$600 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood San Diego
$600 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood San Diego
Buy-in
$600
Prize Pool
$215,800
Entries
415
Level
27
Blinds
75,000 / 125,000
Ante
125,000
Entries
103
Players Left
13
Kenneth Nicoletti Leads Day 1a; Defending Champ Derrick Yamada Bags Second
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The first flight of the Destination RunGood $600 Main Event at Jamul Casino in San Diego, California has come to a close. 103 entrants paid their fee to get into the RunGood Poker Series tournament, ensuring that 13 players would advance into Day 2 and secure themselves a minimum cash.
Leading the way is Kenneth Nicoletti with 481,000, finishing ahead of defending champion, Derrick Yamada, who bagged up 423,000. Rounding out the top three is Timothy Vu with exactly 400,000, followed by Brian Winter (318,000) in fourth and Tavish Margers (272,000) in fifth.
Day 1a Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenneth Nicoletti | 481,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Derrick Yamada | 423,000 | 71 |
| 3 | Timothy Vu | 400,000 | 67 |
| 4 | Brian Winter | 318,000 | 53 |
| 5 | Tavish Margers | 272,000 | 45 |
| 6 | Mark Feinberg | 234,000 | 39 |
| 7 | Johnny Groat | 225,000 | 38 |
| 8 | Jesus Rosales | 175,000 | 29 |
| 9 | Jeff Burquist | 170,000 | 28 |
| 10 | Dana Katzenmeier | 143,000 | 24 |
| 11 | Hans Schacke | 125,000 | 21 |
| 12 | Andrew Whittmer | 66,000 | 11 |
| 13 | Phil Ambrosetti | 58,000 | 10 |
Fortunes were not on everyone’s side as the day saw many players fall by the wayside. RGPS Ambassadors Taylor Howard, Jamie Kerstetter, Scott Stewart, and Corey Paggeot all failed to advance along with regulars Kevin Meyers, Conrad Simpson, and David Soskin but are sure to be back tomorrow with a vengeance.
The 13 survivors will return to play on Sunday February 25, with blinds at 4,000/8,000 unless one of the following flights finds an earlier endpoint. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 24 at 11 a.m. will see the kickoff of Day 1b and 6 PM will be the beginning of Day 1c, as well as the last chance to secure a bag for the second day.
With unlimited re-entry in all tournaments and registration open until level 9, players will have ample opportunity to play for their shot at RGPS glory.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all updates regarding Destination: RunGood $600 Main Event at Jamul Casino.
Day 1a Chips Counts (full)
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
481,000
166,000
|
166,000 |
|
||
|
423,000
273,000
|
273,000 |
|
400,000
-70,000
|
-70,000 |
|
318,000
216,000
|
216,000 |
|
272,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
234,000
234,000
|
234,000 |
|
225,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
175,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
170,000
72,000
|
72,000 |
|
143,000
143,000
|
143,000 |
|
125,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
66,000
-52,000
|
-52,000 |
|
58,000
-22,000
|
-22,000 |
End of Day: Players Bag
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
With the elimination of a player on the bubble, the surviving 13 players are now in the money and have bagged up to return on Sunday for Day 2.
Full chip counts and a recap of the day's action will be released shortly, so stay tuned!
Nicoletti Eliminates Player to Burst Bubble
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
A relatively short-stacked player moved all in preflop and action folded to Kenneth Nicoletti in the big blind who made the call to put him at risk.
Player: K♦K♥
Kenneth Nicoletti: A♦10♦
Unfortunately for the at-risk player, the runout was not his friend as it came 7♣10♣9♥6♦10♥ to give Nicoletti trip tens on the river to eliminate him on the stone bubble.
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Bubble Time!
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
With 14 players remaining and 13 advancing, they are now on the stone money/bag bubble and hand-for-hand is now in effect.
Vu Makes Huge Call to Take Chip Lead
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Timothy Vu had made it 12,000 to go preflop and Alexander Nurding called to see a flop of 3♣5♦5♠. Vu continued for 15,000 and Nurding called again to go to the 7♥ turn.
Vu bet 35,000 and Nurding called once more to see the river fall the A♦. Vu then cut out a hefty bet of 100,000 and set it in the middle, but Nurding moved all in to cover.
Vu then went deep into the tank for this decision, and after several long minutes, he finally made the call. The hand that Nurding held was missed but Vu tabled A♥Q♠ for a rivered ace to take down the biggest pot of the night, vaulting him into the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
470,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
60,000
-258,000
|
-258,000 |
Ambrosetti Flops Wittmer Dead with the Same Hand
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Phil Ambrosetti moved all in preflop and after some thought, Andrew Wittmer made the call to put him at risk.
Phil Ambrosetti: A♠6♠
Andrew Wittmer: A♣6♣
The two players shared a laugh as they shared the same hand, but the flop of 2♠3♠K♠ immediately gave Ambrosetti the nut flush and left Wittmer drawing stone dead. The runout of 6♦7♣ was purely ceremonial and Ambrosetti was awarded the pot for the double.
He then flashed his lucky fortune from his food earlier that read:"You may lose the small ones but win the big ones".
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
118,000
-34,000
|
-34,000 |
|
|
80,000
29,500
|
29,500 |
Level: 13
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000