RunGood Poker Series Comes to the JACK - Part 1

The RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) recently made its first stop to JACK Cleveland Casino, running a variety of tournaments from September 22nd through October 2nd, 2022. Led by CEO Tana Karn and his awesome team, the RGPS tour dates back to 2014 and won "Mid-Major Tour/Circuit" at the Global Poker Awards in 2018 and 2019.

Cleveland Jacks - the theme of this RGPS tour stop 

The winner of each tournament would be awarded a RunGood championship ring. Very cool!

RunGood championship rings

Once the schedule of events was released, my plan was to play the $300 Pot Limit Omaha 8-handed ring event on Sunday, 9/25 and the $200 Guest Bounty (No Limit Hold'em) ring event on Tuesday, 9/27. Hopefully, I can win a seat into their $800 Main Event as well!

Upon my arrival to the JACK Cleveland Poker Room, I checked in on my friend Linda Eisenstein, who was in the middle of a deep run in the $420 Opener event. She ended up making the final table and finished in 6th place for a really nice pay day. Congratulations, Linda!

The rest of this post will cover the PLO tournament, then I will follow up with additional post(s) covering the subsequent events I play in.

RGPS PLO Ring Event Structure

As I have often done in the past, I kept a running log of the tournament, where I go level-by-level and break down hands played, stack sizes, post photos, etc. I hope you enjoy!

25,000 starting stack

Level 1 - 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante

The table is 7-handed to start. A couple players, and even a few dealers, at the table discuss the tournament chips being used for the event as being ones that are difficult to get used to. I personally like the colors.

I fold my first few hands, but limp in when I pick up...

First playable hand

... 9h 8h 5h 5d in a multi-way pot. Flop is K Q 5, giving me bottom set. This is a dangerous board with straight possibilities, so I bet 1,000 with the intention of slowing down if I get action. Fortunately, everyone folds and I pick up my first pot of the tournament. 

Two hands later, I pick up As Ks 9s 4x in late position and limp again. 6 ways to the flop, which brings two spades. I lead for 1200 and the SB calls. Turn gives me the nut flush. I bet 2,500 out of turn - like a dumb ass - and my opponent folds.

I end the level with 26,100 - slightly above starting stack.

Level 2 - 200/300 with a 300 big blind ante

During the 2nd hand of the level, I'm in the SB with As 8x 8c 4c. Somehow, my pair of 8's held against 3 other players when we all check down to the river.

A bit later, I lose my first big pot of the tournament. I'm UTG+1 and limp in with Ks Qh Js 9d. Seat 6 (two to my left) raises to 1500 and there are 3 callers ahead of me. I have a really nice hand that I could re-raise with, but I elect to flat. Flop is Q T 3, giving me a wrap. The SB leads for 5,000. I call, as does the CO. Turn [Q T 3] 6. The SB bets 5,000 again and we both call. River [Q T 3 6] X is a blank for me. The SB checks, I check and the CO goes all-in. The SB calls with a set of Tens (which were good) and I get out of the way. The CO had a similar hand as I did.

Obviously, that could have been a huge 30+k pot for me. Instead, I'm left with 14,700 but I win one before the end of the level to chip back up to 17,800.

Level 3 - 200/400 with a 400 big blind ante

I limp in from UTG with Kh Kd 9h 3c. There are 5 players to the flop, which comes A K T. We all check. Turn [A K T] Q. Everyone checks again. River [A K T Q] 6. Checks down again and I win the pot with my set of Kings.

So far, my table draw has been quite favorable, enabling me to limp in and see a lot of flops without much resistance.

Later in the level, I limp from late position with 7h 6h 4h 4d. There are 5 players to a Q 5 4 flop. BINGO. I lead for 1,200 and the BB is the only caller. Turn [Q 5 4] 3 just gets better. I improve to the nut straight with a re-draw to a full house due to my set of fours. To my surprise, the BB leads pot for 4,400. I re-pot to 17,600 and don't have much behind. He just calls. The River is inconsequential and I bet my last 2,900, which is called by my opponent who had a lower straight with 6-2.

The last hand before for the 1st break of the day, I flop a straight with K K 9 8 on a hand I played cautiously once the board paired on the turn.

I end the level and go to break with 50,400 - over 2x my starting stack.

As I'm standing outside of the poker room giving an update to Dana (my fiancée) on how things are going, I see a familiar face approach from the casino gaming area.

"Boston" Rob Mariano from Survivor!

Dana and I were late to watching Survivor, but once we starting binging it, we couldn't stop. Literally. That's pretty much all we watched while we were stuck at home during the pandemic. Seeing Rob finally win the million during his Redemption Island season was such a master class. I tell him that Dana and I binged watched every season and he tells me "that's a lot of TV!"

Anyway, it was a bucket list moment for me to meet Rob and snap a quick picture with him. Hopefully I run into him later as he's late-registering the PLO tournament that I'm in.

Level 4 - 300/600 with a 600 big blind ante

Nothing to report during this level. I have 49,500 heading into Level 5.

Level 5 - 400/800 with a 800 big blind ante

I'm UTG+1 with Ad Kd Jc Th and raise to 2,000. I get 2 callers to a flop of T T 2. I bet 5,000 and both players fold.

A few hands later, I check my option from the BB with Kh Kd Js 5s. Flop is As Ts Xx. We all check to the Turn [As Ts Xx] 6s, giving me the Jack-high flush. I bet 2,000 and get one caller. River [As Ts Xx 6s] 4c. We both check and I take down a small pot with the flush.

