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

1 day 17 hours ago

Yellick Runs Into Francis' Aces

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Evan Yellick moved all in for around 25,000 from the hijack and Dan Francis put him at risk under the gun.

Evan Yellick: Q♦Q♠ All in
Dan Francis: A♥A♠

Francis improved to top set on the 10♦5♥A♦ flop, and Yellick was left drawing dead after the 8♠ turn. The river was the J♣ and Yellick was sent to the rail.

"I had aces four times. Lost all four," Yellick lamented on his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dan Francis	120,000
Evan Yellick	Busted

Tags: Dan Francis Evan Yellick

1 day 17 hours ago

Player	Chips	Progress
AJ Stiffarm	160,000 40,000	40,000
Arlie Brandvold	130,000 10,000	10,000
Nicholas Hammarstrom	110,000 25,000	25,000
Tom Sternod	100,000 40,000	40,000
Miles Barnum	100,000 40,000	40,000
Chance Howell	95,000 60,000	60,000
Dan Burcham	90,000

Pat Davey	85,000 35,000	35,000
Matt Braukmann	80,000 30,000	30,000
Latigo Hance	80,000
Ian Huber	80,000 10,000	10,000
Steve Kelly (ND)	75,000 20,000	20,000
Ron Crane	65,000 65,000	65,000
Harold Brenden	65,000 15,000	15,000
Dave Ouellette	60,000 60,000	60,000
Chris Cutler	55,000
James Armstrong	40,000 40,000	40,000
Santi Poggi	35,000 25,000	25,000
Shane Broesder	35,000 25,000	25,000
Dan Larson	25,000 35,000	35,000

Favorite Hand Fails Limberhand

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Dennis Limberhand moved all in for 7,500 in middle position and Kelly Snapp reraised to 15,000 on the button to chase away the rest of the table.

Dennis Limberhand: 2♣2♦ All in
Kelly Snapp: 10♠10♣

"I've got my favorite hand," Limberhand said upon showing his deuces, but he needed to come from behind against Snapp's tens. The J♣9♠7♥Q♣6♦ board was no help, and Limberhand was sent to the rail.

Mikiyo Aoki also recently busted but quickly reentered.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kelly Snapp	130,000 130,000	130,000
Mikiyo Aoki	60,000 50,000	50,000
Dennis Limberhand	Busted

Tags: Dennis Limberhand Kelly Snapp Mikiyo Aoki

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

1 day 17 hours ago

Labriola Flops the Higher Flush

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Terry Ketterer bet 1,800 from the cutoff on a flop of 4♠3♠9♠ before Robert Payton raised to 7,100 in the big blind. Gianna Labriola called in early position, while Ketterer got out of the way.

Both players checked the 10♦ turn. Payton then bet 5,000 on the 2♦ river, and Labriola called.

Payton showed Q♠7♠ for a flopped flush, but Labriola had K♠2♠ for a king-high flush to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Payton	85,000 13,600	13,600
Gianna Labriola	70,000
Terry Ketterer	25,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Gianna Labriola Robert Payton Terry Ketterer

1 day 17 hours ago

Allen Fills Up on the River

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Nathan Allen bet 3,000 from under the gun on a flop of 6♥9♠5♠ and was called by Merle Bierschenk in middle position and Justin Mayse in the big blind.

Action checked to Bierschenk on the 7♠ turn and he bet 2,500. Only Allen called to see the 7♥ river. He then led out for 15,000, and Bierschenk quickly called.

Allen showed 6♣6♦ for a rivered full house, and Bierschenk mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nathan Allen	90,000 40,000	40,000
Justin Mayse	70,000
Merle Bierschenk	52,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Justin Mayse Merle Bierschenk Nathan Allen

1 day 17 hours ago

Schroer Gets Called by Ace-High

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Around 70,000 was already in the pot before John Schroer moved all in for 18,400 from early position. John Choleva called in the big blind.

Schroer showed 10♦10♠, while Choleva turned over A♣Q♦. The river J♥ was safe for Schroer, and he doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Schroer	110,000 50,000	50,000
John Choleva	5,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: John Choleva John Schroer

1 day 17 hours ago

Hamilton Picks Up Aces in Massive Pot

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Tim McFarland was in the hijack with a raise of 6,000 in front of him before Mary Anne Schroer reraised to 20,000 on the button. Trevor Hamilton then moved all in from under the gun and McFarland folded as action went back on Schroer. She took a few minutes before calling with a nearly identical stack.

Mary Anne Schroer: A♥K♠ All in
Trevor Hamilton: A♦A♠

Hamilton had woken up with aces and was a big favorite to take the massive pot as the flop came 5♠Q♠7♠. Hamilton also picked up a flush draw, while Schroer got some hope on the K♥ turn. The river, though, was the 10♣ and Hamilton took the pot.

The stacks were counted down and Hamilton's remaining 88,000 had Schroer's 85,000 barely covered, sending her to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Trevor Hamilton	180,000 180,000	180,000
Tim McFarland	60,000 10,000	10,000
Mary Anne Schroer	Busted

Tags: Mary Anne Schroer Tim McFarland Trevor Hamilton

1 day 18 hours ago

Brunelle Survives Against Hammarstrom

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Angie Lee raised to 1,500 in early position and received calls from Nick Hammarstrom in middle position and Alex Powell in the hijack. Pat Brunelle then moved all in for 7,700 in the cutoff, and only Hammarstrom called.

Pat Brunelle: 10♣10♦ All in
Nick Hammarstrom: 2♠2♣

Brunelle had Hammarstrom dominated and improved to a set on the K♦10♠3♦ flop. The rest of the board ran out 6♠8♠ and Brunelle doubled up.