Tony Courtney Headlines Day 1b of RGPS Passport Joplin Main Event
The second flight of the RunGood Poker Series Passport Joplin $600 Main Event drew a total of 198 entries, advancing 24 players to Day 2 of the $100,000 guaranteed main event at Downstream Casino Resort.
Tony Courtney (864,000) was the top count to come out of the pack on Day 1b. Plez Bradley (614,000) and Freeman Allen (527,000) rounded out the top three finishers from the second flight.
Top Ten Chip Counts Day 1b
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Courtney | United States | 864,000 | 173 |
| 2 | Plez Bradley | United States | 614,000 | 123 |
| 3 | Freeman Allen | United States | 527,000 | 105 |
| 4 | Johan Cervantes | United States | 482,000 | 96 |
| 5 | Kyle McConnell | United States | 422,000 | 84 |
| 6 | Tyler Barnes | United States | 414,000 | 83 |
| 7 | Michael Varnell | United States | 407,000 | 81 |
| 8 | Cody Reed | United States | 234,000 | 47 |
| 9 | Ryan Lynch | United States | 232,000 | 46 |
| 10 | Paul Dodson | United States | 217,000 | 43 |
Courtney was a force to be reckoned with for the majority of Day 1b, beginning with a knockout during the first level of play.
This would only be a taste of things to come as Courtney would play the role of knockout artist throughout the flight, busting former RGPS Main Event champion Nicholas Burris to soar past the quarter-million mark. Courtney would add another feather in his cap when he busted Jesse Jones to near his final mark of 864,000.
Courtney spoke to PokerNews about his mindset after getting off to a hot start.
“At our home game, we all play pretty aggressively anyway,” Courtney said. “Ain’t that how you’re supposed to do it?”
Courtney shared that he has played poker for 25 years and plays both cash and tournaments. He was happy with his Day 1b result, but didn’t want to get too ahead of himself.
“I guess it’s alright, but there’ll be a lot of people to beat Sunday,” Courtney said. “There are a lot of good players.”
Notable RGPS Ambassador Jeff Copeland (193,000) made the cut. Former main event champion Tyler Barnes (414,000) also bagged. Other notables to advance from Day 1b include AP Phahurat (188,000), Bobby Randolph (176,000), Cody Reed (234,000), and Duster Ellis (40,000).
RGPS Ambassadors Blair Hinkle, Brian Winter, and Daniel Hughes were unable to advance from Day 1b. Notables Will Berry and Jesse Jones were also unable to bag.
RGPS Passport Joplin Main Event Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
| Sat, April 11 | 10 a.m. | $600 Main Event Flight 1c |
| Sat, April 11 | 3 p.m. | $600 Main Event Flight 1d |
| Sun, April 12 | 11 a.m. | $600 Main Event Day 2 |
On Saturday, April 11, Downstream Casino Resort will host two additional starting flights at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. before the beginning of Day 2 on Sunday, April 12, at 11 a.m. All times are local time.
Coverage for Day 1c will begin at 12:15 p.m. local time. Check back here at PokerNews for coverage of Day 1c and beyond of the RGPS Passport Joplin $600 Main Event.