Archived Blog / Harrah's North Kansas City

Day 1A of the Run Good Poker Series Kansas City Main Event is in the books. A total of 122 players queued up at Harrah's Kansas City for the opening flight of this $100,000 guarantee event.

When the flight was over, Javier Terrazas held the chip lead (212,500) over atop 24 players advancing to Day 2, which will start Sunday at noon.

Several familiar faces took a shot at Day 1A and Craig Welko, Blair Hinkle, Matt Donaldson were eliminated. Meanwhile, Grant (46,500) and Mason Hinkle (188,000) both advanced to Day 2, as well as Justin Gardenhire (60,000).

PokerNews Podcast host Jeff Platt and LFG Podcast Host Jamie Kerstetter, both played but failed to bag for Day 2 as well.

Danny Padilla bagged the second biggest stack after holding the lead for most of the day. Padilla bagged 203,500 and was just beaten out during the last level by Terrazas.

"It was a good last level," Terrazas said after bagging the chip lead.

There are still two more flights in the RGPS Kansas City Main Event. Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at noon. The final day will be Sunday at noon when all players combine for a chance to be the next RGPS Main Event Champion.

Today, Poker Central announced a partnership with the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) to co-brand its 2019 season tour with streaming service PokerGO. “Showbound Powered by PokerGO” will encourage tournament participants at all tour stops to dress to impress and walk the crimson carpet on their way to the poker table.

WIN YOUR WAY ONTO POKER AFTER DARK

Throughout the 2019 RGPS Showbound season, tournament participants will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play on an upcoming episode of the legendary series “Poker After Dark.” Preliminary event winners and players who reach the final table of main events will receive a reserved seat in a freeroll satellite at the Hard Rock Tulsa for two $5,000 Sit & Go seats and the high roller experience of a lifetime at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.

2019 RUNGOOD POKER SERIES SHOWBOUND STOPS

• February 5-10 – Council Bluffs, IA
• February 19-24 – Joplin, MO
• March 5-10 Tunica, MS
• March 26-31 – Bossier City, LA
• April 23-28 – Kansas City, MO
• April 30-May 5 – Tulsa, OK

“The RunGood Poker Series is famous for fun, and this ‘Showbound’ tour will be no exception with even more prizes at stake,” said Sam Simmons, president of Poker Central. “We’re pleased to welcome winners to the PokerGO Studio to compete on ‘Poker After Dark’ and test their skills where the lights shine brightest.”

RunGoodGear.com President and RunGood Poker Series owner Tana Karn added his excitement to this new partnership.

“As a kid, I would always daydream about being able to compete in front of thousands of people. With the partnership of PokerGO and the RunGood Poker Series we get to make that dream come true for two individuals on one of poker’s most beloved shows. We can’t wait to roll out the red carpet and have the world tune in for a spectacular season.”

Detailed schedules for each stop on the tour will be announced at a later time. The satellite winners will receive red carpet treatment with travel expenses to Las Vegas, a behind-the-scenes look at the PokerGO Studios, meet and greets with some of poker’s biggest celebrities, and a chance to compete with the most popular poker players in the game. Further details are available at http://www.rungoodpokerseries.com.

BE SURE TO USE CODE “RUNGOOD” for $20 OFF A POKERGO ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION.

Haven’t experienced “POKER AFTER DARK” before? Download the POKERGO App today and sign up for some of the best poker content in the world. The app is the ultimate destination for fans of poker tournaments, cash games, and lifestyle away from the tables. It delivers over 100 days of live poker on an annual basis alongside a video-on-demand library that features original series and classic poker programming. Streaming and televised tournaments include its owned tournaments, such as Super High Roller Bowl, Poker Masters, and U.S. Poker Open, along with The World Series of Poker, ARIA High Roller Series, and WPT final tables, among others. For more information, visit www.pokercentral.com and www.pokergo.com.

Level 20 (16,000/8,000/16,000)

Total Entrants: 330

Players remaining: 10

Chip Average: 660,000

Eliminations are coming very quickly. We caught up with Steve Broek all in with A-Q versus James Mullen with K-Q. The flop brought Q-Q-J and Broek looked to be in good shape.

