Dinner Break
Level 9
: 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
It is now time for the 60-minute dinner break. Play will resume at 6:30 p.m. local time.
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
Industry Insiders: Andy Rich Brings PokerNews Cup to Golden Nugget Las Vegas
Level 9
: 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Today, the PokerNews Cup returns with an $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Main Event at Golden Nugget Las Vegas. The man responsible for making it happen, as well as giving away 100 seats to the tournament, was Director of Poker Operations Andy Rich, a longtime poker industry veteran.
The PokerNews Cup is part of the Golden Nugget 14th Annual Grand Poker Series, which features 81 events and offers over $3 million in guaranteed prize money from May 31-July 3. The tournament, which runs June 24-28, will be live reported here on PokerNews, and there will also be a live streamed feature table on Day 2 as well as final table action on Tuesday’s Day 3 finale.
As part of PokerNews’ continuing Industry Insiders series, we caught up with Andy Rich to learn more about the man making things happen in downtown Vegas’ last remaining poker room.
“I had an amazing childhood and was around gambling for as long as I can remember,” Rich said when asked about learning poker. “My Dad had a weekly poker game and taught me how to count cards in blackjack by my early teens. My Mom had a weekly Mahjong game and won practically every football handicapping contest she entered. Her game night always had better snacks. Always Coke, never Pepsi.”
He continued: “I love gambling, math, and the psychology of out-thinking your opponents. The first sports bet I remember was $5 against my mom in 1985 on a Vikings vs. Eagles game. My mom had the Eagles. She won, but at least no vig on the bet.”
Before finding his way into poker, Rich founded his own record label, Initial Records, in 1992 in Louisville, Kentucky, and then graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University in 1996.
Rich, who enjoys fantasy sports and spending time with his wife and two kids, fell in love with poker more than two decades ago.
“The thing is, I don’t just love poker, I obsess over it. I love to play poker. I love to read about poker, talk about poker, write about poker and watch poker online and on TV,” he explained. “My passion for the game led me to obtain my first job in a poker room almost 20 years ago, eventually being fortunate enough to become an industry leader.”
Level: 10
Blinds: 1,000/1,500
Ante: 1,500
Smith Slays Aces With Quad Jacks
Level 10
: 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
In a preflop all in, Meghan Smith held 
and was in big trouble vs the 
of her opponent.
She stood up, prepared to head out but the flop sat her back down as it came 
. The turn was overkill as the 
came off and the river was a meaningless 
to give Smith the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
105,000
23,000
|
23,000 |
Updated Selected Chip Counts
Level 10
: 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
152,000
37,000
|
37,000 |
|
145,000
145,000
|
145,000 |
|
||
|
140,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
121,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
112,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
108,000
18,000
|
18,000 |
|
95,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
78,000
-37,000
|
-37,000 |
|
60,000
-23,000
|
-23,000 |
|
51,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
Jones With a Nice Stack
Level 10
: 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The action was caught at the very end of the hand as Daniel Jones was facing a bet on the river with the board reading 
.
Jones tossed in the call. His opponent had the 
for nothing and Jones showed the 
for the winner as he continues his spin up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
157,000
64,000
|
64,000 |
Hinh Gets Paid by Smith But Then Loses Flip
Level 10
: 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Action was on the turn as the board read 
. Jerod Smith called a bet of 8,000 from Daniel Hinh to make the pot about 36,500 as the 
came on the river.
Hinh moved all in for 30,500. Smith considered it for about 30 seconds before he called.
Hinh showed the 
for trip tens while Smith's had was shown to be the 
as he lost a good portion of his stack.
The very next hand, Hinh called the all in from Aaron Li to set up a flip for Li's stack.
Hinh had the while Li had the
The board ran out 
to hold for the jacks and a chunk of Hinh's newfound chips over to Li.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
112,000
112,000
|
112,000 |
|
55,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
43,000
-97,000
|
-97,000 |
Jones Adds More
Level 10
: 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Daniel Jones crushed his opponent preflop with his 
against the 
.
The board kept the queens in charge as it ran out 
and Jones continued his surge in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
185,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
Level: 11
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
Robert Adams Wins Event #26: $200 NLH $250K GTD Ultimate Re-Entry
Level 11
: 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Earlier in the 2022 Grand Poker Series, Event #26: $200 NLH $250K GTD Ultimate Re-Entry attracted 1,687 runners, which meant the $250,000 prize pool was reserved for the top 148 finishers.
Among those to make relatively deep runs were Jane Wendland (79th - $485), Anna Surtaeva (66th - $525), Steven Girouard (46th - $635), Patty Yamano (38th - $710), Charles Furey (26th - $1,210), Susan England (19th - $1,690), Kimberly Dorner (14th - $2,460), Daniel Curia (6th - $11,673), and James Dierks (3rd - $18,344).
In the end, it was Minnesota's Robert Adams outlasting Indiana's David Smith in heads-up play to win the tournament for $29,556.
2022 Grand Poker Series Event #26 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Adams | Coon Rapids, MN |
| 2 | David Smith | Zionsville, IN |
| 3 | James Dierks | St. Charles, IL |
| 4 | Mark Harraka | Las Vegas, NV |
| 5 | Jorg Gehrke | N/A |
| 6 | Daniel Curia | N/A |
| 7 | Thomas Phillips | Monterey, CA |
| 8 | Chervet Thierry | N/A |
| 9 | Luca Ferrieri | Redwood City, CA |