RGPS Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2023 RGPS Tunica
RGPS Main Event
Day: 1a
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Moneymaker Bags Monstrous Chip Lead In Day 1a of RGPS Tunica
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
184 players came out to play the first flight of The RunGood Poker Series $600 Main Event at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi. Each player was looking for a piece of the $200,000 guarantee set on the prizepool, but as the dust settled and Friday night became Saturday morning, only 23 made it to bagging. Each of the 23 is secured a spot to return to play on Sunday, September 3rd.
Leading the way is none other than 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker, who ended his day with 1,285,000. Moneymaker, who recently launched the Moneymaker Poker Tour, is most known for his big televised win starting the “poker boom” which lasted much of the 2000s. The most famous underdog story in poker, how a former accountant from Georgia beat the best in the world to conquer the most prestigious poker event.
He showed up in top form today, starting out strong and raking in many massive pots as the day progressed. Ending up with triple what his next closest opponent ended the day with, Moneymaker’s style of poker benefitted him as he found himself breaching the seven figure threshold before the night’s end. The second to last hand of the night saw a massive three way pot where Moneymaker ended up making Broadway on the turn and this pot propelled him into the seven figure territory. The Poker Hall of Famer also found himself being the engaging ambassador that he is known for, taking pictures with fans and other players who were awestruck playing with one of the most famous players of all time.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player Name | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Moneymaker | 1,285,000 |
| 2 | Jacob Schiros | 421,000 |
| 3 | BJ McBrayer | 387,000 |
| 4 | Edward Hill | 382,000 |
| 5 | Jacob Foley | 336,000 |
| 6 | Peter Rouviere | 285,000 |
| 7 | Morgan McBrayer | 259,000 |
| 8 | William Tubbs | 227,000 |
| 9 | Thomas Montoya | 218,000 |
| 10 | Stuart Breakstone | 166,000 |
Bagging up second in chips is newcomer to the RGPS circuit, Jacob Schiros (421,000). Schiros spent much of the day as the chip leader, and a late night surge brought him to his peak of the day as he called off with a flush draw against an opponent’s aces. The flush came in on the turn and he was given the pot to put him into second place overall. He now secures his first RGPS cash. BJ McBrayer (387,000) ended the night third in chips, and is no stranger to success at this particular casino. In 2022, McBrayer finished in fourth in this very event for $21,358. He looks to spin this particular stack into a podium finish as he rounds out the first flight’s top three.
Others who found their way to bags included RunGood Poker Series regulars like Thomas Montoya (218,000), Emily Berglund (144,000), Walker Miskelly (118,000), and four-time WSOPC ring winner Pam Belote (81,000). Each one of them looking to secure their first ever RGPS main event win.
Fortune did not smile on all today. Players like RGPS Tunica Main Event Champions Tiffany Keathley and JW Carter, Donnie Phan, Michael Sanders, Ben Mintz, Cody Stanford, Forrest Kollar, Daniel Lowery, and Ashley “PokerFaceAsh” Frank, all found their day end earlier than they wanted, Frank even becoming a victim of Moneymaker’s carnage. The day came to an end when the always engaging Dawson Darbouze ended up moving all in with a pair and a flush draw against Moneymaker’s turned top pair for a pot worth over 300,000 chips. The draw did not come home on the end, meaning that Darbouze would be the final player not receiving a payout from this flight. Each player can exercise their right to play the other flights and put in as many buy-ins as they need to make Day 2 of the tournament.
