Million Dollar Main Event Day 1a | 2023 RGPS Checkpoint Thunder Valley

07-28-2023 20:05 UTC-7

Mariano Survives the Runout

Kirk Brown

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

After raising it up to 2,400, "Boston" Rob Mariano went to a flop of A♥3♦8♥ along with 3 other players. The action then checked to him and he continued for another 2,400 which resulted in two folds but then the big blind check-raised all in for 13,000.

Mariano quickly made the call to put his opponent at risk and the cards were tabled.

Big Blind: K♥7♥
Rob Mariano: A♣Q♥

Mariano had the upper hand with his top pair of aces but still needed to fade any heart for a flush. Luckily for him, the board ran out 7♣2♦ for his pair to hold and he was awarded the pot while his opponent tapped the table and headed to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rob Mariano	110,000 52,000	52,000

Tags: Rob Mariano

07-28-2023 20:40 UTC-7

Jargalsaikhan Takes it Down

Kirk Brown

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Steve Numoto opened to 10,000 preflop and was called by Naga Kakumanu but was then raised to 25,000 by Tsolmon Jargalsaikhan. Both players decided to make the call and the trio went to a flop of 6♦Q♦K♣.

Kakumanu checked to Jargalsaikhan who continued for 40,000 and both opponents decided to let it go and the pot was pushed his way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tsolmon Jargalsaikhan	242,000 74,000	74,000
Naga Kakumanu	170,000 3,800	3,800
Steve Numoto	98,500 66,800	66,800

Tags: Naga Kakumanu Steve Numoto Tsolmon Jargalsaikhan

07-28-2023 20:42 UTC-7

Song's Saving Ace

Kirk Brown

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

On a multi-way flop of 10♣10♦6♦, after a bet was made of 6,000, Stephen Song check-raised all in for 24,900 and was called by Aaron Overton to put him at risk.

Stephen Song: A♦5♦
Aaron Overton: Q♣Q♠

Overton was ahead with his queens, but the runout of 6♥A♠ gave Song the ace on the river to win the pot for a double-up to 69,500 while Overton was now left with only 15,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Song	69,500 4,500	4,500

Aaron Overton	15,000 -68,700	-68,700

Tags: Aaron Overton Stephen Song

07-28-2023 20:50 UTC-7

Registration Break

Kirk Brown

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

The players are now on their last 15-minute break of the day and when they return registration will be closed for flight Day 1a. The black 100-chips will also be raced off and colored-up at this time.

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

07-28-2023 21:10 UTC-7

Final Break Chip Counts (full)

Kirk Brown

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Sampson	415,000 26,200	26,200

Richard Fifield	327,000 1,000	1,000
Richard Green Jr	275,500 97,200	97,200
Abrahim Aboukhalil	254,000 161,000	161,000
Tsolmon Jargalsaikhan	237,000 -5,000	-5,000
Joseph Mussat	237,000 177,300	177,300
Cody Golden	215,000 -19,300	-19,300
Adam Dunkle	207,000 73,900	73,900
Adam Miller	205,500 109,500	109,500
Daniel Martin	200,000 160,000	160,000
Rahul Lal	197,500 76,200	76,200
Naga Kakumanu	195,000 25,000	25,000
Darren Rabinowitz	191,500 20,500	20,500
Peter Dirksen	171,008 8	8
Yotam Shmuelov	171,000 144,300	144,300
Jesse Lonis	165,000 59,100	59,100

Alejandro Jauregui Reynoso	164,500 35,000	35,000
Jeffrey Beachy	158,000 -24,000	-24,000
Steve Numoto	150,500 52,000	52,000
Thu Tran	149,500 13,700	13,700
Shijia Liu	138,000
Miralem Mujkic	127,000 26,600	26,600
Benjamin Ludlow	127,000 33,000	33,000
Asmare Bekalu	125,000 26,200	26,200
Wesley Remmer	124,500 44,500	44,500

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07-28-2023 21:23 UTC-7

Betti Makes the Call for Tournament Life

Kirk Brown

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

On a heads-up completed board of 2♦J♣5♠10♠9♥, Matthew Betti checked it over to Richard Green Jr who bet 45,000 into the pot of 47,000, which was enough to cover Betti.

After some time was spent in the tank, Betti tossed out chips to make the call for his tournament life. He was then shown A♣Q♥ by Green Jr for just ace-high and he quickly flipped over 8♥8♦ for just a pair of eights to take down the substantial pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Richard Green Jr	210,000 -65,500	-65,500
Matthew Betti	115,000 58,500	58,500

Tags: Matthew Betti Richard Green Jr

07-28-2023 21:48 UTC-7

Tran Check-Raises Betti

Kirk Brown

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

On a three-way flop of 9♠4♠6♥, the action checked to Matthew Betti on the button who bet 6,000 and was called by Miralem Mujkic in the big blind.

But then Thu Tran check-raised to 25,000 and both players folded, albeit begrudgingly, to award him the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thu Tran	161,000 11,500	11,500
Miralem Mujkic	123,000 -4,000	-4,000
Matthew Betti	75,000 -40,000	-40,000

Tags: Matthew Betti Thu Tran Miralem Mujkic

Level: 10

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000

07-28-2023 22:16 UTC-7

Martin Soars Into Lead

Kirk Brown

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

After losing a big pot by doubling up Jeffrey Spruitenburg, Daniel Martin immediately got involved in another huge pot.

James Collopy had opened to 3,500 from under-the-gun and then Daniel "Wretchy" Martin three-bet to 10,000 from early position. The middle-position player made the call but then when it got back to Callopy he four-bet to 35,000, to which Martin responded with a five-bet jam to cover the table and both players called to put these;ves at risk.

Middle Position: A♥10♥
James Collopy: Q♦Q♠
Daniel Martin: A♣A♠

With Martin in the lead, the board did not provide any help to his opponents and he scooped the entire pot to rocket his stack to over 500,000.