button in SafariLast Two Chances to Bag the $600 Main Event on Tap in Tunica
Action resumes today at the 2026 RGPS Golden Expedition Tunica series, where the last two opening flights of the $600 Main Event are set to begin.
Players will take their seats on Day 1b at 11:00 a.m. local time in the iconic Horseshoe Tunica poker room, looking to survive their way into the money and a spot in the final day on November 15. That will be followed by Day 1c at 6:00 p.m. as the last chance to collect chips and lock up at least a minumum cash.
The opening flight drew 101 entries, producing a total of 12 contenders who already earned a payday and a piece of the $200,000 guaranteed prize pool. Those dozen were led by Michael Benbrook (615,000), holding a big advantage after 15 levels were played on Day 1a.
Sitting in second spot was Michael Scarbrough (422,000), while James Freeman (362,000) finished in third as the only other player to bag up more than 10 starting stacks. Those three set the benchmark, with many more chips expected to be in play today.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Benbrook | United States | 615,000 |
| 2 | Michael Scarbrough | United States | 422,000 |
| 3 | James Freeman | United States | 362,000 |
| 4 | Wallace Lammons | United States | 288,000 |
| 5 | Eric Sutton | United States | 270,000 |
| 6 | Gerald Williams | United States | 244,000 |
| 7 | Ian Jeffries | United States | 228,000 |
| 8 | Billy McBrayer | United States | 170,000 |
| 9 | Riley Sims | United States | 136,000 |
| 10 | Kate Hubert | United States | 120,000 |
| 11 | John Therrell | United States | 113,000 |
| 12 | Brett Hagopian | United States | 68,000 |
Players will once again start with 30,000 chips, and blinds will begin at 100/200 along with a 200 big blind ante for both remaining flights. All Day 1 levels are 30 minutes long, while survivors that reach Day 2 will see 40 minute clocks for the rest of the tournament.
The clocks will pause for 15-minute breaks after every four levels, with unlimited reentry available until late registration closes before start of Level 9. Both flights will play down to the top 12.5% of each field, when players will bag up in the money to return the following day.
The last RGPS visit to Tunica attracted 495 entries for the Passport Season Main Event, so the day should be busy as players take multiple shots to build a big stack for Day 2.
Remaining $600 Main Event Schedule
| Date | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| November 14 | Day 1b | 11:00 a.m. |
| November 14 | Day 1c | 6:00 p.m. |
| November 15 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. |
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As always, the PokerNews live reporting team will provide full coverage so be sure to stay tuned to the $600 Main Event until a winner is determined in Tunica.