$250 Main Event Day 1ef | 2026 RPT Casino State Championship

01-03-2026 14:54 UTC-5

Martin Coolers Taken Alive on the Flop

David Salituro

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Owen Martin and Jonas Taken Alive saw a flop of 10♠9♠4♥ where Martin got in his last 28,000 from the button. Taken Alive put him at risk under the gun.

Owen Martin: 10♦9♦ All in
Jonas Taken Alive: A♠10♣

Taken Alive had flopped top pair, but Martin had the lead with top two pair. The turn was the 8♠, while the 8♥ completed the board on the river and Martin doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Owen Martin	65,000 30,000	30,000
Jonas Taken Alive	8,000 17,000	17,000

Tags: Jonas Taken Alive Owen Martin

01-03-2026 14:50 UTC-5

Kelly, Burleson Both Chase a Flush

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David Salituro

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Steve Kelly bet 3,500 from the cutoff on a flop of J♣8♦4♣ before Jacob Burleson moved all in for 17,200 on the button. The table folded back to Kelly, who quickly called to put Burleson at risk.

Jacob Burleson: K♣10♣ All in
Steve Kelly: A♣9♣

Both players were on a flush draw, while Kelly was ahead with his ace-high. The 9♦ turn improved Kelly to a pair, while Burleson couldn't catch up on the 6♦ river as he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steve Kelly (ND)	150,000
Jacob Burleson	Busted

Tags: Jacob Burleson Steve Kelly

01-03-2026 14:45 UTC-5

Johnson Doubles Despite the "Worst Flop Possible"

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David Salituro

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

A big pot was brewing between Paul Johnson and Tanner Larson as Johnson was all in for 58,000 from the small blind, while Larson had him at risk on the button.

Paul Johnson: A♠A♣ All in
Tanner Larson: A♦K♦

Johnson had woken up with aces and was a big favorite to double up, but the 3♦J♦10♣ flop gave Larson outs to a straight and flush. "Oh wow, that's the worst flop possible," Johnson said.

The 5♣ turn was safe, while Johnson held on through the 9♥ river to earn the double up.

"It's never easy," he added after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Johnson	120,000 120,000	120,000
Tanner Larson	90,000 90,000	90,000

Tags: Paul Johnson Tanner Larson

01-03-2026 14:39 UTC-5

McGillis Picks Up Queens For a Bustout

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David Salituro

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

A player in the cutoff moved all in for 15,000 and Richard McGillis called in the small blind.

All-in Player: 9♠9♦ All in
Richard McGillis: Q♠Q♣

McGillis had his opponent dominated with queens, and the board ran out 10♦2♥A♠J♣7♥ to earn him the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Richard McGillis	50,000

Tags: Richard McGillis

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

01-03-2026 14:32 UTC-5

Five-Way All In!

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

A shout of "five-way all in" went up from one table as a big crowd got up from their own seats to gather around and watch.

"I'm confident this is the first five-way all in we've seen this week," a tournament official said as he arrived to call the action.

Justin Fowler: K♦K♠ All in
Mark Dufner: 7♣7♥ All in
Don Denning: A♠10♠ All in
Middle-position Player: K♥J♠ All in
Eric Kalfell: 10♣9♣

Justin Fowler was all in for his last 6,000 from the hijack, Mark Dufner was all in for 14,400 in the cutoff, Don Denning for 26,000 in the big blind, and the middle-position player for 17,000. Eric Kalfell had all four players covered.

The board ran out 7♦J♥A♦6♠3♥ and Dufner hit a set of sevens to win the main pot, sending Fowler to the rail while earning a triple up. Denning won the side pot with a pair of aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Dufner	50,000 10,000	10,000
Eric Kalfell	50,000 29,000	29,000
Don Denning	40,000 40,000	40,000
Justin Fowler	Busted

Tags: Don Denning Eric Kalfell Justin Fowler Mark Dufner

01-03-2026 14:25 UTC-5

Maras Doubles Off Fowler

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Justin Fowler had a raise of 7,000 in front of him and Randy Brunelle called in the small blind. Jon Maras then moved all in for 38,300 in the big blind and Fowler called, while Brunelle tossed A♦K♥ into the muck.

Jon Maras: A♥K♦ All in
Justin Fowler: A♣Q♠

Maras also had ace-king and had Fowler dominated going to the flop, which came K♣5♥6♥ to give him top pair. The rest of the board ran out 7♥J♣ and the defending champion doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jon Maras	90,000 70,000	70,000

Randy Brunelle	80,000
Justin Fowler	5,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Jon Maras Justin Fowler Randy Brunelle

01-03-2026 14:18 UTC-5

Boyum Doubles Off Unruh

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Josh Unruh moved all in from the big blind on a flop of J♦10♣7♦ and Nick Boyum called for 16,500 in early position.

Nick Boyum: A♣J♣ All in
Josh Unruh: K♣9♣

Boyum was ahead with top pair, while Unruh was on a straight draw. The 3♥ turn was safe for Boyum, while the river came the 4♦ and he doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nick Boyum	35,000 45,000	45,000
Josh Unruh	2,000 38,000	38,000

Tags: Josh Unruh Nick Boyum

01-03-2026 14:14 UTC-5

Delaplane Can't Get Away From a Cooler Against Wentz

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Wayne Wentz three-bet to 13,500 in the small blind and Dave Delaplane called in middle position.

The flop came 10♦6♠10♣ and Wentz continued for 22,000. Delaplane called, and the J♠ fell on the turn.

Wentz then moved all in for 15,500. "I know you're milking me," Delaplane said as he called, turning over K♥K♠. Wentz, though, had A♦A♣.

"I knew you had aces. I couldn't get away from it," Delaplane added, and the 7♦ fell on the river to give Wentz the double up.

"I'm never laying down kings there," Wentz consoled Delaplane.

Player	Chips	Progress
Wayne Wentz	105,000 65,000	65,000
Dave Delaplane	40,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Dave Delaplane Wayne Wentz

01-03-2026 14:09 UTC-5

Updated Chip Counts

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Chase Lardy	150,000 110,000	110,000
Mark Britton	130,000 90,000	90,000
Skyler Sand	100,000 40,000	40,000

Eli Egli	100,000 30,000	30,000
Jesse West	90,000 75,000	75,000
Dave Delaplane	90,000 7,000	7,000
Randy Brunelle	80,000 10,000	10,000
Scott Grasse	70,000 60,000	60,000
Cody Krause	70,000 20,000	20,000

Chastity Askvig	60,000 60,000	60,000
Wayne Wentz	40,000 15,000	15,000
Bill Shalhoob	40,000 15,000	15,000
Bridget Johnson	35,000 25,000	25,000
Owen Martin	35,000 7,000	7,000
Patrick Wingard	25,000 30,000	30,000
Keith Kemper	25,000 25,000	25,000
Jon Maras	20,000 2,000	2,000

Miles Barnum	15,000 16,000	16,000