button in SafariRecords Set to be Smashed as Massive Field Expected on Day 1c of the RPT South Dakota State Poker Championship
History is on the cusp of being made when the third and final starting flight of the $1,140 Roughrider Poker Tour South Dakota State Poker Championship begins at 3 p.m. local time.
A total of 378 players have already packed into the Silverado Casino in historic Deadwood over the first two flights, but that number is expected to increase significantly today on Day 1c. The field is currently on track to surpass last year’s total of 602 entries and make this the biggest event in South Dakota poker history.
Heath McAllister leads the field after two days with 667,000. Blain Ovind (538,000), Josh Matti (489,000), Alan Curl (452,000), and Spike Smith (408,000) round out the top five as 55 players have already secured their spots on Day 2.
Current Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heath McAllister | Canada | 667,000 |
| 2 | Blain Ovind | United States | 538,000 |
| 3 | Josh Matti | United States | 489,000 |
| 4 | Alan Curl | United States | 452,000 |
| 5 | Spike Smith | United States | 408,000 |
| 6 | Lorri Riley | United States | 404,000 |
| 7 | Mikiyo Aoki | United States | 400,000 |
| 8 | Monty Klistoff | United States | 384,000 |
| 9 | Rick Leonard | United States | 353,000 |
| 10 | Jon Wurden | United States | 348,000 |
Others already through include Mikiyo Aoki (400,000), Corey Zedo (333,000), Preston Dean (303,000), Steve Buell (282,000), Miles Barnum (130,000), 2024 champion Nate Shervheim (120,000), last year’s runner-up Alex Smith (84,000), and three-time RPT Player of the Year Arlie Brandvold (78,000).
Players on Day 1c begin with a 30,000 starting stack. Blinds kickoff at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante, and levels will be 40 minutes long. The action will conclude after either 15 levels or when 12 percent of the field remains, whichever comes first.
All surviving players return tomorrow at 11 a.m. local time to play down to a champion. Day 2 will pick up on the earliest starting time from one of the opening flights, which currently stands as 32 minutes remaining in Level 14 with blinds of 2,000/4,000 and a 4,000 big blind ante.
PokerNews will be following along throughout the day and providing live updates, so stay tuned for all the action.