and Mason Hinkle, Jeffrey Copeland, RGPS St. Louis Main Event champion Keith Heine, and RunGood Player of the Series to be Brian Winter. They will each have ample opportunity to fire tomorrow’s flights in the hopes of bagging a shot.
Play ended at the very beginning of Level 15, with blinds at 4,000/8,000 and a 8,000 big blind ante. Play will return to this level on Sunday, May 19th unless play ends at an early level in the subsequent flights.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all updates regarding The RunGood Poker Series Main Event.