Kasey Orr Wins First RGPS Main Event of 2022
The new year of the RunGood Poker Series got underway just a few days after 2022 began. The crew and players headed to Thundery Valley in Northern California to play in the first RGPS tour stop of the year. And the turnout was impressive.
This year, the stops on the tour are called Contenders Presented by PokerGO. Last year, the RGPS dubbed itself the All-Stars Comeback Tour Powered by PokerGO. It was a result of RunGood’s partnership with PokerGO to host the year-end All-Stars Pro-Am tournament, an invitation only event at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. The original All-Stars Pro-Am had been scheduled for 2020 but…well…you know what happened. So, the comeback in 2021 set the RGPS up for another shot at the Pro-Am.
That not only took place in December; it was a success by all accounts.
When 2022 kicked off, they called the stops the Contenders Presented by PokerGO. And the first of them is now in the books.
Setting a New Record
The RunGood Poker Series had to go into the new year with eyes wide open. The pandemic was surging again with a new Covid-19 variant and ever-increasing positive cases. So, they put some fairly conservative guarantees on the prize pools. The Main Event had a $200K guarantee.
Quickly, however, it became apparent that they would surpass that number. The first of three flights delivered 246 entries, with another 189 in the second. The following day, there were 455 entries in the final flight, bringing the total for the tournament to 890. And that put the prize pool at $445K, more than double the guarantee.
In addition, that number broke the previous RGPS Main Event record, which had been set last year at Horseshoe Council Bluffs when 851 entries made RunGood history.
Day 2 began with 31 surviving players from Day 1A, another 24 from Day 1B, plus 57 from Day 1C. They were all in the money. Some of the first players to bust with min-cashes were Blair Hinkle and Jeff Platt. As the field thinned to just a few tables, Julie Cornelius busted in 35th place, Bernard Lee in 22nd, and then Frank Saunders in tenth place.
Another incredible experience at a @rgpokerseries event. Really love what @tkarn421, @hayleyocho & the RunGood team are doing.
It's so good for the game.
Highly recommend making one of their series a regular stop on your poker calendar, no matter what stakes you play.
— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) January 10, 2022
Kasey Orr took the chip lead to the final table, with Jack Jenco in second, followed by Nicolaus Estrella and Dustin Russell. Without hesitation, Orr got aggressive and increased his lead. Jenco suffered a setback but doubled through Orr to stay alive. Estrella busted Daniel Hatch in eighth place, but Orr took out Theresa Cummings in seventh. Estrella sent Ryan Awwad home in sixth, Orr did it for Mike Hanson in fifth and then Jenco in fourth. Orr busted Russell in third.
Orr and Estrella decided to chop the pot, but Orr took the trophy, an extra dollar, and the ticket to the Pro-Am for his chip lead.
| January 4-9, 2022 | $575 buy-in | RGPS Thunder Valley Main Event |
| Total entries: | 890 | |
| Total prize pool: | $445,000.00 | ($200K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 112 | |
| Minimum payout: | $780.00 | |
| Final table results: | 1st place: | Kasey Orr $65,728 |
| 2nd place: | Nicolaus Estrella $65,727 | |
| 3rd place: | Dustin Russell $34,815 | |
| 4th place: | Jack Jenco $26,075 | |
| 5th place: | Mike Hanson $19,760 | |
| 6th place: | Ryan Awwad $15,755 | |
| 7th place: | Theresa Cummings $13,040 | |
| 8th place: | Daniel Hatch $10,370 | |
| 9th place: | Balthazar Villa $7,790 |
In a record-breaking field of 890 entries, Kasey Orr emerges victorious in the $575 RG Main Event at @TVPokerRoom! He takes home a payday of $65,728 as well as a seat into the 2022 ProAM sponsored by @PokerGO!
Recap: https://t.co/7P3PqklVN7 pic.twitter.com/ju8ztxFU12
— RunGoodGear.com (@RunGoodGear) January 10, 2022
More Thunder Valley Winners
There were several other tournaments on the schedule at Thunder Valley, all of which delivered solid prize pools.
-$135 buy-in RG Ambassador Bomb Pot Bounty = 250 entries, $25K prize pool, Daniel Hughes won
-$255 buy-in RG Fifty Five ($55K GTD) = 437 entries, $93,955 prize pool, Forrest Kollar won
-$300 buy-in PLO = 75 entries, $19,500 prize pool, Keith Hudson won
-$300 buy-in HORSE = 57 entries, $14,820 prize pool, Graham Perry won
-$240 buy-in RG Finale ($20K GTD) = 124 entries, $24,800 prize pool, Charlito Aseberos won
In the end, Forrest Kollar (winner of the Fifty Five) and Kasey Orr each won $800 seats to the 2022 Contenders Pro-Am set for December in Las Vegas. They each won a travel stipend package as well.
Next Up: Cali, Iowa, Mississippi
The RGPS Contenders Presented by PokerGO will stay in California for its next tour stop, which begins on February 1. Jamul Casino in San Diego will host the festivities through February 6. The schedule will be:
-Feb 1 at 10am: $125 Seniors (50 and older)
-Feb 1 at 7pm: $135 RG Opening Night Pro Bounty
-Feb 2 at 12pm & 7pm: $185 RG DeepStack flights ($20K GTD)
-Feb 3 at 7pm: $200 Two Green Chip Bounty
-Feb 4 at 3pm: $300 PLO
-Feb 4 at 7pm & Feb 5 at 12pm & 7pm: $575 RG Main Event flights ($100K GTD)
-Feb 6 at 4pm: $240 RG Black Chip Bounty Closer
From there, the tour will head to Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs in Iowa for the February 15-20 series, and players can meet up with the tour next at the Horseshoe Casino Tunica March 1-6.
Thank you for all the love @TVPokerRoom! Players, staff, ambassadors, you made this tour remember it’s Best Mid-Major @gpi title this week. Looking forward to big news ahead!
NEXT UP: @jamulcasinosd February 1st – 6th in San Diego#Contenders2022 🏆 pic.twitter.com/6nnZnaVqGj
— RunGoodGear.com (@RunGoodGear) January 11, 2022
