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$800 Main Event
Day 1ab Completed
2026 RGPS Golden Expedition New Orleans
$800 Main Event
Day: 1ab
Players Left 24 / 207
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
3
343,000
5
285,000
7
177,000
8
175,000
9
175,000
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Action continues in this RGPS Golden Expedition event, with full chip counts and information for the late flight to be posted in the morning.
Chip counts can also be found at the conclusion of play on the RunGood Rewards App.
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Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The books are closed for the first flight of the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition New Orleans $800 Main Event. A total of 60 entries took their shot at Caesars New Orleans to secure a bag and advance to Day 2. This resulted in seven players being permitted to advance to the final day of play.
Kathryn Lindsay (471,000) topped the chip counts after bagging the most chips of any player on Day 1a. My Nguyen (340,000) and David Cocheles (285,000) finished with the second and third most chips, respectively.
Final Chip Counts for Day 1a
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathryn Lindsay | United States | 471,000 | 59 |
| 2 | My Nguyen | United States | 340,000 | 43 |
| 3 | David Cocheles | United States | 285,000 | 36 |
| 4 | Christopher Savage | United States | 267,000 | 33 |
| 5 | Brian Seni | United States | 177,000 | 22 |
| 6 | Charles Bartlett | United States | 138,000 | 17 |
| 7 | Tristan Welch | United States | 92,000 | 12 |
“You know what’s funny. I would want to be chip leader despite knowing that it doesn’t matter in the long run. I’m just ultra competitive, and that side of me makes it matter,” said Lindsay to PokerNews following the conclusion of Day 1a. “Me being in for one bullet is good. Having a day off is nice. I’m just excited.”
Lindsay has plenty of experience in the live tournament scene with over $1,100,000 in career earnings per her The Hendon Mob profile. This is her second cash of this series after she took third place in the RGPS $400 Double Stack Ring Event earlier this week. Lindsay is still searching for her first RGPS ring, however, and will have the opportunity to accomplish that feat when she returns for Day 2 action on Sunday.
Nguyen has amassed over $70,000 in career earnings according to his The Hendon Mob page. Nguyen’s ascension to the top of the chip counts was accelerated when he scored a double knockout with his pocket kings to amass a healthy stack.
He would hit a speed bump when Cocheles caught a river to win a big pot, but Nguyen got back in the win column when he eliminated Mihail Karasoulis to get back over 300,000 in chips.
Reigning RGPS New Orleans Main Event Champion Jeremy Gaubert made an appearance to defend his title, but the opening flight was not meant to be for Gaubert, as he was eliminated and will have to find another flight to punch his ticket to Day 2.
Other notables that did not advance include Preston McEwen, Grant Hart, and Rob Mariano.
Day 1b is currently underway, with Saturday set to host two additional starting flights. Day 1c begins at 12:15 p.m., while Day 1d will start at 6:15 p.m. All times are local.
Main Event Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
| Sat, Sept. 12 | 12:15 p.m. | $800 Main Event Flight 1c |
| Sat, Sept. 12 | 6:15 p.m. | $800 Main Event Flight 1d |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | 12:15 p.m. | $800 Main Event Day 2 |
All times are local*
Players begin with a starting stack of 30,000. Competitors are entitled to unlimited reentries with registration closing at the beginning of Level 9. Players may also forfeit their stack at the end of Level 8 and re-enter for $800 and begin with a fresh starting stack at the beginning of Level 9. Players who qualify for Day 2 more than once will advance with their largest stack, and forfeit their other stack(s) and receive a minimum Day 2 payout for each forfeited stack.
A total of 12.5% of players (rounded down) from each starting flight are entitled to advance to Day 2.
Stay tuned here at PokerNews for continued coverage of the RGPS Golden Expedition New Orleans $800 Main Event.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
A player from under the gun shipped it for his last 64,000. David Cocheles made the call from the cutoff to put his opponent at risk.
Opponent: J♠J♦
David Cocheles: A♦Q♥
It was a flip to end Day 1a, and the pocket jacks stayed ahead on the K♠K♣10♥ flop.
The 7♠ turn was of no consequence, but Day 1a ended on the river when the A♥ peeled to eliminate the player under the gun.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The action has slowed down as the remaining eight players have been selective in their choices on the bubble. Seven will advance from Day 1a.
Level: 15
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
My Nguyen opened from under the gun before Mihail Karasoulis shoved from the big blind for approximately 65,000. Nguyen quickly called, putting Karasoulis at risk.
Mihail Karasoulis: 8♥8♠
My Nguyen: Q♣Q♦
Karasoulis held a pocket pair, but he was well behind Nguyen's pocket queens.
The runout brought no drama as it came 6♣2♥9♣A♥J♠ to eliminate Karasoulis.
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Kathryn Lindsay opened to 18,000 from the small blind before her opponent called out of the big blind.
The 10♣9♥J♠ flop led to a check from Lindsay. The big blind bet 25,000 and Lindsay made the call.
Lindsay opted to check the 4♦ turn before the big blind went all-in for 135,000. Lindsay surveyed the situation before she made the call to put the big blind at risk.
Big Blind: 10♥9♦
Kathryn Lindsay: Q♠J♦
The big blind was ahead with his two pair, but Lindsay had outs with her open-ended straight draw as well as outs to a better two pair or trips.
The river was one of those outs as Lindsay spiked the Q♦ on the last card to eliminate her opponent.
Level 14
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
This hand was picked up on the flop of 10♣2♠3♦ with at least 30,000 already in the middle. My Nguyen put out a wager of 30,000 from the small blind, and David Cocheles made the call on the button.
The 5♥ turn led to a check from Nguyen. Cocheles responded with a bet of 42,000. Nguyen gave it some thought before he put in the call.
Both players checked the K♦ river to go to showdown.
Cocheles showed K♣Q♣ for a rivered pair of kings, much to the dismay of Nguyen. Nguyen flashed the 10♦ before he mucked his hand to award the healthy pot to Cocheles late on Day 1a.
