The Party Is Just Getting Started
The Southern Poker Open by RunGood Events continues today with Louisiana's first-ever land-based poker tournament in history. Two hundred players participated in the first flight on Thursday, with 38 making it through to Day 2. At the end of the night, it was Gerald Kelley who bagged the chip lead with 279,500. Paul Espinoza (265,000) and Clark Craft (262,500) crossed the finish line right on Kelley's heels.
Flight B, the second of five scheduled Day 1 flights, will kick off at 11am Friday local time. The event offers a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool with a $420 buy-in; or, players can win a seat into the event via one of two remaining $100 satellites. Surviving players from each flight will return on Sunday at noon to play down to a champion. Also on Friday's schedule: the $100 Mega-Satellite at 4pm, and Flight C at 6pm. For the full schedule of flights and satellites, click here.
Players buying into the event will begin their tournament with 20,000 chips and must survive twelve 30-minute levels to advance to Day 2. Late registration and unlimited re-entry are available until the start of Level 9 (approximately 3:30 p.m. local time). The structure employs the big-blind ante, for faster play throughout the event. For the full structure sheet, click here.
PokerNews will be on site to bring you the pulse of the tournament from start to finish.