The remaining 17 players unanimously agreed to take a five-minute break instead of the upcoming scheduled 15-minute break at the end of Level 15.
The remaining 17 players unanimously agreed to take a five-minute break instead of the upcoming scheduled 15-minute break at the end of Level 15.
A player from early position jammed for his final 115,000 and was called by Andrew Tran on the button to be at risk.
Opponent: A♦K♦
Andrew Tran: A♥J♥
Tran needed help to overcome the better ace of his opponent, and the flop brought immediate assistance as it came 5♣2♥J♣ to give Tran the lead.
The J♦ turn ended any hopes for his opponent as the irrelevant 4♠ hit the river.
Level: 15
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
A player from middle position shoved for his final 26,000 and was called by Ashley "Pokerface Ash" Frank to be at risk.
Opponent: A♣J♥
Ashley Frank: Q♣10♠
Frank needed help to overcome the ace high or her opponent, but the flop brought little to work with as it came 7♠3♣2♥.
Help came on the turn as Frank spiked the Q♦ to pull ahead. The K♠ river completed the runout as Frank took down the pot and secured the elimination.
Spenser Sembrat drew the line in the sand when he jammed for 107,000 from the hijack. The cutoff also chose to go all-in for less with a shove for 79,000. Terrance Reid woke up with a hand and chose to make the call to put Sembrat and the cutoff at risk.
Cutoff: 10♠10♦
Spenser Sembrat: J♣J♠
Terrance Reid: A♣Q♠
Sembrat was in the lead as they went to a runout, but he needed to fade overcards and a ten to stay in contention.
The flop was an immediate relief for Sembrat when it came J♥3♥6♣ to give Sembrat top set.
Sembrat stayed ahead on the 4♦ turn and the 7♣ river to secure nearly a triple up in the late stages of Day 1a.
Reid was eliminated shortly after, as he was seen leaving the tournament area a couple of hands after his loss to Sembrat.
The board read 3♦4♣5♦K♦ before David Leach out of the small blind, and David Leach from under the gun got the chips in the middle with Leach at risk on the turn.
David Leach: K♥6♥
Bruce Nguyen: K♠Q♥
Nguyen was ahead, but Leach had plenty of outs with a straight draw and two pair outs.
Nguyen was fortunate enough to fade his opponent's outs as the river bricked to award Nguyen the pot.
Level: 14
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
An opponent opened with a raise from the button before Spenser Sembrat chose to jam for his final 56,000 from the big blind. The button called to put Sembrat at risk.
Spenser Sembrat: Q♠Q♦
Opponent: 8♥8♦
Sembrat avoided any pitfalls as the 4♣3♥A♠10♣5♥ board awarded Sembrat the much-needed double to stay in the hunt on Day 1a.
The hand began with a limp from a player in middle position before the button chose to go all-in for 140,000. RunGood Poker Series Ambassador Kris Burchfield went all-in for 127,000 to be at risk after the limper folded.
Kris Burchfield: A♣A♦
Opponent: A♠Q♣
Burchfield was well ahead, but the flop gave his opponent a glimmer of hope as it came J♥Q♠3♥ to give his opponent a pair. The 9♦ turn and the 3♠ river did not upset Burchfield's aces as he secured the double.
Level: 13
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000