The Milkman Bags as Chip Leader
The picture is getting clearer as the third flight of the RunGood Poker Series $360 PokerNews PowerStack Ring Event came to a close here at Palace Poker in Grand Prairie, Texas. A total of 156 entries took their shot at the $100,000 guarantee as 19 players secured their spot on Day 2.
Mason “The Milkman” Vieth (1,489,000) topped the leaderboard for Day 1c, followed by Jose Garcia (486,000) and Michellee Simon (348,000).
Day 1c Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mason Vieth | United States | 1,489,000 | 186 |
| 2 | Jose Garcia | United States | 486,000 | 61 |
| 3 | Michellee Simon | United States | 348,000 | 44 |
| 4 | Scot Fahrenbruch | United States | 344,000 | 43 |
| 5 | Andrew Hagee | United States | 236,000 | 30 |
| 6 | Ku Davis | United States | 206,000 | 26 |
| 7 | Robert Beck | United States | 205,000 | 26 |
| 8 | Simon Webster | United States | 195,000 | 24 |
| 9 | Ting Chi | United States | 157,000 | 20 |
| 10 | Joseph Gonzalez | United States | 134,000 | 17 |
Vieth enjoyed a massive surge towards the end of Day 1c as the overwhelming chip leader of not only Day 1c, but the first three flights. For Vieth, the job is still not done. He is thankful for the strong opening flight, but shared with PokerNews that the mission is still not finished.
“It’s a great feeling to be the chip lead, but the goal is to win the tournament,” Vieth said.
Vieth has shared his poker journey with his followers on X and Instagram where you can find him @milkmanpoker or milkman_mason respectively shared why he’s called “The Milkman” and has embraced the nickname over his poker career.
“I grew up on a diary farm. We ran a dairy for 53 years, and now we are transitioning to beef and red Angus,” Vieth said.
Vieth has yet to capture an RGPS title, and will be in a great postion to do so as he enters the room tomorrow. Vieth will also be chasing another milestone as he inches closer to the seven-figure mark in career earnings.
“It’s a big deal to cross the seven-figure mark to me,” Vieth said. “This is actually one of the first RunGood events that I’ve played. It would be great to win a RunGood. I know a lot of successful players that have won one.”
Finishing behind Vieth in the Day 1c standings was Garcia. For Garcia, this is familiar territory as he is still relatively fresh off his RGPS Main Event Austin title run in February. Garcia can now add a second ring and main event title to his cabinet should he pull off a storng run on Day 2.
There are still two starting flights left before the entirety of the field for Day 2 will be decided. Players who qualified for Day 2 will restart at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, March 21. Play will continue until a champion is crowned.
Check back here at PokerNews tomorrow for a complete list of Day 2 redraw and chip counts in advance of the beginning of Day 2, and full coverage as a new champion will be crowned in the RGPS $360 PokerNews PowerStack at Palace Poker.