button in Safari
$635 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2025 RPT Montana State Poker Championship
$635 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2025 RPT Montana State Poker Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$635
Total Entries
283
Level
27
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
117
Players Left
18
Players Left 1 / 283
Filter
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Action has wrapped up in Flight A of the RPT Montana State Poker Championship here at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center after 15 levels of play. Of the 117 runners who started the day, only 18 players will return for the Championship Day on Sunday.
Richard Bennett emerged as the runaway chip leader, steadily climbing atop the leaderboard throughout the day. He was the sole player to surpass the million chip mark and will enter the Championship Day on Sunday with over 100 big blinds.
Finishing Flight A second in chips is Chance Howell (881,000) who was very active and involved in multiple big pots. He knocked out Heather McFarlane right at the end of the night by cracking her aces to propel himself to the top of the counts.
Rounding out the top three is John Majdic who sits with a comfortable 676,000.
Flight A Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richard Bennett | United States | 1,046,000 | 105 |
| 2 | Chance Howell | United States | 881,000 | 88 |
| 3 | John Majdic | United States | 676,000 | 68 |
| 4 | Travis Martin | United States | 629,000 | 63 |
| 5 | Austin Gates | United States | 612,000 | 61 |
| 6 | Chad Bales | United States | 450,000 | 45 |
| 7 | Willy Sou | United States | 405,000 | 41 |
| 8 | Ryan Roeder | United States | 389,000 | 39 |
| 9 | James Armstrong | United States | 358,000 | 36 |
| 10 | James Allan | United States | 327,000 | 33 |
Flight B will begin April 5 at 2:00 p.m. local time, with blinds starting at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Play will conclude after the completion of level 15 or once 12.5% of the field remains, whichever happens first.
A 20-minute break will occurr at the end of every three levels and a 60-minute dinner break will take place at the conclusion of level 6 at around 6:20 p.m. The Championship Day will commence on Sunday, April 6 at 11:00 a.m. local time.
Be sure to follow PokerNews all weekend long for coverage and updates of the RPT Montana State Poker Championship.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,046,000
471,000
|
471,000 |
|
||
|
881,000 | |
|
676,000
278,000
|
278,000 |
|
629,000
69,000
|
69,000 |
|
612,000
153,000
|
153,000 |
|
450,000
181,000
|
181,000 |
|
|
405,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
389,000
73,000
|
73,000 |
|
|
358,000
146,000
|
146,000 |
|
327,000
42,000
|
42,000 |
|
294,000
88,000
|
88,000 |
|
|
236,000
60,400
|
60,400 |
|
150,000 | |
|
139,000
126,000
|
126,000 |
|
|
137,000
113,000
|
113,000 |
|
|
126,000
139,000
|
139,000 |
|
|
108,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
|
77,000
46,000
|
46,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Play has concluded for the day and the remaining 18 players are bagging up their chips.
They will return for the Championship Day on Sunday.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Heather McFarlane and Chance Howell went heads-up to a flop of 9♥3♥K♦ with about 75,000 in the middle.
McFarlane moved all in for 240,000 and Howell went into the tank, before ultimately arriving at a call.
Heather McFarlane: A♣A♠ 
Chance Howell: A♥8♥
McFarlane was in great shape to double up right at the end of the night, but Howell spiked a heart on the 5♥ turn. The meaningless 6♦ landed on the river and the sizable pot was pushed Howell's way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
881,000
231,000
|
231,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
The floor has announced that each of the remaining tables will play three more hands before players bag up for the evening.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Travis Martin raised to 17,000 in the hijack and Tom Estes three-bet shoved for 65,000 in the cutoff to put himself at risk. After taking some time to think through his decision, Martin flicked in the call.
Tom Estes: K♦J♣
Travis Martin: J♥10♥
The board of A♠A♥9♦3♠4♦ ran out safe for Estes who secured the much needed double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
560,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
|
150,000
14,300
|
14,300 |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Ash Sage limped in the cutoff, Richard Bennett completed in the small blind, and James Allan checked in the big blind.
The flop came A♣4♣4♥ and it checked over to Sage who bet 21,000. Bennett folded and Allan made the call.
The turn landed the 6♠ and Allan check-called again, this time for 28,000. The 10♥ rolled off on the river and both players checked.
Allan turned over 6♦6♥ for a full house, sixes full of fours, besting the AxQx of Sage.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
285,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
265,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
James Armstrong and Heather McFarlane got it all in preflop, with Armstrong at risk.
James Armstrong: A♦Q♦
Heather McFarlane: A♣5♣
The board ran out 4♥6♥8♠6♣2♦, keeping Armstrong's tournament hopes alive.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
245,000
181,000
|
181,000 |
|
|
212,000
174,000
|
174,000 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 0
