RunGood Poker Series (RGPS)

The RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) was born out of RunGoodGear, a premier poker clothing company founded in 2012. From its humble beginnings, which included president Tana Karnchanakphan (AKA Tana Karn), distributing RunGood shirts out of a backpack at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the RGPS tour launched in 2014 and had established itself as a major force in the mid-major market. In fact, it won “Mid-Major Tour/Circuit” four times at the Global Poker Awards (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022). The tour is once again nominated for the award during the 2023 year.

PokerNews often brings you all the latest in RGPS action. You can find RGPS news, photos, videos, schedules, live reporting, and see results all on PokerNews.com.

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Tournaments

2024 RGPS RunGood Resort San Diego
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Council Bluffs
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Tunica
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Cleveland
RunGood Poker Series - RGPS Resort California by PokerGO & NAPT

Finished Tournaments

Winner Winning Hand Prize Runner-up Losing Hand
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Kansas City Bill Byrnes Bill Byrnes 86 $81,109 Rohan Aggarwal 75
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Reno Dustin Cavanaugh Dustin Cavanaugh k10 $33,540 Michael P Harris 99
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Tulsa Eric Bunch Eric Bunch k5 Harold Harvey j3
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort St. Louis Jesse Jones Jesse Jones a5 $73,448 Jeremy Drewery j8
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Tunica Jason Grimes Jason Grimes a7 $52,102 Houston White a8
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Thunder Valley Terrance Reid Terrance Reid $192,755 Lee Markholt
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Kansas City Blair Hinkle Blair Hinkle 88 $92,228 Shaun Emery
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Bay Area Jonathan Wang Jonathan Wang k7 $85,780 Victor Paredes aj
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood St. Louis Iman Alsaden Iman Alsaden a5 $77,192 Michael Chilton q10
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Reno Billy Casey Billy Casey aa $29,092 Andrew Fredericks 76
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Council Bluffs Donald Nimneh Donald Nimneh j10 $69,546 Stefan Kegley 99
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Joplin Andre Allen Andre Allen ak $60,972 William Fisher a8
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Jacksonville Dimas Martinez Jr. Dimas Martinez Jr. $104,524 Ritesh Patel
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Tunica Michael Esquivel Michael Esquivel $55,321 Loi Hoang
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood San Diego Derrick Yamada Derrick Yamada a2 $41,550 Michael Holmes k5
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Tulsa Todd Tucker Todd Tucker 107 $73,242 David McFeely kj

The Hendon Mob

RGPS MyStack
RGPS on PokerNews

What is the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS)?

The RGPS is a four-time Global Poker Award-winning tour for “Mid-Major Tour/Circuit”. The tour usually hosts weeklong festivals comprised of affordable side events culminating in traditionally $575-$675 Main Events, which run Friday-Sunday.

Each season of the RGPS, which currently awards championship rings but has previously awarded medallions, championship belts, and even cowboy boots, comes with a fun theme. Some of the themes from past seasons include “Showbound”, “Game Seven”, “RunGood Cup”, “Old West”, a charity-themed season with Operation Gratitude, the post-pandemic “Comeback Tour," "Checkpoint powered by PokerGO" and now "Destination RunGood."

They have also formed a partnership with PokerGO to send players to an end-of-year invite-only tournament to be filmed at PokerGO Studios in Las Vegas.

When is the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS)?

The RGPS holds stops throughout the year across the country. In the past, they’ve hosted two themed seasons each year – the first taking place in the first half of the year before the WSOP, and the other in the second half of the year after the WSOP.

PokerNews and the RGPS

Over the years, PokerNews has offered live updates from many RGPS tournaments and continues to do so.

History of the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS)?

A shot from the first-ever RGPS stop.
A shot from the first-ever RGPS stop.

The RGPS tour launched in 2014 with three stops starting with its inaugural stop at Downstream Casino & Resort in Quapaw, Oklahoma. Bernard Lee topped a 344-entry field, including Ross Bybee in heads-up play, to win the $675 Main Event for $47,555.

Bybee redeemed himself at the next stop at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa when he bested a 317-entry field to win the $675 Main Event for $26,440 after a four-way deal. A month later, the RGPS returned to Downstream and hosted another $675 Main Event, which attracted 262 runners and saw Mark Martin come out on top to claim a $36,218 first-place prize.

In 2015, the tour expanded to seven stops after adding Horseshoe Council Bluffs and an RGPS Cup Championship in New Orleans. The following year, six stops were held including a pair in North Kansas City, while a total of seven stops took place in 2017.

In 2018, Horseshoe Bossier City joined the tour, as did the first-ever RGPS Global Championship Cruise, which was won by Shawn Sparks for $21,417. That year saw 13 stops, but in 2019 that jumped to 17 thanks to Horseshoe Tunica joining the fray.

In 2020, a new stop Jamul Casino in San Diego was held before the global pandemic put the tour on hiatus. It took a year, but the RGPS stormed back in 2021 with a “Comeback Tour” and resumed making its mark in the mid-major market, including at new stops at Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Coconut Creek and California’s Thunder Valley.

