Bridget Johnson Takes Down RPT Tri-State Poker Championship for Career-Best Score ($35,000)
After three exciting days of action on the felt here in Hankinson, ND the Roughrider Poker Tour Tri-State Poker Championship has officially come to an end with Bridget Johnson claiming victory to capture her career-best score of $35,000. She will also go home with the custom RPT trophy and a $1,000 Dream Chaser V Main Event seat.
The RPT teamed up with the Dakota Poker Tour to host the $650 buy-in event at Dakota Magic Hotel & Casino, for a co-branded series that proved to be a big success. The tournament drew 351 entries with Johnson defeating Mark Fink in a short heads-up match to earn the lion's share of the $189,540 prize pool.
Johnson's previous high-score took place at the All In Event Center in Dickinson, ND where she took down a tournament for $5,000. When asked how she was feeling following a win of this magnitude, Johnson mentioned, "Very excited, happy. My biggest win so far to date."
RPT Tri-State Poker Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridget Johnson | Dickinson, ND | $35,000 |
| 2 | Mark Fink | Sioux Falls, SD | $20,000 |
| 3 | Keith Kemper | Casselton, ND | $15,000 |
| 4 | Paul Johnson | Fargo, ND | $10,700 |
| 5 | Kim Rasmussen | Forman, ND | $9,000 |
| 6 | Cody Slusher | Kindred, ND | $7,700 |
| 7 | Chad Knoblauch | Grand Forks, ND | $6,600 |
| 8 | James Girouard | Sioux Falls, SD | $5,500 |
| 9 | Dustin Benda | Wahpeton, ND | $4,400 |
Representing Women in the Game
Johnson was asked what it meant to compete [and win] as a female in an environment where men make up the majority of the player base.
"Oh, I think it's awesome. I mean, you maybe see a dozen female players if you're lucky. So if you just make the final couple of tables, I feel like it's a privilege. [It’s] just great, you know."
With more and more women getting into poker in recent years, Johnson talked about the importance of practicing patience and having fun when first starting out.
"Just try it. I mean, I love cards as a pastime, something to do on a Saturday. I’ve played poker for 10 years before I finally won, so it takes time, but I think it's fun. Fun hobby and a great thing for visiting and just to meet a lot of people."
Eyes Set on the Bright Lights of Vegas
When asked about her winnings and future poker plans, Johnson replied “I want to go to Vegas next year for the $10,000 Main Event - [that’s] my goal. I have my money set aside from my other wins this year already, but that was my plan if I made enough this year - to go to Vegas. I want to be the first woman to win the WSOP.”
As for what's on her short-term poker agenda, she explained "I just love playing the RPT. It’s great, great staff, a lot of players, like really good players. So I think you can get a lot of practice and a lot of valuable things by playing with all of the players here. So to practice up for Vegas."
That wraps up coverage of the $650 Main Event here at the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship. Be sure to follow PokerNews for future events all around the globe.