$800 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Council Bluffs
$800 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2024 RGPS RunGood Resort Council Bluffs
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$282,100
Entries
403
Level
28
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
48
Players Left
1
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Abbas Pasha may not have had a long career in poker tournaments, but something about the Horseshoe Council Bluffs seems to bring out the best in him.
403 hopefuls made their way to the 2024 RGPS Rungood Resort Council Bluffs $800 Main Event with their eyes on the ring. After three long days of play, it is Pasha who is walking away with the $58,735 first place prize.
Pasha lives in Ames, Iowa, just over two hours away from Council Bluffs. He has prior success here, claiming a WSOP circuit ring for almost $29,000 in 2023.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abbas Pasha | $58,735 |
| 2 | Julie Cornelius | $41,127 |
| 3 | Jeremy Hendricks | $26,441 |
| 4 | James Girouard | $17,420 |
| 5 | Cash Carpenter | $13,414 |
| 6 | Logan Cate | $11,109 |
| 7 | Ben McCoy | $9,309 |
| 8 | Siphonh Tran | $7,586 |
| 9 | Jared Ward | $5,873 |
Winner's Reaction
Pasha was able to breathe a sign of relief after finally winning the title, as he had his heads-up opponent Julie Cornelius on the ropes several times.
"As soon as the tournament was over I just let out a big breath. I just want to lay down and sleep."
Pasha will need some sleep after his performance the last two days. He was dominant from start to finish on his way to the title.
"It feels really good and I'm super excited. I really wanted to win one of those huge Rungood rings because they are so cool."
Pasha is no stranger to the world of poker, but the idea of live tournaments is relatively new for him.
"I started playing casually in my early twenties and gradually played more over the years but primarily in cash games."
"During COVID, I started playing tournaments online and got the tournament bug, and I feel like I got pretty good at them."
"Good" is an understatement after watching Pasha's play over the last couple days, highlighted by a superb hero call for all of the chips during heads-up play. The pressure of the situation did not seem to affect him.
Pasha says that he does some IT work but also stays busy playing poker often. He also has a wife and baby at home that he will be sure to celebrate with.
"I'd like to give a shoutout to my wife. She's at home with my son and it's awesome that she's able to stay at home and let me get out here to try and make some money."
Pasha and his wife are expecting a second child in January, so his $58,735 score should be more than enough to cover some new baby clothes.
The Day's Action
48 players returned for Day 2 action, all of which being in the money and guaranteed a minimum cash of $1,368.
The eliminations came quick to start the day as many short stacks returned for Day 2. However, the pace of play eventually slowed down as the money became more and more serious.
Many notable players cashed the event but were unable to make it to the final table. Some of these include WSOP bracelet winners Blair Hinkle, Mo Nuwwarah, and Bob Slezak. Others include Rungood regulars Daniel Lowery and Brent Gregory, as well as three-time MSPT champion Nick Barksdale.
Final Table Action
With the double elimination of David Caron and Andre Allen on the final table bubble, the final nine players combined.
Play would continue for almost an hour with no eliminations until the final nine went on dinner break.
Shortly after dinner, Jared Ward would be the first to fall in ninth place. He got short-stacked after doubling another player and eventually got his stack in with king-queen against ace-jack and he failed to improve as he hit the rail in ninth.
The next casualty in eighth place was Siphonh Tran. He was short for the majority of the day and jammed with king-jack only to run into ace-jack as he laddered his way to an impressive finish.
In seventh place was Ben McCoy. The start-of-day chip leader would jam 16 big blinds from the small blind with pocket eights and was called by the ace-five suited of Cornelius in the big blind, who would pair her ace on the river to eliminate McCoy in brutal fashion.
The next to fall in sixth was Logan Cate. The youngest player to make Day 2 fought his way to final table and called off his stack with ace-queen against a small blind jam with pocket eights. Cade failed to pair as he hit the rail in sixth for a career-best score.
In fifth place was Cash Carpenter. After a stretch of bad cards he got the rest of short stack in the middle with king-eight suited only to run into the king-queen of Hendricks, who flopped a queen and Carpenter ended his day in fifth.
