Jason Grimes won the RunGood poker Series (RGPS) Tunica Main Event during a grueling 13 hours of poker action, therefore securing a career-high prize of $52,102. Attracting 83 players overall, the tournament reduced to only one champion. Though Grimes’s day would be memorable, the other rivals, all assured of a piece of the $342,210 prize pool, strove for the top.
Grimes arrived at the event having earned a meager $25,592 lifetime. Grimes triples his own lifetime total, guaranteeing the largest win of his poker career at a final table loaded with seasoned players with millions in earnings. Grimes quipped about his sudden riches, “I’m going to do something stupid like pay off debt.” Straight into the bank with it.
Jason Grimes : Making Sense of the Final Table
Jason Grimes started the final table as one of the lesser stacks, but individuals with storied poker careers presented fierce challenge. “It’s pure terror,” Jason Grimes said, open about the caliber of his opponent. He said his approach was one of caution, saying he first felt “stay out of their way.” Luckily, Grimes’ cautious approach paid off when he was fortunate with strong hands that held up all through the final table.
Jason Grimes said, “I am flabbergasted,” thrilled by his win. “I have always wanted to win something, and a RunGood ring is quite unique. The major event is Just crazy is what it is. Grimes said, “I love free stuff, so we will see,” expressing delight for the chance even though he isn’t hurrying to capitalize on the Dream Seat Invitational that comes with his win.
Final Table Results
Here’s a look at the top nine finishers of the RGPS Tunica Main Event:
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
| 1 | Jason Grimes* | Paducah, KY | $52,102 |
| 2 | Houston White* | Madison, TN | $52,102 |
| 3 | Kristopher Duren | Jefferson, GA | $30,731 |
| 4 | Hamid Izadi | Atlanta, GA | $22,928 |
| 5 | Daniel Lowery | Peter Pender, AR | $17,282 |
| 6 | Charles Westbrook | Byram, MS | $13,175 |
| 7 | Jeffrey Brown | Hollywood, FL | $10,164 |
| 8 | Rhonda Hart | Cabot, AR | $7,939 |
| 9 | James West | Brighton, TN | $6,262 |
Day 2 Action: Jason Grimes Ascending the Final Table
Day two of the RGPS Tunica Main Event was truly explosive. Many well-known athletes left the competition before making it to the final table. Among the more well-known names that dropped were John Holley (74th, $958), Yekaterina Lukina (72nd, $1,027), Chris Conrad (62nd, $1,129), previous Tunica Main Event champion Loi Hoang (45th, $1,471), and WSOP bracelet winner Kyle Cartwright (13th, $4,038).
Brandon Dirnberger was the last player to miss the final table; his king-ten was beaten by Ace-three of Kristopher Duren. With the official final table determined, Dirnberger’s 10th-place finish paid him $6,262.
Dynamics of Final Table: Early Bustouts
The last table opened with an all-around frenzy. Taking his shot first, Jeffrey Brown pushed with ace-queen against James West’s pocket nines Brown survived thanks to a lucky queen on the turn; West’s momentum fell flat. When his pocket sixes were no match for Houston White’s pocket jacks, West finally busted in ninth place.
Another early victim was past RGPS ring winner Rhonda Hart. Hart survived a close call with ace-two against aces earlier in the competition, then White’s set eliminated him, finishing in eighth place for $7,939.
Mid-Game Challenge
Several players ran across conflicts with chip leader White as the final table developed. Double through White with pocket sixes, Kristopher Duren momentarily stripped White of his chip advantage. Starting the final table as the leader, Charles Westbrook watched his stack collapse following lost key pots. A key hand versus Grimes, where Grimes’s pocket queens overpowered Westbrook’s king-six, left Westbrook on the ropes. Finally, he was dropped in sixth place for $13,175 in a three-way all-in hand involving Duren and Daniel Lowery.
For long of the final table, Lowery was a powerful player who struggled with the last stretch. His pair of nines dropped to White’s king-ten, then another loss when Duren’s queen-ten cracked his aces. Fifth place for Lowery brought him $17,282.
The Last Mile
At the last table, Hamid Izadi, the chip leader at the beginning of Day 2, lost his impetus. Running into Jason Grimes complete house, his ace-queen sent Izadi fourth place for $22,928 and to the rail. With each player alternately serving as chip leader, three-handed play descended into a violent struggle. Grimes left Duren handicapped following a large pot at last. Jason Grimes pocket jacks secured a big advantage by holding up against Duren’s king-ten. Duren busted soon after in third place for $30,731.
The Deal and the Conquest Of Jason Grimes
Jason Grimes controlled a dominating chip lead against Houston White when heads-up play started. The two players reached an agreement whereby each would get $52,102. But Grimes grabbed the coveted RunGood ring and the seat to the Dream Seat Invitational Tournament at Thunder Valley in November. For Jason Grimes, this triumph not only defined his career but also highlighted his capacity to negotiate high-stakes tables against seasoned rivals.
