$600 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Tunica
$600 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Tunica
Buy-in
$600
Prize Pool
$287,640
Entries
564
Level
28
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
146
Players Left
18
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Day 1a of the $600 Main Event for the RunGood Poker Series has wrapped up at Horseshoe Tunica, drawing 146 entrants, with 18 players making the money and bagging for Day 2. Michael Johns emerged as the chip leader, finishing the night with an impressive 840,000 in chips.
Johns, fresh off winning his sixth RGPS ring just one night ago in the Tag Team event, is looking to add to his collection after bagging a sizable chip lead. A RGPS regular, Johns is just shy of $200,000 in career tournament earnings, according to Hendon Mob. Sitting second in chips is Matthew Higgins (583,000), an accomplished player with over $2 million in poker earnings, while LaShun Wallace rounds out the top three, securing 496,000 for Day 2.
Top 10 Chip Counts from Day 1a
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Johns | United States | 840,000 |
| 2 | Matt Higgins | United States | 583,000 |
| 3 | LaShun Wallace | United States | 496,000 |
| 4 | Mark Lafata | United States | 325,000 |
| 5 | Adam Watson | United States | 266,000 |
| 6 | Maggie Fox | United States | 260,000 |
| 7 | Justin Kelley | United States | 235,000 |
| 8 | Ryan Garren | United States | 214,000 |
| 9 | Aaron McIntosh | United States | 206,000 |
| 10 | Mike Cordell | United States | 168,000 |
Several RGPS ambassadors took their shot in the field, including defending Tunica Main Event champion Preston McEwen. However, McEwen was unable to advance to Day 2 after losing the majority of his stack when he flopped a set of deuces, only to see his opponent turn a flush and put him on the brink of elimination. Fellow ambassadors Cody Stanford, Caitlin Comeskey, and Michael Sanders also competed in Day 1a, but had a similar fate as McEwen, as they were unable to secure a bag. They’ll have another chance to make Day 2 as they return tomorrow for the remaining Day 1 flights.
The 18 remaining players secured a spot in the money and advanced to Day 2 after a dramatic hand on the stone bubble, courtesy of Matt Higgins and his pocket kings. Higgins opened from the hijack before the player on the button moved all in with king-queen for nearly 200,000 chips, despite several shorter stacks still in play. When the board ran out, Higgins’ cowboys held up, bursting the bubble and bringing Day 1a to a close as the remaining players bagged their chips for the night.
Two final Day 1 flights are set to take place on Saturday March 15. Players will start the event with 30,000 chips, playing 30-minute levels during Day 1 flights before levels increase to 40 minutes on Day 2. Blinds will begin at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. There will be a 15-minute break after every four levels of play.
This event features unlimited reentries, with late registration open until the start of Level 9. Play will continue until only 12.5% of the field remains, at which point players will reach the money, bag their chips, and return for Day 2.
Remaining $600 Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 3/15/25 | Day 1b | 11:00 a.m. |
| 3/15/25 | Day 1c | 6:00 p.m. |
| 3/16/25 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. |
Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates and coverage of 2025 RGPS Mission RunGood Tunica until a champion is crowned.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
840,000
480,000
|
480,000 |
|
||
|
583,000
368,000
|
368,000 |
|
496,000
98,000
|
98,000 |
|
325,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
266,000
66,000
|
66,000 |
|
||
|
260,000
17,000
|
17,000 |
|
235,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
214,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
|
206,000
77,000
|
77,000 |
|
168,000 | |
|
||
|
166,000
19,000
|
19,000 |
|
138,000
116,400
|
116,400 |
|
120,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
99,000
69,000
|
69,000 |
|
94,000
31,000
|
31,000 |
|
79,000
3,400
|
3,400 |
|
52,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
36,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Matthew Higgins opened the action with a raise to 16,000 from the hijack, and once it folded to the player on the button, he three-bet all in for his stack of roughly 200,000. It folded back to Higgins who quickly made the call.
Button: K♣Q♥ 
Matthew Higgins: K♥K♦
The button tried make a move on the bubble to steal the pot, but Higgins had a real hand with his pocket kings. The 9♥7♦7♠ flop brought no help for the all-in player, but the 10♣ on the turn did give him hope with a gut shot straight draw. But the river brought no help when the 2♠ hit the felt, giving Higgins the pot, eliminating his opponent, and bursting the bubble.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With 19 players remaining and 18 making the money and Day 2, the tournament director has announced that play will go to hand for hand. All three tables will play one hand, and two minutes will be taken off the clock once all hands are complete.
Level: 15
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Action folded to the player in the small blind who rasied all in for his stack of 35,000, and Walker Miskelly in the big blind called to put him at risk.
Small Blind: 8♥4♠
Walker Miskelly: A♦4♦
Miskelly had his opponent dominated, and once the board ran out A♠6♣J♦8♦7♠ Miskelly improved to a pair of aces to take the pot and eliminate his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
125,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Matt Higgins opened the action from early position with a raise to 15,000, which was called by Ryan Garren in middle position. It then folded to Cody Stanford on the button who three-bet all in. It folded back to Higgins who made the call, which for Garren out of the hand to leave the players heads up, with Stanford at risk.
Cody Stanford: A♣4♠
Matt Higgins: 8♠8♦
Higgins was in front with his pocket eights, and once the board ran out 9♥3♥5♠Q♦3♣ the pocket eights of Higgins were still best, giving him the pot and eliminating Stafford.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
225,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
215,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
398,000
245,000
|
245,000 |
|
|
385,000
355,000
|
355,000 |
|
|
360,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
255,000
17,500
|
17,500 |
|
|
200,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
195,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
185,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
