Photos from RGPS Downstream Main Event FLT B
RunGood Poker Series Downstream
$575 Main Event
Day: 1ab
Level: 4
Blinds: 200/300
Ante: 300
Earlier This Week: Sandra Main Claims $135 Pro Bounty Championship Ring
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team is at Downstream Casino to live report this weekend’s $575 RGPS Main Event, but in the lead-up there have been several side events.
One of them took place on opening night and saw 177 runners create an $18,585 prize pool in the $135 Pro Bounty tournament. The top 18 players got a piece of it and among those to cash but fall short of making the final table were Joe Gatlin (10th - $446), Fisher Friend (11th - $446), Shawn Powers (12th - $446), Brian Craddock (13th - $353), Thao Xiong (14th - $353), Melvin Anthony (15th - $353), Deb Phillips (16th - $297), Ross Laney (17th - $297), and Kevin Suneson (18th - $297).
In the end, it was Sandra Main coming out on top by defeating Mary Bybee in heads-up play to win the title and $5,018 first-place prize.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandra Main | $5,018 |
| 2 | Mary Bybee | $3,122 |
| 3 | Vincent Ramirez | $1,896 |
| 4 | Harold Didricksen | $1,394 |
| 5 | Timothy Black | $1,041 |
| 6 | Dustin Messner | $855 |
| 7 | David Tindall | $753 |
| 8 | Randy Berry | $660 |
| 9 | Adam Waggoner | $558 |
James Jennings, Monkey Island Rancher
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
James Jennings just won a satellite seat and will be joining the main event Saturday for Day 1c. Jennings has played poker with some of the legends of the game and Mark Slatcher caught up with him at one of his previous visits to a RunGood Poker Series stop:
If you had your pick of legendary poker players to gamble with, who would it be? Doyle Brunson? Amarillo Slim? Puggy Pearson? And if you could choose to go back to 1950's Texas for just such a game?
Jennings doesn't have to answer those questions as a hypothetical--he was there. As a 19-year-old poker player, Jennings played with the legends themselves in Ft. Worth, Texas.
"I've been playing poker all my life," Jennings says. "You know, back in the 1950's in rural America, there was no radio or television. Poker was a family pastime."
Asked about getting to sit down with Doyle Brunson and the old-guard Texas gamblers, he says, "When I was old enough, and had a good job, I saved up my money and I bought into those games. You'd need anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 just to get a seat."
The game of choice at the time was mostly five-card stud. Sometimes 5-card draw, often with hi-lo split.
Over the years, Jennings has worked in and owned businesses dealing in real estate, construction, and ranching. The Monkey Island resident still maintains 120 cows and calves on 200 acres on Grand Lake.
Between fishing (why else would you live on an island?) and poker, Jennings enjoys time with family, including nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
But (forgive us) we were more interested in the Ft. Worth games. "Oh, they had bigger games going, too. $40,000-$50,000 buy-ins. But I never got to sit in those games." He gives us a sly smile and adds, "I sure watched a lot of them, though."
Updated Chip Counts
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
34,500 | -22,500 |
|
33,000 | 13,000 |
|
29,000 | |
|
21,900 | |
|
17,200 | -2,800 |
|
15,800 | -4,200 |
|
11,500 | -8,500 |
Level: 3
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Shawn Powers Bets the Flop
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Shawn Powers made it 2,100 preflop after a 300 open from early position. Sergio Ramirez was the lone caller.
The flop came [ahd4h] and Powers bet 5,100 and Ramirez folded.
Powers is back in the field after playing earlier today in Day 1a.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
62,000 | 62,000 |
|
34,000 | 7,200 |
Dan Lowery Gets Even
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Dan Lowery was below starting stack to start the hand and sitting in the small blind.
A player in middle position opened to 600 and two players called before Lowery made it 1,800. Two players called.
The flop came 
and Lowery led for 3,200. Both his opponents folded and Lowery was back up to starting stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 |
Mike White Looking for Another Deep Run
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Mike White is in the field from Kansas City. He says he makes his way out to RunGood Poker Series events when he can.
The 56-year old real estate agent has over $500,000 in career tournament winnings but says he doesn't play that much anymore.
He's been working in real estate for the past 20 years and is married with one kid.
He joined the Day 1b field from the start of play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
21,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 100