Day 1a of the inaugural RunGood Cup Championship at Harrah's in New Orleans, which attracted 90 runners, wrapped up after 13 levels of play, and local player Chris Torres bagged up the chip lead with 244,000. He currently leads the 17 players who advanced to Sunday's Day 2.
Torres found a great spot in Level 8 (500/1,000/100), when a flop hit the felt in a three-way pot that was already swollen by multiple preflop raises. A player in the blinds bet 20,000 and Torres shoved all in with a stack that covered everyone. The third player mucked, and the bettor called off about 10,000 more with the . Torres had it crushed with two kings, and he held through the last two community cards.
Trailing Torres in second is RunGood Pro Ray Henson, who bagged 203,500. The Houston native is having a banner year, having already logged two six-figure cashes. He first won the largest World Series of Poker Circuit event in history, a $365 reentry at the Choctaw stop, for $197,588. This summer, he also made the final table of the massive Colossus, where he finished third for $308,761.
Henson won a key three-way all-in pot when he got his last 64,800 in during Level 13 (1,500/3,000/500) against John Heckenkamp, with a shorter-stacked player already all in. Henson's turned into top pair on an ace-high flop, allowing him to pull into the lead against Heckenkamp's nines and the short stack's . Henson held to scoop the huge pot, much to Heckenkamp's dismay.
RunGood Pros Justin Gardenhire, Ryan Tepen, and Michael Sanders were among the vanquished, as were former RunGood champs Troy Repp and Brandon Fish. Eliminated players still have two more Day 1 flights to attempt to bag stacks, and Day 1b kicks off Friday at noon with more live coverage here on PokerNews.
Will Berry bet 4,500 from the cutoff after the blinds checked to him on an flop. Rodney Spriggs called, and Jennifer Sanders thought awhile and pushed all in. Berry asked for a count, and it was 19,500 more. He shoved over that for about another 5,000, and Spriggs tanked a bit and folded.
Berry:
Sanders:
Sanders was in bad shape and bricked the last two streets when running fives hit.
Chris Torres is running hot here on Day 1a and just busted a player in a multiple-raised pot that went three ways to a flop. The first player bet 20,000 and Torres moved all in, covering everyone. The player on the button folded, and the bettor called off his last 10,000 or so with . Torres had it crushed with and the board ran out clean for him. He appears to be the chip leader.
Rodney Spriggs said he made it 800 to go in the cutoff and got three callers. On the flop, Spriggs bet 1,800, the player on the button made it 6,000, and Nick Graphia repopped to 12,000 in the big blind. Spriggs mucked, and the player on the button called. Graphia put in the last 8,000 or so on the turn, and the player on the button called it off with queens. Graphia had for trips, and the river ensured his win.
Will Berry shipped RunGood Downstream for $25,522 and he's off an running here at the RunGood Cup Championship after an early double. He said the first hand he sat in he got his stack in with on a board of with two diamonds, but his opponent actually had the cooler with . Berry hit a diamond on the river though and doubled up right away.
Three preliminary events have led to this, the first day of the first ever RunGood Cup Championship.
Final table qualifiers of previous RunGood Main Events and winners of lead-in events to those Main Events have all earned $2,000 Blaycation packages that include a buy-in to the RunGood Cup Championship. Additionally, entry is open to anyone willing to pony up the $675 to play. Given that, we expect to see numerous former final table players at some point this weekend, including past winners this season Brandon Fish, Troy Repp, and Will Berry.
Today is the first of three starting flights in the RunGood Cup Championship, with 13 levels on tap, each lasting a half hour apiece. Players will be allowed to reenter as many times as they wish up until the end of the second break. Each player will start with 20,000 and blinds begin at 25/50, ending at 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante.
. Torres had it crushed with two kings, and he held through the last two community cards.
turned into top pair on an ace-high flop, allowing him to pull into the lead against Heckenkamp's nines and the short stack's 
. Henson held to scoop the huge pot, much to Heckenkamp's dismay.
flop. Rodney Spriggs called, and Jennifer Sanders thought awhile and pushed all in. Berry asked for a count, and it was 19,500 more. He shoved over that for about another 5,000, and Spriggs tanked a bit and folded.
flop, Spriggs bet 1,800, the player on the button made it 6,000, and Nick Graphia repopped to 12,000 in the big blind. Spriggs mucked, and the player on the button called. Graphia put in the last 8,000 or so on the 
for trips, and the 
river ensured his win.
with two diamonds, but his opponent actually had the cooler with 
. Berry hit a diamond on the river though and doubled up right away.