The first flight of the RunGood Poker Series Grand Prix Reno hosted a total of 98 entrants at the Atlantis Casino Resort, with 12 advancing to Day 2 on Sunday.
Thomas Phillips finished as the chip leader of Day 1a, bagging a total of 977,000. Denis Lee finished second in chips (418,000), and Mike Sippola ended Day 1a third in chips (320,000), rounding out the top three chip leaders of the day.
Phillips had a sun run on Day 1a. The Northern California native stated that he maxed late registered to Day 1a, but it ended up being ideal timing as he went on a tear the final few hours of the flight. Phillips shared that today’s success was unlike anything he has experienced in his tournament career.
“Never. I bagged top three or four before, but not chip lead, especially not chip leading like this,” said Phillips after he bagged close to a million in chips.
Phillips got the ball rolling when he stacked an opponent with a better ace to go well over the six-figure mark. Fortune favored Phillips as he continued to be a wrecking ball, winning pots small and big before he knocked an opponent with pocket deuces to vault past the half-million chip mark. Phillips played the role of spoiler as he knocked out the final two opponents to end Day 1a as the resounding chip leader.
The 12 players who qualified will resume play at noon on Sunday, August 31.
Tags:
Denis LeeMike SippolaThomas Phillips
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