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Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
2026 RGPS Golden Expedition Dallas
$600 Main Event
Day: 1ab
Players Left 111 / 318
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Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Douglas Drees has played almost every event this week at Palace Poker, enjoying the return of the RunGood Poker Series to Texas. He also participated at the first series back in March, and has enjoyed a lot of success at the table since then.
The Western New York native grew up playing card games with his family, and has recently devoted more time branching out away from cash games after returning to the felt following a traumatic experience.
"I learned poker when I was a little kid," Drees told PokerNews on a break in the Day 1a action. "My great grandmother taught me poker concepts like we used to play when I would go to her house and she'd bring out the jar of coins and we'd just play fun games. I've been playing full-time since probably 2023, but really not tournaments. So this year is really when I started trying to play more tournaments."
"In 2025, I had a bad car accident and a traumatic brain injury, so I was out I was in bed for like three months, and then in rehab doing neuro stuff for another three months. It was like five days a week, five hours a day and seven different therapies."
His return to poker proved difficult, unable to focus and remember his cards. He began to regain his memory through therapy while also studying poker on his own time.
"I just watched a lot of poker content and everything that was studied was tournament study, tournament study, so I must have absorbed a lot of it. This year I started focusing on some tournaments and then I've done pretty well so far, you know. I think I've won seven live tournaments, 21 online, cashed a few, cashed a good one for like $44,000 in May. I think I absorbed something when I was just laying there. I'm not 100%, but I'm definitely to a point where I'm feeling confident again, you know, and poker is kind of like a comfort zone at this point."
Drees has enjoyed his RunGood experience thus far, indicating that he will keep coming back whenever the tour makes its way to North Texas.
"Everyone's really friendly. Everyone's great. You've got, you've got a team for everything, and it's like a cohesive team. You can see that you guys enjoy each other and you know cater to to us and make it easy. So I've really enjoyed it."
Level: 11
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Michael McBarron limped in early position, and Tony Hirzel did the same in the hijack. Daniel Lowery raised on the button to 10,000, with both opponents calling to see the J♦6♠K♦ flop.
McBarron checked to Hirzel, who bet 12,000. Lowery called before McBarron check-raised all in for 69,500. That produced a fold from Hirzel, while Lowery took a moment before making the call.
Michael McBarron: 6♥6♦ 
Daniel Lowery: A♦J♥
McBarron's set of sixes held through the 10♠ turn and 9♣ river, earning the double-up while leaving Lowery short.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Action was heads up to the 8♥J♠7♥ flop, with around 23,000 already in the middle. Maverick Johnson led out from the big blind for 10,000, and William Lee raised to 22,000 on his left.
Johnson then three-bet to 60,000, and Lee went into the tank. After taking some time, Lee opted to let his hand go and the pot was sent to Johnson.
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
The RunGood Poker Series has officially crowned Craig Welko as the champion of the 2025-26 Player of the Year Race following the RGPS Grand Prix and RGPS Passport seasons.
Welko will receive a custom traveling Player of the Year banner to be showcased at RunGood tour stops throughout the upcoming season, while the top five finalists will also be inducted into the prestigious RunGood Hall of Rings.
2025-26 RGPS Player of the Year Top Five
- Craig Welko – 2205.58 pts
- Nicholas Rigby – 2049.80 pts
- Robert Gardner – 1298.46 pts
- Cody Stanford – 1104.24 pts
- Carl Masters – 1092.61 pts
Level 10
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Level: 10
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Saul Sarabia Cruz opened to 4,000 on the button, and Chad Driskill defended his big blind to see the A♦10♠6♠ flop. Both players checked, and Driskill led out for 3,000 on the 7♠ turn.
Cruz called to the 3♦ river, where Driskill fired another 3,000. Cruz took a moment before sliding out a raise to 8,000. Driskill did not take long to let his hand go, and Cruz collected the pot.
Level 9
: Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
The opening flight of the $600 Main Event saw a total of 100 entries, and play will continue tonight until the final 12 players remain.
The next chance to join the action begins this evening, as Day 1b starts at 5:00 p.m. local time.
