2026 RGPS Golden Expedition Houston
Chip Counts
Tong Mu raised to 5,500 from under the gun and Gabriel Andrade called from the big blind. The flop came J♥9♥2♣ and both players checked to the 6♥ on the turn.
Andrade checked again and Mu flicked in a bet of 6,000. Andrade called and the 2♠ paired the board on the river. Andrade checked one more time and Mu reached back for a bet of 18,000. Andrade looked him up and Mu rolled over 6♠6♦ for a full house to win the pot.
Level: 10
Blinds: 1,500/2,500
Ante: 2,500
After Papa Karn limped in, Andrew Vodinh made it 6,000 to go in middle position. Rachelle Park three-bet to 16,000 in the cutoff and the action folded back to Vodinh. He sized up his opponent's stack and then announced all in. Park contemplated for a moment and then called off her stack of around 155,000.
Rachelle Park: A♦K♣
Andrew Vodinh: K♠K♦
Park was left searching for an ace, and an ace only. The board ran out Q♣9♠8♥J♣7♠ and Vodinh's pocket kings held on to scoop another monster pot on Day 1a.
"Goodnight everyone," Park said to her tablemates before departing for the evening.
Alexandra Loveless raised it up in the cutoff and Rachelle Park three-bet to 12,000 on the button. The blinds stepped aside and Loveless ripped all in for around 52,500. Park snap-called and the cards were on their backs.
Alexandra Loveless: 10♠10♥
Rachelle Park: K♣K♦
Loveless was looking for one of two remaining tens in the deck but the Q♥8♦5♥6♠A♣ runout provided no such help, sending the RGPS ambassador to the re-entry desk.
Level: 9
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
The field is up to 36 entries so far, with late registration still open until 12:45 a.m. local time. Over half of the field has already been eliminated as just 17 players remain. Those players are now heading on another 15-minute break.
Paul Matatall and Colin Wienken were heads-up in a pot with around 25,000 in the middle. The board read J♣9♣4♥Q♣ and Matatall led out with a bet of 18,000 from the big blind. Wienken jammed all in for 55,700 and Matatall made the call.
Colin Wienken: 9♠9♥
Paul Matatall: K♥Q♦
Matatall was left drawing to only his straight draw with Wienken holding a set of nines. The river was the 4♦ and Matatall was forced to slide a good portion of his chips across the table.
Espen Jorstad memorably won the WSOP Main Event in 2022. But the victory, which netted him $10 million and a gold bracelet, didn't come without some difficult decisions.
The champion, in a GTO Wizard video, broke down the ICM implications of his decisions along the way at the final table four years ago.
Level: 8
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 1,600