Four-handed play would continue for some time until James Girouard busted in fourth. He called off with ace-three against a small blind jam only but he was dominated against the ace-ten of Cornelius who held as Girouard made another final table in Council Bluffs.
The next casualty in third was Jeremy Hendricks. He would jam his final 20 big blinds from the button but he ran into the pocket aces of Pasha who held to set up a head-up battle with Julie Cornelius.
Pasha began heads-up play with a large lead but Cornelius continued to fight back. Eventually, the two were even when the pivotal pot occured. Pasha called a three-bet with eight-seven. He would flop a gutshot and call a continuation bet. On the turn, Pasha picked up a pair to go along with his draw but faced a jam for his tournament life. He eventually put in the call and was up against two overcards and a flush draw. Pasha held and would go on to win two hands later to claim the title.
In the series leaderboard, Brent Gregory finished first, with Mo Nuwwarah in second and Duane Gerleman in third.
That does it for PokerNews's coverage of the 2024 RGPS Rungood Resort Council Bluffs $800 Main Event. Stay tuned as we continue to cover poker tournaments around the world.
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Abbas Pasha is the champion of the 2024 RGPS Rungood Resort Council Bluffs $800 Main Event for $58,735
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day and winners photos.
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Abbas Pasha opened the button to 300,000 and then called after Julie Cornelius three-bet to 900,000 from the big blind.
On the 9♠5♣3♠ flop, Cornelius continued for 1,000,000 and Pasha called.
The turn brought the 8♦. Cornelius jammed for 4,050,000 effective as she covered by 50,000. Pasha went deep in the tank for around two minutes before he flicked in the call.
Abbas Pasha: 8♥7♣ 
Julie Cornelius: Q♠10♠
Pasha had middle pair and a gutter against the flush draw, gutter, and overs of Cornelius. The K♣ completed the board and Pasha held.
Cornelius was left with 50,000 chips and forced all-in. She won a flip to get to 275,000 and was all-in again the following hand.
Julie Cornelius: A♠10♠
Abbas Pasha: 7♥3♦
The board ran out 5♥4♣2♠7♣9♦ and Pasha paired his seven on the turn as Cornelius hit the rail in second after a fantastic effort.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
12,000,000
7,000,000
|
7,000,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Julie Cornelius opened the button to 350,000 and Abbas Pasha called in the big blind.
On the Q♠Q♥6♠ flop, Cornelius continued for 300,000 before Pasha check-raised to 700,000 and Cornelius called.
The turn was the 2♥. Pasha bet 700,000 and Cornelius called.
On the 9♠ river, Pasha jammed for 1,700,000 effective and Cornelius snapped it off.
Julie Cornelius: K♠8♠
Abbas Pasha: Q♦7♦
Cornelius made a flush on the river to double against Pasha's trips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,000,000
2,900,000
|
2,900,000 |
|
|
5,000,000
-2,900,000
|
-2,900,000 |
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,900,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
4,100,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
Level: 28
Blinds: 75,000/150,000
Ante: 150,000
Level 27
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Abbas Pasha limped the button and snap-called after Julie Cornelius jammed for 2,025,000.
Julie Cornelius: 9♠8♠
Abbas Pasha: A♠K♣
The Q♠10♠5♦ flop brought maximum sweat as Cornelius picked up a flush draw. She paired on the 9♦ turn and held through the 5♣ river to double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,800,000
-2,400,000
|
-2,400,000 |
|
|
4,200,000
2,400,000
|
2,400,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Julie Cornelius limped the button and Abbas Pasha checked his option.
On the K♣10♠2♠ flop, Pasha check-raised a 200,000 bet to 500,000 and Cornelius called.
On the Q♥ turn, Pasha jammed and Cornelius folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,200,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Jeremy Hendricks jammed the button for 2,550,000 and Abbas Pasha called in the small blind..
Jeremy Hendricks: Q♥10♠
Abbas Pasha: A♥A♦
The board ran out 7♦6♠4♦J♠5♣ and Hendricks hit the rail in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,700,000
3,700,000
|
3,700,000 |
|
|
2,300,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
Busted |