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$800 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 RGPS Passport St. Louis
$800 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2026 RGPS Passport St. Louis
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$452,900
Total Entries
647
Level
30
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
117
Players Left
14
Players Left 1 / 647
Filter
Level 18
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The first of four starting flights is in the books in the $800 Main Event here at the RunGood Poker Series Passport Season hosted by Hollywood Casino St. Louis. Of the 117 entries tallied in Day 1a, only 14 players will return for Day 2 on Sunday, all of whom have locked up a min-cash.
Chris Audrain finished the opening flight as the player on top, bagging a whopping 789,000. He applied pressure on his opponents during the last few levels of play to chip up and ultimately burst the bubble when he eliminated Joshua Frisch by flopping top set. The St. Louis native is no stranger to the local tournament scene and will look to leverage his big stack and experience on Day 2 in search of a deep run.
The only other player to surpass the half-million chip mark is Paul Fehlig, who ended the day second in chips with 513,000. Rounding out the podium is Joseph Herboth with a respectable 480,000.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Audrain | United States | 789,000 |
| 2 | Paul Fehlig | United States | 513,000 |
| 3 | Joseph Herboth | United States | 480,000 |
| 4 | Ryan Tepen | United States | 467,000 |
| 5 | Ross Neumann | United States | 397,000 |
| 6 | Robert Hooton | United States | 356,000 |
| 7 | Jonathan Seely | United States | 332,000 |
| 8 | David Short | United States | 307,000 |
| 9 | Shane Carey | United States | 271,000 |
| 10 | Tyler Breeding | United States | 212,000 |
Notable Eliminations
Nicholas Rigby and Walker Miskelly, who finished first and second respectively in the $400 PokerNews PowerStack, both entered before late registration ended but neither found any momentum on Day 1a.
Some other familiar faces who made appearances but couldn't find a bag for Day 2 include Wesley Jones, who took down the $300 Series Opener NLH Ring Event, WSOP bracelet winner Jason Simon, and RunGood Ambassadors Jeff Copeland and Delilah Lerner. They will all have another chance on Friday and Saturday when the Main Event continues with three more starting flights.
Day 1b will begin Friday, March 6 at 5:00 p.m. local time, and Day 1c and 1d will take place on Saturday. Play for Day 1 flights will conclude once 12.5% of the field (rounded down) remains and those who bag will be in the money. Day 2 will then start at the earliest blind level of the three flights on Sunday, March 8, where the event will play down to a winner.
Be sure to follow PokerNews throughout the entirety of the $800 Main Event here at the 2026 RGPS Passport Season St. Louis.
Level 18
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
789,000 | |
|
||
|
513,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
480,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
|
467,000
62,000
|
62,000 |
|
397,000
332,000
|
332,000 |
|
356,000
69,000
|
69,000 |
|
332,000
72,000
|
72,000 |
|
307,000
7,000
|
7,000 |
|
271,000
231,000
|
231,000 |
|
212,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
200,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
197,000
47,000
|
47,000 |
|
90,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
49,000
331,000
|
331,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The final 14 players of Day 1a are bagging up for the night and will return for Day 2 on Sunday, March 8 at 12:00 p.m. local time where the event will play down to a winner.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for end of day chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 18
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Chris Audrain raised to 45,000 on the button and Joshua Frisch defended in the big blind.
The flop came 5♥6♠3♦, Frisch open-shoved for about 250,000, and Audrain snap called with the covering stack.
Joshua Frisch: A♦7♦ 
Chris Audrain: 6♣6♥
Only a four or running diamonds would save Frisch, but he found no such luck as the board ran out Q♥, 8♣ to burst the bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
789,000
399,000
|
399,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 18
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Joshua Frisch raised to 35,000 on the button and David Short flatted in the small blind.
The flop came 2♣9♠4♣ and Short check-called a bet of 45,000 from Frisch, bringing the 9♣ turn where both players checked.
The river landed the 10♦ and both players checked again. Short tabled 8♦8♥ for two pair, nines and eights to claim the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
|
|
285,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
Level: 18
Blinds: 10,000/15,000
Ante: 15,000
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Ryan Tepen raised to 25,000 in the hijack and Jonathan Seely three-bet jammed in the cutoff for 115,000 to put himself at risk. Tepen thought for a moment before making the call.
Jonathan Seely: A♣5♠
Ryan Tepen: K♣J♣
The board ran out 2♠8♦10♣4♦8♣ and Seely's ace-high earned him the much-needed double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
405,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
260,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
With 15 players remaining and only 14 making it through to Day 2, the floor has announced hand-for-hand play.
Level 17
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Rich Combs raised to 24,000 in middle position and was three-bet by Andrew Bakota in the hijack to 75,000.
Joseph Herboth then cold four-bet shoved for about 270,000 in the big blind to put himself at risk.
Combs and Bakota both thought for a moment before giving up their hands.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
385,000
385,000
|
385,000 |
|
|
250,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
150,000
33,000
|
33,000 |
