$700 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Council Bluffs
$700 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2024 RGPS Destination RunGood Council Bluffs
Buy-in
$700
Prize Pool
$372,600
Entries
648
Level
28
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000
Entries
80
Players Left
1
Donald Nimneh Crowned RGPS Council Bluffs Champion for $69,546!
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
A total of 648 players tried their luck in the $700 RunGood Poker Series Destination: Council Bluffs Main Event at the Horseshoe Casino. That tally created a prize pool worth $372,600, that only 80 players were lucky enough to see any piece of.
After the dust cleared, it was Omaha local Donald Nimneh who stood atop the heap, a sum of $69,546 his for the taking, adorned with an RGPS ring.
“Oh, I’m very excited,” he said as he marveled at his hefty payday, as it is his biggest tournament score, aside from a big mystery bounty pull at the Wynn a few years back. According to The Hendon Mob, his biggest cash was from two years ago in this same building for a sixth-place finish in the 2022 RunGood Contender Series Main Event for $15,901!
Nimneh is of Libyan heritage but is originally from Rhode Island, until he moved to Omaha some years ago. It wasn't until he got to the Midwest that he discovered the great game of poker.
“Yes, I used to watch WPT (World Poker Tour) on TV and online and I would try to do some of those things here in the cash games, but that was before I realized they are two very different games! I am much better at tournaments and a terrible cash player!”
Nimneh is currently a truck driver who travels all over hauling beef, corn, and other midwestern goods while he also pursues his poker passion. When asked about plans for WSOP, he said he is definitely going to be there, playing the mystery bounty and then coming back for his first shot at the WSOP Main Event!
Congratulations again to Donald and all of our finalists!
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donald Nimneh | $69,546 |
| 2 | Stefan Kegley | $48,758 |
| 3 | Tyler Klumb | $31,403 |
| 4 | Stephen Moy | $22,710 |
| 5 | Jon Gibbs | $17,427 |
| 6 | David Fager | $13,999 |
| 7 | Mike Vanier | $11,633 |
| 8 | Scott Buller | $9,270 |
| 9 | Adam Bacome | $6,956 |
Action on the Day
It did not take long for the players to start dropping. Many accomplished players saw their days end earlier than their hopes as players like Brian Winter (60th-$1,218), Taylor Howard (46th-$1,427), Greg Raymer (40th - $1,613) Jared Ward (28th-$1,837), and Blair Hinkle (14th - $4,583).
Even the Day 1 chipleader, Nick Barksdale, met his end after running up a monster stack throughout the day but lost several big flips in a row and ultimately busted in 15th place for $4,583. The last player to fall before the final table was Daryl Oppelt, who moved all in on the river of a paired board with seven-high but was called by Mike Vanier with two-pair after a three-minute tank. Oppelt collected $5,725 for his efforts and the final nine players took their seats.
Final Table Action
It did not take too long to see the first casualty of the final table. It was on the very first hand that Adam Bacome moved all in with ace-king against the pocket tens of Vanier. Failing to improve, Bacome was the first casualty at the final table as he exited in 9th place for $6,956.
Scott Buller was the next one out the door after a few hands had already passed. He had just lost a huge pot to Stephen Moy when his nines were cracked by ace-ten and he moved all in for just a few big blinds with king-six offsuit and was called by David Fager with ace-king. An ace appeared on the flop and the rest was history, sending him to the exit in eighth place for $9,270.
Soon after Buller’s exit, Vanier met a similar fate. He was cruising at the top of the chip counts for almost a full level until he lost a few big hands in a row, the biggest one when he called Moy’s shove on a ten-high board with pocket eights. Moy, however, held ten-three for top pair which held through the runout to score him a huge double and left Vanier short. Vanier then moved all in with ace-queen and was called by none other than Moy to put him at risk with pocket fives. A five on the flop spelled the end for Vanier, and he was sent to the cage in seventh place for $11,633.
The next two eliminations came back-to-back when short-stacked Fager fell to Tyler Klumb when his king-five was bested by queen-seven on a queen-high flop. Immediately after, Jon Gibbs shoved with king-queen and was called by Nimneh who called with eight-five offsuit. Both a queen and an eight appeared on the flop, but the turn was brutal as it came a five to give Nimneh two-pair and the river bricked to eliminate Gibbs in fifth place.
In fourth place, it was Moy who hit the chopping block. He was left with under ten big blinds after doubling up Stefan Kegley and moved in with nine-seven offsuit against the king-jack of Klumb. A jack appeared on the flop to give Klumb a big lead and the runout changed nothing, making Moy the fourth-place finisher.
After a quick break and around 10 minutes of three-handed play, Klumb and Nimneh got involved in a big pot that ultimately resulted in a shove from Klumb on a king-high flop and a snap-call from Nimneh. Klumb held king-four for top pair but Nimneh held pocket aces for the lead. The board failed to improve Klumb and he was thusly sent out in third for a nice payout of $31,403.
Nimneh and Kegley then went to battle heads-up with Nimneh holding a 5-1 chip lead, but there was plenty of back-and-forth action between the two for a solid 15 minutes. It ultimately ended after Kegley was gound down to around 10 big blinds and he got it all in with pocket nines versus the jack-ten of Nimneh. The flop came nine-high which was a dream for Kegley, but it quickly turned into a nightmare as the runout of queen-king gave Nimneh a runner-runner straight for the win. With that, Kegley was eliminated as the tournament’s runner-up for $48,758 while Nimneh was crowned the champion and awarded the first-place prize of $69,546 and the RunGood ring.
