Registration for Day 1a is now closed. Day 1a attracted a total of 108 entries, which means a total of 13 players will be allowed to bag and advance to Day 2. A total of 38 players remain in contention.
Nicholas Rigby shoved for his final 26,500 from the cutoff and was called to be at risk for his tournament life.
Nicholas Rigby: J♣J♠
Opponent: A♦K♣
It was a classic race as Rigby held the slight edge with his pocket jacks.
The flop was clean for Rigby as it came 10♠2♠5♦.
The 7♦ turn, and the 8♦ river clinched it for Rigby as he secured the double up.
AP Phahurat took a final stand when he jammed for 19,500 from under-the-gun. Naga Valiveti called from the hijack to put Phahurat at risk.
AP Phahurat: K♦10♦
Naga Valiveti: A♥10♥
Valiveti enjoyed a healthy lead as they went to a flop, and the flop did not alter that as it came 6♦10♣Q♦ to keep Valiveti in the lead, but Phahurat was still alive with a flush draw.
The A♠ turn improved Valiveti's lead, and the K♣ river was not enough to keep Phahurat in contention as his inferior two pair was not enough against Valiveti.
Level: 9
Blinds: 1,000/1,500
Ante: 1,500
Players are on a 15-minute break. Registration for Day 1a will close following the conclusion of the break. Play will resume at the 1,000/1,500 level.
Nicholas Rigby shoved for a fresh stack of 30,000 from the cutoff before Rodney Spriggs made the call out of the big blind to put Rigby at risk.
Nicholas Rigby: 10♣7♦
Rodney Spriggs: K♣K♥
Rigby needed plenty of help to overcome the pocket kings of Spriggs, but nothing materialized on the 4♠A♠3♣3♦10♣ runout to award the pot to Spriggs.
After a series of limps, Bryan Mulberry raised to 2,500 on the button and was called by Naga Valiveti from early position.
The flop came 5♥8♣8♠ before Mulberry bet 3,500. Valiveti stayed in with a call.
Mulberry kept up the pressure with a bet of 5,500 on the 8♥ turn and was called yet again by Valiveti.
Both players checked the 6♥ river.
Mulberry showed A♣4♣ for ace high, but it was no good as Valiveti tabled 6♣6♦ for a rivered full house.
It was a three-way all-in preflop as Todd Tucker had both his opponents covered to be at risk.
Early Position: K♦K♥
Cutoff: A♣J♥
Todd Tucker: A♦A♠
Tucket not only had both his opponents covered, but he also held the best hand as they went to a runout.
The 6♥J♠8♦ upgraded the cutoff to a pair of jacks, but Tucker was still ahead with his pocket aces.
The 8♠ turn changed nothing, and the 9♥ river sealed the deal as Tucker tallied a double knockout.
Sometimes, poker can take on a different role or meaning in a player’s life. Former 2011 World Poker Tour “One to Watch” Alex “A.P.” Phahurat shared that poker has become more of a hobby after the poker grind defined much of his life.
Phahurat has been playing for over 20 years, and at one point in his life, you could find him traveling the poker circuit. This lifestyle enabled him to amass over $600,000 in tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob, including a six-figure score at the 2013 WSOPC Caesar’s Palace Main Event.
Phahurat views poker as more of a hobby these days. The Arkansas native shared with PokerNews that he is more of a cash game player, as he doesn’t often travel to play tournaments anymore, as his main focus is helping to run his family’s Thai restaurant.
Phahurat’s ties to RunGood Poker Series run deep. He shared that he was one of the first circuit pros and is a cousin to RunGood Poker Series CEO Tana Karn. Phahurat claims that he even helped name the tour that has grown so much since the tour’s first stop in 2014, here in Joplin, Missouri, at the Downstream Casino Resort.
“I actually came up with the brand name. Tana asked me what he should name the company, and I said RunGood,” Phahurat said. “It’s amazing to see what he’s (Karn) accomplished. I’m proud of him.”
Despite his RunGood roots running deep, one thing has eluded Phahurat in his poker career. An RGPS ring and title. Phahurat was even keel when asked about breaking the drought.
“It would be nice, but it’s hard to win tournaments,” Phahurat said. Time will tell if Phahurat is able to win the title and hardware this weekend at Downstream Casino Resort.
Phahurat is still in contention on Day 1a and is sitting on a stack of approximately 60,000 at the time of this posting.
Level: 8
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
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