The 10 and 9 on the turn and river completed a straight for Mullen and Broek was eliminated.

The RunGood Old West tour blew into Kansas City like a tumbleweed and brought our gamble with us. 2018 WSOP Main Event Champion John Cynn joined us for the preliminary events and 2017 WSOP Main Event Champion Scott Blumstein arrived in time for the Main Event, joining 390 other players for their shot at a $43,010 payday.

After three days of competition across the felt, three players remained: Corey Blevins, Andrew Flaherty, and Garnet Farron. The three players agreed to chop both the remaining prize pool and the non-cash awards, as follows:

Andrew Flaherty punched his ticket to Day 2 in the first flight, bagging up 83,500 over the course of Day 1A. Corey Blevins emerged from Day 1B with the overall chip lead, bringing 201,500 chips with him to start Day 2. Garnet Farron also advanced to Day 2 from Day 1B, bringing 71,500 chip to the final day of competition.

At the end of competition, we asked Farron what he planned to do tomorrow. Farron said he was supposed to work at 5 a.m. at Trader Joe's, but he might have to take the day off. Flaherty said he picked the right time to be unemployed--Flaherty spent the last month on a tour of the Pacific Northwest as a drummer in a band playing multiple gigs throughout the PNW region. Unfortunately, we weren't able to speak with Blevins about his future plans.

The biggest hand of the tournament for Garnet Farron was when his pocket tens spiked a set against Brandon Zallar's pocket aces and Michael Lech's ace-king in a three-way all-in, which saw Lech exit the tournament in 13th place. Farron later came from behind with ace-nine of hearts against Matt Riffel's ace-king to send Riffel to the rail in 6th place.

Flaherty's first pivotal hand was when his ace-queen of diamonds cracked Matt Donaldson's aces when 34 players were left. Donaldson survived to make the final table, but the hand kept Flaherty alive. A second key hand involved a rivered set against Doug Miller. And a third key hand came against 4th-place finisher Brandon Zallar. Flaherty knocked out Zallar during 4-handed play with ace-king of diamonds against Zallar's ace-queen offsuit, propelling Flaherty above 3 million chips.

As for Blevins, we could only find one hand throughout the blog where Blevins went to showdown with a hand. We even went back through our notes of the hands that weren't written up--and the trend was practically universal. Blevins bets and his opponents fold. Winning hands without giving away information?  That's some skill, right there.

All good things must come to an end and the settling of the payouts and awards in the RGPS Old West Main Event marks the end of our visit to Kansas City. RunGood would like to thank the staff at Harrah's North Kansas City for all their hard work during the series, to the ambassadors, to John Cynn and Scott Blumstein, and to all of the players for making this series great. We hope to see you again at our next destination: Horseshoe Bossier City, October 2-7.

Full final table results are shown below:
1 - Andrew Flaherty - $31,132
1 - Corey Blevins - $32,878
1 - Garnet Farron - $25,000
4 - Brandon Zallar - $14,421
5 - Doug Miller - $10,784
6 - Matt Riffel - $8,323
7 - Jamie Kerstetter - $6,464
8 - Scott Buller - $5,091
9 - Matt Donaldson - $4,067
10 - Sarah Zeluf - $3,293

Level 25 (25000/50000/50000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 3
Chip average: 2,606,667

The remaining players agreed to chop the remaining prize pool and to play out the remainder of the tournament for the Boot Factory Outlet boots, the Montana Silversmiths belt buckle, and their name on the RG Traveling Trophy.  But after three more hands, two in which all three players were all-in, an agreement was reached as to who would take each of the three non-cash prizes.

Here are the details of the chop agreement:

With the prizes divided, the RG NKC Old West Main Event has come to close. Congratulations to all the winners and a hearty thank you to all of the players who came out to take part. A full recap of the Main Event will be published in a few hours.

Level 25 (25000/50000/50000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 3
Chip average: 2,606,667

The action folds to Brandon Zallar (pictured) in the small blind, who raises to 100,000. Andrew Flaherty in the big blind moves all in for 1,595,000 and has Zallar covered. Zallar checks his hole cards, gives a shrug, and pushes his stack of 1,430,000 across the betting line.

Andrew Flaherty - A♦K♦
Brandon Zallar - A♠Q♦

It's little slick versus big slick with Zallar at risk. The flop comes T♦8♠5♠ and both players whiff. The turn brings the 9♦, adding a little drama to the mix. Zallar has a gutshot to go with his pair out for five clean outs. The river delivers none of them, though, when the 2♠ hits the felt.

Zallar is eliminated in 4th place and will collect $14,421 for his efforts.

Andrew Flaherty - 3,150,000
Brandon Zallar - Eliminated

3,125,000

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 4
Chip average: 1,955,000

The players are enjoying a scheduled 15-minute break. Play will resume with Level 25 and blinds of 25000/50000/50000. 

The past hour has seen a shift in play from all the players tightening up to Brandon Zallar taking control, raising most pots and taking down the blinds and antes a majority of the time. 

Here are the official chip counts as of the break:

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 4
Chip average: 1,955,000

Garnet Farron limps on the button and Brandon Zallar completes the small blind. But a limped pot isn't what Andrew Flaherty (pictured) has in mind, and he shoves for 675,000. Farron getst he count and calls while Zallar folds.

Farron - 4♠4♦
Flaherty - 7♠7♥

Flaherty is in great shape to double up but must fade the board. The flop comes clean, Q♠J♥5♦, and the turn is even better with the 7♦. Farron is drawing dead and not even the 4♣ on the river can change the outcome.

Andrew Flaherty - 1,390,000
Garnet Farron - 1,825,000

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 4
Chip average: 1,955,000

We'll confirm the chip counts during the upcoming break, but shortly we'll post about Flaherty's double-up through Ferron.

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 4
Chip average: 1,955,000

Brandon Zallar raises to 105,000 from under-the-gun. Doug Miller (pictured) calls in the cutoff and Grant Farron calls from the big blind.

The dealer spreads a flop of J♦T♣7♦. Farron checks, Zallar bets 200,000, and Miller calls.  Farron folds and we're off to the 8♠ turn. Both players check the turn and see a 7♣ river.

Zallar checks to Miller who moves all-in. Zallar quickly calls.

Miller - K♠Q♠
Zallar - Q♥J♠

Miller's busted straight draw is second-best to Zallar's jacks up and Miller's tournament comes to an end.

For his 5th-place finish, Miller will collect $10,784.

Brandon Zallar - 2,680,000
Doug Miller - Eliminated

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 5
Chip average: 1,564,000

The action folds to Doug Miller in the small blind and he raises, only to see Andrew Flaherty shove all-in for 445,000. Miller calls and we see the cards.

Doug Miller - A♣Q♠
Andrew Flaherty - J♥J♦

The dealer spread a flop of A♠Q♦T♠. Flaherty goes from in the lead to way behind with the flop. The turn brings the 5♠, stealing two more outs from Flaherty. Flaherty must catch a non-spade king or jack to stay alive.

The river delivers salvation in the J♣. Flaherty's rivered set comes from behind against Miller's top-two pair to secure the double-up.

Andrew Flaherty - 890,000
Doug Miller - 1,165,000

Level 24 (20000/40000/40000)
Total Entrants: 391
Players remaining: 5
Chip average: 1,564,000

The action folds to Garnet Farron in the cutoff and he raises to 100,000. Brandon Zaller folds the button but Matt Riffel (pictured) in the small blind moves all-in for 515,000. When it folds back to Farron, he gets the count and calls.

Garnet Farron - A♥9♥
Matt Riffel - A♠K♦

Riffel is ahead and has Farron dominated, but all that changes on a flop of Q♥9♣4♠. The percentages invert and now it's Riffel who is dominated, needing one of three kings left in the deck to keep his tournament alive. The turn is no help when the Q♦ comes, and it's all down to the river for Riffel. 

The river is the T♠, bringing Riffel's final table to an end.

For his performance in the Main Event, Riffel will collect $8,323.

Garnet Farron - 1,925,000
Matt Riffel - Eliminated