button in Safari
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley
$400 PokerNews Cup
Day: 1a
Players Left 35 / 35
Filter
Top
Chip Counts
Chip Counts
4
25,000
8
25,000
9
25,000
10
25,000
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
On site for the PokerNews Cup at Thunder Valley?
Look out for the PokerNews team throughout the PokerNews Cup weekend, because they're giving away merchandise to those who share their story.
Whether you have a ludicrous bad beat story, a fantastical poker journey, or simply want to tell people about the time you rubbed shoulders with some of poker's elite, our team will be on hand to record and share your story with our audience.
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
The first 35 players have taken their seats, and Day 1a of the $400 PokerNews Cup is underway.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
The RunGood Passport Season has reached its exciting conclusion at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, and action kicks off today with the return of the $400 PokerNews Cup.
The tournament will feature four opening flights over the next three days before crowing a champion on Sunday, July 19, and includes a guaranteed prize pool of $250,000.
The history of the PokerNews Cup dates back to 2007, when the Crown Melbourne played host to 428 entrants and Australian Dory Zayner became the inaugural champion while earning $266,959.
Last year, the Cup was contested as part of Grosvenor Poker’s Goliath festival in Coventry, England. The £550 PokerNews Cup drew a field of 797 entries, where Kartik captured the trophy and the top prize of £76,600.
Today, more history is set to unfold as the PokerNews Cup returns at Thunder Valley with Day 1a starting at 4:00 p.m. local time.
List of PokerNews Cup Champions
Players will sit down to nine-handed tables with 25,000 chips, as blinds begin at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Levels are 30 minutes long, with breaks scheduled after every two hours of action.
One reentry is permitted per flight, and players can participate in all four Day 1 flights. Late registration for all four flights will close at the start of Level 9, with the top 12.5% of the field securing at least a $700 minimum cash.
Each flight will conclude when the top 10% of the field remains, and players can bag multiple Day 1 flights. Only their top stack will remain in play, while each additional bag will earn the lowest Day 2 payout.
The surviving field will then combine for Day 2 on Sunday, where action will be eight-handed for the remainder of the tournament. That will also mark the introcution of time chips, with each contender receiving five at the start of the final day plus five more once the final table is reached.
Never Miss a Moment with MyPlayers on PokerNews
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls - just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Don’t miss any of the action from Thunder Valley, as the PokerNews team will provide full coverage as the RGPS Passport Season finale begins.
$400 PokerNews Cup
Day 1a Started