One flight is in the books for Day 1 of RunGood Poker Series Council Bluffs, and we're set for a long second day that will include Day 1b and Day 1c. Ryan Tepen bagged the chip lead last night with 176,500, so he's the man to catch.
Day 1b will kick off at noon local time here at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, located just outside Omaha, Neb. Another 13 levels are on the docket, with stacks starting at 20,000 apiece and levels lasting 30 minutes. Play will end at 1,500/3,000/500 and survivors will bag to return at noon on Sunday.
Some of the players we expect to see in action who busted out on Friday: Eric Rodawig, Bryan Campanello, Mike Lang, Mark Fink, Jeff Bryan, Brandon Fish, plus RunGood Pros Jonathan Gaviao, Jose Montes, Justin Gardenhire, Chris Conrad, and Ross Bybee.
Mike Vanier opened to 750 in the cutoff and Matt Sztamburski three-bet to 3,400 in the big blind. Vanier jammed for about 9,000, and Sztamburski called.
Sztamburski:
Vanier:
The run out was clean for Sztamburski and he collected the pot at Vanier's expense.
We found a player contemplating an all-in check-shove from Jose Montes, who jammed from the small blind over a bet of 5,000 on a flop. Montes' opponent called with and the RunGood Pro showed down for a flush draw. The gave him a straight draw as well but a river wasn't enough.
Montes sent 22,725 across the table, leaving him with just 4,000, which he busted in short order.
Ryan Phan is going to have to get through Day 1c if he wants to repeat his RunGood final table performance from this spring. As Duster Ellis told it, he opened with and got action from Phan, who shoved over his continuation-bet on a king-high flop with . Phan found no improvement on the last two streets and Ellis collected his stack.
Jeff Epstein opened under the gun, and Joel Wahlert made it about 16,000 with a thee-bet in the small blind. Colin Perry shoved from the big for 82,000, and Epstein forcefully announced he was all in also. Wahlert thought briefly and called off about 60,000.
Wahlert:
Perry:
Epstein:
The board ran out clean for Epstein, and he had everyone covered, shipping him the massive pot with the double knockout.
We found Ross Bybee with 2,400 in front of him in early position on a flop of . Elizabeth Hunter had moved all in for 17,800, and the big blind was all in also for 17,550.
"I'm just trying to figure out what you have," Bybee said after Hunter declared she was going to win. "Set or a straight? I know he has an overpair."
Finally, Bybee folded. Hunter showed and the big blind had , causing Bybee to lament letting go.
Sean Moore put his last 5,575 in blind and started a slew of all ins as a player in the blinds shoved followed by two players who had come into the pot in early position. Moore had , Elizabeth Hunter had , an early-position player had , and Darren Attebery had . The flop came , causing Moore to raise his arms in celebration. He did have to fade some cards after a hit on the turn, but the river was safe for him.
The last of three flights drew 78 runners, pushing the total 283, enough to eclipse the guarantee. We'll have payout information information when it's made available by tournament officials.
Henry Gingerich will not repeat as champion RunGood Poker Series Council Bluffs.
According to the players at Table 36, Ross Bybee opened for 4,000 and the defending champ shoved for 24,000. Bybee called with and was racing against . The flop came , giving Bybee a set, and he locked it up on the turn.
run out was clean for Sztamburski and he collected the pot at Vanier's expense. 
flop. Montes' opponent called with 
and the RunGood Pro showed down 
for a flush draw. The 
gave him a straight draw as well but a 
. Phan found no improvement on the last two streets and Ellis collected his stack.
and the big blind had 
, causing Bybee to lament letting 
and Hunter scooped the pot.
, an early-position player had 
, and Darren Attebery had 
. The flop came 