That’s it for the RGPS Destination: Council Bluffs stop but be sure to tune in next week for all the action in St. Louis at Hollywood Casino! And as always, keep a tab open on PokerNews for everything poker!
Stefan Kegley Eliminated in 2nd Place ($48,758)
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
After battling it out with Donald Nimneh heads-up, Stefan Kegley was down to only 10 big blinds when he moved all in. Nimneh made the call to put him at risk and the cards were tabled.
Stefan Kegley: 9♣9♥
Donald Nimneh: J♥10♦
Kegley was ahead with his pocket pair, and the flop of 3♥6♠9♦ was perfect to give him top set. but the runout was absolutely brutal as it came Q♣K♠ to give Nimneh a runner-runner straight.
Kegley was left stunned at what just occurred and he exited the room in disbelief as the tournament's runner-up, good for a prize of $48,758.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
19,440,000 | 5,940,000 |
|
Busted |
Tyler Klumb Eliminated in 3rd Place ($31,403)
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
On a heads-up flop of 10♠2♦K♦, Tyler Klumb led for 400,000, was raised to 900,000 by Donald Nimneh, and Klumb responded by moving all in, which Nimneh called.
"Oh, well I guess I'm behind then," Klumb sighed as the cards were tabled.
Tyler Klumb: K♣5♣ 
Donald Nimneh : A♣A♦
Klumb's king was indeed behind the aces of Nimneh, and the runout of 4♣A♥ only improved Nimneh to top set, eliminating Klumb in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,500,000 | 7,400,000 |
|
Busted |
WATCH: PokerNews Podcast #827 - Neymar Did What at a Kid’s Birthday Party?!?
Level 28
: Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
In the 876th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by Global Poker, Chad Holloway is back at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas alongside regular co-host Mike Holtz. However, Kyna England is up in Reno for the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS), so her Team Hotdog compatriot Lindsey Kludt fills in. The triumvirate discusses football/soccer superstar Neymar making headlines for playing online poker during a child's birthday party, for which he received a good amount of criticism. But was it warranted?
Chad then pays homage to Poker Hall of Famer Crandell Addington, who recently passed away. The Texan was there for the very first World Series of Poker (WSOP), and in this episode you'll get to hear the seven-time Main Event final tablist talk about the old days via an interview he did with PokerNews back in 2020.
Finally, you'll learn about the brand new emoji options in the PokerNews live reporting updates and a new documentary featuring Lukas "Robin Poker" Robinson from the WPT Voyage.
Watch the new episode below!
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Friday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Make sure to subscribe to not miss an episode!
Did you know the PokerNews Podcast is no longer just audio? That's right, we've added a video show as well that you can view on the PokerNews YouTube Channel.
Stephen Moy Eliminated in 4th Place ($22,710)
Level 28
: 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
After being left short after doubling up Stefan Kegley, Stephen Moy moved all in preflop and was called by Tyler Klumb to put him at risk of elimination.
Stephen Moy : 9♦7♣
Tyler Klumb : K♥J♦
Moy would need to improve to stay alive, but the runout of J♠4♥A♦5♣Q♦ failed to do so and he was eliminated in 4th place for a payout of $22,710.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,550,000 | 650,000 |
|
Busted |
Kegley Doubles with Kings
Level 28
: 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Stephen Moy opened to 400,000 and Stefan Kegley three-bet to 900,000, which Moy quickly called.
The flop came out 3♠8♥4♣ and Kegley led for 400,000, which Moy responded to by moving all in.
"Call," Kegley announced as he tossed in a chip , putting himself at risk and the cards were tabled.
Stefan Kegley: K♣K♦
Stephen Moy: 10♦8♦
"Well, I can still get there," Moy said, but the runout of 9♠2♦ did not get him there and Kegley was awarded the big double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,200,000 | 3,300,000 |
|
|
1,100,000 | -5,050,000 |
Level: 28
Blinds: 75,000/150,000
Ante: 150,000
Jon Gibbs Eliminated in 5th Place ($17,427)
Level 27
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
After an open to 375,000 from Donald Nimneh, Jon Gibbs moved all in for 925,000 total, which Nimneh called with a shrug to put him at risk.
Jon Gibbs: Q♠K♥
Donald Nimneh: 5♥8♠
Gibbs was definitely in the lead with his king-high, but the runout was nasty as it came 6♥8♥Q♣5♦7♥ to give Nimneh two-pair on the turn, eliminating Gibbs in fifth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,100,000 | 545,000 |
|
Busted |
David Fager Eliminated in 6th Place ($13,999)
Level 27
: Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Short-stacked David Fager moved all in preflop and was called by Tyler Klumb to put hi at risk.
David Fager: K♠5♠
Tyler Klumb : Q♣7♣
Fager was in the lead with his king-high, but the flop of 10♦Q♦J♠ put Klumb in th elead with his pair of queens, although Fager did have a straight draw. Unfortunately, he could not get there on the 5♦4♦ runout and he was sent to the rail in sixth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,900,000 | 850,000 |
|
Busted |