Play ended with 5:40 left in Level 14, with blinds at 3,000/6,000 and a 6,000 big blind ante. The 23 players from this flight will return on noon this Sunday to combine with the other flights of the tournament. They will return to this level unless one of the following flights ends earlier than this.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all updates regarding The RunGood Poker Series.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,285,000 | |
|
||
|
421,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
|
387,000 | |
|
382,000 | |
|
336,000
278,000
|
278,000 |
|
285,000 | |
|
259,000
118,000
|
118,000 |
|
227,000 | |
|
218,000
42,000
|
42,000 |
|
166,000 | |
|
153,000 | |
|
145,000 | |
|
144,000
-43,000
|
-43,000 |
|
142,000 | |
|
139,000
-127,000
|
-127,000 |
|
118,000
-63,000
|
-63,000 |
|
118,000 | |
|
117,000 | |
|
113,000 | |
|
|
87,000 | |
|
81,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
67,000 | |
|
|
58,000 | |
Dawson Darbouze Eliminated on The Bubble of Day 1a By Chris Moneymaker
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Chris Moneymaker raised to 15,000 in early position and Dawson Darbouze called on the button.
The flop came out 5♠7♦9♣ and Moneymaker continued for 15,000 which Darbouze called.
On the 10♦ turn, Moneymaker bet 30,000 on the turn and Darbouze moved all in for 157,000 total which saw Moneymaker go into the tank. He thought about it for some time before putting in the call and the cards were on their backs.
Dawson Darbouze: K♦5♦
Chris Moneymaker: 10♠2♠
Moneymaker had turned top pair, while Darbouze's flopped second pair had turned into a flush draw. The river peeled off the 4♠ as Darbouze's hand did not improve, leaving Moneymaker's top pair as best.
Darbouze got up and shook Moneymaker's hand saying "it was an honor."
The final 23 players are bagging up on the evening, to return on Sunday. Stay tuned to PokerNews for a recap later tonight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,285,000
692,000
|
692,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Hart Wins A Flip
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Rhonda Hart raised to 13,000 in early position which saw action fold around to the big blind where another player moved all in for 128,000. Hart called having only 129,000 herself and the cards were on their backs.
Opponent: 10♣10♠
Rhonda Hart: A♣K♠
The flop possessed no help for Hart as it came 3♣6♣5♥, but the turn A♥ and river J♥ put and kept Hart in the lead with top pair, top kicker.
Hart took down the pot as the field shrank down to just 27.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
266,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Darbouze Gets a Warning
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Action was picked with Dawson Darbouze in the big blind and another player in the hijack with a significant pot brewing.
The flop of 10♦9♥8♣ saw Darbouze check to the hijack who moved all in for 121,000, which prompted Darbouze to shoot out of his chair.
"I got him!" he screamed as he tossed in the chips and turned over his hand.
Opponent: K♣K♠
Dawson Darbouze: Q♥J♣
Darbouze motioned his Kamehameha motion that he had become known for at other stops and made many loud noises as the runout of 6♠2♦ left Darbouze's straight in the lead.
The floor came over to issue a warning of excessive celebration to Darbouze.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
375,000
162,000
|
162,000 |
Level: 13
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Moneymaker Cannot Be Stopped
Level 12
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
A player opened to 8,000 in the hijack which saw Chris Moneymaker call in the big blind.
The flop came out 2♠5♠5♥ and Moneymaker check called a bet of 10,000 from the hijack.
On the A♠ turn, Moneymaker checked a second time which saw his opponent size up to 15,000 and once more, Moneymaker called.
Moneymaker checked the 7♠ river which saw a third shell come from the hijack, this time to the tune of 26,000. Moneymaker thought for a bit before tossing in the chips and he heard the words he wanted to hear.
"Good call," said the hijack "I have jacks, no spade."
Moneymaker tabled A♣9♥ for aces up with a nine kicker. The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion took down the sizable pot as he added to his monstrous chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
593,000
242,000
|
242,000 |
|
|
||
Montoya's Big Slick Holds
Level 12
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
A player opened to 8,000 in the hijack which saw action fold around to the small blind who moved all in for 26,000. In the big blind, Thomas Montoya moved all in for 138,000 which the initial raiser folded too.
Opponent: A♠J♦
Thomas Montoya: A♣K♠
The board ran out Q♣9♣10♠9♠7♠ and the ace-king held up as Montoya looked to top his 22nd place finish from 2018.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
176,000 |