The biggest RunGood Poker Series Main Event saw a total of 718 entrants make a massive prizepool of $373,360, guaranteeing a total of 88 spots to be paid out. This $600 Main Event marks the biggest RGPS Main Event at The Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Tunica.
Starting with a star studded final table, it was Tunica local Loi Hoang who ended up taking down the tournament for a career best score of $55,394 as well as his first RGPS Main Event title. Hoang found much success this week after final tabling a total of four side events, leading up to this event.
“I think I played my way,” the newly crowned champion remarked. “I took my time, got some luck, and boom.” Hoang wore his emotions on his sleeve today at the final table, jumping for joy when things went his way as every ladder came into focus.
He bested a star studded field including former champion Tiffany Keathley, WSOPC ring winners Shannon Hamblen and Matthew Higgins, as well as 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker who he knocked out four handed. Hoang now becomes the first RGPS Main Event champion on The Road Trip leg of the tour.
Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loi Hoang | United States | $55,394* |
| 2 | Wayne Newcomb | United States | $55,394* |
| 3 | Matthew Higgins | United States | $32,856 |
| 4 | Chris Moneymaker | United States | $24,455 |
| 5 | Stuart Breakstone | United States | $18,444 |
| 6 | Rebekah Crosby | United States | $14,076 |
| 7 | Tiffany Keathley | United States | $10,827 |
| 8 | Shannon Hamblen | United States | $8,475 |
| 9 | Dawson Darbouze | Haiti | $6,683 |
*Denotes heads up deal
Final Day Recap
Coming into the day with 88 players, the pace in the beginning was quick as Brian “TheGoldenBlazer” Frenzel (85th-$1,008) was eliminated immediately (he went to go win another event to put him atop of the all-time RGPS ring list and second in overall RGPS titles). Others fell throughout the day like Emily Berglund (71st-$1,157), Trace Henderson (59th-$1,269), defending champion Kevin Broadway (39th-$1,829), WSOP bracelet winner Kyle Cartwright (34th-$1,829), WPT champion Mark Davis (30th-$2,128), Forrest Kollar (18th-$2,950), and Joey Gargiulo (12th-$5,339).
Bubbling the final table was David Lee after he got in his pocket sixes against Matthew Higgins’ pocket nines. That boosted Higgins to the second biggest stack in the tournament, while Lee exited the tournament in tenth place for $6,683.
Final Table Action
Wayne Newcomb came into the final table, but quickly lost some pots to Chris Moneymaker and Higgins to put him down in third place. He would reclaim the lead when he would get into a tangle with Dawson Darbouze, who moved all in with ace-queen on a queen high board, only for Newcomb to hold queen-nine for top two. No help was brought to Darbouze and he became the first casualty of the final table, collecting $6,683 for his ninth place finish.
Shannon Hamblen had initially tried to bring the final table of nine to eight when Stuart Breakstone got in his ace-queen against Hamblen’s ace-king, but a rivered straight brought the pot to Breakstone leaving Hamblen as the shortest. After Darbouze busted, Hamblen was next on the chopping block when was nearly forced all in from the big blind with queen-ten and failed to improve against Moneymaker’s ace-four. The WSOPC ring winner exited the tournament in eighth place, collecting $8,475 for his efforts.
The final former RGPS Tunica Main Event Champion ended her run in seventh place. Tiffany Keathley came into the final table as the shortest stack in her quest to become a two time RGPS Tunica champion. Her run came to an end when she got in her final few blinds with ace-eight suited against Matthew Higgins’ seven-six suited. Higgins turned a straight to leave her drawing dead and Keathley took home $10,827 for her impressive run.
Rebekah Crosby became the last woman standing after Keathley was eliminated, but with her stack as short as it was, her time to be all in was coming. Before the big blind reached her, she moved her final couple of blinds in with five-three suited which Moneymaker called holding ace-six offsuit. Despite flopping a combination straight draw and flush draw, it bricked out leaving Crosby to collect $14,076 for her sixth place exit as the last woman standing.
Breakstone’s run came to an end at the hands of Hoang. Breakstone moved all in for a near identical short stack with jack-eight suited, which saw Hoang call with king-seven suited to nearly double. Breakstone shook hands with his cohorts, and took home $18,444 for his fifth place finish.
Moneymaker came into four handed play as the chip leader, but he clashed with Hoang in multiple hands that left him going down the counts to the shortest stack. The first saw his nines not hold against Hoang’s ace-king, the second saw Moneymaker river three queens against Hoang’s full house, and the final hand of Moneymaker’s saw him go out against Hoang’s flush. The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion and icon of the poker world went out in fourth place, collecting $24,455 for his best ever RGPS Main Event finish.
Higgins and Newcomb held roughly even stacks while Hoang held the massive chip lead as three handed play commenced. Newcomb raised with ace-eight offsuit on the button while Higgins moved all in with ace-ten off, getting a call from Newcomb. Things seemed all set for Higgins to go heads up, with him holding the slight covering stack, but a brutal eight on the river gave the pot to Newcomb while Higgins was forced all in the next hand from the small blind. His eight-three suited could not hold against Newcomb’s five-four offsuit and the four-time WSOPC ring winner ended his run for $32,856.
Once there were just two players left, they came to an agreement. They would do an even chop, but since Hoang held the slight chip lead, he would get the ring as well as the seat. Newcomb accepted the deal as he collected $55,394 for his efforts while Hoang becomes the newest champion of The RunGood Poker Series.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all updates on The RunGood Poker Series Road Trip. Next weekend will begin the first ever RGPS Baltimore, with an $1,100 Main Event boasting a $200,000 guarantee.
