$800 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
$800 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
Two starting flights have come and gone for the return of the 2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker $800 Main Event. A total of 261 hopefuls made their way to Hard Rock Casino Tulsa for a final opportunity to etch their names into the Oklahoma poker history books.
In total, 417 entries were recorded, creating a prize pool of $291,900 as many of the area’s best players tried their luck over the past two days.
Unlike Day 1a, a full 18 40-minute levels were completed today, with just 21 players punching their tickets to Sunday’s restart, where they will join the 11 survivors from yesterday.
Ending the night atop the counts was John Smith, who spent much of the day near the top of the leaderboard before bagging 748,000.
Close behind in second place was Johnnie Place with 738,000, while John Reynolds rounded out the podium with an even 700,000 — as a trio of Johns finished the night strong. However, all of them trail William Scarsdale, who ended Day 1a with the overall chip lead at 914,000.
| Rank | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Smith | 748,000 |
| 2 | Johnnie Place | 738,000 |
| 3 | John Reynolds | 700,000 |
| 4 | Grant Hinkle | 647,000 |
| 5 | Jim Wilson | 643,000 |
| 6 | Allan Lee | 457,000 |
| 7 | Anthony Finley | 414,000 |
| 8 | Zac Campbell | 393,000 |
| 9 | Yordanos Mebra | 392,000 |
| 10 | Eric Bunch | 376,000 |
Other notables to advance today include Grant Hinkle (647,000) and Eric Bunch (376,000) as they look to add to their already impressive resumes.
The day got off to a fast start as the attendance surpassed the first flight by the time the players took their first break.
By the close of registration, only 30% of the field remained, but the pace of play then slowed considerably.
25 hands of hand-for-hand would be required before a player was finally eliminated. In a multi-way limped pot, the big blind put her final two blinds into the middle on the flop, but was left with just jack-high on the river as she fell to the top pair of Rodney Spriggs, who had plenty to say throughout the day but was unable to find a bag after min-cashing.
The final 32 players will return at 12 p.m. on Sunday for the restart. Play resumes with 2:26 remaining in Level 17 with blinds of 5,000/10,000 and an average stack of 391,000. The action will continue in 40-minute levels until a winner is crowned.
Payout information is still being finalized and will be posted as soon as it becomes available. The seat draw for Day 2 is posted below.
Stay tuned to PokerNews as we bring you all the updates and action here at the 2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker.
| Table | Seat | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | Anthony Finley | 414,000 |
| 36 | 2 | Zac Campbell | 393,000 |
| 36 | 3 | John Smith | 748,000 |
| 36 | 4 | Grant Hinkle | 647,000 |
| 36 | 6 | Robert Champion | 296,000 |
| 36 | 7 | Jim Wilson | 643,000 |
| 36 | 8 | John Reynolds | 700,000 |
| 36 | 9 | Terry Harrell | 339,000 |
| 37 | 1 | Kami Hudson | 342,000 |
| 37 | 2 | Todd Tucker | 570,000 |
| 37 | 3 | Casey Hindman | 304,000 |
| 37 | 4 | Eric Salazar | 638,000 |
| 37 | 6 | Freeman Allen | 66,000 |
| 37 | 7 | Sarah Renko | 169,000 |
| 37 | 8 | Doug Paxton | 159,000 |
| 37 | 9 | Nathan Young | 280,000 |
| 38 | 1 | William Scarsdale | 914,000 |
| 38 | 2 | Brian Garner | 126,000 |
| 38 | 3 | Kenyon McKellar | 94,000 |
| 38 | 4 | Steven Edmonds | 184,000 |
| 38 | 6 | Brent Gregory | 340,000 |
| 38 | 7 | William Berry | 253,000 |
| 38 | 8 | Noah Nodine | 243,000 |
| 38 | 9 | Johnnie Place | 738,000 |
| 39 | 1 | Eric Bunch | 376,000 |
| 39 | 2 | Allan Lee | 457,000 |
| 39 | 3 | Jon Wofford | 319,000 |
| 39 | 4 | Rehman Zahid | 249,000 |
| 39 | 6 | Michael Perrone | 782,000 |
| 39 | 7 | Yordanos Mebra | 392,000 |
| 39 | 8 | Seth Hargrove | 136,000 |
| 39 | 9 | Joe Ferguson | 212,000 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
748,000
468,000
|
468,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
738,000
37,000
|
37,000 |
|
|
700,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
647,000
437,000
|
437,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
643,000
643,000
|
643,000 |
|
|
457,000
457,000
|
457,000 |
|
|
414,000
414,000
|
414,000 |
|
|
393,000
393,000
|
393,000 |
|
|
392,000
392,000
|
392,000 |
|
|
376,000
99,000
|
99,000 |
|
|
339,000
79,000
|
79,000 |
|
|
304,000
36,000
|
36,000 |
|
|
296,000
264,000
|
264,000 |
|
|
280,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
249,000
249,000
|
249,000 |
|
|
212,000
212,000
|
212,000 |
|
|
184,000 | |
|
|
159,000
85,000
|
85,000 |
|
|
136,000
136,000
|
136,000 |
|
|
94,000
94,000
|
94,000 |
|
|
66,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
After 18 40-minute levels, Day 1b has concluded with 21 players advancing to Day 2, joining the 11 survivors from yesterday.
Chip counts and a recap of the day are to follow.
The restart is at 12 p.m. Sunday.
Victor Haynes opened to 25,000 from under the gun before Doug Paxton jammed for 113,000 from the big blind, and Haynes put in the call after a moment of deliberation.
Doug Paxton: A♣Q♦
Victor Haynes: K♦J♣
Paxton was ahead but Haynes held live cards as the 9♣5♥2♠ flop improved neither player. Paxton remained in the lead on the 3♣A♠ runout as he made top pair for good measure as he collected the full double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
244,000
39,000
|
39,000 |
|
|
65,000
205,000
|
205,000 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
775,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
|
710,000
249,000
|
249,000 |
|
|
560,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
475,000
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
|
340,000
68,000
|
68,000 |
|
|
280,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
270,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
260,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
210,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
205,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
155,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
95,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
After 25 hands, the bubble has finally burst.
After a series of limps, six players saw the Q♣10♥2♣ flop. The big blind led all-in for 16,000 and only Rodney Spriggs called on the button.
Big Blind: J♠7♥
Rodney Spriggs: Q♦J♥
Spriggs held a commanding lead with top pair and the 4♠3♠ runout was no help to his opponent.
There was another all-in at a different table as someone jammed their final 29,000 with ace-jack and held against the king-seven of Eric Bunch.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
135,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
Level: 17
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000