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$650 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2025 RPT Tri-State Poker Championship
$650 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2025 RPT Tri-State Poker Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$650
Prize Pool
$189,540
Total Entries
351
Level
29
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
163
Players Left
25
Players Left 1 / 351
Filter
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The first of two starting flights is in the books in the $650 Main Event here at the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship hosted by Dakota Magic Hotel & Casino. Of the 163 entries tallied in Day 1a, only 25 players will return for the Championship Day on Sunday, all of whom have locked up a min-cash.
Eric Hanson emerged as the runaway chip leader, accumulating an impressive 1,260,000. He climbed steadily throughout the day and propelled himself atop the leaderboard during the final few levels of the night. Hanson was the sole player to surpass the million chip mark and will enter the Championship Day on Sunday with over 100 big blinds.
Sitting in second is Craig Pohlmann (797,000) who scored a huge double up on the stone bubble when he flopped the nuts against Carl Derry's bottom set. Derry was left short-stacked and would go on to earn the title of bubble boy not long after.
Rounding out the podium is Gary Ewald (724,000) who also turned up the heat towards the end of the night. He won a big flip with pocket jacks against Joseph Osterbauer Sr's ace-king and held steady from there during the last couple levels.
Day 1a 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 |
Oher names to keep an eye on who bagged big include RPT regulars Arlie Brandvold (645,000) and Robert Urbatsch (474,000), who complete the top five in the standings.
Flight B will begin October 4 at 11:00 a.m. local time, with blinds starting at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Play will conclude after the completion of level 18 or once 15% of the field (rounded up) remains, whichever happens first.
A 20-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. The Championship Day will commence on Sunday, October 5 at 11:00 a.m. local time.
Be sure to follow PokerNews all weekend long for coverage and updates of the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship.
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,260,000
1,080,000
|
1,080,000 |
|
||
|
797,000
97,000
|
97,000 |
|
724,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
645,000
499,000
|
499,000 |
|
602,000
177,000
|
177,000 |
|
587,000
37,000
|
37,000 |
|
561,000
131,000
|
131,000 |
|
474,000
283,500
|
283,500 |
|
461,000
36,000
|
36,000 |
|
409,000
191,000
|
191,000 |
|
383,000 | |
|
361,000
236,000
|
236,000 |
|
344,000
208,500
|
208,500 |
|
|
280,000
95,500
|
95,500 |
|
|
277,000
217,000
|
217,000 |
|
|
265,000
205,000
|
205,000 |
|
258,000
136,000
|
136,000 |
|
||
|
238,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
195,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
193,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
|
|
154,000
38,500
|
38,500 |
|
116,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
110,000 | |
|
|
75,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
63,000
3,000
|
3,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The remaining 25 players are bagging up for the night and have all made the money.
They will return for Day 2 on Sunday, October 5 at 11:00 a.m. local time where the event will play down to a winner.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for end of day chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Carl Derry moved all in preflop for 58,000 and was called by two players, one of which being Jon Wurden.
The flop came 5♣5♠6♠ and it checked to Wurden who moved all in to isolate. The other player got out of the way and the cards were turned on their backs.
Carl Derry: 9♣9♦ 
Jon Wurden: 10♣10♦
The 2♦ turn and 4♣ river offered no help to Derry and he was sent to the rail on the stone bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
383,000
323,000
|
323,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Weston Wells got it all in preflop from the button for 110,000 against Jeremy Thury who was under the gun with the covering stack.
Weston Wells: A♠A♥
Jeremy Thury: Q♠Q♥
Wells' aces held as the board ran out 7♣8♠7♥K♠8♣ to earn him the double up on the bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
425,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
|
|
250,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Craig Pohlmann was in the cutoff and went heads-up to a flop of Q♠9♥8♠ against Carl Derry on the button.
The money quickly went in, with Pohlmann all in and at risk for 312,000.
Craig Pohlmann: J♠10♠
Carl Derry: 8♣8♥
Pohlmann flopped the nuts and turned a flush when the 4♠ landed on the turn but wasn't out of the woods as Derry still had outs to a boat.
Derry was unable to fill up on the 6♠ river and the huge pot was pushed Pohlmann's way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
700,000
490,000
|
490,000 |
|
|
75,000
345,000
|
345,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
With 26 players remaining and only 25 making it through to Day 2, the floor has announced hand-for-hand play .
Level: 17
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
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