Southern Poker Open

Main Event
Day: 1bc
Event Info

Southern Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
1010
Prize
$47,734
Event Info
Buy-in
$420
Entries
1,138
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000

Marc y Mark

A player opened to 4,000 from middle position and Marc Hodge shoved all in for 22,400. He got one caller.

Hodge had {a-Clubs}{a-Spades} against the {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} of his opponent and was at risk.

The board came {8-Spades}{6-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{3-Clubs} and Hodge won the double up.

Jeff Grimes was sitting next to Hodge and joked about how Hodge was not Mark Hodge from Minnesota who found great success through many midwest poker tournament series.

Hodge said that a friend of his had reached out and congratulated him on his tournament poker success, however that success was Mark Hodge's. This Marc Hodge has about $3,500 in tournament winnings, while Mark Hodge is closer to $350,000.

Player Chips Progress
Marc Hodge us
Marc Hodge
57,000

Tags: Mark HodgeJeff GrimesMarc Hodge

Attacking Weakness

Terry Griffith
Terry Griffith

Terry Griffith limped from middle position and the hijack called. The small blind called and the big blind checked his option. The flop came {8-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{3-Spades} and all four players checked. The {9-Diamonds} came on the turn, and both blinds checked.

Griffith bet 5,100 and everyone quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
Terry Griffith us
Terry Griffith
70,800
34,800
34,800

Tags: Terry Griffith

Dennis Baker Has Wes Gauthier's Number

Dennis Baker got all in for his tournament life earlier against Wes Gauthier with just a pair of fours. He rivered trips to come from behind and double up.

Gauthier was slightly frustrated and took a moment to walk it off before returning to the table.

Not too long after, Baker got all in again against Gauthier again with {a-}{q-} and turned a queen to win against Gauthier again.

Gauthier managed to find his own double when he flopped a set and turned a full house to bounce back up to over 30,000.

Player Chips Progress
Dennis Baker us
Dennis Baker
97,000
Wes Gauthier us
Wes Gauthier
36,000
-33,000
-33,000

Tags: Dennis BakerWes Gauthier

From Alexandria to Bossier City

Richard Golmon
Richard Golmon

The first thing you notice about Richard Golmon is his rail. Samuel "Buddy" Whitstein, Randy Browning, and Paul Seeser are seated just a few steps back from Golmon's table, rooting him on as he plays.

According to Golmon, the group has been getting together to play poker for six or seven years, going to Choctaw Pines on Wednesdays and Sundays and any big events in the area. Jonell Whitstein, Buddy's wife, and Shana Browning, Randy's wife, round out the group who traveled from Alexandria to Bossier City for the Southern Poker Open.

"I'll tell you a story," Seeser says, "Richard used to be a runningback for Terry Bradshaw at Louisiana Tech. He's got records in track and field, too. In fact, before Bradshaw, it was Phil Robinson who was the quarterback. But Robinson left to become a duck hunter, so that's how Bradshaw got the job."

Randy, Paul, and Buddy all played in today's flight but have busted. Rather than re-enter Flight B, Randy says, they're rooting on everyone who's left.

"There are plenty more flights," Randy joked.

Jonell came close to bagging in Flight A and is having a tough time of it today, with half of her original starting stack still intact. Randy's wife, Shana, had the most chips as Level 8 began, with 71,200, but Richard just tripled up to take over bragging rights.

Golmon got all his chips in the middle (23,200) preflop with {a-Spades}{j-Diamonds} against two opponents. The first tabled {k-Spades}{5-Spades} while the other held
{a-Hearts}{k-Clubs} to have Goldmon dominated.

The flop came {a-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}, keeping his opponent ahead but giving Golmon a live flush draw. The draw came in on the turn with the {2-Diamonds}, and the {10-Spades} completed the board.

Thanks to some dead money in the pot, Golman more than tripled to 76,600.

Player Chips Progress
Richard Golmon us
Richard Golmon
76,600
76,600
76,600
Shana Browning us
Shana Browning
71,200
71,200
71,200
Jonell Whitstine us
Jonell Whitstine
9,900
-31,900
-31,900

Tags: Jonnel WhitsteinPaul SeeserRandy BrowningRichard GolmonSamuel WhitsteinShana Browning

Bamburg and Norman Double Up

Dennis Bamburg three-bet shoved for 12,700 after an open to 3,000. His opponent called with {a-}{j-}.

Bamburg showed [jxjxj] and his opponent couldn't find an ace. Bamburg doubled up.

Nearby, Ben Norman raised all-in on the {8-Hearts}{5-Spades}{4-Diamonds} flop. His opponent led for 2,500 into the 3,200 pot and Norman made it 10,500 to go.

He got called and was behind with his opponent showing {k-Clubs}{8-Clubs}. Norman had {10-Clubs}{8-Spades}.

The turn was the {10-Hearts} though and gave Norman the lead. The river was the {j-Hearts} and Norman secured the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Dennis Bamburg us
Dennis Bamburg
32,800
32,800
32,800
Ben Norman us
Ben Norman
28,000
28,000
28,000

Tags: Ben NormanDennis Bamburg

Pressure From Spivey

Mark Spivey was in position with the board reading {8-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} and his opponent led for 2,500. Spivey raised quickly to 6,000.

His opponent took a moment and then called.

The turn paired the board with the {6-Hearts} and his opponent checked to him.

"All of mine," Spivey said going all-in for his remaining 23,000.

His opponent had about 50,000 behind and thought briefly before folding.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Spivey us
Mark Spivey
36,000
-700
-700

Tags: Mark Spivey

Gallo Sends One to the Rail

Richard Gallo
Richard Gallo

A middle position player limped and the small blind raised to 2,500. Richard Gallo called from the big blind and the middle position player came along.

Three players saw a flop of {a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}, and all three checked. The turn brought the {j-Diamonds} to the board, and the small blind bet 2,000. Gallo called and the middle position player folded.

The {9-Diamonds} came on the river, bringing in the potential backdoor flush. The small blind immediately shoved for his last 14,000 and Gallo snap called, tabling {k-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds} for the second nuts. His opponent turned over {k-Hearts}{10-Spades} for the broadway straight and headed to the registration booth to reenter.

Player Chips Progress
Richard Gallo us
Richard Gallo
40,400
40,400
40,400

Tags: Richard Gallo

Hart in Uniform

Grant Hart
Grant Hart

Conway, Arkansas, resident Grant Hart showed up yesterday unrecognizable, in a t-shirt and hatless; but today the professional rodeo cowboy turned real estate investor is back in uniform. Hart has taken a seat in a $125 sit-n-go for a seat into the Southern Poker Open.

Hart has $58,148 in lifetime tournament winnings and is a regular at RGPS stops with three cashes and one final table from that tour. He's fresh off a couple cashes at the WSOPC stop in Durant in July.