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$1,200 Million Dollar Main Event
Day 1d Completed
2026 RGPS Passport Thunder Valley
$1,200 Million Dollar Main Event
Day: 1d
Players Left 97 / 1,086
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Day 1d was the second-to-last chance for players to earn the right to move on to Day 2. The flight hosted 434 entries, which permitted 43 players to advance to Day 2 and keep the dream alive to be crowned as the RunGood Poker Series Passport Season Final $1,200 Million Dollar Main Event champion at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. The turbo flight hosted a total of 65 entries, which permitted seven players to advance to the final day. In total, the five flights attracted 1,086 entries with 108 hopefuls advancing to Day 2 to create a prize pool of $1,140,300.
Randy Gil (1,061,000) was the fourth player to join the millionaire’s club as he led all players after the final flight of play as they bagged as the Day 1d chip leader. Gil also earned the distinction of entering Day 2 as the top stack in the room as he outpaced Douglas Dossett (1,054,000) to take the top spot as overall chip leader. Ricardo Bibat (960,000) finished second, while Jeffrey Lennon (762,000) bagged the third most chips from the flight to round out the top three finishers in the chip counts.
Day 1d Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Gil | United States | 1,061,000 | 71 |
| 2 | Ricardo Bibat | United States | 960,000 | 64 |
| 3 | Jeffrey Lennon | United States | 762,000 | 51 |
| 4 | James Haytko | United States | 683,000 | 46 |
| 5 | Jingtao Zhu | United States | 673,000 | 45 |
| 6 | Ajit Selvakumaran | United States | 632,000 | 42 |
| 7 | Thien Tran | United States | 631,000 | 42 |
| 8 | Franklin Chavez | United States | 627,000 | 42 |
| 9 | Jason Smith | United States | 623,000 | 42 |
| 10 | Warren Kashiwagi | United States | 585,000 | 39 |
Gil is a regular on the RunGood Poker Series tour and already has one RGPS ring to his name and 20 cashes on his record. Gil is no stranger to the tournament streets as he has amassed over one million in earnings according to his The Hendon Mob profile. Gil towered over his competition both figuratively and literally as he stands at seven feet tall. The former St. Mary’s basketball player has plenty of competitive experience to take with him as he enters as the top stack in the room on Day 2.
Bibat is still searching for his first RGPS title, and will have plenty of chips to work with. The Sacramento resident made a deep run in The Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship, finishing in 17th place for $5,400. This marks his third RunGood cash at Thunder Valley.
Jeffrey Lennon already has three RGPS titles in his career as he looks to add a fourth when he walks into the room on the final day. Lennon’s last title came during the RGPS Checkpoint Graton series when he won the $1,100 No Limit One Day Deepstack event in 2023. This is Lennon’s first RGPS cash this year, and he could make a big one with a deep run on Day 2.
Two-time WPT champion Samuel Panzica (474,000) has accomplished a lot in his poker career, but an RGPS ring has yet to happen for the experienced pro who has amassed nearly five million in live career earnings according to his The Hendon Mob page. Panzica will be one to watch as the action gets going on Day 2.
Former RGPS Reno Grand Prix Main Event champion Toan Nguyen (466,000) will bring that experience with him to the final day. Nguyen has been a regular face on the tour and has accumulated over $230,000 in earnings at RunGood stops.
2023 Main Event champion Tyler Patterson was unable to make the cut to try and repeat at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. Other notables who did not make the cut on Day 1d included Casey Sandretto, Jarod Minghini, Ryan Awwad, and Scott Stewart.
Day 2 will begin at 12 p.m. local time. Play will now shift to eight-handed during the final day of play. A shot clock will also be introduced, with players receiving five time banks at the start of Day 2 and five time banks at the beginning of the final table.
Check back here at PokerNews for complete coverage of Day 2 as a champion will be crowned in the RGPS Season Finale $1,200 Million Dollar Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The remaining 43 players have earned the right to advance to Day 2 and are now bagging to end the evening. Stay tuned here at PokerNews for a chip count update and a recap of today's action.
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Katrina Gouge began the action with an open to 30,000 on the button. Brett Murray decided to go all-in for 180,000 from the small blind and was called by Gouge to be at risk.
Brett Murray: A♥5♣
Katrina Gouge: A♠10♠
Murray was in trouble as Gouge held the better ace as they went to a runout.
The Q♠9♦6♥ flop was of no use to Murray as Gouge had him on the ropes with the turn and river to come.
The 2♥ turn was a blank, and the 3♥ river sealed Murray's fate as he exited the tournament during the twilight stage of Day 1d.
Level: 19
Blinds: 10,000/15,000
Ante: 15,000
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Players are on a 15-minute break. A total of 46 remain, with 43 set to be permitted to bag and advance to Day 2. Action will resume at the 10,000/15,000 level.
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Kenneth Fitzgerald won two rounds against Yousef Salameh.
The first took place when Yousef Salameh opened to 35,000 from the cutoff. Kenneth Fitzgerald made the call from the small blind, and Lyle Wong joined from the big blind.
The blinds checked the 5♣3♦8♠ flop before Salameh bet 55,000. Fitzgerald responded with a check-raise to 116,000 total. Wong folded, but Salameh made the call to put Fitzgerald at risk.
Kenneth Fitzgerald: 7♠7♥
Yousef Salameh: K♠J♥
Fitzgerald was ahead with his pair of sevens.
The turn was paint, but it was the one safe paint card for Fitzgerald when the Q♣ peeled.
Fitzgerald would earn the double on the 3♥ river.
The very next hand, Salameh opened to 27,000 from the hijack. Fitzgerald three-bet to 65,000 on the button, and Salameh called.
Salameh checked the 9♥A♠6♠ before Fitzgerald bet 200,000. Salameh folded to yield the pot to Fitzgerald.
"You want to take more chips in the next pot?" said Salameh in jest as the two shared a laugh.
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Randy Gil decided to put his tournament at risk when he went all-in for 196,000 from middle position. Aaron Overton re-shoved from the small blind to isolate. After the big blind folded, Overton and Gil went to a showdown with Gil at risk.
Randy Gil: A♦Q♥
Aaron Overton: J♠J♣
Gil would find one of his overcards early in the race when the flop came 9♠A♠3♣ to give Gil a pair of aces.
The 3♠ turn introduced some more outs for Overton as he held the only spade between the two players.
Gil dodged the flush or jack when the 5♥ hit the river to award Gil the double.
Level 18
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Vahid Sahebalzamani acted from the small blind and put enough chips to force Ariah Nead to go all-in out of the big blind if he wanted to continue in the hand. Nead wasted little time making the call as he put himself at risk for 120,000.
Ariah Nead: 10♣10♥
Vahid Sahebalzamani: A♥J♦
Both players woke up with strong hands for a small versus big blind collision, as it was a classic race between the pocket pair versus the overcards.
The 7♣2♦6♦ flop was a safe one for Nead as there wasn't an overcard in sight.
Nead held on the 4♣ turn and the 9♦ river to secure the double.
