PokerNews Cup
Day 1a Completed
2022 PokerNews Cup Golden Nugget
PokerNews Cup
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2022 PokerNews Cup Golden Nugget
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$1,207,650
Entries
1,245
Level
34
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Entries
181
Players Left
23
Quintin and Hinh Neck and Neck After Day 1a of the PokerNews Cup
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Day 1a of the Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series Event #55 2022 PokerNews Cup $1,100 is in the books after over twelve hours of play saw 181 entries be whittled down to 23 (12.5%) at the end of the night.
The leader in the clubhouse at the end of the night was Shea Quintin (586,000) who bagged just 1,000 more than Daniel Hinh (585,000) who finished the night in second place. Quintin did not enter until the latest possible moment after Level 12 and began with a ten big blind stack. He was able to turn those pennies into gold as he quickly catapulted to one of the larger stacks and polished off the day with some nice pots to cement his place at the top.
Quinton has had a magical last couple of months as he won an MSPT at the Venetian just a couple of weeks ago for more than $320,000 and he also pulled a $100,000 mystery bounty at the Lodge in Texas in May.
Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
| 1 | Shea Quinton | United States | 586,000 | 98 |
| 2 | Daniel Hinh | Australia | 585,000 | 98 |
| 3 | Gary Miller | United Kingdom | 543,000 | 91 |
| 4 | Logan Hewett | United States | 489,000 | 82 |
| 5 | Scott Berko | United Kingdom | 355,000 | 59 |
| 6 | Blake Barousse | United States | 338,000 | 56 |
| 7 | Forrest Kollar | United States | 263,000 | 44 |
| 8 | Andrew Rodgers | United States | 253,000 | 42 |
| 9 | Aaron Li | Australia | 252,000 | 42 |
| 10 | Nicholas Verderamo | United States | 242,000 | 40 |
Hinh’s rise in stacks was earlier in the day as he was spotted collecting pots about halfway through the day and held the chip lead for much of the night before being slightly pipped by Quintin.
Gary Miller bagged the third biggest stack with 543,000 after he accumulated most of his chips shortly after the dinner break and was able to hold on to the huge stack.
Logan Hewett with 489,000 and Scott Berko with 355,000 rounded out the top five counts at the end of the night.
Also, two women were able to advance to Day 2 as Meghan Smith (145,000) and Wendy Freedman (129,000) both navigated to the money after being among the players who started in Level 1.
Many players came and went as the day went on with Conrad Simpson, Angelina Rich and Jerod Smith among those unable to find a bag.
The surviving 23 players will advance to Day 2, which is on Monday 27 at noon local time. They will be joined by all players who live through Days 1b and 1c.
PokerNews will be there Saturday, June 25th, for Day 1b at the Goden Nugget to see who will also advance to Day 2.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
586,000 | 43,000 |
|
585,000 | 100,000 |
|
543,000 | 13,000 |
|
489,000 | 219,000 |
|
355,000 | 137,000 |
|
338,000 | -92,000 |
|
263,000 | 263,000 |
|
253,000 | 253,000 |
|
252,000 | 87,000 |
|
242,000 | 242,000 |
|
193,000 | 6,000 |
|
182,000 | -10,000 |
|
145,000 | -15,000 |
|
143,000 | 143,000 |
|
141,000 | 141,000 |
|
139,000 | 139,000 |
|
129,000 | 15,000 |
|
120,000 | 120,000 |
|
|
116,000 | 116,000 |
|
110,000 | 110,000 |
|
108,000 | 108,000 |
|
85,000 | 85,000 |
|
76,000 | 76,000 |
Night Over
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The bubble has been breached with the elimination of Gabriel Schroeder and the players are now bagging and tagging their chips. Full chip counts and recap to follow within the hour.
Freedman Doubles on Bubble
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Shea Quintin raised from under the gun to 12,000. Wendy Freedman jammed for 57,000 from his immediate left. Everyone else folded and the players waited for all other hands to be finished before tabling their hands.
Wendy Freedman: 
Shea Quintin: 
The board ran out 
and Freedman gathered the double to continue the bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
543,000 | -57,000 |
|
|
114,000 | -6,000 |
Hand For Hand Play Commences
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The field is now on the stone bubble with one elimination needed to make the money and end the night.
Quintin Gets Called
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The board read 
. Shea Quintin bet 65,000 on the river and Juan Gandara called after a few moments of thought.
Quintin tabled the 
for the winning hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
600,000 | 205,000 |
|
|
192,000 | -38,000 |
Berko Exposes Hand
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Action came in on the river as it read 
. From the small blind, Scott Berko bet 32,000. Blake Barousse thought for a while in the big blind before tossing in a raise to 91,000. Berko thought it was only a call and tabled his hand the 
but quickly saw it was a raise,
The floor was called over and Berko made the call anyway. Barousse showed the 
for the flush and gathered the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
430,000 | 340,000 |
|
|
218,000 | -132,000 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Break Time
Level 15
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The players are on a shortened 10-minute break with 26 left. The field needs to reach 23 in order for the night to complete.