RPT Main Event — Flight 1C

With the blinds at 2,000/4,000 and the big blind ante in play, Bradley Rohrer in early middle position raises to 8,500 and a player in later middle position calls. The button calls, and Connor McStay in the big blind shoves all in for 40,000. Rohrer re-raises all in over the top of McStay and all remaining players fold.

Rohrer is in great shape holding A♦A♥ against McStay's K♠K♦.

The flop comes 8♣6♣3♣/ leaving Rohrer's aces ahead. But the K♣ on the turn gives McStay the lead with a set of kings.

Semi fortunately/unfortunately for both players it's the A♣ on the river that results in a chopped pot.

Player	Stack	Won / lost
Bradley Rohrer	100,000	+4,000
Connor McStay	44,000	+4,000

Loki Out with Sevens

Mark 'Loki' Abboud, one of the strongest players in the field with over three-quarters of a million dollars in lifetime tournament cashes busted the last hand before break. Loki shoved all-in over a raise with 7♣7♥, and his opponent called with Q♠Q♦.

The flop was clean but held two hearts. The Q♥ turn was a roller coaster for both players as it gave Loki the heart flush draw. The river was not a heart and Loki was headed out the door as the rest of the field left for break.

We will be back with the prize pool when break is over in fifteen minutes.

Player	Stack	Won / lost
Mark 'Loki' Abboud	0	-63,000

Jeremy 'Dutch' Brown Goes On a Nice Run To Sit Double the Average Chip Stack

Hand 1:

When blinds were at 600/1,200 Jeremy 'Dutch' Brown raised in middle position to 2,700 and got called by both blinds.

The flop came Q♦7♥3♣. Both blinds check and Brown made it 3,500. The small blind moved in all for approx. 30,000, and Brown quickly called with K♥K♣. His opponent turned over Q♠J♥. The flop and turn did not change the hand, and Brown then sat with 125,000.

Hand 2:

In a more recent hand he called a player's all in holding pocket aces against his opponent's KT off-suit. The board ran out 2♥2♣10♦4♣3♠, awarding the pot to Brown and propelling him to 170,000.

Hand 3:

In the previous blind level (1,000/2,000/2,000 bb ante) the player in the hijack raised to 4,000, Brown made it 10,000 in the cutoff, the small blind flat-called, the big blind also called, and the original raiser in the hijack opted to fold.

The flop came J♦8♦5♦. The small blind shoved for 40,000, the big blind folded, and Brown quickly called. The small blind turned over A♠J♣ for top pair, but Brown was ahead holding Q♦Q♥ for an over-pair and a flush draw.

The turn came the 9♦ bringing in the flush, and the river came the 4♣ as the player was already standing up from the table preparing to walk away.

Hand 4:

In the current blind level (1,500/3,000/3,000) Brown raised to 5,000 under the gun holding Q♠Q♦. The flop came J♠6♣5♦. Under the gun checked, Brown bet 8,000, UTG thought for a few moments before shoving his remaining 35,000 all in, and Brown quickly called. His opponent showed 4♣2♣ for a gutshot straight draw. The 7♣ on the turn gave the player more outs, but it was the K♦ on the river that secured the win for Brown and sent his opponent to the re-buy desk.

Brown is now sitting on a 295,000 chip stack with the chip average at 135,000.

Player	Stack	Won / lost
Jeremy 'Dutch' Brown	295,000	+170,000

Player Feature: Anthony Lazar

Anthony "Lazer" Lazar hails from Minnesota and has been a fixture in the poker world for over 30 years. Initially playing recreationally through his 20s, he transitioned to professional play after moving to Las Vegas in his early 30s. Lazar's most notable achievement is winning the Ante Up Regional Main Event, which earned him over $50,000. Additionally, he has made three final tables at the World Series of Poker and has amassed over half a million dollars in lifetime winnings.

