RunGood Poker Series Main Event: Bill Byrnes Claims Victory in Kansas City

After three thrilling days at Harrah’s Casino and Hotel Kansas City, the much-anticipated $1,100 Main Event of the RunGood Poker Series has concluded, showcasing an impressive display of skill and strategy among the competitors. This year’s tournament drew a remarkable 415 entrants across three Day 1 flights over two days, ultimately generating an eye-catching prize pool of $402,550. Participants vied for a minimum cash prize of $1,776, with the coveted top prize reaching an impressive $81,109. In a gripping heads-up showdown, Bill Byrnes emerged victorious, outlasting Rohan Aggarwal to secure not only the immense payday but also his first RGPS Ring.

Bill Byrnes’ Journey to Victory

Bill Byrnes, hailing from Wentzville, MO, began Day 2 as one of the shorter stacks with just 217,000 chips. However, demonstrating exceptional tenacity and skill, he quickly built his chip stack, hovering around the 1,000,000 mark as the tournament progressed. At the final table, Byrnes displayed astute play, carefully choosing his moments to engage and avoid risk in order to maximize his pay jumps.

Byrnes entered the final stages as the clear short stack with four players remaining. He decided to ramp up his aggression, going all-in multiple times to accumulate chips and pressuring his opponents. Reflecting on his strategy, he noted, “I felt like I had nothing to lose. I was meant to go out next, so I went for it.” This aggressive approach proved beneficial as he ultimately navigated his way to heads-up play against Aggarwal.

One pivotal moment that solidified Byrnes’ standing occurred when one of his all-ins was called. Holding pocket queens, he successfully doubled up, giving him the momentum to capitalize on the eliminations of two other players at the final table, leading to his match against Aggarwal for the title.

Early Day Action

Day 2 began with high stakes and dramatic eliminations. The first casualty was Todd Tucker, a seasoned regular in the RunGood Poker Series. He was eliminated in a shocking turn of events while holding a set of fours against Chris Hosier’s overpair of pocket nines. The board turned against Tucker when a nine appeared on the river, leaving him stunned as he made his exit.

A major surprise ensued when the overall chip leader heading into Day 2, Eric Jordan, faced an unexpected elimination. In a significant pot against Frank Kissick, Jordan’s top pair with king-jack could not withstand the might of Kissick’s pocket aces. Jordan left the tournament in 25th place, taking home $2,609.

Among the notable players competing on Day 2 were three World Series of Poker bracelet winners. Grant Hinkle, boasting over $1.7 million in career earnings, was the first of the trio to exit, finishing in 16th place for $4,336. His brother, Blair Hinkle, also a bracelet holder and the defending champion of the RunGood Poker Series Main Event, fell soon after, finishing in 14th place for $5,274.

The Final Table

As the tournament progressed to its final table, two players stood out for their impressive eliminations: Duma Lowery and James Mackey. Lowery, the Day 1a chip leader, exhibited his talents by eliminating multiple players, including Byron Leiva in ninth place for $8,111 and Danny Clarkson in sixth for $17,004. Meanwhile, two-time WPT winner Mackey knocked out Michael Johns and Cory Aurentz, finished specifically in seventh and fifth positions, respectively.

As action continued, the stage was set for Byrnes to capitalize on the momentum gained through eliminations to lead him to his eventual showdown with Rohan Aggarwal.

Heads-Up Play

Entering heads-up play, Aggarwal held a significant chip lead, approximately 7,000,000 of the 12,450,000 chips in play. He quickly extended his lead to about 8,800,000 chips but wouldn’t hold it for long. Byrnes clawed back into contention by winning several small pots, regaining the momentum before taking a slight lead.

The Winning Hand

The decisive hand that led Byrnes to victory began when he raised from the button, prompting Aggarwal to call from the big blind. As the flop revealed a 6♥, 10♠, 3♣, Aggarwal checked, only for Byrnes to bet 300,000. Aggarwal then raised to 850,000, which Byrnes called. The turn brought 8♣, prompting Aggarwal to go all-in with a stack of 3,400,000, and Byrnes quickly called.

The showdown revealed:

• Rohan Aggarwal: 7♥, 5♦
• Bill Byrnes: 8♥, 6♠

With Byrnes holding a two pair, he had to dodge Aggarwal’s open-ended straight draw. The river finally revealed 10♦, solidifying Byrnes’ two pair of tens and eights as the winning hand, eliminating Aggarwal and crowning Byrnes the champion of the RunGood Poker Series Main Event.

Final Payouts and Conclusion

The final table saw a competitive dynamic among the top players, but Byrnes’ resilience and skill ultimately captured the title and the top prize of $81,109. Below are the final payouts for the tournament:

This thrilling conclusion to the RunGood Poker Series Main Event in Kansas City highlighted the exceptional skill, determination, and strategic depth of the participating players, especially Byrnes, who secured this remarkable victory. Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates and coverage as the series continues to unfold across the globe.