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$635 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 RPT Montana State Poker Championship
$635 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2026 RPT Montana State Poker Championship
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
$635
Prize Pool
$175,500
Total Entries
325
Level
28
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
184
Players Left
31
Players Left 1 / 325
Filter
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Alex Powell waited until the last moment to seize the chip lead on Day 1b of the Roughrider Poker Tour $635 Montana State Poker Championship.
On the last hand of the night, Powell flopped a full house and put in a big shove for 533,000 on the turn. Mikiyo Aoki went deep into the tank before calling with trip queens, and she couldn’t improve on the river as Powell earned the massive double up. He bagged up 1,242,000, putting him into the overall chip lead as 31 players advanced to Day 2 tomorrow.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Powell | United States | 1,242,000 | 124 |
| 2 | Rick Burleson | United States | 978,000 | 98 |
| 3 | Lance Schuchard | United States | 802,000 | 80 |
| 4 | Kevin Sickels | United States | 589,000 | 59 |
| 5 | Nathan Allen | United States | 566,000 | 57 |
| 6 | James Armstrong | United States | 490,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Eric Hjelmstad | United States | 430,000 | 43 |
| 8 | Kevin Clyde | United States | 407,000 | 41 |
| 9 | Carl Devries | United States | 376,000 | 38 |
| 10 | Angie Lee | United States | 367,000 | 37 |
Rick Burleson soared up the leaderboard when he turned the nut straight to bust AJ Stiffarm and Nick Hammarstrom in a double elimination. While he was caught by Powell at the end of the night, Burleson still finished with 978,000 and in second place. Lance Schuchard (802,000), Kevin Sickels (589,000), and Nathan Allen (566,000) round out the top five.
Allen and Schuchard teamed up to end the title defense of last year’s champion Dan Burcham. Allen was all in for 311,000 with two kings, but he ran right into Burcham’s aces and was at risk of elimination until the flop gave him a set and a double up. Schuchard, who finished in third place in the South Dakota State Poker Championship two weeks ago, finished Burcham off a few hands later, winning a race with tens against ace-king.
Others through to Day 2 include Eric Hjelmstad (430,000), Miles Barnum (313,000), Kevin Ellis (272,000), three-time RPT Player of the Year Arlie Brandvold (270,000), Alan Curl (223,000), and John Schroer (138,000). Aoki, meanwhile, was left nursing a short stack of 53,000 after losing the pot to Powell.
A total of 184 players came to the Billings Hotel & Convention Center today for the last starting flight. Among those who took their shot but couldn’t make it through the day were last year’s runner-up Andrew Hilleren, South Dakota State champion Terry Ketterer, and Dave Ouellette.
The two starting flights combined to create a total field of 325 entries. Just 55 will return tomorrow at 11 a.m. local time to play down to a champion. The action picks up on Level 16 with blinds of 5,000/10,000 and a 10,000 big blind ante. The top 50 players will finish in the money and secure a piece of the $175,500 prize pool, while the winner will earn $30,000 and the championship bracelet.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow following the race for the bracelet and providing live updates until a new Montana poker champion is crowned.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Justin Fowler | 462,000 | 46 |
| 1 | 2 | Arlie Brandvold | 270,000 | 27 |
| 1 | 3 | Andrew Asher | 240,000 | 24 |
| 1 | 4 | Weston Wells | 309,000 | 31 |
| 1 | 5 | Cole McFarland | 338,000 | 34 |
| 1 | 6 | Kelly Snapp | 230,000 | 23 |
| 1 | 7 | Alan Curl | 223,000 | 22 |
| 1 | 8 | Charles Bolton | 165,000 | 17 |
| 2 | 1 | James Armstrong | 490,000 | 49 |
| 2 | 2 | Jamie Spagnolo | 145,000 | 15 |
| 2 | 3 | Wade McFarlane | 90,000 | 9 |
| 2 | 4 | Brian Lytle | 417,000 | 42 |
| 2 | 5 | Mikiyo Aoki | 53,000 | 5 |
| 2 | 6 | Kevin Sickels | 589,000 | 59 |
| 2 | 7 | Alex Powell | 1,242,000 | 124 |
| 2 | 8 | Lisa Maiffret | 3,000 | 0 |
| 3 | 1 | Nathan Allen | 566,000 | 57 |