Beyond the felt, Lazar is involved in the collectible card industry. Known for his enthusiasm for mixed games, he encourages the poker community to explore this often-overlooked variant. His nickname, "Lazer," originated from childhood mispronunciations of his last name, a moniker that has endured throughout his life, though it also applies to the lazer shots into left field he is also known for crushing on the baseball diamond.

Hendon Mob profile

Keith Doering Delivers a Cooler To Knock One Out

Blinds: 1,000/1,500

A player in the cutoff limps in, Keith Doering limps in from the hijack, the small blind calls, and Karrie Carlson checks her option in the big blind.

The flop comes A♦Q♥3♣. Both blinds check, Doering bets 3,500, and the small blind moves all in. It folds back around to Doering who quickly calls and turns over A♥T♦ for a pair of aces, and the small blind turns over A♣3♦ for two pair. Unfortunately for the player, the 10♣ came on the turn to give Doering a bigger two pair. The 2♠ river does not change the hand, and the player is sent to the rebuy desk with Doering scooping the pot.

Player	Stack	Won / lost
Keith Doering	92,000	+50,000

Bloody Mary In The House!

We have Bloody Marys here at Jackpot Junction, and these are not your typical weekend afternoon beverages. these are full-on, Midwest, go nuts, bloodies where they bring you an entire meal with your drink. The rest of the country sees these things in Instagram posts and wonders if they are real, but here in Minnesota we actually drink (and eat) them.

The bloodies here at Jackpot Junction include a chicken tender, an onion ring, half a cheeseburger, a chicken wing, a pickle spear, a barbecue shrimp, three slices of cheddar cheese, a pretzel bite, four slices of swiss cheese, and, of course, an olive.

Four our friends on the coasts, the real shocker will be that this huge drink, with a full meal attached, is $16. You may be able to get a bloody like this somewhere in Vegas, but it will be a novelty drink that costs you north of $50, not a weekend staple that replaces brunch all in one for less than a twenty dollar bill.

Nancy Beasley Eliminated By Jacob Amble

Blinds: 600/1,200 Big blind ante

Nancy Beasley limps in under the gun and the highjack also calls. Jacob Amble in the cutoff raises to 3,500. The small blind calls, Beasley calls, and the highjack calls.

The flop comes 7♣5♠2♠. The small blind checks and Beasley shoves all in for 50,000. The highjack folds and Amble reshoves all in for more. The small blind also folds leaving the two all in players heads up.

Amble turns over 7♥7♠.

"I am in trouble," Beasley says as she turns over A♦7♦.

The turn is the 4♠ and the river is the 2♣ awarding Amble the pot.

89 Players early in Flight 1C

There are five hours of late registration left in Flight 1C, and we have 89 entries. With players still driving up from the twin cities we definitely expect that number to climb even higher. The prize pool is well over $100,000 already, so tomorrow's day two is going to be a thriller.

And don't forget tomorrow's $250 Second Chance event, which features a beautiful trophy and should be a nice prize pool with all these players in town for the main event.

Player Feature: Loki Abboud

Loki Abboud, hailing from Rochester, MN, has been involved in poker since 1988, starting with home games during his college days at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. Known among friends as "Loki," a nickname from his high school days as a class clown, Abboud made a significant mark in the poker scene with almost $800,000 in lifetime tournament winnings. His most cherished achievement is winning the High Roller event at the Fall Poker Classic at Canterbury Park, his home casino, in October of last year.

Outside of poker, Loki has a rich background in soccer. A former professional soccer player, he transitioned into coaching, founding the MN Thunder Academy youth soccer club in 2007. He currently coaches his daughters and runs a youth sports development company established in 2009. This venture allows him the flexibility to engage in tournament poker, a pursuit he balances with his passion for golf. Despite his poker commitments, Loki plans to reduce his tournament travel to focus on coaching his 8-year-old in competitive soccer over the next few years.

Hendon Mob profile

Anderson Doubles

James Anderson gets the double with pocket sevens.

