button in Safari$1,100 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 RGPS Passport Pompano Beach
$1,100 Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 49 / 106
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Chip Counts
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
The clock had moved past 2 a.m. local time at Harrah’s Pompano Beach by the time a marathon Day 1a of the RunGood Passport Season $1,110 Pompano Beach Main Event came to an end.
After nearly 90 minutes of bubble play, Niall Costigan finally ended up making a full house to knock out John Freidkes and guarantee the remaining six players a part of the $250,000 guaranteed prize pool and a spot on Day 2 on Sunday, May 17.
Costigan took full advantage of the lengthy bubble, relentlessly raising and taking down most pots uncontested to open a massive chip lead. But he then called Edward Medoff’s flop shove for 206,000 with a straight draw against Medoff’s pocket tens, and while the turn also gave Costigan a flush draw, Medoff held on through the river to earn the massive double up.
Medoff ended up with 613,000 and atop the leaderboard at the end of the first starting flight. Costigan fell back to second place with 476,000, while Charlemagne Benjamin rounds out the podium with 290,000. Benjamin had to fight to survive the day, doubling up four times on the money bubble in order to secure a bag.
Day 1a Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Medoff | United States | 613,000 |
| 2 | Niall Costigan | United States | 476,000 |
| 3 | Charlemagne Benjamin | United States | 290,000 |
| 4 | Tom Macey | United States | 250,000 |
| 5 | Marc Goldman (FL) | United States | 159,000 |
| 6 | Kevin Hammer | United States | 154,000 |
Tom Macey (250,000), Marc Goldman (159,000), who admits he was down to just 4,000 at one point today, and Kevin Hammer (154,000) complete the lineup that will return for Day 2. A total of 48 players came out for the opening flight, and among those to fall short of making the money were Eric “Barstool Nate” Nathan and Eugene Katchalov. Nick Rigby and Craig Welko took their battle for the RunGood Player of the Year into Day 1a, but neither made it through the day and will have to try again tomorrow.
A fresh crop of hopefuls gets their shot when Day 1b begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. There is also Day 1c starting at 4 p.m. All surviving players return for Day 2 on May 17 at noon local time. Action will pick up on the earliest finishing time from one of the three starting flights. Day 1a had to go all the way to Level 19 with blinds of 10,000/20,000 and a 20,000 big blind ante in order to get down to the final 12.5 percent of the field.
PokerNews will be back at 11 a.m. following all the action from Day 1b and providing live updates throughout the day.
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
613,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
||
|
476,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
290,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
250,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
159,000
201,000
|
201,000 |
|
154,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Niall Costigan moved all in from the small blind and John Freidkes called for 150,000 in the small blind.
John Freidkes: A♥6♣ 
Niall Costigan: Q♥10♣
The Q♠10♠5♦ flop was a disaster for Freidkes as Costigan hit top two pair. Costigan improved to a full house on the Q♦ turn, and Freidkes was left drawing dead going to the 6♥ river as he was eliminated on the money bubble.
The remaining six players are bagging up their chips for the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
480,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 19
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
Level 18
: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Niall Costigan raised to 32,000 in middle position before Edward Medoff three-bet to 85,000 in the big blind. Costigan called, and they saw a flop of 8♦6♣5♥. Medoff then moved all in for 206,000, and Costigan took only a few seconds before calling.
Edward Medoff: 10♣10♠
Niall Costigan: A♦9♦
Medoff was ahead with his tens, while Costigan was on a straight draw. The 6♦ turn also gave Costigan a flush draw, but Medoff held on through the 4♥ river to double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
600,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
280,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Charlemagne Benjamin raised to 32,000 in the cutoff, Tom Macey moved all in for 128,000 in the small blind, and Benjamin called.
Tom Macey: A♣K♦
Charlemagne Benjamin: Q♠J♥
Benjamin picked up a straight draw on the 2♦10♦8♣ flop, but he couldn't improve on the 4♣ turn or 7♥ river as Macey earned the double up.
"And we continue," Niall Costigan said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
290,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
200,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Action folded to John Freidkes who moved all in from the small blind, and Charlemagne Benjamin called for 146,000 in the big blind.
Charlemagne Benjamin: A♦K♠
John Freidkes: K♥9♠
Benjamin had Freidkes dominated, and the Q♦J♣6♦3♥Q♠ board kept him in the lead for yet another double up.
"I know you guys want me to go home, but I'm not going anywhere. I've been all in like 15 times," Benjamin said.
"What's the all-time longest bubble?" Marc Goldman asked.
"This one," Benjamin replied.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
120,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Niall Costigan raised to 32,000 in middle position before John Freidkes moved all in for 140,000 in the hijack. Costigan snap-called.
John Freidkes: K♥K♣
Niall Costigan: 10♦10♠
A collective groan went up from the rest of the table after Freidkes turned over his kings. "We're going to be here until tomorrow," Charlemagne Benjamin said.
"Come on, boys, stand up. Ten in the window," Costigan shouted out, but the A♣7♥6♥4♠7♦ board kept Freidkes in the lead and earned him a double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
560,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
300,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 16,000
