Level 18: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 12,000 ante
Zozimo Cardenas opened to 32,000 in middle position, and Sung Lee three-bet to 105,000 in the cutoff. Cardenas made the call, and checked the 10♥4♣10♠ flop.
Lee asked for a count of her opponent's remaining stack before betting 135,000. Cardenas did not take long to let his hand go, and Lee picked up the pot.
Level 18: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 12,000 ante
Vu Lam raised to 40,000 in early position, and Simon Webster called in the cutoff. Will Givens defended his big blind, checking the Q♥9♠7♦ flop.
Lam continued for 50,000, and Webster took some time before letting his hand go. Givens then check-raised to 150,000, and Lam replied by moving all in for 388,000.
Givens opted to send his cards into the muck, and Lam stacked up some new chips.
Level 17: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
James Traber slid his 8,000 chips into the middle from under the gun, at risk against Preston Duron in the small blind and David Carter in the big blind.
Duron bet 12,000 on the 3♥4♣7♥ flop, and Carter let his hand go.
James Traber: A♥2♣ 
Preston Duron: 5♣5♦
Traber picked up some outs on the 2♠ turn, but the A♦ river saw Duron make a wheel to score the early knockout.
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Players have taken their seats, and cards are in the air for Day 2.
Action resumes with 11:38 remaining in Level 17.
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $91,456 | 22-24 | $3,471 |
| 2 | $56,532 | 25-27 | $2,956 |
| 3 | $42,266 | 28-30 | $2,547 |
| 4 | $31,924 | 31-33 | $2,220 |
| 5 | $24,364 | 34-37 | $1,959 |
| 6 | $18,789 | 37-45 | $1,750 |
| 7 | $14,643 | 46-54 | $1,582 |
| 8 | $11,535 | 55-63 | $1,448 |
| 9 | $9,185 | 64-72 | $1,342 |
| 10-12 | $7,394 | 73-81 | $1,260 |
| 13-15 | $6,018 | 82-90 | $1,198 |
| 16-18 | $4,953 | 91-99 | $1,154 |
| 19-21 | $4,122 | 100-128 | $1,126 |
The final day of the 2026 RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition season-opening stop in Dallas will reach its conclusion tonight, as the $600 Main Event title will be awarded alongside the RGPS ring and Palace Poker trophy.
After eight opening flights throughout the week, the final 128 players from 1,058 entrants will return at 10:00 a.m. local time to resume their battle for the largest pieces of the $529,000 prize pool.
Everyone will be chasing Aakash Karki, who bagged up an impressive 2,138,000 chips after scoring a big double on the final level of Day 1f.
Among the group sitting well back of Karki are Day 1h chip leader Bill Ioannides (1,592,000) and Maverick Johnson (1,476,000), who set the pace on Day 1c. Johnson is looking for his second ring of the series, having already claimed victory this week in the $200 One Day Ring Event.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aakash Karki | United States | 2,138,000 |
| 2 | Bill Ioannides | United States | 1,592,000 |
| 3 | Maverick Johnson | United States | 1,476,000 |
| 4 | Harrison Hood | United States | 1,300,000 |
| 5 | Justin Adkins | United States | 1,270,000 |
| 6 | Simon Britton | United States | 1,240,000 |
| 7 | Phan Phat | United States | 1,085,000 |
| 8 | David Peters (TX) | United States | 1,070,000 |
| 9 | Preston Duron | United States | 1,000,000 |
| 10 | Mauricio Miranda | Mexico | 992,000 |
The Day 2 field is filled with familiar names, including RunGood regulars Rob Gardner (579,000), Randy Sadler (295,000) and RGPS Ambassador and ring winer Alexandra Loveless (374,000).
Other notables still in contention include Simon Webster (750,000), WSOP bracelet winner William Leffingwell (482,000), Chase Bricker (212,000) and Justin Dreiling (333,000), looking to continue his comeback from four big blinds late on Day 1f.
Defending RGPS Dallas Main Event champion Daniel Lowery made it through in the final flight, and is still alive with a chance to repeat his victory from March.
One player bagged twice, as Duster Ellis improved on his short stack status from Day 1c by finishing with 170,000 chips on Day 1f. His larger stack will carry forward today, and Ellis will receive an additional minimum cash to add to his total.
Players will return bright and early, where action will resume with 11:38 left in Level 17 at blinds of 6,000/12,000 and a 12,000 big blind ante. The structure will see levels continue at 30 minutes in duration, and breaks will occur after every two hours of play.
Palace Poker's YouTube channel will air the final table, where the last nine players will battle for the title. Full payout information will be posted prior to the start of play.
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on poker's biggest stars or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you.
No subscriptions, no paywalls, just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most. It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Don't miss any of the action, as two RGPS Main Event rings will be awarded today! PokerNews will have full coverage of both this exciting event, plus the $800 Main Event at RGPS Golden Expedition Southern Indiana.
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