Boston Rob Mariano
Boston Rob Mariano

In 2022, RGPS held an "All-Stars Season" season in which they qualified players for a year-end Pro-AM. The second annual RGPS All-Stars Pro-Am saw 65 entrants, a combination of invited pros and qualifiers from across the country, and saw “Boston” Rob Mariano win it for $8,775 top prize and his second RGPS ring of the season.

Mariano qualified for the tournament by topping a 206-entry field to win the $200 NLH Guest Ambassador Bounty Event at RGPS JACK Cleveland, good for $8,615.

Mariano is arguably the biggest star to come out of the hit CBS television show Survivor (he’s appeared on six seasons) and has also appeared on Amazing Race, The Price is Right, and most recently Season 2 of Secret Celebrity Renovation.

For 2023, the RGPS announced the "Checkpoint powered by PokerGO" theme. The season started in January at Hard Rock Casino Tulsa and is slated to conclude before the start of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in June. The tour will continue to host its signature events at various stops across the country awarding newly designed 2023 Championship Rings while raising funds for their non-profit partner, Operation Gratitude.

2023 RGPS Main Event Winners

MonthEventWinnerPrize
JanuaryRGPS TulsaPete Petree$62,911
FebruaryRGPS San DiegoRafi Azam$52,820
MarchRGPS TunicaKevin Broadway$46,804
MarchRGPS GratonPe Kyaw$90,330
AprilRGPS JacksonvilleAntwan Prince$92,796
AprilRGPS JoplinDakotah O'Dell$63,647
AprilRGPS Council BluffsJoshua Kopp$68,799
MayRGPS RenoStacey Berger$39,655
MayRGPS Kansas CityAndre Allen$86,550
JulyRGPS Thunder ValleyTyler Patterson$200,422
SeptemberRGPS BaltimoreAri Katz$47,724
OctoberRGPS St. LouisKeith Heine$88,506
OctoberRGPS TulsaTyler Barnes$52,692
OctoberRGPS Kansas CityWilliam McCracken$83,099
OctoberRGPS GratonAnne Bui$87,425
NovemberRGPS ClevelandLouis Ganser$102,225
NovemberRGPS TunicaJack Keller$62,826
NovemberRGPS San DiegoDerrick Yamada$31,565
NovemberRGPS IowaCody Bartlett$63,305

2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Schedule

DatesEventVenue
Jan. 16-21Destination RunGood TulsaHard Rock Casino
Feb. 20-25Destination RunGood San DiegoJamul Casino
Feb. 27-Mar. 3Destination RunGood TunicaHorseshoe Tunica Casino
Mar. 14-24Destination RunGood Jacksonvillebestbet Jacksonville
Apr. 9-14Destination RunGood JoplinDownstream Casino
Apr. 23-28Destination RunGood Council BluffsHorseshoe Iowa Casino
Apr. 23-28Destination RunGood RenoAtlantis Casino
Apr. 30-May 5Destination RunGood St. LouisHollywood Casino
May 2-12Destination RunGood Bay AreaGraton Casino
May 14-19Destination RunGood Kansas CityHarrah's Casino
July 11-29Destination RunGood Season FinaleThunder Valley Casino

Top RGPS Players

Daniel Lowery
RGPS superstar Daniel Lowery

As of January 2023, Daniel Lowery sits atop both the RGPS all-time money list ($198,253) and most titles (7). Lowery also tops the list for most RGPS cashes with 45, as well as most top 10 finishers with 24.

Justin Gardenhire sits behind him with $189,117 in earnings, 5 titles, 21 top 10 finishes, and 35 cashes. Meanwhile, Blair Hinkle has established himself as a force on the tour with $154,572 in earnings from three titles.

Other players with three titles to their credit are Preston McEwen, James Devaney, Derrick Contreras, Eric Bunch, Julie Anna Cornelius, Rodney Spriggs, Michael Albert, John Heckenkamp, and Ross Bybee.

See more RGPS stats and results on The Hendon Mob.

FAQs

Where does the RGPS take place?

The RGPS takes place all across the country with a focus in the central United States including Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and Louisiana. They’ve also held stops in California, Florida, and on the high seas!

How can you follow the RGPS?

In addition to following live updates on PokerNews, you can follow @RGPokerSeries on Twitter or visit rungoodgear.com.

Are there different events in the RGPS?

Yes, most RGPS stops are comprised of a series of side events with a $575-$675 Main Event. Some common side events on the schedule include $185 DeepStack, $135 Bounty, $200 Two Green Chip Bounty, $125 Seniors, etc.

How long has the RGPS been around?

The RGPS debuted as a mid-major tour in 2014.

Who heads up the RGPS?

Tana Karnchanakphan (AKA Tana Karn), who is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the founder and president of the RGPS.

“The beauty of our growth is that it has always been from referrals or word of mouth,” Karn previously said in an interview. “I’ve always believed in the fact that if you truly have a great product it will be just a matter of time before word gets out.”