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Two CPPT bestbet Jacksonville Champions Lead After Day 1B

The Second of Three Starting Flights Drew 106 Entries, With 14 Players Moving On To Day 2

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Two of the three starting flights are now in the books for the 2023 Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville $300,000 guaranteed $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em mystery bounty main event. Day 1B attracted 106 entries. By the end of the night, just 14 players remained, each having made the money and day 2.

Two prior CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event winners ended day 1B atop the leaderboard. The top spot belongs to 2021 champion Ben Scrogins. The Jacksonville native (pictured above) bagged up 509,000. He surged up the chip counts late, edging into the top spot just in time for the final elimination of day 1B. That hand saw David Gallimore’s A-Q get outrun by the A-3 suited of Joey Burns. Both players flopped trip aces after the chips went in preflop, but Burns turned a three to make a winning full house and held from there to knock out Gallimore and bring play to an end for the day.

Scrogins secured his largest live tournament score yet just over two years ago, topping a field of 339 entries in a $2,500 buy-in tournament to earn $158,915. He’ll be looking to add another big score with a deep run in this event.

2017 CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event winner Jared Reinstein sits just a couple of big blinds behind Scrogins with 502,000. Reinstein put together three consecutive top-ten finishes in the CPPT main event from 2016-2018, including his win in 2017 that saw him best a field of 378 entries in a $1,100 buy-in event to earn $75,714.

Jared ReinsteinReinstein scored a double knockout later in the day with pocket jacks holding against A-K and A-4 suited, then won several big hands down the stretch to add to his pile of chips.

Justin Swilling (417,000) and Jack Boswell (224,000) were the only other players from day 1B to end with more than 200,000.

Among those who bagged up chips were Spring St. Augustine Championship winner Thad McNulty (170,000), 2014 CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event third-place finisher Brian Washington (169,000) and 2013 CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event seventh-place finisher Eddy Mroczkowski (152,000).

Plenty of notables hit the rail during day 1B action, including 2013 CPPT bestbet Jacksonville champion Harvey Vandeven, 2016 Heartland Poker Tour Florida main event winner Jermaine Gerlin, and accomplished tournament player Jeremy Joseph, who came into this even with more than $2.5 million in recorded cashes to his name.

There is one final starting flight remaining for players looking to get in on the action in this $300,000 guaranteed event. Flight 1C begins at noon on Aug. 18 and 19. There will be unlimited re-entries available during the registration period, with late registration and re-entry available through the start of level 10.

A total of 163 entries were made through the first two flights, with eight players moving on from day 1A and 14 from day 1B. Those 22 players will join the day 1C survivors on day 2. All those that move on will be in the money with the mystery bounties in play. Bounties will range from $500 to $50,000.

Here is a look at the chip counts for the 14 players moving on from day 1B:

1. Ben Scrogins – 509,000
2. Jared Reinstein – 502,000
3. Justin Swilling – 417,000
4. Jack Boswell – 224,000
5. Alex Ziskin – 193,000
6. Joey Burns – 178,000
7. Alan Franco – 171,000
8. Thad McNulty – 170,000
9. Brian Washington – 169,000
10. Eddy Mrcozkowski – 152,000
11. Dale Young – 136,000
12. Herb Gartner – 132,000
13. Daniel Anderson – 114,000
14. Horace Thomas – 104,000