$675 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
$675 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
In a fitting ending, Jeri Sieber, a mother of two, won the 2016 RunGood Hard Rock Tulsa $675 Main Event for $44,458 after chopping with RunGood team pro Justin Gardenhire in the wee hours of Mother's Day. The two took $40,000 apiece, including their respective shares of a $10,000 World Series of Poker Main Event seat, and Sieber prevailed heads up against Gardenhire for the remainder of the prize pool, a trophy, and a plaque on the RunGood Champions Cup.
The tournament drew 336 runner across three starting flights, with 74 advancing to Saturday's Day 2. Thirty-six of those would be paid, and the money bubble burst a few hours into play. Just before that, Sieber got her last 10 big blinds or so all in with the against the of Michael Sanders, surviving after neither player improved. Both players would see plenty more of each other when they each made the final table.
Before that, 27 players busted out in the money. Among them were Greg Jennings (28th), Olivier Busquet (24th), Terry Karn (21st), Duma Lowery (19th), Chris Conrad (18th), and Tripp Kirk (16th).
Busquet came into the day as the overwhelming chip leader, but faltered after running hot initially. After Rodney Spriggs three-outed him with against in a big pot, Eric Bunch finished him off by flopping a set of threes against Busquet's aces.
Sieber was the second-shortest stack when the final table kicked off, with RunGood pros Sanders and Samantha Abernathy leading the way. However, with six players left, Sieber had worked her way to second place in part thanks to a lucky win with ace-ten against the ace-queen of Cherie Baber.
Then, a huge pot went down between Abernathy, who had been leading most of the final table, and Sieber that changed the course of the tournament.
In Level 24 (20,000/40,000/5,000), Abernathy opened for a raise and called a three-bet to 300,000 from Sieber, who had already three-bet her a few times. The flop came , and Abernathy checked. Sieber shoved for about 1 million effective, just covering Abernathy, who tanked a bit and called with the . Sieber showed down the and took the pot after a turn and river.
That gave Sieber about 40 percent of the chips five-handed, and she eliminated Vic Harris next. Then, Sanders fell to a three-outer from his fellow RunGood pro Gardenhire, and that left Sieber, Gardenhire, and Spriggs, the RunGood regular.
Spriggs got it in good with bottom set on a flop, but Sieber's found a on the river to make a winning straight and send him packing.
After that, Sieber and Gardenhire wasted little time before striking their deal, and heads-up play was a quick affair. Gardenhire lost a chunk to Sieber when she flopped trips with the on a board, and then he tried check-shoving with the after a flop. Sieber called with the and held up on the turn and river.
"Congratulations," Gardenhire told her. "You played great."
Justin Gardenhire and Jeri Sieber agreed to a deal to chop the prize pool at $40,000 apiece, including the $10,000 World Series of Poker seat, and they played for the remaining prize money and the trophy.
In one hand, Gardenhire opened to 200,000 and Sieber called. Sieber check-called 200,000 on the flop then came out betting with 300,000 on the turn. Gardenhire called, and both checked the river.
Sieber showed .
"Can't beat it," Gardenhire said.
Then, Sieber raised to 165,000 on the button. Gardenhire called, and he checked the flop. Sieber bet 200,000 and called when Gardenhire moved all in for about 1.4 million.
Sieber:
Gardenhire:
The turn was a and the river a , and Sieber won the tournament with jacks full.
"Congratulations," Gardenhire said. "You played great."
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Justin Gardenhire | Busted |
Level: 27
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 10,000
On a flop of , the first two players checked to Rodney Spriggs, who bet 250,000. Jeri Sieber announced all in, and Spriggs loaded up all his chips and shoved them forward when Justin Gardenhire folded.
Sieber:
Spriggs:
Spriggs had the lead but called for a five anyway, but the turn was a brick . The dealer burned and turned, and the river made Sieber a straight. Spriggs had approximately 1 million and it all went to Sieber, who has a chip lead heads up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jeri Sieber |
4,120,000
1,620,000
|
1,620,000 |
Justin Gardenhire |
2,600,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
Rodney Spriggs | Busted |
Michael Sanders opened to 130,000 on the button and his fellow RunGood Pro Justin Gardenhire moved all in from the big blind. Sanders snapped it off with , and Gardenhire had . He got up but the flop came , and Gardenhire's aces held up on the turn and river.
"You suck, Gardy," Sanders said with a smile.
Left with just 40,000 after sending Gardenhire 1.385 million, Sanders busted two hands later.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Justin Gardenhire |
2,800,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
Michael Sanders | Busted |
Rodney Spriggs shoved for about 600,000 over an open from Justin Gardenhire on the button.
"Ninety percent I'm calling," Gardenhire said. "How much is it?"
After getting the count, he called.
Gardenhire:
Spriggs:
"You coolered me, Rodney," Gardenhire said.
The gave Gardenhire a flush draw, and the turn gave him some chopping outs. The river was neither though.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Rodney Spriggs |
1,380,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
Justin Gardenhire |
1,200,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Level: 26
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Rodney Spriggs put his last 245,000 in under the gun, and Justin Gardenhire called after some thought in the big blind.
Spriggs:
Gardenhire:
Spriggs flopped a straight draw with his pair as hit the board. The and meant he doubled up.
The next hand, he picked up and got in against the of Jeri Sieber. He doubled up again after flopping a set.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jeri Sieber |
2,500,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
Rodney Spriggs |
1,100,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
Justin Gardenhire |
1,100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Jeri Sieber made it 120,000 on the button, and Vic Harris took off his headphones in the big blind. He opened his hands as if reading an imaginary book.
"I'm like 75 percent sure I'm supposed to shove here," he said. "I'm all in."
Sieber called with and was leading Harris' .
The board ran out , and Sieber took the pot with trips.
Harris said he dedicated his first final table to Reginald Raymond Rogers, recently deceased just after his 13th birthday from asthma.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jeri Sieber |
3,100,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
Vic Harris | Busted |