RGPS Thunder Valley Golden Ticket $575 Main Event, $200K GTD
Day 2 Completed
2021 RunGood Poker Series Thunder Valley
RGPS Thunder Valley Golden Ticket $575 Main Event, $200K GTD
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2021 RunGood Poker Series Thunder Valley
Buy-in
$575
Prize Pool
$282,500
Entries
565
Level
28
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Players Left
1
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Sasha Sabbaghian of Granite Bay, California is the winner of the inaugural RGPS Thunder Valley Golden Ticket $575 Main Event, $200K GTD after reaching a deal during three-handed play as the chip leader against Zihan Men and Jerez Mercado. Sabbaghian earned a cash of $40,485 as part of the deal, in addition to a RGPS ring and ticket to the All Star Pro-Am event in December at PokerGo Studio.
The tournament, held in The Poker Room at Thunder Valley Casino Resort as part of the All-Stars Comeback Tour presented by the RunGood Poker Series, had three starting flights and attracted a total of 565 runners, smashing the guarantee with a total prize pool of $282,500 and 72 places getting paid.
RGPS Thunder Valley Final Results
| Place | Player | Prize | |
| 1 | Sasha Sabbaghian | $40,485* | |
| 2 | Zihan Men | $37,891* | |
| 3 | Jerez Mercado | $36,619* | |
| 4 | Shahin Shojaeyan | $17,240 | |
| 5 | Victor Villaneuva | $13,235 | |
| 6 | Randy Gil | $10,890 | |
| 7 | Kevin Weinmann | $9,000 | |
| 8 | David Ong | $7,180 | |
| 9 | Kevin Nguyen | $5,385 |
*Denotes three-way deal
Sabbaghian, who told PokerNews he is mainly a cash grinder but takes the occasional stab at tournaments, was propelled to the victory by a massive hand where he sent Shahin Shojaeyan out in fourth place when Sabbaghian's pocket nines made a straight against the set of tens of Shojaeyan.
"Honestly, that was like the only big one," Sabbaghian said when asked what hands helped him to his victory. "I didn't really have any huge hands."
Sabbaghian added that winning small pots and getting re-jams through helped him get through the final table. He laughed thinking about how he almost busted on his first orbit of the tournament when he ran pocket fours into pocket kings and got there.
"Everything worked out," he said.
Sabbaghian, who has been playing poker for around a decade, said the five-figure score isn't his biggest ever, but "it's close."
Day 2 action lasted around 12 hours and all three of the Day 1 chip leaders made deep runs, including Day 1a chip leader Randy Gil, who was eliminated in sixth place when he ran pocket sevens into the pocket kings of Day 1c leader Victor Villaneuva. Villaneuva was next out after getting his stack in the middle in a flush-versus-flush hand against Men.
That wraps up the PokerNews live reporting team's coverage of the RGPS Thunder Valley Golden Ticket $575 Main Event. Be sure to check out the live reporting portal for more tournament action.
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
The three remaining players have reached an ICM chop deal. Sasha Sabbaghian will be the winner as he had the most chips when the deal was made.
| PLACE | NAME | PRIZE (USD) | |
| 1 | Sasha Sabbaghian | *$40,485 | |
| 2 | Zihan Men | *$37,891 | |
| 3 | Jerez Mercado | *$36,619 |
*Denotes a three-way deal
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
The players appear to have reached a three-handed deal but will take a final look at the numbers.
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Action is back on as the players did not reach an agreement.
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Action has temporarily paused as the three remaining players are discussing an ICM chop.
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jerez Mercado was all-in against Zihan Men in a heads-up pot.
Jerez Mercado: 
Zihan Men: 
The flop came 
and Mercado was open-ended with two overs. He screamed when the 
turn gave him the nuts and then the inconsequential 
peeled off on the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,500,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
3,250,000
-1,350,000
|
-1,350,000 |
|
1,500,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Shahin Shojaeyan was all-in in a hand against Sasha Sabbaghian.
Shahin Shojaeyan: 
Sasha Sabbaghian: 
It was looking like a sure double for Sabbaghian when he flopped top set on 
, but the board ran out 
and Sabbaghian went runner-runner to hit a straight and to send his opponent out in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,000,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 28
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 100,000
Level 27
: 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
The remaining four players are on a 10-minute break from the tournament. Things have slowed down since Victor Villaneuva busted in fifth place.