The Latest Stop on the RGPS Road Trip
The recent stop on the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) Road Trip wrapped up at Graton Casino in Rohnert Park, California, and it was a spectacle to behold. The $800 Main Event attracted a formidable field of 837 entrants, resulting in a staggering prize pool of $585,900. With 105 players guaranteed a piece of the pie, the competition was fierce.
From 105 to One: The Journey to Victory
After 12 intense hours of play, the tournament field of 105 contenders was whittled down to just two players. In the end, Joe Nguyen secured second place after a hard-fought battle, while Anne Bui emerged as the victor, clinching her first RGPS main event title and an impressive $87,425 in prize money.
Anne Bui’s Unbelievable Victory
“I can’t believe it,” a jubilant Anne Bui exclaimed, her smile radiating with excitement. “I still can’t believe it, my first ever win. It was a lot of fun, everyone played great, and I got lucky.”
A Breakthrough Moment for Anne Bui
Remarkably, just weeks after finishing as a runner-up in the WSOPC event at Graton, Anne Bui not only achieved her biggest career win but also claimed her first listed victory on Hendon Mob. With $184,459 in lifetime earnings prior to this final table, her success added a substantial sum to her poker career.
Breaking Barriers: Anne Bui, the First Female Main Event Champion
Anne Bui’s historic win also marked her as the first female main event champion of the season, making her achievement even more exceptional.
A Ticket to the Dream Seat Invitational
With this triumph, Anne Bui earned a seat in the Dream Seat Invitational at Thunder Valley next month, offering her the opportunity to compete for a seat in the PokerGO freeroll. She expressed her excitement, saying, “How exciting! I’m really looking forward to it!”
Final Table Results
Here are the final table results:
- Anne Bui (San Jose, CA) – $87,425
- Joe Nguyen (Sunnyvale, CA) – $87,420
- Terrance Reid (Pocatello, ID) – $46,600
- Scott Hess (San Francisco, CA) – $34,745
- Anthony Li (San Francisco, CA) – $26,425
- Alonso Lau (San Francisco, CA) – $21,020
- Richard Troendly (Reno, NV) – $17,395
- Khanh Duy Tran (San Jose, CA) – $13,835
- Christopher Marcus (Vallejo, CA) – $10,370
The Action-Filled Final Day
The final day of the tournament was marked by rapid and intense action as players found themselves exiting the event earlier than expected. Notable eliminations included Brittney Stout, David Prociak, Kasey Mills, Craig Carillo, Jeff Beachy, and John Koo, who, after being eliminated from this tournament, went on to win the Turbo Event, securing his second ring of the series.
Setting the Stage for the Final Table
As the day progressed, eliminations continued, paving the way for the final table. Players such as Sean Burson, Jasthi Kumar, Reggie Pears, and Paul Chai fell, ultimately forming the final table.
Final Table Showdown
The final table action started with a series of double-ups for the short stack, Alonso Lau. Eventually, the first elimination occurred as Christopher Marcus moved all in with king-queen offsuit, and Anne Bui, holding ace-jack offsuit, called. Despite some tense moments, Bui’s hand held up, and Marcus finished in ninth place.
Narrowing the Field
The final table action continued as Khanh Duy Tran made his move with ace-ten offsuit, only to be called by Terrance Reid’s pocket sixes. Reid secured the pot, taking the chip lead, while Tran claimed eighth place.
Richard Troendly’s Resilience
Despite a quadruple up earlier in the final table, Richard Troendly once again found himself with the shortest stack. His final hand saw him go all in with eight-seven against Scott Hess’s pocket sixes, resulting in Hess regaining the chip lead, while Troendly exited in seventh place.
The End of Lau’s Remarkable Run
Alonso Lau, who started the final table with just two big blinds, managed to stay in the game through multiple payjumps. However, his journey came to an end when he faced Joe Nguyen’s pocket nines, finishing in sixth place.
The Battle Between Li and Hess
With Li and Hess battling it out, the five remaining players had very even chip stacks. In a thrilling showdown, Li doubled up with ace-king against Hess’s pocket tens. Later, Hess made a strong comeback, doubling up through Li with an ace-kicker, eventually leaving Li with a short stack.
The Final Eliminations
Scott Hess and Terrance Reid faced their final moments in the tournament. Hess fell to Nguyen when he moved all in with ace-five against pocket sixes, and Reid’s journey ended when Anne Bui’s ace-eight bested his king-three. They secured fourth and third place, respectively.
A Deal to Remember
Anne Bui and Joe Nguyen, recognizing their exceptional skills, struck a near-even deal. Nguyen received $87,420 for second place, while Anne Bui, holding the lead in heads-up play, claimed $87,425 and the coveted trophy, cementing her victory in poker history.
Anne Bui’s remarkable journey to victory at the RGPS Graton Main Event is a testament to her skill and determination, setting a new standard in the world of poker.