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$800 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2025 RGPS Grand Prix Tulsa
$800 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2025 RGPS Grand Prix Tulsa
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$100,000
Total Entries
469
Level
27
Blinds
75,000 / 125,000
Ante
125,000
Entries
140
Players Left
17
Players Left 1 / 469
Filter
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a of the RunGood Poker Series Grand Prix Tulsa $800 Main Event attracted a total of 140 entries, meaning that 17 players were permitted to bag to advance to Day 2 at the Tulsa Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Several players jockeyed for position at the top of the leaderboards, but John Lopez was the one to finish as the day’s chip leader, as he passed the seven-figure mark, amassing 1,006,000 in chips.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Lopez | United States | 1,006,000 | 201 |
| 2 | Dax Alexander | United States | 520,000 | 104 |
| 3 | Merritt Kuhn | United States | 311,000 | 62 |
| 4 | James Fleming | United States | 301,000 | 60 |
| 5 | Allen Roberts | United States | 285,000 | 57 |
| 6 | John Bredengerd | United States | 273,000 | 54 |
| 7 | Forrest Kollar | United States | 203,000 | 40 |
| 8 | Justin Coliny | United States | 194,000 | 38 |
| 9 | Rob Gardner | United States | 168,000 | 33 |
| 10 | Melinda Hettick | United States | 153,000 | 30 |
Lopez was followed by Dax Alexander (520,000) and Merritt Kuhn (311,000) to round out the top three stacks of the opening flight.
Lopez was aided by a strong late push to separate himself from the rest of the pack after he ended up clashing with Kuhn, who was moved to his table after players combined down to two tables. The two big stacks were not shy about clashing despite being only one away from bagging, as Lopez got the best of Kuhn when he flopped the nut straight versus Kuhn’s two pair, which resulted in Kuhn losing a significant portion of his chips late to Lopez.
Lopez stated, “The cards just fell in place,” as he reflected on the surge he experienced late on Day 1a to PokerNews.
Lopez is from the Springfield, Missouri area and is no stranger to finding success at the Tulsa Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Lopez boasts a successful track record, winning a WSOP circuit event in 2023 for six figures in cash. Lopez shared he primarily plays cash games, and only plays tournaments roughly five times a year, but despite his infrequent participation in tournaments will enter Day 2 of the RGPS Tulsa $800 Main Event as someone to watch out for.
The main event will host two more starting flights on Saturday, with Day 1b beginning at 11 a.m. local time. Day 1c will be the final starting flight of the tournament and will begin at 6 p.m. local time.
Check back here at PokerNews for continued coverage of the RGPS Tulsa $800 Main Event.
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Final chip counts for the remaining 17 players from Day 1a of the RGPS Tulsa $800 Main Event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,006,000
44,000
|
44,000 |
|
||
|
520,000
520,000
|
520,000 |
|
311,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
301,000
191,000
|
191,000 |
|
285,000
285,000
|
285,000 |
|
273,000
273,000
|
273,000 |
|
203,000
203,000
|
203,000 |
|
194,000
194,000
|
194,000 |
|
168,000
17,000
|
17,000 |
|
153,000
115,800
|
115,800 |
|
135,000
135,000
|
135,000 |
|
||
|
127,000
127,000
|
127,000 |
|
|
121,000
149,000
|
149,000 |
|
117,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
113,000
113,000
|
113,000 |
|
79,000
79,000
|
79,000 |
|
63,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The final 17 players have bagged for Day 1a. Stay tuned here at PokerNews for a recap of today's action.
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The two big stacks in the room collided in a consequential pot when John Lopez and Merritt Kuhn clashed. Lopez opened the hand with a raise to 13,000 from early position.
Kuhn and both blinds called to create a four-way hand as they went to a flop.
The flop of K♣Q♦J♥ led to checks from the blinds and Lopez before Kuhn put out 25,000. Both blinds folded, but Lopez hung around with a call.
The 2♥ turn resulted in another check from Lopez. This time, Kuhn fired 85,000, and Lopez stayed in the pot with a call.
Lopez checked for the third time on the A♥ river. Kuhn announced a large bet of 250,000. Lopez pondered it briefly as he vocalized that he flopped a straight before putting in the call.
Kuhn showed Q♠J♠ for two pair, but Lopez showed the flopped straight with A♣10♦ to take down a large pot as he vaulted to the sole chip leader in the waning moments of Day 1a.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,050,000
410,000
|
410,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
271,000
266,000
|
266,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Play is now hand-for-hand as there are 18 players left on Day 1a.
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a is approaching its conclusion as there are 19 players remaining. A total of 17 players will be permitted to advance to Day 2.
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
A player from early position opened the hand with a raise to 10,000. Scot Fahrenbruch responded with an all-in on the button and was called by his opponent to be at risk.
Opponent: A♣6♣
Scot Fahrenbruch: A♦Q♦
Fahrenbruch had his opponent in rough shape. The flop shut the door on any hope of an upset as it came K♦8♦10♦ to give Fahrenbruch the flush. The meaningless Q♠ turn and the 4♥ river completed the board as Fahrenbruch tallied a knockout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
320,000
98,000
|
98,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
John Lopez is having a strong evening late into Day 1a as he continues to chip up, as he pushes towards the day's conclusion.
This hand began when he raised on the button and faced resistance from Grant Hinkle in the big blind. The two eventually got the chips in preflop with Hinkle at risk.
Grant Hinkle: Q♦Q♥
John Lopez: A♦K♥
It was a classic race between Lopez and Hinkle, with Lopez needing to improve to secure the knockout.
Lopez did not have to wait in suspense long as the flop came J♦K♣3♥ to pull Lopez ahead of Hinkle's pocket queens.
The 2♥ turn and the 7♦ river completed the board and signalled the end of Hinkle's run on Day 1a.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
640,000
239,000
|
239,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level: 13
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
