Craig Dick Leads RGPS Showbound Main Event, Li Wu, Nick Burris, Matt Bond Make Day 2
The RGPS Showbound $575 Main Event hosted by Downstream Casino Resort was a huge success with 372 entrants over three Day 1 Flights this weekend, a baker's dozen shy of the venue record. The players began their Day 1 flights with 20,000 in chips and battled it out for twelve 30-minute levels before the bags came out.
Craig Dick emerged from Flight A with a staggering 309,000 chips for the top spot on the leaderboard, a watermark that withstood challenges from Flights B and C. RG Ambassador Daniel Lowery (48,500) also punched his ticket to Day 2 from Flight A, as did Matt Bond (181,500), William McCracken (265,500), and Bart Bogard (52,500).
Flight B's end-of-day chip leader Eric Kelly flew under the radar for most of the flight and then came out on top in a clash against another big stack, bagging up 194,000 chips at the end of the day. Kurt Haiss (177,500) and James Traber (174,000) rounded out the top of Flight B's leaderboard.
Nic Petree made a run at the overall chip lead during the final Day 1 flight of the Main Event, but fell just short by bagging 283,000--good for the second spot on the Day 2 standings. Petree amassed the bulk of his stack in a huge multi-way pot. Petree held 
in a four-way pot with a flop of 
. Petree ultimately got it all in against an opponent holding 
. The board bricked out with 
, sending Petree to the top of the leaderboard.
In addition to Petree, Flight C survivors include Kyle Chance (258,000), Joey McCaig (212,500), Li Wu (200,500), Jesse Jones (200,000), and Papa Karn (110,500).
HPT Legend Reginald "Shawn" Roberts fired several bullets in Flight C but failed to reach the end with chips. Other players falling short of a Day 2 invitation included Grant Hinkle, Mason Hinkle, Lexy Gavin, Justin Gardenhire, Jonathan Gaviao, and Rodney Spriggs.
The total prize pool for the event came to $186,000, well above its $100,000 guarantee. 45 spots will be paid with $42,781 going to first. The ten players who reach the final table will also be entered into a season-ending invite-only freeroll satellite at Hard Rock Tulsa for a pair of $5,000 Sit & Go seats to be on Poker After Dark, recorded in the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
The restart the RGPS Showbound Main Event kicks off at 12 p.m. local time with blinds of 2,000/3,000 and a big blind ante of 3,000. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be back on the floor to deliver the pulse of the tournament.