Phil Boyd Leads Gateway Poker Classic Main Event Into Day 2
Boyd carried 1,082,000 into the final day as 86 players returned from 705 entries and a $493,500 prize pool.
Day 2 of the RunGood Poker Series Gateway Poker Classic $800 Main Event got underway at noon local time at Hollywood Casino & Hotel in St. Louis, with 86 players returning and Phil Boyd still out front on 1,082,000 chips. He was the only player above the million-chip mark as the field came back in the money.
Boyd had already set the pace after Day 1b, when he became the first player in the event to cross a million chips. According to PokerNews, he also capped that flight by busting Robert Weeks on the money bubble, then carried the same 1,082,000 stack into Day 2.
Horace Ingram entered second with 767,000, followed by Nick Lafata on 742,000. Shelby Burton sat on 698,000, Mike Bell on 693,000 and Steph Martines on 615,000.
A few recognizable names also returned with workable stacks. Bradley Young came back with 521,000 after finishing second in an RGPS event at the same venue in March. Keith Heine returned with 453,000 as the 2023 RGPS St. Louis champion, Jason Simon had 343,000 as a WSOP bracelet winner, and RunGood ambassador Jeffrey Copeland came back with 260,000.
David Nickel was the only player to double-bag, bringing 285,000 into Day 2. The action resumed with three minutes left in Level 17 at blinds of 6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 big blind ante, and each later level was set to stretch to 40 minutes.
The four starting flights produced 705 entries and a $493,500 prize pool. The remaining players were already guaranteed a payout, with the official list due shortly after play began, and the event was scheduled to play down to a winner by the end of the night.
