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$1,300 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 RGPS Golden Expedition Maryland
$1,300 Main Event
Day: 1b
Players Left 51 / 329
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Justin Arnwine busted on the money bubble during yesterday’s opening flight, and he took out his frustrations on the field today on Day 1b of the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition Maryland $1,300 Main Event.
Arnwine rocketed past the million-chip mark and atop the overall leaderboard with 1,223,000 as 14 players survived the second flight. He did most of his damage against a familiar foe, winning a big race with nines against Russ Dunlevy’s ace-king near the money bubble. Arnwine won this event last year when he defeated Dunlevy heads-up, just one of the hundreds of titles the prodigious poker champion has accumulated in his career.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Arnwine | United States | 1,223,000 |
| 2 | Michael Stroman | United States | 741,000 |
| 3 | Brandon Padula | United States | 519,000 |
| 4 | Maclaren Chatham | United States | 492,000 |
| 5 | Kashka Corpening | United States | 479,000 |
| 6 | Mark Wahba | United States | 469,000 |
| 7 | Ryan Kirkpatrick | United States | 448,000 |
| 8 | Anthony Luong | United States | 236,000 |
| 9 | Valentin Lita | United States | 208,000 |
| 10 | Vernon Baker | United States | 185,000 |
Michael Stroman moved up into second place with 741,000 after picking up two queens to bust Anthony Ibrahim on the money bubble. Brandon Padula (519,000), Maclaren Chatham (492,000), and Kash Corpening (479,000) round out the top five.
Others through to Day 2 include Mark Wahba (469,000), Valentin Lita (208,000), John Major (159,000), and George Karmires (96,000). Among those who couldn’t make it through the day were Ari Katz, Yaser Al-Keliddar, Dennis Backhaus, Carlos Chadha, Nicholas Rigby, and Aaron Pinson.
The 107 entries recorded on Day 1b brought the total field up to 143 through two starting flights. There is still Day 1c to come tomorrow at 11:15 a.m., and it’s expected to be the biggest one yet as the MGM National Harbor poker room will be packed on a busy Saturday night. All surviving players then return for Day 2 on Sunday, September 27, at 12:15 p.m. The action will pick up at the earliest finishing time from one of the starting flights. Day 1b went nearly two levels longer than Day 1a did yesterday, finishing in Level 17.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow for the final starting flight, so stay tuned for more updates.
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Anthony Ibrahim raised to 30,000 under the gun and Brandon Padula called in the big blind.
The flop came J♣J♥9♦ and Ibrahim bet 20,000. Padula then raised to 50,000, and Ibrahim called.
Padula bet another 35,000 on the K♥ turn, and Ibrahim folded.
The next hand, Michael Stroman raised to 30,000 in early position, Ibrahim moved all in for 231,000 in the big blind, and Stroman snap-called.
Anthony Ibrahim: J♠J♦ 
Michael Stroman: Q♦Q♠
Ibrahim was crushed by Stroman's queens, and the 6♠2♣10♥6♦5♥ board offered no help as he was eliminated on the money bubble.
The remaining 14 players are bagging up their chips for the night.
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Valentin Lita bet 22,000 from the small blind on a flop of 8♥3♣9♠ and Michael Stroman called on the button.
Lita bet another 60,000 on the 8♦ turn, and Stroman again called. Lita checked the 10♣ river, and Stroman moved all in for 220,000. Lita quickly folded.
Level: 17
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Ryan Kirkpatrick raised to 20,00 in middle position, Anthony Ibrahim moved all in from the small blind, and Kirkpatrick snap-called for 224,000.
Ryan Kirkpatrick: A♣A♠
Anthony Ibrahim: A♥Q♣
Kirkpatrick had found two aces and was a big favorite to double up. Ibrahim picked up a straight draw on the 9♠J♦6♦10♥ flop, but he improved no further on the 3♣ river as Kirkpatrick stayed alive on the bubble.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Mark Wahba raised to 25,000 in middle position and Kash Corpening called in the cutoff. Vernon Baker then moved all in for 95,000 on the button, and only Wahba called.
Vernon Baker: 8♠8♦
Mark Wahba: K♠Q♠
The board ran out 9♥3♠3♦5♥10♥, and Baker's two eights remained in the lead to earn him a double up.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
The elimination of AJ Johnson brought the field down to 15 players. Action is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Just as quickly as Russ Dunlevy stacked up that last pot against AJ Johnson, his chips disappeared in a massive pot against Justin Arnwine.
According to Arnwine, Dunlevy limped in from the hijack before he raised to 60,000 in the cutoff. Dunlevy then moved all in for 380,000, and Arnwine called with 9♦9♣. Dunlevy had A♠K♦, but the board ran out queen-high to keep Arnwine in the lead and send Dunlevy to the rail.
