RPT Tri-State Poker Championship Continues with Day 1b
Flight B of the Roughrider Poker Tour Tri-State Poker Championship gets underway at 11:00 a.m. local time here in Hankinson, ND at Dakota Magic Hotel & Casino. The tournament features a $650 buy-in with an estimated $200,000 prize pool, with the first of two starting flights having been completed yesterday.
Players who advance from each flight will combine and return for the Championship Day on Sunday, October 5, where action will play down to completion. The winner of the event will receive the lion's share of the prize pool as well as a custom RPT trophy, and a $1,000 Dream Chaser V Main Event seat.
The RPT has partnered with the Dakota Poker Tour for a co-branded series, with regulars from both tours throwing their hats in the ring for a shot at glory. The opening flight proved to be a big success, attracting 163 entrants, 25 of which will be returning for Day 2. It is anticipated that there will be another big turnout for Flight B here today.
Eric Hanson bagged the overwhelming chip lead in Flight A with 1,260,000 and was the only player to reach the seven-figure mark after 16 and a half levels of play. Hanson is no stranger to the Dakota poker scene, having competed in a number of RPT and DPT events over the past few years. He will look to leverage his big stack on Day 2 in search of a big score.
Flight A Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Hanson | United States | 1,260,000 | 105 |
| 2 | Craig Pohlmann | United States | 797,000 | 66 |
| 3 | Gary Ewald | United States | 724,000 | 60 |
| 4 | Arlie Brandvold | United States | 645,000 | 54 |
| 5 | Anthony Uhlir | United States | 602,000 | 50 |
| 6 | Samuel Johnson | United States | 587,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Chad Knoblauch | United States | 561,000 | 47 |
| 8 | Robert Urbatsch | United States | 474,000 | 40 |
| 9 | Jeremy Thury | United States | 461,000 | 38 |
| 10 | Samuel Faleide | United States | 409,000 | 34 |
Players will begin each starting flight with 60,000 in chips and blinds will begin at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Blinds will increase every 40 minutes, with late registration and re-entries permitted through level 12 at around 9:00 p.m. A 15-minute break will occur at the end of every three levels and a 75-minute dinner break will take place at the conclusion of level 9 at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Play for Day 1 flights will conclude after the completion of level 18 or once 15% of the field (rounded up) remains, whichever happens first. Day 2 will then start at the earliest blind level of the two flights on Sunday, October 5, where the event will play down to a winner. Those who qualify for the finals with two stacks will receive a $2,000 double bag bonus and only the highest qualifying stack will be permitted to continue to the Championship Day.
In addition to live written updates, the event will be live streamed on YouTube all three days, with a feature table rotating every couple hours.
Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Flight B | October 4 | 11:00 a.m. |
| Championship Day | October 5 | 11:00 a.m. |
| Second Chance Tournament | October 5 | 12:00 p.m. |
The Second Chance Tournament will feature a $250 buy-in and will be open to anyone.
Be sure to follow PokerNews all weekend long for coverage and updates of the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship.