Main Event
Day 1bc Started
Southern Poker Open
Main Event
Day: 1bc
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Southern Poker Open
Buy-in
$420
Entries
1,138
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
The Party Is Just Getting Started
The Southern Poker Open by RunGood Events continues today with Louisiana's first-ever land-based poker tournament in history. Two hundred players participated in the first flight on Thursday, with 38 making it through to Day 2. At the end of the night, it was Gerald Kelley who bagged the chip lead with 279,500. Paul Espinoza (265,000) and Clark Craft (262,500) crossed the finish line right on Kelley's heels.
Flight B, the second of five scheduled Day 1 flights, will kick off at 11am Friday local time. The event offers a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool with a $420 buy-in; or, players can win a seat into the event via one of two remaining $100 satellites. Surviving players from each flight will return on Sunday at noon to play down to a champion. Also on Friday's schedule: the $100 Mega-Satellite at 4pm, and Flight C at 6pm. For the full schedule of flights and satellites, click here.
Players buying into the event will begin their tournament with 20,000 chips and must survive twelve 30-minute levels to advance to Day 2. Late registration and unlimited re-entry are available until the start of Level 9 (approximately 3:30 p.m. local time). The structure employs the big-blind ante, for faster play throughout the event. For the full structure sheet, click here.
PokerNews will be on site to bring you the pulse of the tournament from start to finish.
And They're Off
The first flight of the day has started. Cards are in the air in the Southern Poker Open with 93 players already registered.
Firing Again
There are a handful of familiar faces who played in Thursday's opening flight but failed to bag.
Jonell Whitstine is back at it, and her husband Samuel has resumed his post on the rail.
Lonnie White, George Green, and Jeff Grimes are also firing again. Green eliminated Keith Lehr and earned the bounty yesterday, but couldn't find a bag on his first bullet.
Corey Lawson is another player returning from yesterday. He lives in Shreveport, but he's not from here.
"I was a military brat, so I moved all over the place," he said.
His father was in the Air Force and Lawson spent 16 years of his life living in Japan. He's now living in Shreveport and runs a truck stop.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
20,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
Son of Neptune
Larry Dildang is in the field today. He is sporting a shirt that says "shellback."
Dildang was in the Navy for eight years and earned the title shellback when he crossed the equator on a Navy ship. If you Google the definition this is what it says, "The ceremony observes a mariner's transformation from slimy Pollywog, a seaman who hasn't crossed the equator, to trusty Shellback, also called a Son or Daughter of Neptune. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness."
Dildang is turning 72 in October and says he "should be" retired, but is still teaching Communications and Theater at the University of Central Arkansas.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,000 |
Nothing to Lose
Jeff Wyatt is back in action in Flight B. This, after bagging up 150,500 at the end of Flight A. The retired fireman won three $50 flips and the venue offers a best-bag-forward option, so Wyatt plans to play most if not all the flights to see if he can improve on his Flight A performance.
Wyatt is well known among the staff and players, having been the Captain of the fire department responsible for the area where all the riverboats are located in Bossier City. While serving in the fire department, Wyatt also worked as the hunting and fishing host for seventeen casinos, including Hollywood and Sands. After retiring from the fire department, Wyatt went into real estate and has sold homes to many of the casino staff in the room, including poker room manager Chad Disante and tournament director Stephen Greene.
Free Pies! And a Couple Knockouts
Wes Gauthier just knocked out two players when he made a straight on the turn. He quickly shot up to over 60,000 and is an early chip leader.
He also brought some free pies for Chad Disante, the poker room manager, to give away as part of the festivities at the Southern Poker Open. He is the owner of Strawn's Eat Shop, and they are known for their pies.
Gauthier is from Bossier City and looking to capitalize on his hot start as level three approaches.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
66,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
Flips Made Sweeter
The $50 flips and $125 sit-n-go's are still on the menu, but poker room manager Chad Disante has sweetened the deal. The winner of each flip and sit-n-go will collect a bottle of Jeaux' Honey, a locally produced brand, in addition to a seat into the Southern Poker Open.
Update Your Stack with the My Stack App
PokerNews has activated the My Stack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
Gauthier v White
The board read 
and Lonnie White bet 800. Wes Gauthier called.
The turn was the 
and White checked. Gauthier bet 1,200 and White called.
The river was the 
and White led for 3,000. Gauthier didn't think too long before calling.
White turned over 
and Gauthier mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
67,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
|
28,000
8,000
|
8,000 |