Eric Bunch Crowned Champion at the RunGood Poker Series Main Event
The excitement of tournament poker reached new heights at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel Tulsa as the $800 Main Event of the RunGood Poker Series drew a staggering 472 entrants across three Day 1 flights. This impressive turnout generated a substantial prize pool of $330,400, with the top 56 players returning for Day 2 and guaranteed a minimum payout of $1,248. Ultimately, it was Eric Bunch who triumphed in this thrilling competition, claiming a first-place prize of $65,829 along with his maiden RunGood Poker Series ring.
Day 2: The Journey of the Champion
Entering Day 2 with the chip lead after bagging 844,000 on Day 1a, Bunch exuded confidence and focus during the competition. "My main focus was just to make sure I kept playing well and not stress about bad beats or things I can’t control," he stated, a sentiment that clearly influenced his performance. Throughout the day, Bunch consistently found himself atop the leaderboard, ultimately leading to a wire-to-wire victory. This win is noteworthy for Bunch, as it marks one of the top five scores in his poker career, adding to his impressive total of more than $1,500,000 in tournament earnings. Following his victory, he expressed his enthusiasm for the RunGood events, stating, "I love the RunGood stops; they run great events. I’ll definitely be back in January."
In second place, Harold Harvey put forth a valiant effort to finish as the runner-up. This achievement brought his total tournament earnings to over $100,000 after he walked away with $43,906, marking a new personal best for him.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Bunch | United States | $65,829 |
| 2 | Harold Harvey | United States | $43,906 |
| 3 | Han Lam | United States | $32,472 |
| 4 | Jason Wiske | United States | $24,258 |
| 5 | Rob Noce | United States | $18,307 |
| 6 | Iman Alsaden | United States | $13,958 |
| 7 | Savannah Mora | United States | $10,753 |
| 8 | Isaac Cramer | United States | $8,371 |
| 9 | Derrick Yegge | United States | $6,586 |
Early Day Action
The atmosphere on Day 2 was electric, with 58 entrants, among them notable players like Matt Rogers and Melinda Hettick, returning with chips from different Day 1 flights. Hettick finished in 51st place, earning two minimum cash payouts for her efforts, while Rogers secured a minimum cash and a payout of $1,437 for his 45th-place finish.
Defending champion Todd Tucker was also in attendance, navigating the second day with hopes of repeating his previous success. However, his journey ended in 38th place, where he pocketed $1,669.
The field was further challenged by the presence of two World Series of Poker bracelet winners, Michael Perrone and Brian Green, both eliminated in 24th and 23rd place, respectively, each earning $2,336.
One of the most dramatic moments occurred when Day 1b chip leader Timothy Hicks was eliminated right before the final table, going out in 10th place and securing $6,586 after a promising flop turned sour.
Final Table Highlights
The final table commenced with high tension. The first eliminations came swiftly: Derrick Yegge fell to an unfortunate classic flip, finishing in ninth place, while Isaac Cramer followed suit shortly after.
The action momentarily slowed until both Savannah Mora and Iman Alsaden were eliminated back-to-back by hands dominated by superior aces. Bunch struck decisively during a blind-versus-blind confrontation against Rob Noce, eliminating him after flopping a strong hand.
Jason Wiske suffered a crucial loss to Bunch after the latter made a flush on the river, leading to Wiske’s fourth-place finish.
Eventually, Han Lam faced Bunch in a short-stacked showdown but was eliminated in third place after Bunch turned a wheel, sending him to the payout desk.
Heads-Up Showdown
The heads-up match saw Bunch and Harvey battling for the title, with Bunch holding a commanding stack of approximately 12 million of the total 14.16 million chips in play. It didn’t take long before Harvey was ground down to around 600,000 chips. The final hand of the tournament featured an intense all-in situation where Bunch held king-five against Harvey’s jack-three. As the board was revealed, both players hit flushes, but Bunch’s was higher, allowing him to claim victory in thrilling fashion.
Conclusion
Eric Bunch’s triumph at the RunGood Poker Series in Tulsa is more than just a tournament victory; it’s a testament to his skill, determination, and love for the game. As the accolades and rewards flow in, Bunch looks forward to future events, eager to make his mark once again.
The excitement of tournament poker continues, and fans can look forward to more live updates and thrilling action from the ever-vibrant world of poker on PokerNews.
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