| 3 | 2 | Miles Barnum | 313,000 | 31 |
| 3 | 3 | Jeff Bowen | 132,000 | 13 |
| 3 | 4 | Damon Muehl | 407,000 | 41 |
| 3 | 5 | Billy Butler | 165,000 | 17 |
| 3 | 6 | Tim McFarland | 196,000 | 20 |
| 3 | 7 | Brandon Luckey | 163,000 | 16 |
| 3 | 8 | Alan Li | 305,000 | 31 |
| 4 | 1 | Evan Yellick | 336,000 | 34 |
| 4 | 2 | Penn Swindle | 156,000 | 16 |
| 4 | 3 | Rick Lehman | 551,000 | 55 |
| 4 | 4 | Carl Devries | 376,000 | 38 |
| 4 | 5 | Leonardo Valenzuela | 441,000 | 44 |
| 4 | 6 | Kevin Chartier | 244,000 | 24 |
| 4 | 7 | Lance Schuchard | 802,000 | 80 |
| 4 | 8 | Rob Shipley | 154,000 | 15 |
| 5 | 1 | Ryan Cruse | 120,000 | 12 |
| 5 | 2 | Rick Hass | 125,000 | 13 |
| 5 | 3 | Josh Egle | 604,000 | 60 |
| 5 | 4 | Gabe Gaddis | 304,000 | 30 |
| 5 | 5 | Kevin Clyde | 507,000 | 51 |
| 5 | 6 | Keat O'Hearn | 521,000 | 52 |
| 5 | 7 | Josh Brown | 1,090,000 | 109 |
| 5 | 8 | Bill Schwarzkopf | 269,000 | 27 |
| 6 | 1 | John Bailey | 303,000 | 30 |
| 6 | 2 | Angie Lee | 367,000 | 37 |
| 6 | 3 | Eric Kraft | 328,000 | 33 |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Ellis | 272,000 | 27 |
| 6 | 5 | Jeff Heiberg | 391,000 | 39 |
| 6 | 6 | Alan Strouf | 361,000 | 36 |
| 6 | 7 | Leighton Lindsey | 630,000 | 63 |
| 6 | 8 | Eric Hjelmstad | 430,000 | 43 |
| 7 | 1 | Kent Frampton | 281,000 | 28 |
| 7 | 2 | John Schroer | 138,000 | 14 |
| 7 | 3 | Rick Burleson | 978,000 | 98 |
| 7 | 4 | Roger Old Mouse | 357,000 | 36 |
| 7 | 5 | Terry Brentnall | 197,000 | 20 |
| 7 | 6 | Jessica Cotton | 364,000 | 36 |
| 7 | 7 | Alex Smith | 117,000 | 12 |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Around 120,000 was in the middle as Alex Powell and Mikiyo Aoki went to the turn on a board of 10♣Q♥Q♦6♥. Powell then put in big shove for 533,000 from the small blind, sending Aoki deep into the tank. She eventually called with A♠Q♠ for trips, but Powell had 10♠10♥ for a flopped full house.
"I almost folded," Aoki said as the 3♦ fell on the river. Powell took down the massive pot worth more than 1,200,000 as he catapulted into the chip lead on the last hand of the night.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Kelly Snapp raised to 20,000 in the cutoff and Lisa Maiffret called on the button. James Armstrong then three-bet to 85,000 in the big blind and Snapp folded, but Maiffret moved all in. Armstrong snap-called.
James Armstrong: K♣K♦ 
Lisa Maiffret: Q♦Q♥
"Oh no," Maiffret said upon finding out she was crushed by Armstrong's kings. The board ran out J♣3♣2♠2♥8♦ and Armstrong secured the pot. Maiffret got up to leave the table, but a count of the chips showed she had Armstrong's 231,000 covered by just 3,000.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Tournament officials announced that each table will play four more hands before players bag up their chips for the night.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Lance Schuchard raised to 20,000 in middle position, Dan Burcham moved all in for 120,000 on the button, and Schuchard called.
Dan Burcham: A♥K♣
Lance Schuchard: 10♣10♥
The defending champion was racing for his tournament life and needed to improve against Schuchard's tens, but Burcham couldn't connect with the 2♠5♠6♠6♦Q♠ board and saw his title defense come to an end.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Eric Hjelmstad raised to 18,000 under the gun, Chris Cutler moved all in for 150,000 in the hijack, and Hjelmstad snap-called.
Chris Cutler: J♦J♠
Eric Hjelmstad: K♥K♠
Cutler had run right into Hjelmstad's kings, and the A♠7♣3♣3♠9♦ board offered no help as he was sent to the rail in the closing moments of the day.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Kevin Ellis bet 24,000 from the hijack on a flop of A♣Q♣7♦ and Alan Li called on the button. Angie Lee then moved all in for 275,000 under the gun.
"This is probably one of the toughest decisions I've had in a long time. Most people would probably snap-call," Ellis said as he tanked for several minutes.
"I can't believe I'm going to do this," he eventually said, picking up his cards while table neighbor Rick Burleson reminded him not to show with Li still in the pot. Ellis folded, and Li also tossed 9♣7♣ into the muck.
"I had king-jack of clubs," Ellis added after the hand.