I'm in the CO with Ah Ad 3d Jc. There's one limper and I raise to 3,500. 2 players call and the Flop is Jd Td 2x. I bet 11,000 with a pair of Aces and the nut flush draw. The player to my right calls and we see a briliant Turn [Jd Td 2x] 4d. I bet pot ~33,000 and he folds.

I'm on the BTN with Ac Qc Qh 8s and limp in along with 3 others. Flop gives me a top set of Queens and the nut flush draw. I lead for 2,500, but everyone folds.

I end the level with 73,700.

Chipping up!

Level 6 - 500/1,000 with a 1,000 big blind ante

On the BTN, I raise to 3,000 with Ad As 8d 5s. The SB calls and the Flop is Kx 6h 5h. I probably should have led out here, but noticed my opponent looking at his chips like he wanted to bet and checked behind. Turn [Kx 6h 5h] is another King. We both checked again. River [Kx 6h 5h Kx] 6. He bets 5,000 and I call and fold when I see he has K6.

I end the level and go to the 2nd break of the day with 55,700.

In the zone - photo credit: Doug Poker

Level 7 - 600/1,200 with a 1,200 big blind ante

Another quiet level. I'm sitting at 53,900 and notice the tournament clock is updated:

There were 67 runners and 29 people left in the tournament, which pays 7 spots.

Level 8 - 1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 big blind ante

From the BTN, I limp in with 8c 4c 6s 3s. There are 5 players that see an 8 8 2 flop. It checks to me and I bet 5,500. The CO calls and the Turn is [8 8 2] 9. We both check. River [8 8 2 9] K. The CO bets 10,000 and I fold my trips with a shitty kicker.

Later in this level, I knock two players out of the tournament with Kh Kd 8h 7d. My Kings don't need to improve and suddenly there are only 22 players left.

I end the level with 60,600.

Level 9 - 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 big blind ante

I limp UTG with Ax Qx Qc Tc. The BTN raisees to 7000 and I'm the only caller. Flop brings two clubs and my pair of Queens is an over-pair to the board. I check-call another 7,000. The Turn completes my flush and we both check. The River pairs the board, but I want to get some value from my flush on an otherwise non-threatening board. I bet 8,000, which is called and my opponent mucks his KK over-pair when he sees my Queen-high flush.

This level wasn't super kind to me otherwise and I head into Level 10 with 55,600

Grinding away - Photo credit: RunGood
Very cool to see them snap a pic of me and post to their social media platforms!

Level 10- 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 big blind ante

I'm in the BB when I look down at a monster Qs Js Th 9s. It folds around to the SB, who raises to 11,000. I'm the only caller and the Flop is Kd 5c 8s. We both check. Turn [Kd 5c 8s] 7s. He leads out for 6,000 and I call with my open-ender and flush draws. River [Kd 5c 8s 7s] 6c. BOOM! It's music to my ears when the SB leads out for 12,000. I think for a bit, re-check my cards just to make sure I still have the nuts, and raise all-in for 19,600 more. He calls and says he turned the straight.

All in & a double up

Much healthier in chips now

I have 103,700 and right after this hand we combine to 2 tables as there are 16 players left in the tournament.

At the completion of this level, I have 98,000 heading into the 3rd break.

Level 11- 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 big blind ante

1st hand back from break I pick up Qx Qx Th 2h in the SB. I limp, but a nice dude who is also taking written notes on the hands he plays in a notebook pops me to 12,000. I call and the Flop is T 7 4 rainbow. I check-fold to his 20,000 bet.

Coming back around the table, I'm in the BB with Ad Kc Tc 2h. I'm heads up with Nate Walter to a T 4 4 flop. Nate mentioned to someone sitting at my previous table that he was the one who knocked out Boston Rob. We both check. Turn [Tx 4x 4d] Td. I bet 10,000 and Nate calls. River is a third diamond and we both check. Nate flips over a Jack-high flush, which knocks me back to 62,000.

After another orbit around the table, in the BB with Js 7c 4s 4c. A really good player in the SB raises to 12,000 and I elect to call this marginal hand since it's heads up and I'm double suited. Part of me also wants to show I'm not a pushover since I have been playing relatively tight otherwise.

Flop 5d 9h 4h, giving me bottom set. The SB bets pot and I go all-in for not much more behind. He shows Ad Ah 3h Qs. I'm a 58% to 42% favorite.

Odds on Flop during my All-In

Turn [5d 9h 4h] 5c. 

Now I'm a 90% favorite to win the hand, with one card to come. My opponent can only catch the 2 remaining Aces or 2 remaining fives in the deck to win.

Odds on Turn during my All-In

River [5d 9h 4h 5c] 5s

I'm absolutely crushed when I realize I've been 4-outed for a higher full house (555AA vs. my 55544).

Crushing board run-out!

I'm eliminated in 10th place, 1 spot shy of the making the RunGood Series PLO Ring Event final table and 3 spots shy of cashing in the money.

Congrats to Nate, who went on to win the tournament and the coveted RunGood championship ring!

I suppose I could have just folded the hand in the first place and still had 10 or so big blinds to mess around with. Despite the result, I'm really proud of the way I played this entire tournament, despite knowing I likely made some mistakes along the way. I've played low buy-in HA tournaments in the past, but this was my first-ever PLO only tournament and you could say I was "taking a shot" given the $300 price point. It was the highest buy-in tournament I've played since 2006, back in my "professional" online poker days.

I wouldn't have been comfortable playing this tournament at all had it not been for the experience I've gained over the past two years playing low-stakes PLO with my PokerNow group. Dealing for Adam's $1/3 game has also given me much-needed PLO experience at a higher-stakes level.

Hopefully, I'll have better news to report after tomorrow night's Bounty event.

Stay tuned for Part 2 later this week.