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$800 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 RGPS Passport Atlantic City
$800 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2026 RGPS Passport Atlantic City
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$497,000
Total Entries
710
Level
30
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
196
Players Left
24
Players Left 1 / 710
Filter
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Nicholas Rigby came into Day 1a of the $800 RunGood Passport Season Atlantic City Main Event on a hot streak, winning three RunGood Poker Series rings in just two days before heading to the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa for this festival. He was cruising along and poised to make another deep run near the end of the day, but one hand changed all that.
Rigby and Alen Habib played a nearly 1,000,000 chip coin flip, with Habib’s queens holding up against Rigby’s ace-king as Habib seized the chip lead in the closing moments of the opening flight. Habib bagged up 1,097,000 as 24 players made it through to Day 2 out of 196 total entries.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alen Habib | United States | 1,097,000 | 110 |
| 2 | Michael Cohen | United States | 932,000 | 93 |
| 3 | Andrew Porter | United States | 854,000 | 85 |
| 4 | Jeff Gibson | United States | 787,000 | 79 |
| 5 | Federico Castro | Argentina | 660,000 | 66 |
| 6 | David Kilcoyne | United States | 581,000 | 58 |
| 7 | Ilya Ashmyan | 581,000 | 58 | |
| 8 | Kevin Grabel | United States | 446,000 | 45 |
| 9 | Steve Christopher | 423,000 | 42 | |
| 10 | Chris Basile | United States | 363,000 | 36 |
Habib is followed by Michael Cohen (932,000), Andrew Porter (854,000), Jeff Gibson (787,000), and Federico Castro (660,000). Gibson went on a flurry of late eliminations, first spiking a set of tens to crack two kings then coolering another opponent after both flopped trips, Gibson taking the pot with his king-kicker. “When you’re hot, you’re hot,” his vanquished opponent told him on his way to the rail.
Both Pahuja brothers survived the day, PokerNews PowerStack champion Mukul ending up with 237,000 while Vinny followed behind on 134,000. Others to secure their spots on Day 2 included Kevin Grabel (446,000), Chris Basile (363,000), Sundiata DeVore (344,000), and Alex Rocha (174,000).
Remo Lupo and his bananas were an unmistakable presence here today, but Lupo’s luck ran out when Andres Gallego made the nut flush on the turn to send Lupo to the rail. Michael Bohmerwald, Michael Marder, Chris Conrad, Russ Dunlevy, and Daniel Buzgon were also among those who will have to try again on a subsequent flight if they want to chase the inaugural RGPS Atlantic City championship ring.
Day 1a ended with 18 minutes remaining in Level 16 with blinds of 5,000/10,000 and a 10,000 big blind ante. Day 2 begins at noon local time on March 15 with action picking up on the earliest finishing time from one of the four starting flights. A player who bagged up on this flight can still enter subsequent flights, with their smaller stacks being taken out of play on Day 2 in exchange for a min-cash.
Day 1b is currently ongoing, so stay on PokerNews for all the action here from Borgata.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Day 1a has ended with 24 players remaining out of 196 entries.
Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Action folded to James Dezendorf who moved all in for 170,000 in the small blind. Steve Christopher was in the big blind and slowly peeled his two cards before calling.
James Dezendorf: 8♥8♦ 
Steve Christopher: K♦K♠
Dezendorf had run his eights into Christopher's kings, and the board ran out 10♣A♣10♥9♦4♦ to keep Christopher in the lead and send Dezendorf to the rail.
Another player was also eliminated at the same time on another table, and the remaining 24 players made the money and are bagging up their chips for the night.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Alen Habib and Nicholas Rigby just played a nearly 1,000,000 chip pot as Rigby four-bet shoved for around 450,000 from the button. Habib put him at risk in the small blind.
Nicholas Rigby: A♦K♦
Alen Habib: Q♣Q♥
Rigby needed to improve against Habib's queens in the classic flip, but Habib remained in the lead on the 10♥10♦6♦7♠9♣ board to earn the massive pot and send Rigby to the rail.
With 26 players remaining, the field is within two spots of the money.
Level 16
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Michael Cohen bet 20,000 from the small blind on a board of 9♠9♥A♠Q♥ before Jeff Gibson raised to 75,000 in the big blind. A player in early position then moved all for 170,000, Cohen folded, while Gibson quickly called.
The early-position player showed 10♥9♦ for trips, but Gibson had K♣9♣ and was ahead with his king-kicker. The river was the 8♠ and Gibson secured the knockout as he and Cohen built up the two biggest stacks in the room.
Level: 16
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Chris Conrad moved all in from the big blind and was up against Kevin Grabel in the cutoff.
Chris Conrad: 8♥8♦
Kevin Grabel: 9♥9♦
Conrad was crushed by Grabel's nines, and the 7♠J♦3♦6♣Q♠ board offered him no help. Conrad didn't even wait to see if Grabel had him covered before heading for the exit.
"Don't even count it. Just give me the chips," Grabel joked with the dealer. A count showed Grabel had Conrad's remaining 120,000 covered, and Grabel brought the field down to within five of making the money.
Level 15
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Chris Conrad raised to 16,000 in early position before Matthew Cerbone three-bet to 50,000 in middle position. Conrad then moved all in, and Cerbone called for 117,000.
Matthew Cerbone: Q♦Q♣
Chris Conrad: 9♥9♠
Cerbone was ahead with his queens as the flop came 7♣A♣3♣, but Conrad spiked the 9♦ on the turn to make a set and take the lead. The river, though, was the 6♣ and Cerbone hit a flush to win the pot and double up.