Roughrider @ Jackpot Junction: Photo Gallery

Big field brewing here, and lots of familiar faces. Late registration is open until 9 pm, so come down and get in the next photo gallery!

Faces Of Roughrider: Day 1C

Familiar Faces Return to Jackpot Junction

Past final-table finishers Rodney Colson, Paul Jain, Jamie Meidinger, Justin Carlson, and Tony Lazar headline a group of returning players that have had impressive results at Jackpot Junction. With two previous RPT stops in the books at Jackpot Junction, this field is filled with crushers who have had success here in the past.

Several of those players are back in the field this weekend, including five former Main Event final-table finishers and a number of others who have come close. Paul Jain has been one of the most consistent performers at Jackpot Junction. Jain finished 24th in the inaugural RPT Main Event in August 2025, earning $1,920, before returning in August 2026 and making a run all the way to third place. That performance earned him $16,400 and established him as one of the players to watch whenever the tour returns to Minnesota.

Jamie Meidinger also has a history of success at the venue. After collecting $3,900 in the Second Chance event during the tour's 2025 visit, Meidinger returned in August 2026 and finished fourth in the $640 Main Event for $13,000. With two strong results already on the books, Meidinger will be looking to add another deep run this weekend.

Rodney Colson is another player with unfinished business at Jackpot Junction. Colson finished fourth in the tour's inaugural Minnesota Main Event in 2025, taking home $18,000. He followed that performance with another cash during the August 2026 visit, making him one of the returning players with results in both Main Events. Colson also brings considerable tournament experience to the field, with more than $560,000 in recorded live tournament earnings.

Justin Carlson nearly reached the podium during the tour's most recent visit. Carlson finished sixth in August 2026 for $9,380, surviving a field of 507 entries to earn his place at the final table. He is back looking to improve on that finish and perhaps capture his first Jackpot Junction RPT title.

The list of returning contenders extends well beyond those four finalists. Anthony Lazar reached the final table of the inaugural 2025 Main Event, finishing ninth for $4,800. His return gives this weekend's field another player who has already experienced the pressure of a Jackpot Junction final table.

Several players from the August 2026 tournament also return after finishing just short of the final table. Doug McCarty finished 11th for $5,300, while Charles Kersey placed 14th for $4,400. Christopher Potenza finished 18th for $3,500. Jarrod Blackwell also made a deep run, finishing 26th for $2,700. Other familiar names include Nancy Beasley, who finished 22nd in the 2025 Main Event for $1,920, and Jennifer Francis and Norman Kauffman, both of whom recorded cashes in the August 2026 tournament.

There is also an interesting family connection returning to the felt. Joseph Osterbauer Sr. is back at Jackpot Junction, where his son, Joseph Osterbauer Jr., captured the inaugural RPT Minnesota Main Event championship in 2025. The younger Osterbauer earned $38,000 and the RPT bracelet after topping a 474-entry field, with his father cheering him on. The elder Osterbauer has been an important part of his son's poker journey, and his return adds another personal storyline to a tournament already filled with familiar faces. The 2025 championship belongs to Osterbauer Jr., but his father now has an opportunity to create a memorable moment of his own.

The tour's August 2026 Main Event attracted 507 entries and generated a $273,780 prize pool, with Rob Wazwaz eventually claiming the championship and $44,600.

Stay tuned all day as we cover Flight 1C and narrow the field down for the big showdown on day two tomorrow.

Player Feature: Charles Kersey

Charles Kersey hails from New Brighton, Minnesota, and has been a dedicated poker player since 2002. His poker journey began in college dorm rooms, progressed to live games at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, and eventually transitioned to online platforms. In late 2023, with more time on his hands as his children grew older, Kersey returned to live poker and made a significant career shift by leaving his manufacturing job to become a dealer at Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, Minnesota.

Kersey's most notable achievement in poker came in 2024 with a 6th place finish in the Millionaire Maker event at the World Series Of Poker for $289,630.

Cards in the Air for Flight 1C