$800 Main Event Day 1ab | 2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Bay Area

05-09-2025 13:39 UTC-8

Awwad Sets Up Opponent

Brett Slezak

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Ryan Awwad opened to 2,000 from under the gun and was called by a player in middle position as well as Ron Fetsch in the small blind and Cuong Truong in the big blind.

On the K♦9♠7♠ flop, Awwad led for 2,700 and only the player in middle position called.

Awwad fired again for 3,600 on the 5♣ turn earning another call from his opponent.

On the 3♣ river, Awwad downsized to 2,100 and his opponent weighed his options before he begrudgingly put in the call. Awwad tabled K♠K♣ for top set as he dragged the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Awwad	50,000

Tags: Cuong Truong Ron Fetsch Ryan Awwad

Level: 8

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

05-09-2025 13:46 UTC-8

Last Level of Registration

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With the start of Level 8, the end of registration and re-entry for Day 1a is near, closing at the end of break around 3:30 p.m.

The clock currently reads 133 entries.

05-09-2025 13:52 UTC-8

TD Chainsaw

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Elsewhere in the tournament room, Allen Kessler is making his debut as a tournament director in the $400 Eight Game Mix.

Tags: Allen Kessler

05-09-2025 14:00 UTC-8

Ladies for Kowalk

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Action was picked up on the turn with around 20,000 in the middle in a three-bet pot between Curtis Kowalk from the small blind and a player from under the gun.

With the board reading 7♣3♥2♣2♥, Kowalk led for 15,000 before the under the gun player jammed for 39,000 effective as the covering stack. After some brief deliberation, Kowalk called to put himself at risk.

Curtis Kowalk: Q♠Q♣ All in
Under the Gun: 9♥9♦

Both players held overpairs with Kowalk having the best of it as he held through the 5♦ river to double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Curtis Kowalk	100,000 70,000	70,000

Tags: Curtis Kowalk

05-09-2025 14:06 UTC-8

Start Using PokerNews Emojis Today! 😍

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

PokerNews has been bringing you live reporting from the biggest poker tournaments for almost 20 years, and it's time for our latest addition to the live update product with the launch of PokerNews emojis.

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05-09-2025 14:14 UTC-8

Break Time

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

The players are going on another 15-minute break with the clock reading 138 entries.

Play resumes in Level 9 with blinds at 1,000/1,500/1,500.

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

Ante: 1,500

05-09-2025 14:32 UTC-8

Registration Numbers

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Brett Slezak

Level 9 : 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

A total of 139 entries were tallied for Day 1a, with the final 18 advancing to Day 2.

There are currently 70 players remaining with an average stack just under 60,000.

05-09-2025 14:53 UTC-8

Gutierrez Sniffs Out a Bluff

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Brett Slezak

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

A player opened the cutoff to 3,000 and Oscar Gutierrez called on the button. The small blind then three-bet to 11,500 and only Gutierrez called.

On the K♠K♦9♥ flop, the small blind continued for 5,000 and Gutierrez flicked in the call.

The turn brought the 4♣. The small blind fired again for 15,500 and Gutierrez took some chip inventory before he cut out the call.

On the K♥ river, the small blind quickly bet 30,000. Gutierrez, with 35,000 back, got curious after a minute's tank as he called off the majority of his stack.

Small blind: A♠5♥
Oscar Gutierrez: A♦Q♠

Both players held ace-high but Gutierrez's kicker played as he dragged a huge pot with an impressive hero-call.