Event #4: $400 NLH
Day 1a Completed
2022 The Lodge Championship Series
Event #4: $400 NLH
Day: 1a
David Ashkenasi Bags Day 1a Lead of Event #4 in Lodge Championship Series
Level 15
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The first flight of Event #4: $400 NLH $500,000 Guaranteed has now come to an end here at The Lodge Poker Club in Round Rock, Texas. A total of 141 entry slips were sold for this flight and when the last chance saloon had closed for business only 17 runners had found a Day 2 bag.
David Ashkenasi ended the night atop the leaderboard with his 379,000 and has the current lead headed into Day 2. Ashkenasi found a few optimal spots during the middle stages of the day which catapulted him near the top of the food chain and a hot run of cards at the end of the night sat him firmly on top to end the day.
Closest behind is well-known Chris Staats who bagged 288,000 by night's end. Jason Gooch sent Alexander Suprun out on the bubble, a pot that shot him up to third to end the night, bringing 286,000 into the second day. Rounding out the top five from this flight are Quinton Williams (254,000) and Matthew McDowell (252,000).
The 17 survivors will return Sunday, May 8, at 2 p.m. for Day 2 where they will combine with the other five starting flights. If any player bags more than on time they will get a $600 bag bonus, carrying their highest value stack into the second day.
This wraps it up for the coverage of Day 1a but tune in now for full updates on Day 1b here at PokerNews.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
379,000 | 54,000 |
|
288,000 | 73,000 |
|
286,000 | |
|
254,000 | |
|
252,000 | |
|
231,000 | 21,000 |
|
188,000 | 3,000 |
|
171,000 | -4,000 |
|
165,000 | |
|
133,000 | |
|
|
88,000 | |
|
84,000 | |
|
82,000 | -68,000 |
|
69,000 | 21,000 |
|
67,000 | -38,000 |
|
66,000 | -22,000 |
|
40,000 | -55,000 |
Gooch Pops the Bubble
Level 15
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The action folded around to Jason Gooch on the button who shoved his stack into the middle. Alexander Suprun called for less from the big blind, putting his last 47,000 in the pot.
Alexander Suprun: 
Jason Gooch: 
Suprun was in the lead until 
rolled out on the flop, hitting Gooch with a pair of sailboats. The 
turn left Suprun with one last chance for romance but he found no love on the 
river card.
Suprun was dubbed the inevitable bubble boy and the final 17 then bagged up for the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
286,000 | 96,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 15
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Hand-For-Hand Now in Play
Level 14
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The recent elimination of Riando Sledge has now brought the field within one of the money and hand-for-hand is now in play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted |
Ashkenasi Continues to Steamroll Day 1a
Level 14
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
David Hughes moved his 56,000 stack into the middle and David Ashkenasi obliged.
David Hughes: 
David Ashkenasi: 
Hughes was dominated headed into the 
flop and was still trailing after hitting his pair of sixes. A 
runout failed to improve the hand of Hughes who was eliminated, shipping another pot to Ashkenasi late in the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
325,000 | 105,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 14
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Runner-Runner Keeps Suprun Around
Level 13
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Anthony Whatley and Mark Fink both called the 4,000 big blind. Alexander Suprun looked at his cards from the small blind and shoved 34,000. Whatley called and Fink chucked his cards, leaving just two for a showdown.
Alexander Suprun: 
Anthony Whatley: 
The 
flop landed on the felt, missing Suprun completely but a 
turn brought him some added outs. An unlikely 
completed the runner-runner straight for Surpun who pulled in the pot for a double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
78,000 | 20,000 |
|
|
51,000 | -8,500 |
Ashkenasi Sends Hays to the Rail
Level 13
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
David Ashkenasi opened from middle position and Nathan Hays pushed all in from the small blind for just over 40,000. Ashkenasi called and Hays was then at risk of elimination.
Nathan Hays: 
David Ashkenasi:
The flop came down 
, hitting Ashkenasi with a set of nines. A turn left Hays drawing dead to the river and he was eliminated, shipping his stack over to Ashkenasi.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
220,000 | 50,000 |
|
Busted |