$635 Main Event Day 1a | 2026 RPT Montana State Poker Championship

2 days 19 hours ago

Player	Chips	Progress
Miles Barnum	60,000 60,000	60,000
Steve Kelly (ND)	60,000 60,000	60,000
John Schroer	60,000 60,000	60,000
Damon Muehl	60,000
Dan Larson	60,000
Richard Perkerewicz	60,000
Kevin Ellis	60,000 60,000	60,000

Cruse Building a Big Stack

David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Ryan Cruse bet 1,500 from under the gun on a flop of 2♥Q♦9♠ and Kelly Snapp called in the hijack.

Cruse bet another 3,000 on the 5♦ turn, but this time Snapp raised to 6,000. Cruse called to see the J♥ river, where Snapp bet 5,000. Cruse quickly called.

Snapp turned over A♦Q♥ for top pair, but Cruse had A♥A♣ to win the pot. "You scared me there. I didn't raise you," Cruse told Snapp as he took the pot, already more than doubling his starting stack so far today.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Cruse	140,000 70,000	70,000
Kelly Snapp	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Kelly Snapp Ryan Cruse

2 days 19 hours ago

Vince Keeps Firing at Five-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Five players went to a flop of 2♣3♣4♠ where Cory Vince bet 1,600 from under the gun. A middle-position player and the button both called, as did James Armstrong in the small blind and the big blind.

Vince bet another 5,000 on the 3♥ turn, and only Armstrong called this time. The river was the 3♠ and Vince bet 10,000. Armstrong quickly folded, and Vince took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cory Vince	70,000
James Armstrong	50,000

Tags: Cory Vince James Armstrong

Level: 2

Blinds: 200/300

Ante: 300

2 days 19 hours ago

Davey Makes the Nuts in Four-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

A player in the big blind led out for 1,100 on a flop of K♦8♥J♦ before Merle Bierschenk raised to 2,500 in middle position. Ken Guffey in the hijack, Pat Davey on the button, and the big blind all called.

Bierschenk bet another 3,500 on the 10♦ turn and Guffey called, but this time Davey raised to 7,000. Only Bierschenk and Guffey called.

The river was the 7♠ and Davey bet another 10,000. Bierschenko quickly called, while Guffey folded this time. Davey then showed A♦3♦ for the nut flush to win the big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pat Davey	90,000
Merle Bierschenk	40,000
Ken Guffey	40,000

Tags: Ken Guffey Merle Bierschenk Pat Davey

2 days 20 hours ago

Six is Good For Sternod

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

In a battle between the blinds, the big blind bet 1,600 on a board of J♠5♥7♦6♠ and Tom Sternod called.

The river was the 2♥ and the big blind bet another 3,000. Sternod again called, and his opponent showed A♥8♥ for ace-high. Sternod turned over 8♣6♣ and took the pot with his pair of sixes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Sternod	70,000

Tags: Tom Sternod

2 days 20 hours ago

Bowen Picks Off a Bluff From Swindle

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Around 10,000 was already in the pot as Jeff Bowen and Penn Swindle went to the turn on a board of J♠9♦Q♥4♥. Bowen then bet 6,000 from the hijack, and Swindle called on the button.

The river was the 8♦ and Bowen bet another 5,000. Swindle then raised to 18,000, and Bowen tanked for a few minutes before calling.

"You win," Swindle said as he tossed his cards into the muck. Bowen turned over Q♦J♣ for two pair and took in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeff Bowen	95,000
Penn Swindle	35,000

Tags: Jeff Bowen Penn Swindle

2 days 20 hours ago

Cruse Shows a Better Two Pair

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Heads-up on a board of 10♦J♠7♣Q♠, a player in middle position bet 1,500 and Ryan Cruse called in early position.

The river was the 8♦ and Cruse led out for 3,000. His opponent snap-called with 10♣8♥ for two pair, but Cruse had J♣7♥ for jacks and sevens to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Cruse	70,000

Tags: Ryan Cruse

2 days 20 hours ago

Asmuth Calls Down With a Wheel

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Peter Asmuth and an opponent went to the turn on a board of 5♦4♠3♦2♥ when a player in middle position led out for 3,000. Asmuth called in the cutoff.

The river was the 3♥ and the middle-position player bet another 5,000. Asmuth snap-called, and his opponent showed 10♦10♥. Asmuth turned over A♥Q♦ for a straight to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peter Asmuth	75,000

Tags: Peter Asmuth

2 days 20 hours ago

Lucero Shows Leonard a Set

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Four players went to a flop of A♥4♥7♦ where Rick Leonard bet 700 from the cutoff. Frank Lucero then raised to 2,500 under the gun, and only Leonard called.

The turn was the K♠ and Lucero bet 4,000. Leonard again called to the 3♣ river, where Lucero bet 10,500. Leonard called, only for Lucero to show him 4♦4♠ for a flopped set to win the early big pot.