Joe Walters Wins the RunGood Poker Series Jamul Casino Main Event ($31,280)
Joe Walters finished Day 2 of the RunGood Poker Series Jamul Casino $575 Main Event the same way he finished Day 1b; on a surge, and on top of the chip counts in the end.
Walters was the last one standing from a field of 294 entrants, defeating Kevin Meyers heads-up and winning the Main Event from Jamul Casino in San Diego, California. Per the terms of a heads-up deal, Walters takes home $31,280, along with the RGPS ring and a $550 seat to the RGPS Pro-am at PokerGO Studios in December.
Meyers, who started the day with just 14 big blinds, rode a early-day wave and came up just short of winning the championship, coming in second for $23,505.
"For him to start the day with 26k, then finish second, is just an amazing accomplishment," Walters said of Meyers. "I was glad to play him heads up, it was fun.
Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Walters | United States | $31,280* |
| 2 | Kevin Meyers | United States | $23,505* |
| 3 | Robert Fortuno | United States | $14,655 |
| 4 | Tim Acker | United Kingdom | $9,150 |
| 5 | Chris Carney | United States | $7,065 |
| 6 | Imad Kero | United States | $5,950 |
| 7 | Spencer Tep | United States | $4,915 |
| 8 | Papa Karn | United States | $4,045 |
| 9 | David Para | United States | $3,200 |
*denotes heads-up deal
Final Table Action
The action was fast when the tournament went nine-handed, led by the fearless style of Spencer Tep. Tep came into the final nine with the chip lead, but bowed out in seventh place after a series of plays that didn't go his way.
Tep, along with the shortest three stacks going into the final table, all were eliminated within the first full level of the final table, leaving the final five to battle it out.
Meyers began to make his run to the second-place finish after taking a big pot from Chris Carney. Carney (5th - $7,065) was knocked out in the following hand.
Tim Acker (4th - $9,150) went out next, sending a massive amount of chips Walters' way in a hand that saw Walters flop a straight against Acker's two pair.
"I just wanted to pile the money in, thinking he had a big hand," Walters said of the hand. "I didn't want any scare cards to come, so I decided to get in in."
Robert Fortuno (3rd - $14,655) went to three-handed play with the stacks relatively even among himself, Walters and Meyers at times, but went home in third to send Meyers and Walters to the heads up match.
Jennifer Gianera Crowned RGPS Jamul Casino Champion
Jennifer Gianera finished fifth in Event #6 putting her ahead of everyone else in the Casino Champion point total. With registration closed in Event #7, there were only a handful of players entered in The Closer that could still pass her with a strong enough finish. Eventually, they were all eliminated; her fate was sealed and she was declared the Casino Champion! Gianera will represent the San Diego Card Sharks at the PokerGO Pro-Am invite-only event this December.
RGPS Side Event Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prizepool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $125 Pro Bounty | 216 | $22,680 | Jounie Angcao | $3,254 |
| Event #2: $180 Deepstack | 211 | $29,540 | Jennifer Gianera | $6,050 |
| Event #3: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty | 99 | $11,435 | Richard Furfaro | $2,220 |
| Event #4: $300 PLO | 47 | $12,220 | Glen Adams | $4,275 |
| Event #5: $575 Main Event | 294 | $147,000 | Joe Walters | $31,280 |
| Event #6: $240 Black Chip Bounty | 67 | $7,035 | Nadem Pattah | $4,275 |
| Event #7: $100 Series Closer | 87 | $6,960 | Aaron Knapp | $1,437 |